The very best part of this week was the arrival of our sweet David Mark. He weighed 8 lbs. 5 oz. and was 20 inches long. Sarah is doing well. He slept five and a half hours last night. Hope he keeps that up. Of course, his sisters adore him already. I am grateful to Mark's mom, Debbie, for flying out and helping...a privilege that I would have loved. And, of course, it goes without saying that Catherine and Kristin have been amazing help. Thanks to them all of them for sending photos!!!
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| He's Here!!! |
I clearly remember turning on the TV to see the news and seeing an airplane run into the Twin Towers in NYC. I thought I was seeing a preview for a movie or something. It was a day that changed the face of the United States forever. I was impressed at how we as a nation called upon God to help us through it all. It seemed that we all pulled together and quit our squabbling. I am saddened that in the current fiscal crisis we cannot do the same thing. I can only say, "God Bless America." I am grateful for all those who have worked to make our country safe and free. My heart is filled with sadness for the loss of lives on that devastating day.
Please everyone...vote... Our future depends on you.
On Friday, Lupe and her boys came over for dinner and a lesson. The elders were able to come, too. That made it especially fun for Sam, Jake, & Zach. We watched the movie, The Testaments. The boys really felt the Spirit. Zach especially was touched. They are wonderful young men. They have some difficulties in their lives. We really hope that they will stay active, serve missions, and get married in the temple.
On Saturday we went to see Jake play football. We had several appointments which we could not miss, so we only saw half of it. It was a lovely fall day. Yea!!! The temperature was NOT in the nineties. Their mom has had to work mandated overtime for weeks. She has worked every day, at least twelve hours. She was mandated to come in on Saturday and she had to miss the whole game. I felt badly for her.
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| Jake is #33. I never did get a picture of the front of him. HA! He never stood still long enough. |
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| Michael, Jake's father, Elder Snow, Elder Patterson |
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| Elder Snow, Elder Patterson, and Zach |
On Saturday the Leakahe's son got baptized. We had appointments with some people which we did not feel we could change, so we got there late. It was really nice. His mom sings like an angel. (Her dad died today...sad.) Member baptisms are handled differently here. The family makes all of the arrangements and set their own dates, times, programs, and treats. Anyway, Janet Torrance asked us to go to Chili's with them and as it was late and we had not eaten, we went. We had a great time. We really love them. Sister Torrance bakes amazing cookies that have peanut butter cups in them. She shares them a lot. I will be bringing that recipe home with us!!!
Sunday afternoon we had Bishop and Janet Torrance and Jack Brandon over for dinner. Jack is married to Caren Chen. Caren took Aleiya and Zach to Taiwan to visit her family. Her mom is not well. They have been gone three weeks. We decided that he might like some company and a meal he did not have to cook. We had a great visit.
On Monday we arose at 4:15 a.m. to get ready for the trip to Grand Rapids. We had a special conference that began at 8:00 a.m. The Marshall elders rode with us. We all met at the stake center in Kalamazoo to pack some more in our cars so we didn't have to take all of the cars. It was really early, about 6:00. Those young men were so filled with energy and enthusiasm.I took some photos, but it was dark and they were jumping around. They were all blurry.
Elder Gregory Schwitzer and his wife, Jo Ann, were in the state for a stake conference. They were asked to "tour" the Michigan, Lansing Mission. They did not really tour it, but the mission was divided in two parts and they had meetings for two days, one with each half. It was amazing. The following photo was one I got off of the church news website. I did not take their photo. It just did not seem appropriate. I took the bio off the the same site.
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Elder Gregory A.
Schwitzer and his wife, Jo Ann, will continue their commitment to the Church as
he serves in the Europe East Area presidency.
