While I know that just one week ago at this time I (Russell) was sleeping in my bed at home in Centerville, having spent the last week participating with family on funeral matters, it seems a world away from me now. The transition to full-time missionary service is a difficult one to bounce in and out of. My recent experience has helped me start to understand the Savior’s direction to one of his disciples in Mathew 8:21-22.
On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Elder Evan A. Schmutz, a Seventy and President of the Philippines Area, conducted the first General Authority tour of our mission. On Wednesday we had the privilege of being in an all-day meeting he conducted with the eastern half of the mission’s missionaries.
Friday was an interesting day. I needed to visit several missionaries’ apartments in Pasig to deliver items and do apartment inspections. Pasig is on the western end of our mission, bordering Quezon City (north) and Makati (west), part of the greater-Manila metropolitan area. In an effort to beat the morning traffic heading into Manila we left at 6:30 AM. After spending two hours to get to our first appointment which was only 14 km away, we learned that to beat traffic maybe 5:00 AM would have worked better. Driving in Pasig and Taguig (south of Pasig) are probably our least favorite part of this mission experience. After completing our scheduled visits we were heading back toward our apartment when Eileen got a call about two sick elders. We ended up taking both of them to the hospital that evening. Fortunately, they didn't have to be admitted but did get IV fluids and medications to help their symptoms. The doctor’s diagnosis was food poisoning but I have my doubts about that (just an accountant’s view as one who has had food poisoning a few too many times). By the time I had taken everyone home that night it was almost 11:00 PM.
One little aspect of the night’s events was in regard to who would stay with the two elders overnight should they be admitted. It was suggested to me by the Assistants to the President that the other two missionaries in the same house cancel their evening's appointments and that I should take them to the hospital also (you have to have a personal escort in the hospital with you if you stay overnight). For some reason it did not feel right to me to make the elders cancel their teaching appointments so I just made an additional trip to their apartment after the appointments to take them to the hospital and meet up with Eileen and the two sick elders. As soon as the elders got in the car they were excitedly telling me about what a fantastic evening they had just had. They both taught investigators and gained new ones to teach. At that point I realized that I had been inspired to not have them cancel their appointments. I was almost surprised that despite my otherwise stress filled non-spiritual day’s activities that the Spirit could still influence me to make a right decision. It was a another gentle reminder to me that God is in the details of our lives and that he can use servants of questionable quality (me) to help accomplish His work.
Today Eileen played the piano sacrament meeting. The person who regularly does it led the music today and is leaving on a mission to Korea in a month. My guess is that this works into a more permanent calling for Eileen.
 |
| Three zones with President and Sister Schmutz |
 |
| The seniors are supposed to go first in the serving line |
 |
| The missionaries always enjoy the lunch part of zone conference |
 |
| Sister Rose does an excellent job of catering the meals for our conferences |
 |
| President Alder and sister missionary having a few laughs |
 |
| Elder and Sister Schmutz greeted each missionary |
 |
| Elder and Sister Schmutz with Eileen. Russell was out buying things for missionary apartments |
 |
| Two sick missionary companions in hospital |
 |
| I haven't seen one of these suction canisters in a long time |
 |
| Some IV meds and fluids perked these missionaries (used with their permission). The other two missionaries came just in case they needed to stay overnight with the sick elders. |
 |
| When it seemed like the challenges wouldn't slow down my daughter sent me this quote by Elder Holland |
No comments:
Post a Comment