A late Missionary Monday

Hello Brother,

I'm so proud of you. I hope you're doing well. I'm glad to hear that you enjoy being a training. I hope that means that your companion is enjoying it too. I'm sure he is. You are such a great person to spend time with, I hope he appreciates that...if he doesn't, I'm sure he will after he's transferred away. I'm also glad to hear that the language is coming along well. The husband was at the same point in his mission when he was made trainer and he remembers being stressed about the language, wishing that he knew more, etc. But the Lord always fills in the gaps. I sure have a lot of gaps to fill.

Yesterday was full of ups and downs for me. The greatest up was definitely being at the home with everyone for Sunday dinner. Allerina came across a video of you, Katiedid and Dalliwag doing a music video to Jack Black's "the Greatest Song," or something like that. I was laughing my face off at you guys. Each of you were dressed in one of Kaitiedid's old dance costumes--including Dalliwag, who was wearing a bathing suit like unitard. It was so funny. Thanks for that.

Another up was the Sunday school lesson that helped me get passed some of my downs. The downs are the usual worries--Atrain's balance issues, my various struggles with motherhood and all the demands therein. We were talking about Christ feeding the five thousand plus. It was right after John the Baptist had been killed. Christ had been seeking some "alone time," but there were throngs of people following them. He had compassion on them. He filled their spiritual and physical needs as he taught and fed them. Then after he had compassion on them, his time alone eventually came, and then he walked on water to meet his disciples on the boat.

I don't know if you ever struggle with wanting a moment to yourself--a moment in your schedule, a moment in the many needs or demands that you face, a moment to do something outside the demands of your call. But I do. I feel selfish that I do, but I do. As we were going through those scriptures, I thought of the compassion Christ had when he wanted to be alone to morn John's death. He had compassion--that was the key. And many miracles followed. I'm going to pray for more compassion this week so that God can make me equal to my callings in life, so that he can fill in my many gaps.

I sure love you and hope you're doing well. Keep up the good work my dear. Thank you for your example and friendship.

Love, MJ