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Gregory A. Schwitzer and Jo Ann Elizabeth Rawsthorne grew up 800 miles apart in different countries. Still they came from very similar backgrounds.Each was raised by a father who had converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Each participated with his/her family in similar activities. So when they married in 1971, they shared "very common experiences."Driving through Yellowstone National Park after their wedding in the Cardston Alberta Temple, a young Gregory Schwitzer looked at his wife and said: "Let's always stay close to the Church."She answered, "And let's always have treats in our home."It was a recipe that each had experienced growing up — a recipe that included faithfulness and a pinch of fun. It included water fights in the backyard, storytelling with the family and years of Church service.Now the Schwitzers will apply the recipe again as he has accepted a call to the Second Quorum of the Seventy and the couple embarks on another adventure. As a member of the Church's Europe East Area presidency, Elder Schwitzer and his wife will move to Moscow, Russia.Gregory Allan Schwitzer was born in Ogden, Utah, on April 2, 1948. By the time he was in second grade he knew two things: that when he grew up he wanted to "care for sick people" and that the gospel of Jesus Christ was true.One fast and testimony meeting, 8-year-old Gregory felt the Spirit so strong that "I had to stand and bear my testimony."However, he continued, "I never finished it." Overcome by the Spirit, "I fell into my dad's arms and cried. That feeling has repeated itself over and over again."It was that feeling that sustained him years later as a missionary in the North German Mission, as a counselor to five bishops, a bishop, stake president and counselor, and as president of the Russia Yekaterinburg Mission.Elder Schwitzer met Jo Ann — daughter of Clifford and Thelma Rawsthorne — while she was studying to be a nurse at BYU. Women in the program went to Salt Lake City, where he was attending the University of Utah, to complete their nursing studies. Jo Ann's singles ward was made up of men from the University of Utah and women from BYU. When Elder Schwitzer, the ward mission leader, needed a referral, Jo Ann teasingly offered herself. She graduated with an associate's degree as a registered nurse in 1970. The couple married June 24, 1971, in the Cardston Alberta Temple.In 1975, he fulfilled his lifelong dream and received his medical degree from the University of Utah. During the next five years, he completed a residency and internship at the William Beaumont Army Hospital and the Fitzsimon's Army Medical Center.After his time in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, Elder Schwitzer and his family returned to the Salt Lake Valley."We bought a little home and stayed in it for 29 years," he said.In 1980, Elder Schwitzer was named Assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Utah and later became a physician of emergency medicine at Wasatch Emergency. In 1992 he was named vice president of clinical programs at Intermountain Health Care and remained there until 2005 — when he accepted a call as a mission president. He also helped plan medical services for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Utah.Looking back on his life, he said he is continually amazed that he was able to meet and associate with such amazing people. "Every single friend has added to our life," he said. "We have been completely and totally shaped by our associations and work in the Church."Family has also been important, he said."Our life has been full of adventure. We loved our family more than anything else."Elder Schwitzer said he is grateful for the lessons he has learned from his wife.One such lesson came while serving as a mission president in Russia."When we were on our mission we were looking for those people who were interested in hearing the gospel," he said, noting that he was focused on his Church assignment.But, in so doing, his wife also taught him to look into the hearts of the people.On one occasion, President and Sister Schwitzer came upon an elderly Russian woman. She used two canes to walk. President Schwitzer looked into the woman's weather-beaten face, which had deep wrinkles, and walked on by.But Sister Schwitzer pulled on her husband's sleeve. She went back to the woman and said, "I just want you to know that God loves you."Now, as they return to Eastern Europe — and to a people they love so much — Elder Schwitzer said he will remember that lesson."I think that my wife has been tugging at my sleeve ever since, trying to help me see deeper than just the assignment and into the hearts of the people," said Elder Schwitzer.Even so, they admit that they will miss things at home.
I found that interesting and thought you might, too. He served in what was really the Siberian mission. Yes, Kristin, he was over Perm. He was last there three years ago. He says it is still a small branch, with good people. And now he is in the area presidency for Eastern Europe. They live in Russia, but go to Poland, too. He told us that you have to be amazing to learn to speak Polish. I am trying to remember what he said the last line of Come Come Ye Saints translates to...something like "It's not so bad, It's not so bad," instead of "All is well, All is well." I am hoping that you remember, Kristin, because I cannot.
