Member Care

          Last month, I was blessed to go to England to see the British Pageant.  Because I am single, I don't have permanent travel companion.  I have had many WONDERFUL and FUN travel companions in the past, but for this trip, trying to find someone to go to England with was a little challenging.  I asked my VT companion, former roommates, married friends, single friends, etc.  however no one could leave their kids, take the time off work, justify the cost, etc.  I had the time, money saved, etc. and I really wanted to see the Pageant, so I decided to go anyway.  Luckily, I have a former college roommate, Terisha, whose husband is stationed in England and I was able to stay with her for most of my trip.  She showed me around and did some sight seeing with me in London.  Don't hate me, but while I was in England, I toured the Harry Potter Movie Studio!  Yes, I cried I was so excited.

Gryffindor Commons Room

Riding the Night Bus

I saw "Warhorse" and "Wicked."   LOVED them both!!!!   We rented bikes and rode around the city--neither of us had been on a bike for several years and I was in a skirt--it was a fun adventure.  We also drove to the London Temple. 

   

       Terisha's Stake chartered a bus to drive up to the Pageant and I rode with them.   My plane home was out of the Manchester airport, so I had to stay the night by myself in Chorley, while she returned home on the bus with the Stake.  The Pageant was AMAZING!  My friend, Alex Mackenzie Johns, directed it and another friend, Charly Burridge Jones, was the stage manager (I met them both while working on the Nauvoo Pageant).

     I didn't know how I was going to get from the Pageant to my hotel.  I knew some other friends from the Nauvoo Pageant were going to be there, but I also knew they probably would not have cars--I was right.    The Pageant ended at 10:15 p.m.  I saw a few friends, but they were all from the U.S. and...none of them had cars or a way to help me get to my hotel.  I didn't really know how to get to there by foot and it was dark--probably not the safest for a single gal.  I kept trying to see if any of my friends were going in the direction of my hotel--nothing. 
       After the cast prayer at 11:00 p.m. and still no prospects of shuttle service, I started to get worried.  I kept praying that I would find someone that could take me.  Because I was unfamiliar with the area, my friend gave me her laptop to look it up on Mapquest.  I had to go to the Stake Center up the hill to get WIFI.  On my way, I was feeling desperate.  As I passed by cast members and audience members, to no one in particular, I asked, "Anyone going to the Travel Lodge?" (of course, I said this in an English accent).    I kept asking, hopeful that someone would be headed in that direction.  No one.  Some ladies, dressed in Pageant costumes, like everyone else, said they were not staying there as they started their car.  I moved on and then they called out and asked me which Travel Lodge.  I told them and even though they were not staying at the hotel, they offered to drive me!  So, I was taken to my hotel by some cast members--Mormons I had never met before.  They were so kind and eager to help me in my desperation.  I finally learned their names as we headed for the hotel.  I don't know what I would have done, had they not offered me a ride.  They were truly an answer to prayer.

These are the darling ladies that drove me to my hotel.

      Sunday morning I arranged for a taxi to take me to church, but I didn't know how I was going to get from the church to the bus station to get to the airport.  I entered the building with my luggage and the first people I met were Senior Missionaries from Utah.  They had only been in England two weeks.  They offered to take me to the bus station, but they said they still were learning how to drive in England and didn't know their way around.  We took my luggage to their car to be stored during church meetings.  I attend Relief Society and basked in the spirit of Pageant aftermath excitement. 
      At the opening of Sunday School, the Senior Missionary pulled me aside and said he found someone else (during Elder's Quorum) to take me to the bus station.  He introduced me and we exchanged greetings as the lesson began.  The man leaned over to his wife and whispered something.  He turned back to me said before he took me to the bus station,  he and his wife would like to have me join them for dinner.   I had only been in the church building for a little over an hour and I had my luggage safely stored, secured a ride to the bus station, and sweetly been given a dinner invitation. Sunday dinner had already been planned for family members and some friends visiting for the Pageant--easy at pie to add one more Mormon to the menu.  Who does that?  I didn't even know his name and in a hour, I would be eating pickled beets and mashed potatoes in his home. 
       After a delicious dinner and delightful conversation, my new friends drove me not just to the bus station, but all the way to the airport!  

These are the folks I ate Sunday dinner with in Chorley.

