It's Official - We Have Been Released

On Sunday, November 22, 2020, via a Zoom Call with our Stake President, we were officially released.    We reported in our ward on Sunday, November 29th.  This was probably one of the hardest transitions as we have been working in our basement for the last 8 months.  Two new couples have replaced us and Elder and Sister Davis.  Elder and Sister Ballif have now flown to Preston, England to quarantine and they will soon be able to go to Frankfurt, Germany.  Elder and Sister Bills will follow soon when the borders are open again.  

We are sincerely thankful for the opportunity we had to continue serving our mission remotely after being sent home due to the COVID pandemic.  All of the missionary couples we supported, except two were sent home as well.  However, each of the missionary couples sent home accepted the request to continue to serve remotely.  There were also two couples who were scheduled to go into the MTC at the end of March.  Because the MTC option was put on hold, these missionary's service and lives were put on hold for 8 months.  Others missionaries continued to serve long past their original release date which was a tremendous blessing to the many European individuals and the organizations that were struggling with the effects of Covid-19.  

The scripture we chose for our mission plague was Mosiah 2:17.  "When you are in the service of your fellow beings, you are only in the service of your God."  Our main assignment was helping the 15 couples we supported to implement and maintain successful humanitarian projects.  After being recalled from Europe to the United States, this seemed like an impossible task. However this temporary setback did not stop our couples from serving those in need.  They were able to focus on what they "could do" and were successful in doing more than 1/3 of the 895 humanitarian projects that President Nelson referred to during October 2020 general conference.  The work of Latter-day Saint Charities does and will continue.  All missionaries can testify that helping those in need is truly a blessing. 

“No one has learned the meaning of living until he has surrendered his ego to the service of his fellow man. Service to others is akin to duty, the fulfillment of which brings true joy.” Thomas S. Monson, Service Brings Joy

Area Welfare Specialist Training

On October 5, 2020 Hale Center Theatre graciously let us use one of their meeting rooms to provide a training venue for our replacements.  Elder and Sister Ballif had just completed their MTC virtual training and Elder and Sister Bills would begin their training the end of October.  Elder and Sister Davis and Elder and Sister Winters  put together 3 days of training for these two couples as we would be turning over the reins of Area Welfare Specialist assignments to the Bills and Ballif's soon.

We had a large room for our use and were able to social distance.  There was a white board as well as a big screen TV to use.  It was a great facility which we were thankful for. 

Each day we went to a different restaurant for lunch. To celebrate the end of our training, we tried to go to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, the Cheesecake Factory, but they were over-booked and it didn't happen. 😞. We had to settle for California Pizza Kitchen which was adequate, but not exciting. We then went back to Hale Center Theatre where we enjoyed the play "Million Dollar Quartet".  We highly recommend it.  

The transition has begun . . . 

July 24, 2020 - Pioneer Day

Normally there is a huge parade in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah commemorating the day the Pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847.  Prior to the day and following it, there are usually concerts, rodeos, and other festivities.  Pioneer Day is always wrapped up with large firework displays throughout the Salt Lake Valley. 

Due to Covid-19, the Days of 47 Parade was cancelled and there were no public events.  We gathered at the home of one of our daughters and had a family dinner. After the dinner, Susan told the grandchildren about one of their ancestors who came to the Salt Lake Valley in one of the wagon trains.

Grandma had brought some dress ups so the children could dress like pioneers. We square danced and attempted to make taffy so the children could pull it, but unfortunately we did not have a candy thermometer and it got cooked too long. The taffy was more like a Jolly Rancher (perhaps hard tack candy).  

We also played some games that pioneer children might have played. It was thought that we could use trash bags instead of gunny sacks (that was a bad idea) for a sack race.  We also did three-legged race.  As you can see from the pictures - some just stuck their feet out the bottom of the trash bag.  The grandchildren did enjoy the race even if they modified the bags. After the three-legged race everyone had a wonderful time jumping on the trampoline. Probably their favorite part of the evening was when the sprinklers came on in the middle of one of the races,

Since everyone was going back to school in just a few days,  Grandma Sue had made everyone several face masks for school. She talked the children into posing for a picture. Below is one of the best - believe us, there were some that really expressed the true feelings behind the masks.

Draper Park is across the street from our daughter's home, but there were not fireworks this 24th of July. Nor was there Draper Days this year. We did drive up by the Draper Temple on our way home and had a beautiful view of the fireworks throughout the Salt Lake Valley.

"We are all required to make journeys of faith, that is the gospel plan.  Our path may not be crossing an ocean or walking alone from an empty train station.  But whatever it is, it will demand faith in every footstep.  Years from now your grandchildren will tell with amazement stories of your choices which changed their lives. You will be called their pioneers. Have you ever thought that as you step into the unknown you are showing other the way?  Bonnie D. Parkin, Finding Faith in Every Footstep, April Conference 1997. 

 

Zone Conference - Serving Remotely

On June 16, 2020, the Senior Missionaries of the Europe Area Office (serving remotely in the USA), gathered at the home of Elder Frank and Sister Robyn Ballard in Draper, Utah for a Zone Conference. Only 5 couples stayed in Frankfurt, the rest were sent home and have been working remotely from home.

The Ballards have a beautiful backyard. We met outside so we could enjoy each other's company and still practice social distancing.  The weather was perfect. The food was potluck.  Everyone had a great time and truly enjoyed being together.  

It was a huge change from being at home and working via telephone, computer and video conference.  We have not been able to interact personally with each other since we left Frankfurt in March 2020.

