This last week we traveled to Lisboa to stay in the mission home to hear Elder David A.Bednar speak to the missionaries. All the missionaries were told that they could ask aquestion of Elder Bednar, but not stupid questions like ẁhere is the sword of Laban?´
His plane was late due to fog and so we had the opening song andprayer without him and then he and others with him arrived. He was so powerful. He spoke to each of the missionaries as they asked their questions and addressed them individually. He said we need more doing and less talks about doing and meetings about doing. As you can imagine it was a very great blessing to be in a sacrament size meeting with an apostle of the Lord. They had to leave before the closing prayer and song in order to make their next meeting and as they cme down the isle from several rows away he looked me in the eyes and when he got to me he shook my hand, and took and extra minute and looked deep into my eyes,then he quickly shook hands with the other senior missionaries in our row.
The next day was the leadership training for all the stake and zone leaders, which meant dad. The sisters were in another room with Sister Bednar. She is a darling, very down to earth woman with a great capacity for loving people. Elder Bednar interrupted our meeting to say hello and he told of Sister Bednars quiet service in the behind the scenes things and again he looked me right in the eyes as he was saying this. As you know at times I have been frustrated that I am not able to do enough here because of lthe language barrier but in that moment I knew that I am doing just what I should be doing and helping in ways that I can. He touched my heart that day and I felt like my service is accepted.
President and Sister Tavares invited us to stay an extra day and go to the meeting on Sunday when the local missionaries would be there and Elder Johnson and his wife would address us (He is in the area presidency). We had a great time with Elder and Sister Tavares. She loved my chocolate cake the last time was there and I made it with her watching and taking notes but she couldn´t get it to turn out so (she made it 3 times and the housekeeper made it 5 times). So we made the cake again. This time I watched Sister Tavares make it. It turned out great. She was very happy. So was I because she had called me several times to tell me she couldn´t make it andI was wracking my brain to try to figure out what she wasn´t doing. Anyway - Success! We ran into Azelia, the housekeeper at the Sunday meeting and Sister Tavares told her of making the cake and Azelia said with a big smile, Oh good now you can teach me! It was a wonderful weekend and the Tavares have invited us to come çup early next time to see some things in Lisboa.
One other thing happened as we were driving home from the Sunday meeting. Sister Tavares had just told us that we were going to go home and eat and then we would need to rest before our journey back to loulé. She got an email from her son that said he had a dream that they were in a meeting of about 1500 or more people and they were with another missionary couple and a General Authority and as we left Sister Tavares said to the missionary couple ' ẁe are going home to eat and then rest. It was exactly what had happened. Elder Roberts thought it was a joke at first then was so amazed. He took it very seriously and very unlike him, he took the time to take a nap before we drove home. I had no feelings about it at all. But Elder Roberts decided that he should take a nap before leaving. So we stayed and then went home safely. The next day Presidente Tavares called to apologize for his sons hoax. President Tavares phone had apparently called his son and the son heard the conversation we were having. He thought it would be funny to tease his mother so he called her to give her the story of his "dream." The Tavares' were so embaressed but we just thought it was funny. I am so thankful for this great opportunity. Love and health to you all
MOM, Kathleen , Gramma Kathee
His plane was late due to fog and so we had the opening song andprayer without him and then he and others with him arrived. He was so powerful. He spoke to each of the missionaries as they asked their questions and addressed them individually. He said we need more doing and less talks about doing and meetings about doing. As you can imagine it was a very great blessing to be in a sacrament size meeting with an apostle of the Lord. They had to leave before the closing prayer and song in order to make their next meeting and as they cme down the isle from several rows away he looked me in the eyes and when he got to me he shook my hand, and took and extra minute and looked deep into my eyes,then he quickly shook hands with the other senior missionaries in our row.
The next day was the leadership training for all the stake and zone leaders, which meant dad. The sisters were in another room with Sister Bednar. She is a darling, very down to earth woman with a great capacity for loving people. Elder Bednar interrupted our meeting to say hello and he told of Sister Bednars quiet service in the behind the scenes things and again he looked me right in the eyes as he was saying this. As you know at times I have been frustrated that I am not able to do enough here because of lthe language barrier but in that moment I knew that I am doing just what I should be doing and helping in ways that I can. He touched my heart that day and I felt like my service is accepted.
President and Sister Tavares invited us to stay an extra day and go to the meeting on Sunday when the local missionaries would be there and Elder Johnson and his wife would address us (He is in the area presidency). We had a great time with Elder and Sister Tavares. She loved my chocolate cake the last time was there and I made it with her watching and taking notes but she couldn´t get it to turn out so (she made it 3 times and the housekeeper made it 5 times). So we made the cake again. This time I watched Sister Tavares make it. It turned out great. She was very happy. So was I because she had called me several times to tell me she couldn´t make it andI was wracking my brain to try to figure out what she wasn´t doing. Anyway - Success! We ran into Azelia, the housekeeper at the Sunday meeting and Sister Tavares told her of making the cake and Azelia said with a big smile, Oh good now you can teach me! It was a wonderful weekend and the Tavares have invited us to come çup early next time to see some things in Lisboa.
One other thing happened as we were driving home from the Sunday meeting. Sister Tavares had just told us that we were going to go home and eat and then we would need to rest before our journey back to loulé. She got an email from her son that said he had a dream that they were in a meeting of about 1500 or more people and they were with another missionary couple and a General Authority and as we left Sister Tavares said to the missionary couple ' ẁe are going home to eat and then rest. It was exactly what had happened. Elder Roberts thought it was a joke at first then was so amazed. He took it very seriously and very unlike him, he took the time to take a nap before we drove home. I had no feelings about it at all. But Elder Roberts decided that he should take a nap before leaving. So we stayed and then went home safely. The next day Presidente Tavares called to apologize for his sons hoax. President Tavares phone had apparently called his son and the son heard the conversation we were having. He thought it would be funny to tease his mother so he called her to give her the story of his "dream." The Tavares' were so embaressed but we just thought it was funny. I am so thankful for this great opportunity. Love and health to you all
MOM, Kathleen , Gramma Kathee
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