From Mom 4/19
Dear Family,
It was so good to be able to talk to so many of you when we called Brent for his birthday. We finally did get Brent. He was just going up the Malad pass. We had a nice visit with him. I’m always amazed at how clear the phone connection is. It’s the times when I know that you are all together that I really miss being there but at the same time we are so happy to know that you are getting together and enjoying being together. It sounds like Saturday was quite the busy day in Provo with all the football stuff, a birthday party and a Jazz game. I’m glad to see that the Jazz have redeemed themselves some since that Saturday game! Yes, I get NBA on the internet and am keeping up on important things.
I just beat Dad in a game of 3-13. We had to play a game before I started writing this letter because I was so frustrated and MAD when we got home from our visit to Stephanie. She is the young adult who has been in a mental hospital for quite awhile. She called this morning to see if we were coming and told Dad that she wanted him to give her a blessing. We had an appointment to meet with the other man who is in the same hospital. (He is a real nut case. I don’t think we’ll be seeing him again, thank goodness) We were late getting to see him because he was at a therapy session so that made us late seeing Stephanie and she was a little upset about that. But she wanted to go for a walk so we went for a walk. She told us that some missionary had given her a blessing and promised her that everything would be okay when she went to visit her parents and that she would have a pleasant time while she was with them. Well, that didn’t happen. She told Dad what she wanted his blessing to say and we had to tell her that that’s not how Priesthood blessings work. Those blessings are given as directed by the spirit and we don’t tell people just what they want to hear. She didn’t like that one bit. We told her that blessings are given to give us the strength we need to get through difficult situations and she argued with us that patriarchal blessings tell us exactly what we will do in our lives and that priesthood blessings should do the same thing. Then we talked about the fact that life is hard. There is a lot of wickedness in the world and a lot of bad things happen but that through faith and obedience we can get through these things. She didn’t want to hear that and said she didn’t want to talk about it anymore. So we walked along in silence for awhile then she said she didn’t want a blessing. Then there was more silence and she asked when new missionaries would be coming. We told her we didn’t know. I had left my bag in her room when we left for a walk and when we got back to the front door of the hospital I just mentioned that I would go up and get my bag and then we would leave. She said she would go get it and for us to stay there. We did and she did and when she got back she handed me my bag, didn’t say a word and turned and went back into the hospital. We have seen her once or twice a week for over two months. We have taken her fruit and candy and juice and have really tried to let her know that we care about her and for her to treat us this way because she didn’t get her own way just really ticked me off!!! Our bishop here advised us a few weeks ago to be careful and not let her start using us because that’s what she does with everyone. Now I understand what he meant. I feel so sorry for her. She is so afraid of everything and everybody, including her own parents. She doesn’t know how to receive love and she doesn’t trust anyone. I’m sure after today we’re off her list of people she could trust too. People in the ward are concerned about her but just don’t know how to help her because of the way she treats them. She expects everyone to give her just what she wants and that isn’t always possible. My heart aches for her but until she can trust people and accept life like it really is, she’s going to have a long struggle ahead of her.
Well, I got that all off my chest! Now for the rest of the week. We had an awesome Zone Conference on Tuesday. The whole theme of the conference was the Atonement. The talks were on that, the workshops were on how to properly teach the atonement and then to conclude our conference, President Rakow gave an absolutely wonderful talk. I think we all came away with a deeper appreciation for what our Heavenly Father and the Savior did by providing that for us. It’s something we really need to have a testimony of ourselves and then as we bare that testimony to others, the spirit can bare witness to the truthfulness of it. It was just a great conference. Some of the little perks of it were that the Elders could go without their coats when out working and that the sisters didn’t have to wear stockings or they could were knee high. With my white legs, I’m choosing the knee highs. We always have a nice meal and it’s just great being together with the other missionaries. There is one other couple in our zone and it is always fun to be with them and share experiences.
One thing that happens at zone conferences is the missionaries who are leaving before the next conference share their testimonies and the new missionaries are asked to bare their testimonies too. My heart went out to one of the new missionaries. He has bright red hair and looks like he is about 15. He started his testimony in German but then had to change to English to finish it and was embarrassed and very emotional. When he came down from the stand, he put his head in his hands and just cried. He has a wonderful trainer. His trainer was our Zone leader when we were in Munich and we were so impressed with him. I know exactly how this new Elder feels and I so hope that he won’t give up but that he will hang in there and do his best. Someone said that he is really having a hard time being in Germany and mentioned culture shock. I know all about that too. I talked to him for just a minute at the end of the meeting and told him I knew what he was feeling and encouraged him to keep trying and that he would make it. I hope we get a chance to see him again.
