Merry Christmas

My life has been touched by a series of  Miracles that have truly made this a Christmas I will never forget.  I could have been wretched!  I am far from home, and miss my home and family tremendously, but I have been more than compensated by a measure of Christmas Spirit that I didn't earn or deserve, but nonetheless am very grateful for.  A number of special events have contributed to this wonderful season.

The first was several weeks ago when I was invited to an annual Christmas program put on by a Special Mutual group that David has been attending.  I didn't want to go.  It was cold and snowy and I was tired from a long day at work.  All I wanted to do was snuggle up in bed and sleep.  But the excitement in David's face changed my mind.  He loves attending this group, and this program is the culmination of a lot of preparation by this group of special people.  The curtain opened on 30 people of all ages and many kinds of disabilities.  They sang Christmas songs, very badly, acted out the first Christmas, also without any skill or finesse, reciting their lines haltingly and sometimes unintelligibly.  But the Spirit there was as strong as if they were the tabernacle choir!  We, the audience, sat there with tears streaming down our faces as these seriously handicapped men and women bore testimony of the Son of God.  David was chosen to play the part of Joseph which he did proudly and well.  I couldn't have been touched more if he was performing at the First Presidency Christmas Devotional.

Another thing that has brought a great spirit to us is singing Christmas songs to and from work everyday.  We found a radio station that plays  nothing but carols and sang along with them during our commute.  David has a real affinity for Christmas songs, some of them moving him to tears.  His favorite is the little drummer boy.  I don't know why, but he loves it.  Our mission has an annual devotional and luncheon celebrating the season.  I thought David would be blown away by the food (a fabulous buffet of all you can eat delights), but the first song sung by the performing group was the little drummer boy.  David was weeping with joy the whole event, hardly noticing all the delicious food.  We also have had the joy of hearing performers who come to the library to sing during the season.  Many were groups from local high schools, some professionals, but all sweet and talented and sincere in their love of the Savior.

We attended the Festival of Trees, which is a fund raiser for the Primary Children's Hospital.  This year I was able to help my sister and her husband create a beautiful inlaid wood nativity which we donated to the cause.  It sold for more than a thousand dollars.  What is remarkable about this event, and I think what makes the spirit so strong there, is the combined efforts of so many people, none of them getting paid a cent, working together selflessly to make something wonderful happen  for sick little children who need medical care.  There were hundreds of beautifully decorated trees, wreaths and Christmas decor, all of them bought for outrageous prices by people who just want to help.  Very cool event!  A blessing to all who participate in any way.

We attended a special exhibit at the art museum at BYU of artist Carl Blok's paintings and drawings and etchings.  What an incredible show.  I was familiar with many of these paintings, because they are popular illustrations of Christ and Biblical events.  But to see them up close and in person was something I will never forget.  It was clear to me that the artist knew Jesus Christ, and testified of Him and His divinity through his art.
Christmas Eve I went for a long and refreshing trail ride through the snow with my nephew Sam.  I'm sure he had better things to do, but we rode and talked about Christmas, and family and the Savior.  It was a special time that added to the sacredness of the season.

Later we spent Christmas eve with a lot of extended family.  My sister Diana and her children and grandchildren put on a lovely Christmas program and dinner for us.  David proudly did the pum pum pum pa pums as everyone sang the little drummer boy for him.  Very sweet.  My sister Lulu and her large family also included us in their very sweet traditions.  My mother, who recently lost her husband was having a hard time with Christmas, but because of so many sweet and spiritual events was able to rejoice in the love of our Savior Jesus Christ and the wonderful plan that puts the pain and hardships of mortal life into beautiful Eternal perspective. 


I share my testimony that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that He was born of Mary, lived a perfect life and died so that we can all live again.  He lives!  I rejoice in this.  Merry Christmas to all.

