I was just sitting here thinking. Dangerous, I know, I know, but my mind wandered all on its own. I wonder if I was packing or digging like I should be, would my mind be wandering?
Whatever. It did. So I was thinking about just the world and I went from Haiti to Jon who served a mission in Haiti to how he taught me how connect the restoration of the fullness of the gospel to my testimony to Jim who taught me how to share a Book of Mormon with a friend.
I am so grateful for these guys who helped me learn the gospel and also influenced me tremendoursly in going on a mission.
Jon, could be John, don't even remember his last name necessarily. He was in my stake, lived across the sound in Gig Harbor. I knew his sister a little bit. I didn't know him at all and didn't really care to actually. I was a freshman at the community college and there were about 4 kids who worked in our office who had graduated from a small, relgious private school in Tacoma that I had never heard of. One day one of the guys began drawing comparisons of the catholic and protestant religions on the white board and asked me where I thought ours fit in and I knew it didn't fit into either but I just wasn't sure how to explain it to him so I just said, protestant. John was sitting there and he said, Sharon, no it isn't. The gospel of jesus Christ was restored to the Prophet Joseph Smith and drew a new line and included ordinances and ongoing revelation. I was definitely humbled and embarassed but so grateful that he didn't just sit there and LET me screw that one up. He never let me live it down but I didn't care. Now I knew HOW to say it. ANd boy has it come in handy for the rest of my life.
I believe that a lack of knowledge about other relgions and how they came to be was a contributing factor to my lack of finess way back when and still can be today. Obviously now I'm much more aware due to the fact that I work with churches of all kinds, all over the places. I lvoe working with churches and explaining to them the God and Country Award, the ownership that they have over their units and how to make sure they have the influence of God in their scouting programs.
My brother has been calling me for weeks now and I just haven't been able to connect with him until yesterday. We talked for about 45 minutes and he told me that he was working on getting his life in order including meeting with the High Council. He said he walks with a little zip in his step and that he is happier than he's been in a long time. I am so happy for his decision. It came all on his own and he's pretty excited about whatever the outcome. He said, it doesn't matter what they tell me, I know what I should be doing and I will do it. He LOVES his stake president and his home teacher. As assigned he is a member of the high council. I just gotta say kudos to the stake in MI for making this happen when they couldn't get it to work on the West coast with my ex. When you go through this, a stake level HT is ALWAYS assigned and this one actually visits my brother.
I am grateful that we served our missions at the same time and that we have that shared experience. We wrote every single week without missing even one week for 56 weeks! I got home a year before he did so I slowed down a bit and I'm sure that hurt his feelings - but I was too busy (yucky, that tastes crappy coming out of my mouth!) at college wishing I was dating. Bluchhh...I wish I had remained faithful in my writing.
Maybe I'll try and escape to MI at the end of the month for the weekend and be there for him. I know he would love it. It would show him that I cared enough to come.
Hmmm...maybe.
ALmost done packing up the kitchen. Just gottan hit the bottoms and then make some decisions about demo! yeah!