Our dear friend, Alina and her husband were in church Sunday. That’s the first time in a long time. A lot of people in the ward came up and talked to her and were so kind. She just seemed really happy. We have another appointment with them on Saturday. President Rakow mentioned to us in our last interview with him that bringing people back into activity in the church is every bit as important as bringing new converts into the church. Sometimes we as missionaries don’t feel like we’re doing our job if we’re not planning a baptism so what President Rakow told us is very comforting.
We had a first meeting with a friend of our bishop’s wife. Her husband is in Iraq. She came to church the first Sunday in March and we met her then. I asked her if she would like to learn about the church and she said she would but has been sick and has had sick kids most of the time since then. We were very happy when we got an e-mail from the bishop’s wife last week and she said this lady, Michelle, wanted to meet with us and gave us her phone number. She grew up attending the Baptist church but is very dissatisfied with her church right now and is looking around. She has been told by many people to stay away from the Mormons and don’t even talk to them. They are a cult and you don’t want to get involved with them. The fact that so many people were saying that to her made her very curious. She knows nearly all the LDS families who are on base and has nothing but good things to say about them. She loves how family oriented they are and how just plain nice they are. Her pediatrician is our bishop and she thinks he is just a great person----which he is. The dentist she takes her kids to is another member of the ward and she goes to aerobics with several sisters from the ward. The power of example is the best missionary tool there is. Things were a bit hectic when we got there. She had been gone most of the day and her kids had just gotten home from school and her two year old hadn’t had a nap and needed her so our visit was kind of between getting things for the kids to eat and changing a diaper and all those other things that go with kids but she is really interested to know about the church and asked us to come back next week while her two oldest children are in school and the little one is down for a nap. She was very curious about the Book of Mormon and very relieved when we told her yes, we use the Bible too. We told her very briefly where the Book of Mormon came from and she is looking forward to start reading it. She is from Nashville, TN and was fun to talk to. I couldn’t help but think of Kathy. They sound very much alike.
Things are really beautiful here now. It seems like just this past week the trees have all leaved out and they are beautiful. The almond trees have pink blossoms much like the cherry trees in Washington D.C. They are beautiful. Pansies are definitely the favorite spring flower and there are hundreds of them everywhere. The magnolia trees are losing there blossoms and the leaves are coming on. The countryside is beautiful with grain growing, canola crops a bright yellow and spud rows straight and beautiful. I often think how much Grandpa Risenmay would love the beauty of all those fields. He often said there is nothing more beautiful than growing crops.
Sister Holzer and I are playing cupid. Brother Holzer is on the high council and I was talking to him at zone conference and asked him if as he visited the different wards he would keep his eye out for a good single man who might be interested in meeting our beautiful Petra. Sister Holzer said she already knows someone. It is one of the counselors in the bishopric of the ward they were just working in. He is 45 and has never married and is getting a bit concerned about his eternal well being. We have met him and he is a very nice, very good looking man. The Holzers have met Petra and they think she would be a good catch for him. So----we’re having some fun with this and hope something will happen. They are going to talk to him and see if he would be interested and then we’ll do our part on this end. It’s nice to have variety in our work.
Thank for the letters. It’s always good to hear about what’s going on at home. It sounds like Boyd and LeAnn and family had a wonderful trip-----a dream vacation. How happy we are that they could do this. Sounds like things are moving along with the Hatch home and also Brent’s home. We’re all counting down the days with Zach. We’re so excited for him and are confident that he will be a great missionary. Camille has done a wonderful service for the community in putting on those plays. Sounds like they came out okay on the fund raising end too. Now if she can just survive! Nate and Cindy, we’re hoping with you that you get that home. It just sounds perfect and what a beautiful location. Brian and Kathy, I thought Idaho was the only place where it snowed on the lilacs. From what we hear, you’re really had the bad weather lately. We’re glad you’re okay. Know that we love all of you. You’re always in our prayers. We are so thankful that you’re our family!
