We also participated in an AMA council meeting with all of the Area Medical Advisers of the Pacific Area.
Tonga was also mentioned. Two countries sent airplanes for disaster relief and their engines were destroyed by all the ash. So now they are sending boats instead of airplanes which will take a lot longer. All the missionaries were accounted for.
Our eighth Grandchild celebrated his 7th birthday today. We had two cakes and lots of ice cream! Fun was had by all!
We also talked on Zoom with Sister Kirk - Adelaide Mission Medical Advisor, Nurse - about the health of Missionaries.
It’s amazing all that needs to be done for the continued health of Missionaries!
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You will also see that the living of one protective principle of the gospel is better than a thousand compensatory governmental programs—which programs are, so often, like “straightening deck chairs on the Titanic.”
Do not overpack the luggage you plan to take with you when you leave this world, for we simply cannot get most mortal things by celestial customs; only the eternal things are portable.
Do not pray, for you will get answers from a listening and loving Father.
Here is the link-
The Lord is in charge and we put our trust in Him! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
A few months ago I met a young man. I asked him if he was going on a mission. He said, “No a mission is not for me.” Just before I went to the Mission Training Center I had a thought in my head and I knew it was the spirit. I needed to talk to him about going on a mission and how important it would be and how good he would be. I followed the spirit. He said,”Maybe.”
I left to go to the mission training center for two weeks. I came back and happened to see him and he said guess what? I’m going on a mission! After I had talk to him someone else had talked to him in the afternoon and had encouraged him also to go on a mission.
I’m so happy. I’m really happy that I listened to the spirit and encouraged him to go on a mission. And I’m happy the other person also listened to the spirit and encouraged him. We never know why the Lord tells us to do some thing and sometimes we don’t know the outcome. But to listen and obey the spirit is always the right thing to do.
We talked tonight to Elder and Sister Garlick who are the Executive Secretary and Assistant Executive Secretary in the Area Presidency Office in New Zealand. They taught Elder Bennett many things. Sister Garlick invited me to be a part of the Sisters Gospel Study. They study a conference talk every week on Tuesday at 2 o’clock
Last night some of the grandkids spent the night. A couple of them woke up at 5 o’clock in the morning because somebody had turned an iPad alarm on. Thankfully they went back to sleep!
Today was full of art projects, science experiments, music making, creative hats, 👒 playing with cousins, and lots of memories!
Barry served many hours today sending emails, figuring out what to do, and setting up a zoom meeting with the mission health advisor at the Sydney Australia Mission. I was in on a zoom call. Sister Ormsby had that great New Zealand accent and was as kind as she could be. She is the first person Missionaries turn to when they need medical help. She sends them where they need to go and if she needs help she gives Elder Bennett an email. She said this week 30 of the 90 missionaries that serve in that mission had Covid.
A Great Quote about technology and COVID-19 and how it has affected Missionary work by elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf.
The future of missionary work is reliant upon technology!
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“…The virus did not catch Heavenly Father by surprise. He did not have to master additional battalions of angels, call emergency meetings, or divert resources from the world-creation division to handle an unexpected need. We will move forward, and we will be better as a result.”
~ Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf
💙 Before we went on our mission I ordered a picture of us and gave it to each of our grandchildren with a scripture on the bottom. One morning Miles woke up and came running out with our picture in his hand smiling! How sweet!
💕We were able to spend some time with Elder Bennett‘s brother Bob and his wife Joy. They were moving from Montana to Utah. We brought some lunch and we ate together and talked together! A Wonderful Time was had by all! I should’ve taken a picture but I forgot. 💕💕!
After holding a “Mock Medical Council” and hearing Elder William Jackson speak we drove home to Idaho Falls to begin our mission. There is a lot more snow up here! We will be in our home waiting for our visas to travel to Australia!
I Never Could Leave Idaho
It’s winter time in Idaho,
And the gentle breezes blow,
75 miles an hour
at 35 below.
Oh, how I love Idaho
When the snows up to your butt,
You take a breath of winter air,
And your nose gets frozen shut.
