a special bond

My dad was not doing well health wise. 

He was determined to make it to Abe's farewell.

It was the last place he went, besides the hospital.

He was a very big believer in Abe and kept telling me how special Abe is.

I remember when Abe got his patriarchal blessing, he was a little disappointed because he felt like it was basically sounded like a Sunday school lesson and not super personal. 

My dad invited him over and gave him a grandpa's blessing because my dad felt so strongly that he wanted Abe to feel how important he is.

They had a special bond.

Before my dad died, one of the last things he was concerned bout was making sure Abe had some money in his post mission account.  He wanted Abe to succeed and was thinking about him right up until the end.

I have felt my dad watching over Abe.

 

Ghana go on a mission

Abe left in December to go to the MTC in Ghana. 

He worked hard.

He was sent to Brazaville for his first city.

It seemed like it was pretty remote. 

He would call me from a little cyber cafe and I could see him but not hear him very well.  

At the end of March, Covid-19 was spreading quickly and the schools and churches started to shut down. We were in qaurentine trying to stop the spread. I talked to Abe on the phone and he asked me what was going on and why church was canceled. I told him to go get some supplies and food just in case. He had only heard of one case in Africa so they were not aware of the worldwide effect that the corona virus was having.  He went to his training on Wed. and the mission president told them to get some supplies so they went to the store. At the store, they received a call that said to go home and pack.

All missionaries everywhere were being sent home.

They went and packed and Abe got on one of the last flights out of Africa.

I know Heavenly Father was watching out for him.

He had to wait in Ethiopia for a couple days and he and a few missionaries were walking down the street in a big city.  All of a sudden a car pulled up and told them to get in. There were two cars with just the right amount of seatbelts and they took them to the mission home.

Abe thought it was amazing that they were in a huge place and the two cars just happen to be right where they were, with just the right amount of space and took them where they needed to be. 

It was an unexpected turn in his mission and in the world. 

We were all so happy to see him and be together and safe.

He got home just in time for general conference and I remember him telling me how grateful he was to listen to it in English. 

What an experience.

Even though it was four months, I think it felt like forever to Abe;)

I also felt that he learned so much and felt the spirit. 

Two times he shared were when he was having a hard time and feeling down, he sat in his class and a song came to his mind and he could hear the exact music and lyrics perfectly. It's not a song he loved but it was super calming to him and gave him just the moment of peace. I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father knows how to reach us in the language we understand and that we feel-music for Abe.

Another time was when he was feeling down and he picked up an folder that was in his suitcase of some notes. One envelope fell out that he hadn't noticed before. It was a note from his grandma and grandpa, full of quotes and he told me they were just what he needed. Grandpa wasn't doing well at all and later passed away while Abe was there. It was hard for Abe to be gone during that time. He didn't know how he had missed this envelope but Heavenly Father let him find it just when he needed it.

Grateful for Abe's service and for Heavenly Father blessing him while he was there.

 

Benevolent

  we believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent...

So proud of Vivian.

She tried out for a play and didn't make it. 

Both of her good friends did.

She chose to truly be excited for her friends and go and watch them, take them a gift and cheer them on.

She was sincerely excited for them, and to support them.

I was so impressed.

I think it is benevolent when you are are happy for other's successes.

Love you Vivian. You are delightful. 

Details

 

Abe's mission call

Abe is a sincere person. 

He told me he wanted to want to go on a mission, but that he didn't want to. 

It seemed to me that he waited and waited and prayed and waited some more for an answer that he should go.  He finally decided it was a good thing to do and decided to do it. 

Then he got his answer. 

He got his mission call to Africa (the Congo) and when he opened it, he felt it.

It was a true testimony to me that we have to act.  Faith is hope in action.

A lot of times we want answers or knowledge and then we will believe, but that takes away the opportunity we have to choose faith. When we act in faith, then we get the belief or help or answers.

Abe was SO excited.

(this is when he read his email calling him to serve the Lord in Africa- it was a special day)

Sending him off.

(Vivian- "I don't think he's mission us, he wants to be in Ghana")

(Going, going Ghana)

Going through the temple and receiving his endowment.

I loved this day.

Glad Grandma could make it to the temple with us.

 

VIVIAN GOT BAPTIZED

 

unexpected

 I guess I'll work backwards. Start where we are now and fill in the gaps as we go.

We sold our house. I felt a huge push. The scriptures use the words "wrought upon by the spirit" and wrought means to shape by beating.  I kinda feel like I was wrought upon by the spirit about selling our house. It was this constant thought. Finally, I told Dave we needed to try for two months so I could put it out of my mind.  It sold so fast.  I felt a lot of grace moving. I had heaven's help. A small house nearby became available to buy (our plan was to rent and build on a lot we bought down the street) so we ended up buying the lot and this little house. It's in the same neighborhood so our kids' lives are relatively the same. I miss the band room and the fire pit and that's it. I really don't miss our old house. I like the simplicity of this house and it's felt like a really safe place for me while I work out a few things.  We have been here for a little over a year.  We have been working on house plans and it's been a struggle to move forward. To the point of wondering what we are supposed to do. Dave's job has changed a lot with more changes to come, so he has been feeling a need to get settled since a lot of things feel up in the air. 

Last week Dave was called to be in the bishopric.  It was completely unexpected. He got the text from he stake president and thought it was for me. So I showed up to the online interview and the stake president asked if Dave would be joining us. It was a little humorous. I felt the spirit so strongly when they asked him to be the counselor in the bishopric.  Later that night, Dave went to his first meeting and found out the new boundaries for the ward and our lot is in the other ward.  So now what? The new bishop told him to go ahead and do whatever is best for our family, he knew we were planning on building, but he really felt Dave needed to be in the bishopric, and they would take him for however long.  So here we are.  It was a really hard week for Dave. He struggled with it. He wants to build and get settled. He had some dark moments but the Sunday he was put in was one of the most peaceful, beautiful days I have had. I felt surrounded by the Holy Ghost. Maybe I needed to feel that, well we both needed to feel that confirmation. He was blessed that he would have help with his job and family as he does this calling. It was really special to watch Dave get ordained and be surrounded my Abe, Ben, his Dad and a member of the stake presidency and feel the power of the priesthood, and see our kids supporting and lifting Dave, rerealizing the importance of families.  Dave's testimony was beautiful. He talked about seashore moments. The jaredites had been through a lot and they got to the edge of the ocean and thought they made it. They were comfortable. Then God told them to build barges, get in them and cross the sea.  They had to make a decision. It would be so much easier to stay comfortable, but they had to comment themselves and trust God and get in.  He said that's what this calling feels like to him. Then he said that we met when we were fourteen and how the world stopped (I told him he connected with all the fourteen yr olds in the audience) and that mine was the most important hand that went up to sustain him.  I had a lot of women tell me how romantic that was and it was really beautiful. But he was serious. He has had some rough moments and some callings have been super stressful and so he needed me to raise my hand and I had to really think if I could sustain him in this calling. I'm grateful for the powerful spiritual confirmations that we received that helped me.  Also, the impressions I had the whole week leading up to it all prepped me to be willing to say ok and ultimately, I feel like I trust God and so I really appreciated those helps. I'm excited to see how this callings helps and molds us, and I'm really praying for guidance about what to do about building.  I have felt so directed and I feel a sense of calm that it's all going to work out.  So I'm putting my effort into focusing on this list and hoping for the promise.

"Nothing opens the heavens quite like the combination of exact obedience, increased purity, earnest seeking, daily feasting on the words of Christ in the book of mormon, and a regular time committed to temple and family history work."- Russell M. Nelson