Much love always,
Mom
It was so good to be able to talk to so many of you when we called Brent for his birthday. We finally did get Brent. He was just going up the Malad pass. We had a nice visit with him. I’m always amazed at how clear the phone connection is. It’s the times when I know that you are all together that I really miss being there but at the same time we are so happy to know that you are getting together and enjoying being together. It sounds like Saturday was quite the busy day in Provo with all the football stuff, a birthday party and a Jazz game. I’m glad to see that the Jazz have redeemed themselves some since that Saturday game! Yes, I get NBA on the internet and am keeping up on important things.
I just beat Dad in a game of 3-13. We had to play a game before I started writing this letter because I was so frustrated and MAD when we got home from our visit to Stephanie. She is the young adult who has been in a mental hospital for quite awhile. She called this morning to see if we were coming and told Dad that she wanted him to give her a blessing. We had an appointment to meet with the other man who is in the same hospital. (He is a real nut case. I don’t think we’ll be seeing him again, thank goodness) We were late getting to see him because he was at a therapy session so that made us late seeing Stephanie and she was a little upset about that. But she wanted to go for a walk so we went for a walk. She told us that some missionary had given her a blessing and promised her that everything would be okay when she went to visit her parents and that she would have a pleasant time while she was with them. Well, that didn’t happen. She told Dad what she wanted his blessing to say and we had to tell her that that’s not how Priesthood blessings work. Those blessings are given as directed by the spirit and we don’t tell people just what they want to hear. She didn’t like that one bit. We told her that blessings are given to give us the strength we need to get through difficult situations and she argued with us that patriarchal blessings tell us exactly what we will do in our lives and that priesthood blessings should do the same thing. Then we talked about the fact that life is hard. There is a lot of wickedness in the world and a lot of bad things happen but that through faith and obedience we can get through these things. She didn’t want to hear that and said she didn’t want to talk about it anymore. So we walked along in silence for awhile then she said she didn’t want a blessing. Then there was more silence and she asked when new missionaries would be coming. We told her we didn’t know. I had left my bag in her room when we left for a walk and when we got back to the front door of the hospital I just mentioned that I would go up and get my bag and then we would leave. She said she would go get it and for us to stay there. We did and she did and when she got back she handed me my bag, didn’t say a word and turned and went back into the hospital. We have seen her once or twice a week for over two months. We have taken her fruit and candy and juice and have really tried to let her know that we care about her and for her to treat us this way because she didn’t get her own way just really ticked me off!!! Our bishop here advised us a few weeks ago to be careful and not let her start using us because that’s what she does with everyone. Now I understand what he meant. I feel so sorry for her. She is so afraid of everything and everybody, including her own parents. She doesn’t know how to receive love and she doesn’t trust anyone. I’m sure after today we’re off her list of people she could trust too. People in the ward are concerned about her but just don’t know how to help her because of the way she treats them. She expects everyone to give her just what she wants and that isn’t always possible. My heart aches for her but until she can trust people and accept life like it really is, she’s going to have a long struggle ahead of her.
Well, I got that all off my chest! Now for the rest of the week. We had an awesome Zone Conference on Tuesday. The whole theme of the conference was the Atonement. The talks were on that, the workshops were on how to properly teach the atonement and then to conclude our conference, President Rakow gave an absolutely wonderful talk. I think we all came away with a deeper appreciation for what our Heavenly Father and the Savior did by providing that for us. It’s something we really need to have a testimony of ourselves and then as we bare that testimony to others, the spirit can bare witness to the truthfulness of it. It was just a great conference. Some of the little perks of it were that the Elders could go without their coats when out working and that the sisters didn’t have to wear stockings or they could were knee high. With my white legs, I’m choosing the knee highs. We always have a nice meal and it’s just great being together with the other missionaries. There is one other couple in our zone and it is always fun to be with them and share experiences.
One thing that happens at zone conferences is the missionaries who are leaving before the next conference share their testimonies and the new missionaries are asked to bare their testimonies too. My heart went out to one of the new missionaries. He has bright red hair and looks like he is about 15. He started his testimony in German but then had to change to English to finish it and was embarrassed and very emotional. When he came down from the stand, he put his head in his hands and just cried. He has a wonderful trainer. His trainer was our Zone leader when we were in Munich and we were so impressed with him. I know exactly how this new Elder feels and I so hope that he won’t give up but that he will hang in there and do his best. Someone said that he is really having a hard time being in Germany and mentioned culture shock. I know all about that too. I talked to him for just a minute at the end of the meeting and told him I knew what he was feeling and encouraged him to keep trying and that he would make it. I hope we get a chance to see him again.