Snow

This morning our world was covered with close to a foot of fresh snow.  It made me a little blue, thinking of the long winter ahead.  I found myself almost in tears several times, with homesickness for my warm home in Brea, California (where it NEVER snows).  That homesickness matured into missing my house, my bed, my kitchen.  I slumped further as I missed my children and grandchildren and friends.  Before I reached the point of driving off an icy cliff in despair, I decided I'd better find a way to appreciate winter snows.  I tried looking at it a different way.  Instead of cold, slippery, slushy miserable stuff that makes it hard to walk and drive, and dangerous to spend time out of doors, I will try to find out why some people love the stuff so much.
1.  Snow really is beautiful.  When the snow falls on the bare trees, it turns them from ugly dead looking things into beautiful works of art: Like delicate hand tatted lace.
2.  Snow is bright.  Unlike a cloudy raining day, a snowy day is bright.  The snow magnifies and reflects whatever light there is and gives the appearance of brightness even when the sun doesn't shine.
3.  Snow is fun.  After church today there was a happy group of young people sledding down my mother's hill, laughing and playing in the cold, really enjoying the snow.

OK.  So that is only three reasons, but it is a start.  I will have many more opportunities during the next 4 months to find more.

Smile

Complete strangers smile at me!  Not all of them of course, but a significant number of them do.  I wondered why, so decided to analyze it a little.  Is this something that happens to everyone?  Friends I have asked indicate that they don't find the world all that smiley.  So lets assume for a minute that it isn't because of my movie star good looks or stunning figure.  What the heck are they smiling at?

Sometimes it is because of my ride.  Passing people on the trail they often smile and say what a beautiful horse I'm on.  He is a pretty thing.  Same with my car.  I was in the post office parking lot the other day and a man came almost sprinting across the lot with the biggest smile.  "What a great car!"  "Do you love your Z?  How fast does it go?" A 4 year old walked by me on his way into a store and remarked to his Mom, "Look Mom a real race car."  I offered to let him drive it.

But I'm often on foot and still I get the smiles.  I have to give the credit to David.  Almost everyone at one time or another, has their life touched by a special person like David.  Many people recognize in him a wonderful spirit and want to share that knowledge with me.  These people, wherever we are, come up to us and express appreciation for who David is.  Many want to tell us about their friend or relative who has down syndrome, some just smile as we pass.  This has always been the case, but especially so since we have been missionaries.  They see us, walking together, wearing our missionary badges and I guess their minds conjure up a history that allows us to be here serving at this time.  Probably a history more grand and inspiring than the true story, but the end result is that they smile at us.  And the end result of that is that we feel loved and appreciated.  So smile away.  I can take it.

Winter?

When I wake up tomorrow the world will be covered in a blanket of snow. The weather bug is predicting it and I believe it. It was trying to snow all day, a kind of slushy half frozen rain.
Snow is not my favorite. Winter is not my favorite. So I think it is time for me to start counting my blessings (instead of sheep).
I'm grateful for the ever changing view I am treated to each day. Don't get me wrong, I miss the monotony of good weather, the year round green, of my home in California. But I am amazed at how the scenery here changes day by day. Each season brings with it incredible beauty if not pleasant weather. This fall has been amazing. Every day I notice new colors that weren't there the day before. A few days of wind and rain and many of the leaves have fallen, leaving the dark branches in sharp contrast to the remaining bright yellow leaves.
I'm grateful to be able to walk. A few years ago I couldn't take a step unassisted. Through a series of miraculous events I have been given the gift of mobility. Not a day goes by that I don't thank the Lord for this miracle of ambulation. I can walk and ride and even run a bit, without pain.
I'm grateful for the end of daylight savings.
I'm grateful for my family. I have 13 (my lucky number I think) gorgeous grandchildren and their wonderful loving parents. I have terrific siblings, nieces and nephews, and the best parents, one still with me. I get pictures, movies, calls and emails almost daily reminding me how blessed I am to have such a loving family.
I am grateful to be a part of the awesome missionary force working throughout the world. What a blessing to be a small part of such an incredible plan. David and I make such a tiny contribution, but like so many others get to feel the spirit of the Lord's amazing Plan of Redemption. I also realize you don't have to be a full time missionary to participate. It is open to all of us.
It seems too early for winter, but I don't get to decide these things. A little cold and snow is a tiny inconvenience. I would wish my days to be bound each to each in gratitude.

