The value of our young women October 15, 2015

I probably sound like a broken record as I extol the virtues of the Sister Missionaries and of the Young Women in the Branch.  Serving with them is a real privilege.  Elder Dixon and I were bemoaning the fact that at the next transfer we will be losing our temporary set of Sister Missionaries.  They have been wonderful.  I have been so proud of each of them.  Neither came in the usual way.  We were privileged to have Sister Oliveira with us for two transfers from Temple Square.  We have also been privileged to  have one of our own Branch members step forward to be her companion for that time.  They have been a great addition to the Branch.

So, not only have I served with those two great young women, I also get to work in the Young Women for the Branch.  I LOVE those young women.  They are so bright and wonderful.  We have fantastic discussions in which I learn from them.  Today, I was teaching about patience.  Their insights and comments were terrific.  I showed them some quotes on patience and this one became a favorite for all of us:

 "When the veil which now encloses us is no more, time will also be no more. Even now, time is clearly not our natural dimension. Thus it is that we are never really at home in time. Alternately, we find ourselves impatiently wishing to hasten the passage of time or to hold back the dawn. We can do neither of course. Whereas the bird is at home in the sky, we are clearly not at home in time - because we belong to eternity! Time, as much as any one thing, whispers to us that we are strangers here. If time were natural to us, why is it that we have so many clocks and wristwatches?" ---Neil A. Maxwell.

Wow!  It has taken me years to understand these deep quotes from Neil A. Maxwell, and they understood it immediately.  There is tremendous power in these young women.

I had the privilege to share one of life' greatest moments this week.  Bala and Srvanthi brought a beautiful little girl into the world.  They invited me to be there in the hospital after she was born because her mother had a C-section.  That little girl was so aware and so darling.  I am grateful I could be part of it.

On Saturday, we were going to attend some baptisms in Gainesville, so we took a little time and went to the Atlanta Botanical Garden in Gainesville to see the Lego sculptures.  They were amazing.  I can't bring my grandchildren to the sculptures, but I can bring the pictures to my grandchildren.  Enjoy!

The baptisms were so great.  I hope that when I return from my mission, I will always attend baptisms.  I used to think that it was a private, family thing and I didn't attend.  Now I realize that I was not welcoming those people into the ward.  

Have a happy, but safe, Halloween.