We had the opportunity to hear reports from different departments on how they were serving remotely to carry on the work of the Europe Area. We also discussed the possibility of some being able to return to Frankfurt. During this pandemic, we have learned that with the Lord's help, we CAN do much more than everyone thought possible.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 

Extending our Mission and Unexpected Blessings

When we returned home in March 2020 we were asked if we wanted to be released or continue our missionary service remotely.  We along with 12 of the 16 missionary couples we support decided to continue serving remotely. As time progressed, the couples who had been called to replace 8 humanitarian missionary couples, including ourselves were told their missions were on hold. At this point, it became clear that we along with the 8 couples who were scheduled to be released in the next six months would either need to extend their time of service for five months or choose to be released. Our humanitarian couples were managing as many if not more humanitarian projects remotely than they managed when they were serving in their respective mission country.  We asked each missionary couple how they felt about extending and continuing to serve remotely.  They all responded quickly, positively and without hesitation that they would like to extend.  With our mission "extensions" it became official that we could continue to serve until December 28, 2020.  If our replacements are able to enter the MTC and begin serving remotely, we will then be released after a sufficient overlap time.

During this challenging time-period, we even gained back another missionary couple who had been given a medical release in February as the Sister had broken her leg which required the couple to return to the USA to get proper medical attention. She and her husband have now been reinstated and are doing a wonderful job serving remotely in the country that they were originally called to serve in.

The need for humanitarian work in Europe exploded with the outbreak of COVID-19.  There was an immediate shortage of protective face masks, especially for those front-line workers providing medical service. Because many governments implemented quarantine procedures, employment dropped and some families were lacking basic food and nutrition.  Many people in countries operating on a "cash-only" basis were unable to feed their families, thus creating a need to provide supplies to food banks in addition to providing masks and other PPE's (Personal Protective Equipment).  

While we and our couples have been home, we have received additional blessings of being able to spend time with our families while we continue to serve those in our "mission countries".  Some of our humanitarian missionary couples have experienced health challenges which if they had been in-country may have required a medical release.  However, the condition was easily diagnosed and treated while they were at home -- another blessing of remote service.

We saw a silver lining in our being home as one of our daughters and her family moved from Alberta, Canada to Utah.  Because we were home, Gary was able to fly to Montana and help her drive her family on the long journey.  Her husband drove a trailer load of things and she and Gary drove their car along with their five boys in early June 2020.  At the end of June they welcomed a baby girl into the family of five boys.  Two weeks after giving birth this same daughter woke up one morning with kidney stones and needed to someone to take here to hospital as her husband was out of town with his new job. We were able to provide the support needed.  The Lord truly has blessed our family.

Through all of this time, we have learned that with God nothing is impossible.  When the pandemic hit and we were all sent home, we and our couples were not sure what we could do to continue providing humanitarian service, but the Lord has prepared all of us to do the work and provide service regardless where we are.    

And if men come unto me I will show them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. Ether 12:27

 

Memorial Day

We have been out of the country for most of the memorial days in the past several years, but this year we were home.  We gathered willing grandchildren and made the rounds to a few cemeteries to put flowers on family graves.  While there, we told our grandchildren stories about their ancestors.

The saying goes that after 3 generations people will be forgotten if we do not help to keep their memory alive.  We have tried to teach our children and grandchildren about their ancestors.  When we have family reunions we play "Grandma School" and teach them 3 things about those who have gone before.  Believe it or not, children do remember the stories they have been taught.

 "Let us not forget that the activity in which we are engaged is to turn our hearts to the fathers. We should reach out to them and love them. We should identify with and emulate their great qualities and make them known to our children." Dallin H. Oaks, The Secular Purpose of Genealogical Work, Ensign, October 1972.

Project Protect and Coronavirus Masks

At the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic, it was discovered that there were no masks and almost no supplies to make them.

The day after General Conference (April 4-5, 2020) Susan received a text asking if she would help make masks for people and organizations in need.  Since her initials are SEW, how could she say no.  This was her contribution to the request from the Church of Jesus Christ's Relief Society to make 6 million masks.  The original request was for 5 million masks and as the goal was received, the request came for another million, making a total of 6 million in all.  Sisters throughout the Salt Lake Valley went online to sign up for kits.  The kits contained materials to make 100 masks.  The kits were picked up on Tuesday and the finished masks were returned on Saturday. A million masks were made each week. The pickup and drop off locations were the local Deseret Industries donation locations, which were closed due to the pandemic.  Each week people picked up and then dropped off their kits making 5 million masks.  The first pickup was April 21, 2020 and the last drop off was June 20, 2020.  Women and their families worked together to make the masks each week.  Several sisters in our ward helped Susan make her 100 masks each week, they each made 20 and the masks were done in no time.  It was truly a pleasure to be involved in this wonderful project.

Of course the request for Grandma to make everyone a mask came in and things were pretty calm at the sewing machine the month of July.  However, with the start of school, each of our 10 grandchildren that would be attending school were told that they would need several masks for their return to school.  Of course GrandmaSew has been sewing in the late hours of the night in an effort to spoil her grandchildren.  They each got to choose their fabrics from Grandma's stash of fabric, color of elastic, and style of mask.

It has been a uplifting and rewarding time to be involved in the care of others.  Below is a link to a short video by President Russell M. Nelson.

https://youtu.be/-nr_NHx1MMs

This truly has been an interesting time.  Our current mission is nothing like our previous missions.  It has been a privilege to be involved in this wonderful work.



“The road ahead will always be bumpy, but the destination will be serene and secure. So, fasten your seatbelt; hang on through the bumps; and, do what’s right; and your rewards will be eternal.” President Russell M Nelson, 2020