Hello Dear Ones,
Seems like awhile since I’ve written a personal note. I’m behind on the blog, but trying to catch up. Our calendar is filled nearly every minute. Soon I will write about the Terra Cotta Warriors and our excursion with Mr. Gao—which lasted 16 ½ hours on Wednesday. We were supposed to go to some waterfalls, but detoured to a city where the Chinese revolutionaries lived before and during WWII, including a museum for Chairman Mao, and his home and several others in the caves. Stay tuned for that in the blog.
In the meantime we had a district conference today—which is like Stake Conference. Only we dialed into Sat. night meeting from our home and listened. Then we went to church today and phoned in and all listened together. Themes included: the importance of families, and family history, the atonement, and keeping the Sabbath Day Holy—which is my encouragement to you.
After our meeting today, our Branch Pres.’s daughter was baptized. We had a sweet program, including a letter from her grandma in U.S. and singing of “I Am A Child of God” in both Spanish and Japanese. I shed enough tears to fill the font myself. We had hoped to use the swimming pool at their apt. Complex, but that was closed. So they filled the large round bathtub in the master bedroom and performed the baptism. There was even room for all 30 of us in the bathroom! (We could have put our whole apt. in that bathroom.) The spirit is very strong in our little meetings. We truly know the Lord is here with us.
I made her a little ribbon bookmark and a card using some paper we brought, and cut out a rose off a printed paper sack. We really have to be creative here.
Elder Russell Nelson spoke in Beijing on Thursday night. No earth shattering news, but he did bestow an apostolic blessing on the saints in China—particular for protection—which he knows we need while/when crossing the streets! Fortunately there are walking bridges out of both the main gates of the university, and the stores and restaurants in our neighborhood are on our side of the street. I only cross the street once a week when I go to the Dutch bakery for delicious treats.
We are gearing up for a Halloween party for our English students on Thursday. I bought round suckers and kleenex to make ghosts, and made chocolate cupcakes to give the winners of the “Cake Walk”. And we’ll play Bingo and show some ppts. And video clips.
Some of you know that Herb, our neighbor had to fly to Beijing this week to have his toe amputated. He has diabetes and it had turned black with gangrene. Guess who the university asked to sub for him….Yes, DAD. And their classes are taught at the very same time, next door to each other. So dad starts in one class, gets them writing, them scoots over to the other class and gets them going. I hope they find another solution quickly, because he’s going to wear out at this rate. NO way he can handle both classes with essays, etc.
Anyway, Pres. Nelson also said “this life is about doing hard things; that will make us stronger and bring us closer to Christ.” So I guess we shouldn’t shy away from hard things, but it would be nice to have a rest now and then….
You all know grandma Taylor is on hospice. So Dad is preparing to lose her. It will be a blessing in many ways, but still sad. We feel very far away, but close when we hear from you or get to chat occasionally. We love you all very much, and miss you lots!
Mom
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