CHOICES
How is everyone holding up during the 4th week of lockdown? I think we're realizing even more the importance of a ROUTINE. We're trying not to look at the situation as a loss of choices, but as opportunities to make more choices of what to do with our time. Before lockdown, we had a set schedule---wake up, exercise, shower, get ready, head to the mission offfice about 8:00 am, handle everything that came our way during the course of a given day, take a break for lunch, come home at night, eat dinner, read, go to sleep, and then do it all over again the next day. Now that we can't go to the office, and much of our work has disappeared temporarily, we have found that when we think and pray about what to do and make a list, the day feels productive and satisfying. It's working pretty well!
We have five more missionaries leaving the mission to return to their homelands on 1 May. We will be left with 47 missionaries. One of our sister missionaries returned to Fiji a week ago, and she is now doing a quarantine in a hotel for 28 days. She is alone in a hotel room for that length of time. That's hard! She has completed her mission; she is not returning earlier than planned. She is only returning differently than planned. :-)
Here are some of the activities we've incorporated into our schedule: reading, studying gospel resources, cross-stitching, card crafting, bee-keeping, baking, mission laundry, getting to know neighbors as we pass each other from across the street. I (Sister Folland) got to meet an 86y old woman who lives a few houses from us. Her name is Joy and she was a delight to visit with. She loves to garden--plant flowers, she has dual citizenship in New Zealand and Canada and has spent equal time in each place. She has always enjoyed hiking, and still does some hiking. I made a new friend! In addition to the afore-mentioned activities, we speak weekly with each of our children and grandchild, write in our journals, exercise each day {indoor exercise, outdoor biking, walking) and try to contact our missionaries. We also like to share our baked goods! As you can see, there are so many choices!!
We have felt so much love from our Father in Heaven, the Savior, friends, new aquaintances, the other missionaries, and our family. The more that we have sought the Lord, the more we have felt His presence and love. We have had people share with us--uplifting thoughts, food, yummy fudge, faith, and encouragement. We are grateful! We bear witness of the Savior Jesus Christ and the truthfulness of His gospel. We've had so many confirming experiences that He exists and that His way is the way to true Happiness and Life Everlasting. We're so grateful we made the Choice to be here, even though we experience hard things. The hard things help us recognize greater JOY. This we know!
Praying and Staying,
Elder and Sister Folland
We have five more missionaries leaving the mission to return to their homelands on 1 May. We will be left with 47 missionaries. One of our sister missionaries returned to Fiji a week ago, and she is now doing a quarantine in a hotel for 28 days. She is alone in a hotel room for that length of time. That's hard! She has completed her mission; she is not returning earlier than planned. She is only returning differently than planned. :-)
Here are some of the activities we've incorporated into our schedule: reading, studying gospel resources, cross-stitching, card crafting, bee-keeping, baking, mission laundry, getting to know neighbors as we pass each other from across the street. I (Sister Folland) got to meet an 86y old woman who lives a few houses from us. Her name is Joy and she was a delight to visit with. She loves to garden--plant flowers, she has dual citizenship in New Zealand and Canada and has spent equal time in each place. She has always enjoyed hiking, and still does some hiking. I made a new friend! In addition to the afore-mentioned activities, we speak weekly with each of our children and grandchild, write in our journals, exercise each day {indoor exercise, outdoor biking, walking) and try to contact our missionaries. We also like to share our baked goods! As you can see, there are so many choices!!
We have felt so much love from our Father in Heaven, the Savior, friends, new aquaintances, the other missionaries, and our family. The more that we have sought the Lord, the more we have felt His presence and love. We have had people share with us--uplifting thoughts, food, yummy fudge, faith, and encouragement. We are grateful! We bear witness of the Savior Jesus Christ and the truthfulness of His gospel. We've had so many confirming experiences that He exists and that His way is the way to true Happiness and Life Everlasting. We're so grateful we made the Choice to be here, even though we experience hard things. The hard things help us recognize greater JOY. This we know!
Praying and Staying,
Elder and Sister Folland
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