President and Sister Hess gave wonderful talks.
Sister Schwitzer talked about how, growing up in Canada, her dad was a very stern man. He was a member of the Royal Mounted Police...Yes, like in Rocky and Bullwinkle. He always told her "stand up straight. Throw your shoulders back. You can do this." Well, when they first arrived in Russia for the mission president's calling, they were put on a train by some assistants , (are you relating Kristin?) for a seventeen hour ride. Neither of them spoke Russian. They had a sleeping car. She looked down at the cushion that would be her bed and there were bodily fluids on them. She thought to herself, "I'm going to bolt. I can't do this." She thought, "I can't bolt...he won't go with me and I don't speak the language. I can't go by myself." Then she heard the voice of her father in her head telling her "stand up straight. Throw your shoulders back. You can do this." She talked about how our individual history was given to us to help us in the future. She said that we all need to look at where we came from and pull from that past and use it to serve going forward. She was wonderful.
Elder Schwitzer talked for a long time. I could go on a lot about him. He was wonderful. He was asked early on in the meeting to be an investigator for a role-play. He was really tough on the elders. Then he told them the secret for dealing with unpleasant people. Turn an attack into an inquiry. CASH! It works like a charm. C = compliment the person. "I notice that you have an inquisitive mind. A = Ask inspired questions. "If someone could show you how to do that would you be interested?" S = smile. He said to stop right there and give them a brilliant smile. H = help. Offer to help them. You may make a friend. And, if they don't want help you will at least part with a positive moment.
During his main talk he gave us seven steps to use in our teaching. They all lead to conversion instead of baptism. The problem in many cases has been that people are baptized quickly and do not understand the gospel. All of the seven steps are in "Preach My Gospel" but are sometimes overlooked in an attempt to get through the lessons. He gave us lots of very useful things to try. It helps me to hear some examples. I could go on and on about him. The Spirit was really strong. When he was finished he gave the group fifteen minutes to share what they had learned through the spirit. Well, those young men and women were incredible. Each learned something different. And then our Elder Jones, who used to be in Battle Creek, got up and he bore his testimony of Jesus Christ and his Atonement and said that everything else was an appendage to that. He just shook he was so filled with the Spirit. Then Elder Schwitzer got up and said that he had the Spirit tell him that someone needed to testify of Jesus Christ and right then, Elder Jones got up and did it. It was really powerful. Anyway, I felt I received a lot of inspiration for the people we are serving and I am grateful. Afterwards, he interviewed some people. We were called in and he was very lovely to us.
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| Elders Ferons, Jones, Bridgewater, Patterson, and Snow |
Another great part of the day was that five of "our" six elders were there. I had to have an interview with the President to renew my temple recommend, so Elder H took pictures of them for me. They were cute. Also, three of them sang in the choir and were magnificent. It was wonderful. We had not seen Elder Bridgewater for months.
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| Hit the High Notes! I loved this sign on the way home. |
I have been making a wolf tail, ears and pigs ears and tails for our upcoming "Ham It Up" night. (on the 22nd) I ordered pig snouts from Amazon. Yes, it will be fun!!!
Well, this Sunday is Mom's eighty fifth birthday. I have always really loved and admired my mom. She is a talented, intelligent, warm and caring woman...the best. The longer I am out here, I realize how really rare it can be to have such a great example. I have been blessed beyond measure. I love you, Mom. Hope your gift gets there on time.
And, Dad, Kristin showed me a picture of the house warming gifts you sent. Boy, are you in trouble with your daughter!!! HA!!!
Have a great week, everyone. We love you!!!
PS I am tired and not checking this over. Hope it makes sense. (Please don't tell me if it doesn't. I'm too tired to fix it. HA!)
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