Friday May 23, 2008

Friday May 23, 2008

MarHaBa,
It’s a beautiful day today in Jordan…..wonderful weather with clear sunny skies and a slight calming breeze. The warmth of the sun fills our souls with such gratitude and peace. I’ve often wonder why we talk of the weather when we don’t quite know what else to say? But today the weather is a reflection of what I feel inside. The blessings keep pouring into our lives! We constantly stand in awe as we stop and pause to see how our life is unfolding. Over the last week we have witnessed many miracles of how the Lord directs the affairs of our lives and the lives of our family and friends. I don’t know why it surprises us sometimes! But, I feel humbled and blessed to recognize His power and His guiding hand in our life. I am reminded of a quote I recently came across …

You have God who hears you
The power of love behind you
The Holy Spirit within you
And all of heaven ahead of you

Today was our Sabbath. We had a large group of BYU students come up from Amman to attend our church meetings in Al Husn. There are 50 students here for the summer to continue their study of the Arabic Language at the University of Jordan. We will have a group of 15 every week taking turns to attend our branch. You could feel the energy from these young people. It was great! After church we invited those that came up to come to our apartment for dinner. Wow, did they eat! It was fun having English speaking people here, but all they wanted to do was use their Arabic. Oh well! I guess we will have company for “Friday dinners” for the next few months. It reminded us of our family Sunday dinners in Kentucky. It was wonderful! Oh, we sure miss that!

We continue to stay busy. We have finished up a few projects recently and continue working on others. But, there are so many more out there. The hardest thing is to determine what the Lord wants… for this area… for this time. So we constantly pray for His “will” to be known, and how we best can serve!

We think of you all often. We love you and pray for you. Thank you for your support and prayers.

Love,
Your Jordan Missionaries

This weeks newsletter

May 12, 2008

MarHa Ba

Just wanted to wish you a "Happy Mother's" day to all of you mothers. Hope you all had a wonderful day.

I've been trying to improve my computer skills. So what do you think? It's late and we got to get up real early in the morning to take care of Customs and Paper work in Amman for a container coming in, so this will be short, but attached is our latest newsletter. Sure love you and pray for you always!

Love,
Dad and Mom

This weeks newletter- page 1

This weeks newsletter- page 2

April 26th, 2008

This weeks newsletter-page 1

This weeks newsletter-page 2

April 18, 2008 Friday

As Sa lamu Aleekum (Hello, Peace be upon you)

Well, it has been another week already! We are getting ready for our Zone Conference this coming week. We will be hosting the conference here again. We will have the new couple from Egypt, the couple from Syria and the new couple from Lebanon. There is finally a humanitarian couple back in Lebanon. It was very uncertain for a while because of all the unrest in the country. Remember, we were first called to serve in Lebanon. I’m glad we are here in Jordan. We have seen the Lord’s hand in this decision. I am truly grateful for knowing that. Isn’t it amazing how He works things out? I’m so glad He is the one really in charge. That is…. if we let Him!
We constantly look at each other and say…. “We are in Jordan”!

Today at church we showed one of the sessions of conference that was translated in Arabic, because none of the members had seen conference at all. We had to get it separately recorded in Arabic. When it started one of our members started crying because the voice she heard was her son (He was the one translating the Arabic for all the Arabic speaking members’ through-out the world) Houda has not seen her son in almost 2 years. It was such a treat to sit and watch the members listen to a voice they knew once belonged to their little branch. Dad and I followed the speakers with our notes we took watching it in English. When President Monson, President Eyring and President Uchtdorf was first called in February I printed out their pictures with their names and posted them up in the church so the members could see who their new First Presidency was. It was good to see them look at the video and then at the pictures and relate to who was who. We just take for granted what we know and understand.

We are grateful for the experience serving here. We are grateful for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and to have the opportunities to feel His Atonement in our lives. We have seen it work! We have felt the power that comes in allowing Him to take charge and lead us though our uncertainties. We are truly blessed to feel His love and guidance in our efforts to serve here in Jordan. Particularly we are blessed to know He is watching over you, our children while we are away. That is a great comfort to us, to know you are all in “HIS HANDS” and under Heavens watchful eye.

We love you all so much! We pray for you and think of you constantly!

Thought:
"The Lord can do remarkable miracles with a person of ordinary ability
who is humble, faithful, and diligent in serving the Lord and seeks to
improve himself." President James E. Faust

Love,
Dad and Mom... Your Jordan Missionaries

This weeks newsletter

Friday, April 11

Keef HaLeek…..

Today was our Sabbath. We had a choice experience today. We had a young man graduate from primary. Yay! He was ordained a deacon this morning. Since our little branch is a little out of the ordinary from some of the other units throughout the world it was decided to ordained and sustain him in sacrament meeting in the hopes to set an example to the others to follow and even some of the older men who have not received the priesthood yet. It was such a sweet experience to look upon his face and see his excitement. As he took his place in front of the sacrament table with much reverence and humility, I was struck with emotion. My thought was…… “here” is the future for Jordan.