Our dear friend, Alina and her husband were in church Sunday. That’s the first time in a long time. A lot of people in the ward came up and talked to her and were so kind. She just seemed really happy. We have another appointment with them on Saturday. President Rakow mentioned to us in our last interview with him that bringing people back into activity in the church is every bit as important as bringing new converts into the church. Sometimes we as missionaries don’t feel like we’re doing our job if we’re not planning a baptism so what President Rakow told us is very comforting.
We had a first meeting with a friend of our bishop’s wife. Her husband is in Iraq. She came to church the first Sunday in March and we met her then. I asked her if she would like to learn about the church and she said she would but has been sick and has had sick kids most of the time since then. We were very happy when we got an e-mail from the bishop’s wife last week and she said this lady, Michelle, wanted to meet with us and gave us her phone number. She grew up attending the Baptist church but is very dissatisfied with her church right now and is looking around. She has been told by many people to stay away from the Mormons and don’t even talk to them. They are a cult and you don’t want to get involved with them. The fact that so many people were saying that to her made her very curious. She knows nearly all the LDS families who are on base and has nothing but good things to say about them. She loves how family oriented they are and how just plain nice they are. Her pediatrician is our bishop and she thinks he is just a great person----which he is. The dentist she takes her kids to is another member of the ward and she goes to aerobics with several sisters from the ward. The power of example is the best missionary tool there is. Things were a bit hectic when we got there. She had been gone most of the day and her kids had just gotten home from school and her two year old hadn’t had a nap and needed her so our visit was kind of between getting things for the kids to eat and changing a diaper and all those other things that go with kids but she is really interested to know about the church and asked us to come back next week while her two oldest children are in school and the little one is down for a nap. She was very curious about the Book of Mormon and very relieved when we told her yes, we use the Bible too. We told her very briefly where the Book of Mormon came from and she is looking forward to start reading it. She is from Nashville, TN and was fun to talk to. I couldn’t help but think of Kathy. They sound very much alike.
Things are really beautiful here now. It seems like just this past week the trees have all leaved out and they are beautiful. The almond trees have pink blossoms much like the cherry trees in Washington D.C. They are beautiful. Pansies are definitely the favorite spring flower and there are hundreds of them everywhere. The magnolia trees are losing there blossoms and the leaves are coming on. The countryside is beautiful with grain growing, canola crops a bright yellow and spud rows straight and beautiful. I often think how much Grandpa Risenmay would love the beauty of all those fields. He often said there is nothing more beautiful than growing crops.
Sister Holzer and I are playing cupid. Brother Holzer is on the high council and I was talking to him at zone conference and asked him if as he visited the different wards he would keep his eye out for a good single man who might be interested in meeting our beautiful Petra. Sister Holzer said she already knows someone. It is one of the counselors in the bishopric of the ward they were just working in. He is 45 and has never married and is getting a bit concerned about his eternal well being. We have met him and he is a very nice, very good looking man. The Holzers have met Petra and they think she would be a good catch for him. So----we’re having some fun with this and hope something will happen. They are going to talk to him and see if he would be interested and then we’ll do our part on this end. It’s nice to have variety in our work.
Thank for the letters. It’s always good to hear about what’s going on at home. It sounds like Boyd and LeAnn and family had a wonderful trip-----a dream vacation. How happy we are that they could do this. Sounds like things are moving along with the Hatch home and also Brent’s home. We’re all counting down the days with Zach. We’re so excited for him and are confident that he will be a great missionary. Camille has done a wonderful service for the community in putting on those plays. Sounds like they came out okay on the fund raising end too. Now if she can just survive! Nate and Cindy, we’re hoping with you that you get that home. It just sounds perfect and what a beautiful location. Brian and Kathy, I thought Idaho was the only place where it snowed on the lilacs. From what we hear, you’re really had the bad weather lately. We’re glad you’re okay. Know that we love all of you. You’re always in our prayers. We are so thankful that you’re our family!
Much love always,
Mom
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