It was good to have a normal week, with no off days. We had a really fun devotional on Monday with Emily Utt, who is a historic sites curator for the church. She started off talking about city planning--how the saints built Zion in various places. Then she talked a lot about Temple Square, how it started and how the progress is going now. I think everyone would have been quite happy for her to go on for another hour, she has such a great way of talking about historic buildings.
We started choir up again this week after almost a month off and were pleasantly surprised to have many people come. We're singing a fun version of The Lord is My Shepherd for tomorrow's devotional that is fortunately one of those pieces that sounds really cool but isn't that hard to learn.
The Leadership Pattern Journey classes started up this week and since Gary is the facilitator for one of the groups, we both get to attend that again. It will be good to review all the material and see if there are new goals we need to be working on at this point in our mission.
Classes started up this week for the students and there are still some who are stuck and trying to work through issues with either the new system or their own problems (grades, tuition etc.). We try really hard to be as sympathetic as we can be but also we have to tell them that we are unable to solve their problems and they really do need to work with student support (not the answer they want to hear).
One of our devotionals this week was on Willard Bean, also knows as The Fighting Preacher (a 2019 T. C. Christensen movie currently playing on Prime). I'd heard of the movie but never connected the fact that his last name was Bean, same as one of my great great grandmothers named Nancy Bean. Turns out he's my first cousin three times removed since he is the son of Nancy Bean's brother. So, obviously we watched the movie this week and we loved it.
Willard Bean
Of course we went to Logan this week to check up on our new granddaughter--they grow fast and you don't want to miss it! We also enjoyed some beautiful canyon views on our way to Logan.
Primary today was the usual fun and challenge. In a class of 3 and 4 year olds you don't get much discussion. But, they enjoyed playing the game where they had to freeze when the music stopped. Of course we also discovered that my gospel library app has decided to play A Child's Prayer in some foreign language but that didn't seem to bother the kids.
This week we become the choir coordinators (instead of assistant coordinators). This means no more passing the buck which is really quite a challenge!
From Gary: The Leadership Pattern Journey is a series of lessons designed for a 12-week course to teach participants how to "Lead like the Savior." The Church loves to train their managers using this course and we as missionaries are allowed to take the course too. We took the course many months ago and are now leading a course for the next several weeks. We all have lots to learn!
We have had an amazing couple helping us with our BYU Pathway work. Von and Sheila Kunz are from Blackfoot Idaho and found out Von had ALS at about the same time as he was released as the Stake President there. When the General Authority came and gave him a blessing as he was released, he was told they should go on a mission as soon as they could. They quickly went through the process and were called here to the Utah Salt Lake City Headquarters Mission. They were assigned to the Church History Library, and then assigned to help us part-time with our BYU Pathway Ecclesiastical Endorsements. They have worked hard and have absolutely loved their opportunity to serve the Lord! They especially loved their chance to call these BYU Pathway Worldwide students all over the world!
Von's health has been going downhill ever since he got here, but both he and his wife have been amazing examples of service and love for God's children everywhere! They have faced this challenge with absolute faith and love of their Savior. They were sent home this week so he could be home and go on hospice with his ALS. We will miss them terribly, but will be forever indebted for the eternal friendship we have forged with them with our mission experiences together. They have asked that we continue to send them a few names so they can continue their service from home going forward. We love them with all of our hearts. Their example of faith through this amazing trial will forever be known by all that have seen their work here.
God loves us all! He gives us each challenges to push us to our limits! Life is short, but oh so full of joy when we learn to serve and love God and our neighbors.
Have a marvelous week!
We love you all!
Elder and Sister Pack
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