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Saturday, March 23, 2013

Well, when you die, you can't take your toys, homes, clothes etc with you! So, as preparation for the rest of our lives, we have sold our family home (Woodhaven Castle) of over 25 years. We used most of the money to invest in our family, (instead of banks or businesses etc) by loaning/giving enough of it to three of them, to get homes for themselves in safe cities. We plan to use the remaining for our mission expenses. Two of our family now have their "new" homes, and the last is having one built in the area where he will be attending medical school for 4 years, as after much research they discovered that was the best value way to do it Oh, and we have a new grand baby expected any day! That will make 3 for our son Richard, with the oldest child just having turned 3! It was really difficult to let my dream home go, but with GETTING better housing for our kids, then it felt it was finally worth it. I believe it will also make a huge difference in the lives of our grandchildren to not have to go to inner city schools, but be in cities/states with many of the neighbors having values similar to theirs, with less crime etc. Also with this they are saving money as rent was more expensive than mortgage payments to us, and a second bathroom means a lot in a family of six! Plus, now they can get equity and grow food for their use, canning etc. With less stress on the whole family to have enough storage, play areas, and convenience for Mommies to raise their kids and have a little time for themselves too. Of course better for visiting grandparents too ;) We are presently living in a used 5th wheel RV we bought, that has 3 slides. It is quite homey, but I am already missing storage. :( We may need to buy a small Granny house when we return from our mission. At least most of our family is gathering in the Boise Idaho area. :) We are presently working on getting the physicals etc ( I need new glasses too) done for our applications for our Senior couple mission. It is looking like we will state our preference as Brazil, as that is where my husband Ray went on his mission before we were married, and they just divided several of the missions there, as so many new young missionaries came into the field with lowering the age limit. Yet they need mature couples to also work in offices etc to let the young missionaries get out to the people, though I love to share the gospel too. It will all work out. :) Anyway, we got a computer program for me to learn Brazilian Portuguese, and as it is quite similar to Spanish, it should make that possible to understand too. :) We understand that it is about 6-7 months after turning in papers and getting a call that the visas to Brazil come through. So, we may not be out in the mission field until Sept. We had planned on June. :/ Still it may be for the best, as Ray has the best looking opportunity so far to get his Total Bone Removal System (for wild Salmon) into the industry in AK this summer, plus he is scheduled to spot fish for several boats too. I am re-reading the Book of Mormon, with a goal of finishing it before we go, and hopefully also the Preach My Gospel again, plus the New Testament (again). :) I'm also working to improve my wardrobe to Sister Missionary standards. :) It will be awkward to wear skirts or dresses most everyday instead of Levis or pants, but I suppose as I won't be doing my usual work, I will soon feel right at home. At least I'm already used to wearing such clothes every Sunday.
I wrote this January 24, 2013, and then sent it to myself, to put on my blog, which I'm finally doing today. Thinking this--- "to sleep or to work on with what probably amounts to compromised awareness/skills from a brain shutting down to defragment plus my bodies need to recharge it's life source" --- is something I have increasingly dealt with as I've aged. I've come to the conclusion that my mind gets numbed from needing to sleep and that my bodies immune defenses are lowered so with also then making mistakes in my work that I'm farther ahead to just "select what I need to neglect" Stop and rejuvenate with sleep or I'll regret it!!! Along with that I find it steals the joy today from doing the work well and extracts joy later with illness or lessened ability to enjoy my company because I'm so tired that I'm practically a zombie! ( we have been doing major maintenance on our home in prep for selling it and ALSO for a cousin gathering that begins today) While I have put aside the costume making that I love, to do things like scoop handfuls of muck out of gutters and scrape moss off deck railings- because I only had a little time to work WITH our son on it and we could talk during the working. :) --- I also find if I sleep when needed, THEN joy returns and the things that seemed important ( but in hindsight were only things that may have been more fun --- if--- I hadn't bankrupted my body to do them ) --- Still each must decide the level of joy lost or added, and or the personal "physical debt" they can be comfortable with OR --- IF their body is likely to go "on strike" ( get sick or their back go out, etc?) --- then too, I no longer have nestlings so I can sleep in later? --- there are some benefits in age !"