WE ALL FALL DOWN May 2017

Someone is trying to tell me something.

Every 2 weeks we have a Seniors FHE.  Last night Elder & Sister Jenkins (we were in the same district at the MTC, they feel like family) gave the lesson.  The Jenkins have 10 children.  One family home evening they were counting the many miracles they had experienced in their marriage and family life.  Child number 9 & 10 did not know hardly any of these stories.  One of the daughters started writing each miracle on a sticky note. All the sticky notes covered the fridge.  After a year the sticky notes started falling off the fridge and Sister Jenkins thought that they need to write these miracles down in hard copy format.  Thus begun the journey of compiling a "Book of Miracles" that they now give to the grandchildren as they turn a certain age that can appreciate this family book of Miracles.  What a GREAT Idea.  They gave us 5 minutes last night to write a few thoughts of miracles that have happened to each of us while out in the mission field.  #1

My son asked how my Blog was coming.  (He thought he was being sly, but I knew what he was hinting at).  I told him I was lucky if I got 1 entry a month down.  He told me that was a weak excuse and I needed to do better.  #2

Elder Ellison and I are speaking in the Toukely Ward next Sunday.  My topic is from General Conference Oct 2016 Lest Thou Forget by Elder Rasband.  This is a great topic and I have enjoyed preparing for it. Toward the end of Elder Rasband's talk he states "Never forget, question, or ignore personal, sacred spiritual experiences.  The adversary's design is to distract us from spiritual witnesses, while the Lord's desire is to enlighten and engage us in His work.  #3

So now to my story.  Sister Barr is the Sydney Australia North and South Nurse.  Her husband passed away about 9 years ago.  Years before she attended Stake Conference and the Stake President talked about the importance of Seniors serving a mission when the time was right.  So this thought kept creeping back into her thoughts until finally she decided to go serve a mission.  I admire her for being strong enough to serve a mission by herself.  She is a strong woman.

Sister Barr works out of the Sydney North Mission office.  She arrived about 3 1/2 months before we arrived.  About 6 weeks ago she was out walking with another Senior couple when she took a spill.  She doesn't remember what or how it happened.  When she came too she knew something was seriously wrong with her shoulder.  After a few days of excruciating pain and no comfort in any position she went to the Doctors. X-rays, CT and MRI were all taken.  It was finally determined she had dislocated the shoulder, chipped pieces of bone off the socket, already had arthritis in the area and a few other details that I can't recall.  They determined not to do surgery and see if it would heal on its own.  She was in a sling for about 6 weeks.  The doctor says she needs to be careful as she will now have a tendency to dislocate the shoulder.  She is still on the mend.  You don't heal as quickly when you are in your 60's as you do in your teens and 20's . I have wondered if she is questioning why she came out on a mission.  The other day she had no intention of quitting, but finishing her mission.

Well, the other morning I was getting ready for my 5:45 a.m. walk.  I opened the front door and thought for a moment, "it is awfully dark.  There are 4 steps to go down, turn on the light."  NOPE didn't listen to the small voice in my head. Took a step, closed the door, took a step and fell down all 4 steps, grabbing at the plant to my right, cutting the palm of my hand, landing on my knees, then rolling to the side. OUCH! It took a few seconds to regain my calm, I wanted to scream, but would have woken neighbors.  Went back inside with leaves and debris in my hair, clothes and skin.  Darn. When will I learn to listen?  Fortunately, I didn't repeat Sister Barr's accident. I was bruised physically and mentally but well enough to go for the walk.  Later that day when the Assistants were in I told them what happened and Elder Lamb said "Never ignore the still small voice.  Not a good idea".  True true.

This was miracle number 4.  I need to go back and write about the others at a later time.  But I got my entry in for the day.  YEA Sister Ellison!