      I feel so fortunate to belong to a church that takes care of its people.  It is comforting to know that I can go anywhere in the world, and I can immediately find kindred spirits and kind souls.  As members of the same faith, we know we have similar goals and desires.  We want to be like Jesus Christ.  We live to take care of each other.  My experience in England was just one more example of  "Member Care."

BTW, We don't just take care of our people...
        "Using funds donated by generous members, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sends food, clothing, and other essentials to relieve the suffering of adults and children all over the world. These humanitarian donations, totaling hundreds of millions of dollars in the last decade, are made without any consideration of religion, race, or nationality. 
        Our massive relief effort following the 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami provided $13 million in cash and relief supplies. In addition, more than 31,000 Church-sponsored volunteers gave more than 600,000 hours of service. Our humanitarian assistance to the victims of Hurricane Sandy in the eastern United States included large donations of various resources, plus almost 300,000 hours of service in cleanup efforts by about 28,000 Church members. Among many other examples last year, we provided 300,000 pounds (136,000 kg) of clothing and shoes for the refugees in the African nation of Chad. During the last quarter century we have assisted nearly 30 million people in 179 countries. Truly, the people called “Mormons” know how to give to the poor and needy." 
       -Elder Dallin H. Oaks at the April 2013 General Conference

FHE in a bag...a big bag!

       School started for the most of the kids in my neighborhood on Monday.  I was trying to figure out what I should do for Family Home Evening and realized that most families with children would be celebrating the big day and they would most likely want this to be a special family time.  As I considered who I could share FHE with, I remembered reading on Facebook my friend, Jenny, was in the hospital. She had just moved to Utah from back east and started her new job when she found out she had a relapse of Leukemia.  I hadn't seen her in almost twenty years.
      We were EFY (Especially For Youth) Counselors together.  One morning during our counselor devotional at EFY, I don't know why, but I crammed myself inside a suitcase, had it zipped up, and waited.  The counselor giving the devotional was in on the joke.  When all the other half-awake counselors rolled in, one of them was asked to get out a handout from the suitcase...that's when I popped out.  Surprise!   As you can imagine, if the other counselors were not awake when they arrived, their morning slumber suddenly ceased.

        Well, Jenny was at EFY when this happened, so I thought, to bring back old times, I needed a big bag.  I found a rather large, blue, rolling duffel bag that I have lugged on many trips.   I tried it out before going to the hospital...yep!  I fit.  I brought it to the hospital and had the nurse zip me up and wheel me in to Jenny's room.  The duffel bag/suit case was unzipped and I popped out.  I couldn't see Jenny's face, but I hope it made her smile.  We had a great chat and even though it had been almost twenty years since I have seen her, I enjoyed laughing together, reminiscing, and catching up.  Our visit was short, but long enough for me to see the seriousness of her situation and the courage she is demonstrating in her battle.  I'm so glad I was able to visit her. 
          Jenny has a smile that lights up the room.  It is easy to feel loved in her presence.  She is quick-witted and wise.  Although she is still single, she is truly the epitome of the word STALWART.  When she was first diagnosed with Leukemia, she was the Relief Society President in her family ward (while she was attending graduate school!).  As sick as she was, she held Presidency meetings from her hospital room!   She endured bravely and fought hard.  Eventually, she recovered.  She then finished her doctorate degree (her dissertation was on Mormon women's history).  Amazing!  She was offered a job in Salt Lake and bought a house.  Just after she moved to Utah, she was called to be in the Primary Presidency.  A month later, Leukemia relapsed.  Someone posted this on Jenny's Facebook page, "PS your sharing time on Sunday was amazing! Yes that's right everyone, while in the hospital getting chemo Jenny still was able to fulfill her calling as first councilor in the primary. That movie you made was awesome the kids loved it!! You are truly an amazing woman!!"  After reading this, it caused me to ask myself if I have allowed mundane obstacles to become excuses for not fully fulfilling my callings.  If she can fulfill her callings from her hospital bed, surely I can make sacrifices to attend meetings, attend to my responsibilities and attend to my neighbors in need.  After being with Jenny, I want to be "more fit for the kingdom" and in doing so, "more used would I be."  (Hymn #131). 

        If you want to know more about Jenny and her story, here is a post about her Relief Society Presidency from her blog.  http://jennyreeder.blogspot.com/2011/01/lift-up-hands-which-hang-down-and.html    Jenny is truly a rock, because she is built on THE rock (Helaman 5:12). 

"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."