Autumn Again

Well, Autumn hit for real this week.  First sign was the flower beds all over temple square got dug up.  Where they had been lush and beautiful, there was just tilled soil.  Later the same day they were planted with (what else?) pansies and something that looks like a poppy, and tulip bulbs.  I now know that these flowers will survive the harsh weather ahead, and live to bloom like crazy in the spring.  The trees on temple square are being wrapped in lights preparatory to the beautiful Christmas light displays that will attract people from all over the world. The leaves on all trees deciduous are turning colors.  My favorites are yellow and pinkish orange.  They almost look florescent they are so bright.  The wilderness area where we ride is changing color too.  The oak covered hills have gone from green to red.  Higher up you can see large patches of bright yellow, I suspect aspen.  It has rained for two days and it is predicted to snow the next 3 days.  We are wearing jackets and using the heater in the car.

The happiest sign of Autumn is the arrival of my new grandson, Benjamin David Demke.  He was due on Halloween but decided to come early to the great joy of his parents and happy relatives.  Thanks to Andy and Jenny for blessing me another beautiful grandbaby.

Judge not

I had an interesting experience last week that I am a little ashamed of, but decided to share anyway.  Working on the patron floor of the library I was approached by a man who needed help.  He was dumpy, unshaved, had limp straggly hair and an ill fitting coat.  I didn't realize that I had been prejudging him until I worked with him a while, and realized that he was well off, intelligent, articulate, and deeply spiritual.  I know I had prejudged him because each of these revelations came as a big surprise.  Based on nothing more than his physical appearance I had already decided that he was poor, ignorant, and worldly.  Without a conscious thought I had judged him completely wrong.
I know it is impossible to go through this life without discerning, without judgement of some kind.  It is desirable and even necessary for our success in every thing we do.  However, we (especially I) need to be careful that our judgements are not superficial, unfair, and careless.  Every person we meet is a child of God.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if before we judge we could see each soul as God sees him.  To see the love and potential within before we judge what is visible.

Our Work

I realize that I have never really described what I do.  My call is to the family search zone of the Family History Library.  We are on the main floor of the library and mainly provide services for new comers and inexperienced family historians.  Ninety percent of my time is spent on the patron services floor.  Here we answer questions, help beginners with on line resources, show people how to print or save documents they find.  A typical patron will come in and say, "I don't know anything about my family."  We ask questions and help them identify what they do know and what they would like to know.  We show them how to find their ancestors in resources like social security death index, census records, birth or marriage records, military records and voter schedules.  We show them how to use the library catalog, and where further research can be done.  We introduce them to familysearch.org, and its associated sites.  This work is fun and rewarding.  I often meet people from far away.  We do not preach the gospel here, but the spirit is almost always present and our encounters are often spiritual experiences.  Occasionally members of the Mormon church come in for help with new family search.  These are usually wonderful experiences too.
The other 10% of my time is spent in the lobby.  I man the information desk, the exit desk, the temple desk.  Here we direct the patrons as they come into the library and answer phone calls that come in.  We show a short film to the first timers.  We get them help if they need it.  We direct them to other floors, depending on what they are looking for.  This is also fun.  We will interact with literally dozens of people during an hour.  They are all nice people who are sincerely looking to connect with their families.
I also do a little mentoring of new missionaries who come into the zone.  I have recently been trained to work the "pod" which is the reference desk on the main floor.  Here we are expected to know more, so time will tell if I'm ready for that.
David comes into the library with me every morning.  After prayer meeting he goes off to the Cafeteria dish room where he helps get the cafeteria ready for the lunch rush.  They eat lunch at 10:30, before the cafeteria opens.  During the lunch time he stacks and puts away dishes as they come out of the dishwasher.  Sometimes he stands by the automated dish return to make sure nothing sticks out and stops the conveyer.  The rest of his crew goes home at 3:00 but David stays another hour to scrub tables and chairs in the dining room.  It takes him a couple of months to get through the whole room, but he is very thorough.  At 4:00 he walks back to the library and we go home.

Even though we do the same kind of thing every day, the people we interact with make each day interesting and new.