Yes the weather here is wonderful,
So I guess I’ll hang around.
I never could leave Idaho,
I’m frozen to the ground.
We are on a grand errand to help our missionaries and their priesthood leaders and wives be spiritually, emotionally, and physically healthy. We have learned of dermatology, opthomology, mental health, orthopaedic, etc. The Lord is indeed hastening His work!
It's hard to think that we had no medical help before 1992 for our missionaries! Although when we lived in Germany from 1987-1992 Barry was considered the mission doctor and helped many things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." ~ Mosiah 2:17
We are going to serve the missions of Australia and Papua New Guinea. Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ will be the ones we truly serve with all of our might, mind, and strength!
Elder Bennett and I learned much about taking care of the health of the missionaries in our area! Just a few tidbits out of the many many things we talked about today- this isn’t the cure for everything but just a few ideas!
Sleeping Well- Exercise, eat well and go to sleep and get up on time.
Dental health – Eat Healthy and no Red Bull drinks. Brush and floss every day!
Mental Health - “If this magic button could get rid of all of your stress would you push it? Then ask the person what are his stresses. He’ll probably answer job, family, church, etc. Then ask him if he would like to press the button and take away everything that causes him stress? He will most likely say no. And then he needs to be taught that stress is the price we pay for a meaningful life.
The Lord’s way to help someone is to give him tools and to do it with love. The world’s way is always a hand out and everything is free- you don’t have to work for anything. Christ’s way is to say, “I’m not going to lift weights for you but I’m going to make sure you have the right weights so that you can lift them and succeed.
Another thought – Immaturity is when you want to grow without experience
Mosiah 4:27 - “And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.”
We are in Salt Lake City at the Hyatt House doing Medical Training this week. A lot of learning took place today. Elder Bennett learned much about working on the computer for his call as Area Medical Advisor. I learned a little bit on the computer. I learned how to get into my church email and a Few other things!
In 1987 the church sent 3 doctors down to Lima, Peru. This was a first. They learned that 36% of the missionaries at any given time were sick and in bed. The Mission President and His wife were overloaded with the health of the missionaries and couldn't do their job. They found that after going go the Temple to get baptized for the dead people were getting sick with giardia. The water they were using was coming from the municipal water supply. That was changed! Now they put chlorine in all Temple Fonts.
In 1993 the first Doctors and Nurses were called as missionaries. Now the Mission Presidents and their Wives can focus on their callings. They still do take a part in the missionary's health but now they have lots of support!
We also met with our children, Deserae and Cecily and her husband, Ryan along with the grandkiddos, Beckett, Dean, Jayna, & Miles! We ate at Cheesecake Factory and enjoyed a wonderful time.
We then drove to our hotel, The Hyatt House, to get ready for another 4 days of training for Medical Missionaries.
"I testify that as we actively come unto Him, we can endure every temptation, every heartache, every challenge we face." ~ Elder Richard G. Scott
Here we are with MTC President Porter and His Wife, Sister Porter. They have been called to serve the missionaries at the MTC. They have strong testimonies of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Much has to be done to prepare our missionaries to go out into the world to testify of Jesus Christ.
have strong and have much to do to further the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the missionaries that come to the MTC.
We had the opportunity to hear their testimonies of Jesus Christ.
"Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world." ~3 Nephi 11:14
We talked about this mural in the Missionary Training Center. Can you tell what it is? Please ask the cute grandkiddos if they know what it is before you tell them. The bottom picture is of one of our MTC teachers, Sister Harper..
For you to answer and think about ~
A. Observations from the mural:
1. What symbols of light and darkness do you see in this mural?
2. What can you learn from this mural
B. We discussed:
1. Do I have enough faith in Jesus Christ to accomplish anything He wants me to do?
2. Exodus 3:11
How must you live, and what kind of faith must you have to receive revelation in times of great need, such as Moses when he led the children of Israel out of bondage?
Moses began to fear exceedingly; and as he began to fear, he saw the bitterness of hell"
Do I let fear get in the way of my faith?
