AAAAHHHHH!!!! (breaking into a panic attack)
Sister Griffin
México Area
.
You report in 60 days
That is so soon!
There is so much to do - sooo much has been happening!
TO DO LISTS (the daily miracle, like mana from heaven, even though you accomplish a lot each day, it multiplies and more shows up the next morning)
get clothes, luggage, phone, computer equipment.
Get the house organized and ready for leaving
Get the cars taken care of.
Get ....................... done.
Spanish lessons and study time, learn the language.
And the list must be navigated between the life that goes on and multiplying tasks to do.
What life is that you ask? Thank you for asking. Lets see since we got the call in December, just prior to Christmas, that would have to be the first hurdle of time. The Christmas holidays and all the hustle and bustle that entails. Since my mother has been living here in Thatcher since 2008, to be closer to family, it has been my responsibility to care for her. We had come to a point in her declining mental state (dementia/alzheimers) where she would be better cared for and happier in an assisted living facility. We moved her into the Beehive Home here, just prior to receiving our call and they were taking wonderful care of her, but we still went by every Sunday and brought her to church with us. The kind individuals in the Beehive Home were very caring and she enjoyed being there. On February 3, while we were in the temple and the Beehive Home couldn't contact us, she passed away peacefully in her sleep. It was a sweet tender mercy in her behalf. She was getting concerned about where would she go if we were gone on a mission. She could remember enough to be worried and enough to know that John and I had been who was taking care of her. She was missing so many loved ones that have passed before I can't help but wish I could have been a fly on the celestial wall when those reunions took place. So there has been a huge attention divert from mission preparations to making arrangements for services, hosting the family that would be coming in and getting mother layed to rest in Snowflake, Arizona, where she grew up and kept thinking someone should be taking her home too. The day of her services and burial were another tender mercy. It was such a beautiful day. No wind, beautiful sunset and a tender sweet service to bid a great mother, grandmother, Big Gramma, aunt, sister and friend farewell. I just hope when she got her memory back that she remembered to give my dad and brother a big hug for me and the rest of the family.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME.....she still has a home in Heber, Arizona that the renters moved out of, that needs to be sold. The home she has been living in here in Thatcher needs to be cleaned and many years of stuff dealt with. I am still working at the title office and the stress of business and details there have been mind numbing at times.
(cue up the corny infomercial announcer....)
BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE..... I have been teaching in Relief Society on the 4th Sunday, but only every other month (so John doesn't count that as a calling), but my turn to teach does come up and it is always hard conference talks to teach from. So I still count it. John teaches Gospel Doctrine the first Sundays, High Priest group on second Sundays. We are also ordinance workers in the Gila Valley Temple and our shift was Thursday mid-shift but we were changed to Tuesday first shift. Since John's retirement other workers have noted his availability to sub on many different shifts during the week. Since I am still working, he gets the opportunity to spend more time in the temple. Which is nice since we don't know quite how many opportunities we will have to attend the temple in Mexico.
(cue up the corny infomercial announcer...again)
BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE...... then there is the time I need (more of), maybe not John but me, to study spanish. It is usually done late at night after John is quietly snoozing and I can study by the glow of my ipad with headphones on. The MTC tutor and coaches skyping in the mornings before I go to work or after I get home. The gift of tongues is what I wish for....but Christmas has past and my birthday isn't until after I have been in Mexico for several months.... I need it way before then. Then there is the time I would love to be using giving hugs to the grandkids before I am left to only virtual ones from Facetime. I need to find the icon for SQUUUEEEEEEZZZZEE or the sound affect that I can send over the phone or ipad. The little arms around the neck is how I get my energy boost and I have needed alot lately!!! I need those for them to send to me too.
There must be a senior missionary article of faith that says, We believe in being re-tired, strong, prepared, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of The Missionary Department—We believe in making lists, we hope all lists will be completed, we have endured many lists, and hope to be able to endure all the lists. If there is anything packable, useful, or of good report or mission worthy, we seek to fit them all in.