These past few weeks have been a “roller coaster ride”. Starting with a three day experience with Jordan’s customs and the “Secret Police”, known as the MaHabRot . This is not your friendly neighborhood policemen. Hours and hours of questioning! I thought for sure Dad was going to be taken away to “who knows where”. We were trying to get some educational supplies that were sent from the USA into Jordan. The Humanitarian Department has a creative program for children and even adults to educate them with health issues. It is a puppet presentation with a fold out stage. The puppets have names such as Alcohol, Tobacco, Drugs ….. do you get the picture? Well, imagine those labels written on shipments papers coming into Jordan along with “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints". Which we are not allowed to send any religious material into the country. No wonder, WE were being questioned and interviewed???? But, finally after opening the package, explaining the contents, allowing the officials to play with the puppets, many silent prayers and holding our breath.... then, a breath could be taken! All is well! Dad was able to “walk”. The supplier was NOT thinking, I guess? We are working with several communities who are planning Health Fairs. We suggested they use their schools and teachers to do this puppet demonstration to help educate their community. This is how it all started! (I know Dad sent you the written statement that he sent to our area office and then was sent on to Salt Lake to the Presiding Bishopric concerning this issue. Just thought you would like to know some of the story behind it.) It has been a learning experience for sure!

A few days after that ordeal we had a car run into the back of us. (That story is on the newsletter page) Then with several other “challenging” (as Granddad use to say) opportunities, we just felt like going home and hiding in our apartment. But we didn’t. We faced the sun …..and moved forward!

Well, enough of that. We sure love all of you and pray you feel the Lord’s love and strength in your daily lives. Thank you for you support and prayers.

Thought: "When you get knocked down....
The only way to stand ....
is to kneel."
Love,
Your Jordan Missionaries

This weeks newsletter

March 21, 2008 Friday

MarHaBa…..

Today is Mother’s day here in Jordan. So, being in Jordan we wish all of you mothers a “Happy Mother’s Days. It’s hard to believe it is also Easter this Sunday. So … Happy Easter as well! We celebrated both today since it is our Sabbath day.

We have been blessed with beautiful spring weather and have been able to take walks after we get home in the evenings. As we walk we like to greet the people in Arabic greetings, but everyone wants to use their few English phrases with us so they greet us back in English. The most popular phrases are …. “What’s your name?” “How are you?” “I am fine, thank you?” It’s so sweet to hear them try to talk to us in English. We have been surprise how many people we come across that know who we are. But, I guess being the only Americans in a small town word gets around, uh?

It’s late and we have an early appointment in the morning. But, I want to express how much we appreciate the love and support we feel from you all. Most important the Love and support we have felt from the Lord as we struggle to understand our role in all this. I’m beginning to understand more and more the role the atonement has in my own personal life and in our family’s life. The miracle is that it works! How does it work? I don’t know? But, when the PEACE comes….. and, HOPE replaces the doubts and fears …… it is the tender mercies of the Lord….. It is the Atonement. The pure LOVE of ONE who has felt it all. For this, I am so grateful for. How could we do this without him? We often try though, don’t we?

We love you all so much and constantly pray that you will feel that. We know the Lord will bless each one of you and help you in all that you do. May we all trust in Him and feel His love.

“Remember who you are”

Love,
Dad and Mom .... Your Jordan Missionaries

This weeks newsletter

March 7, 2008 Friday

MarHaBa….

This evening we got a call from our Branch President. He invited us over to visit with him, his family and other relatives. As we drove up we saw chairs and people every where. We looked at each other and just had to smile! Oh, the memories of being back in Kentucky on those warm Sunday evenings with chairs clustered together, good family conversation and laughter. It was an enjoyable evening as we talked… but mostly listening to the jabbering of Arabic and sharing the laughter. We thought of all of you.

Today after church we attended another Muslim wedding celebration out in the eastern desert. After we arrived I was escorted to the women, dad to the men. Of course we were fed and guess what? Yes, Mansif again. The bride was sitting on her throne in a white glittery gown. Yes, they have thrones that they sit on. They place them on a stage-like platform as the other women dance around chanting and admiring the bride. The bride looks like a porcelain doll. They powder the bride down with a white glittery powder and paint her face with heavy make-up. The hair is fixed up and she is adorned with gold jewelry. Most all of the other women will take off their head dresses and let their hair fall loose. This is the one time they can dress in gowns and other party dresses. Of course there are no men allowed. After the celebration everything gets put back on and the women are then covered from head to toe as they leave.

We got two more projects approved this week. One will be a Health Fair in a community called Fayha and the other is another Wheelchair container. We are staying busy and trying to be productive and wise in our efforts. Keep praying for us!

Today was warm and spring is in the air. It’s exciting!
We sure love you all. We miss you! Have a wonderful week!

Quote: "The harder the conflict the more glorious the triumph ......
What we obtain too cheap we esteem too lightly."

Love,
Dad and Mom.... your Jordan Missionaries

This weeks newsletter