December 3, 2006

Dear Family,

It has been a very uplifting and inspiring Sabbath here in Nigeria. I wish I could bottle it and send it to you so that you could drink of it and be spiritually filled and refreshed as I have been. I do not think that I have the ability to express myself so that you could understand what it has been like, suffice it to say that the Holy Ghost has been my companion today and my feelings are tender.

We attended 2 fast and testimony meetings today. It is the last testimony meeting before the end of the year and many try to express their gratitude at being preserved from January 1 until this the first week of the last month of the year. They do not take staying alive from one day to the next lightly. There is sincere gratitude for such a gift. Living is not easy. We would call it eking out a living and few of us would voluntarily live such a life. Yet the members are so grateful for what they have and bear testimony that they know it comes from a loving God. Let me tell you about the testimony that was born by Sister Ebaka. First she listed the many things she is grateful for. One of those things was her callings in the Church where she can serve the Lord through serving others. She acknowledged the many people she loves including the primary children she is president over, the branch president, the prophet whom she has never seen even on TV, her husband and her daughter. She told how when her first husband died, she told her children not to weep because Heavenly Father had called him to come back. It would be alright and it was. She has since remarried and is happy. In fact, she said that she was so happy that she didn’t think there was a happier woman on the earth. I ask myself if I can ever be like that. Compared to our standard of living, she lives in dire poverty. It isn’t possessions that make her happy. She isn’t beautiful so that others would praise her for it and bring her happiness that way. She has little education so it isn’t being smart that makes her happy. She has little opportunity to improve her standard of living so it can’t be hope in it that makes her happy. She is living, breathing proof that what brings happiness is being grateful for what you do have, loving and serving others, and faith in God that everything will be alright and it is. Ah, that is happiness worth striving for and the formula is so simple.

I told you last week that the conference issue of the Ensign had arrived, welcomed like a visit from a dear friend. I had just finished rereading the Book of Mormon which I am sad to see finished…like reading any good book, you hate to have it end. The void was filled when the Ensign arrived. The last few days I have feasted upon the words of the Prophets, Apostles and other leaders found in the magazine. After we finished our missionary duties and returned home in late afternoon today, we broke our fast then Dad took a nap and I read from the Ensign. It is as good as a nap to me. Open the magazine and the Holy Ghost covers me like a warm blanket and envelopes me to testify that the teachings and counsel in its pages are true. I can hardly read it without constantly thinking I need to improve on obeying this commandment or I have to remember that gospel teaching. How simple and beautiful are the true teachings of the Church. I quote from one of the talks to set my point home. “I bear witness that the only safety and security that I have ever found has come through trying to keep the commandments of the Lord and upholding and sustaining the authorities of this Church.”(pg 97 Elder Don R. Clarke “Becoming Instruments in the Hands of God”) I wrote above about the simple formula for happiness, well here is an even simpler formula for safety and security: obeying the commandments and following the Church leaders.

Today I looked around at all those faces that I have grown to love and felt sadness that we would only be together for such a short period of time. There is one missionary, Elder Udu, who I am particularly fond of. He is smart, good looking, works hard in his missionary work, has a sound understanding of the gospel, has a good sense of humor and is a great example and leader to the other missionaries. I shook his hand when we were leaving the church today and I did not want to let it go. I know that at anytime he could be transferred and we would not see each other again. I have taught, loved, served, counseled, laughed, cried, rejoiced and mourned with so many wonderful people that I would never have had such an opportunity if we had not accepted the call to serve a mission in Nigeria. This road has not been easy, but I look at how many people have walked this path with me and I feel so much love for them. We can see again the simple beauty in the gospel. Service and love are in separable, it is impossible to have one without the other.

Our bus trip to the Aba Temple is one week closer to reality. Ijebu-Ode has temple fever. What started out as us hoping to fill an 18 passenger bus with temple goers has snowballed into changing to a 30 passenger bus and it still not being able to hold the number wanting to go to partake of the eternal blessings found only in the temple. We would add another bus but the patron housing at the Temple can not accommodate any more people. We have set another temple date in February and the bus is already over half reserved-we may take two. My request to have help from my friends at home has resulted in us being able to ensure that once a quarter for the next year we will be able to subsidize taking a busload of members to the temple. All members will be required to pay a small amount so they participate through sacrificing but it will not be impossible for their dream of sealing their families for eternity to come true thanks to the donations we have received. I am filled with gratitude that our work will not end when we come home but will extend through the eternities of time.

I called the temple yesterday to add 3 more people to our reservations and found out that there was a celebration at the temple. I couldn’t imagine what celebration was being held until someone told me today that they lit the Christmas lights on the Temple grounds yesterday. I can hardly keep from crying as I write this. Towns are so ugly and dirty in Nigeria with no glittering lights of Christmas to be found. The temple is built on a hill and stands like a beacon above the town of Aba. The bus will arrive at the Temple in the early evening. I can just imagine the wondering awe that will fill those members as they come within sight of the Temple. What will appear before their eyes is a sight they will never before have witnessed, the glorious view of the Temple grounds lit up to appear like part of heaven. The temple must truly be one of the most beautiful buildings and grounds in Nigeria. One member told me upon returning from the Temple that it was as peaceful and beautiful as heaven and he didn’t want to leave it. Add to that the lights celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and one can only imagine the emotion that will be felt by those arriving at the Temple. I feel so grateful to be a small part in helping God’s children in this corner of the world partake of eternal ordinances and receive the highest blessings that Heavenly Father bestows upon his righteous children. My vocabulary is too limited to be able to express my joy at the prospect of it all. Heavenly Father is surely smiling on us. May He fill your hearts with just as much joy in your endeavors to serve Him.

Love mom