Busy Day

I'm still sick. But...life goes on and my job is to talk (which makes my throat more sore and swollen). It's been 7 weeks and I'm going to take off tomorrow to go to the doctor again.

We've had a lot of goodbyes and here we still are in our ward. The entire YW had a surprise party for me two weeks ago and had made pictures of them and me and had refreshments. Then last week the choir which I have directed off and on for years (cough, cough, 25+ years??? in several wards in this area) we had a huge going away party...and still here we are. It is getting embarrassing. The youth went to the temple last Friday and Kevin and I were with them. I work with the Laurels and he is an adviser with the Priests, so he was doing confirmations for the dead.

Today I led choir practice in the a.m. then gave a talk in church on "Obedience to the commandments brings Freedom"...a very interesting topic which was very fun to illustrate and find some very powerful quotes from general authorities. Then I gave a Laurel lesson on developing patience. Wow. I had prayed to know which of the 3 remaining topics to choose and this was it. After the Uchtdorf marshmallow video, scriptures, brainstorming of people in the scriptures who were examples of patience and for what reason, ways to develop patience, the girls talked about their own lives and the things that they needed to have patience for, then I had them write to someone to buoy them up, to help them through a trial. In the end, they shared some of what they wrote...and then the tears came. One at a time, they shared trials that someone in their family was going through, even the visitor from another ward was crying...and she even hugged me. We went overtime sharing, hugging each other and when they heard it was my last lesson, they all wanted pictures with me. Then it was choir practice, but I sent them all to stake choir since it didn't make sense to have me rehearse something I don't know if they'll sing.

I've so loved my Laurel calling. Every week we would have this huge class. The girls love each other and love the Lord and the gospel. Every week they invite people from other wards and nonmembers. We have 9 girls on the roll and with all the visitors, we just crowd our room. Everyone wants to be in our ward with our girls. I just hate to leave them.