Deployment Blessings

[Hyrum's FOB at sunset]

Hyrum has been gone for more than two months.  Of course I miss him, and wish he was here, but Tiago and I are holding down the fort here in Vilseck.  

The other day I realized that I'm not just 'hanging in there', but I'm really enjoying life right now.  I was reminded that even in difficult circumstances we can receive so many good things that bring happiness.  The trials don't have to be what define us.  

For starters, I love having Santiago in our family.  I'm glad I get to spend every day with him.  He makes our home a happier place.  Having Hyrum see his birth and first months of life would have been great, but having a healthy, happy baby is great by itself.  

Prior to the deployment, Hyrum and I both made a list of goals.  I had some trivial things on my list (return to pre-baby weight... ha!) but the one thing I wanted to focus on was studying the scriptures every day.  It has made such a difference!  I look forward to it and end feeling very filled.  It would be nice to accomplish many things while Hyrum is gone, but if my only accomplishment is to feel that joy and peace each day, I won't be disappointed.       

Small acts of service have also greatly lifted my burden.  Normally I don't like accepting help, but considering I have a newborn and just two hands, I've been humbled into accepting help when its offered. Service doesn't have to be grand to make a real impact.  A few things that stand out in my mind from the last week:

• Someone at the post office held the door open for me so I could easily get out with the stroller.  [It's an awkward, heavy door, followed by a step down.]
• A family in the ward offered to clean the church by themselves on the week that I was assigned to help.  [big service in my book!]
• I had to drop off some bags at the thrift store.  After I parked, I stood behind my open trunk contemplating the best way to carry three bags and a sleeping baby up a flight of stairs.  Almost immediately, a couple from our ward walked by during their lunch-time stroll.  [They both work on post].  They asked how they could help, then took the bags up for me. 

I've been reading in Exodus about the children of Israel wandering in the wilderness.  It seems like God reminds them over and over that he'll take care of them.  "I've already freed you from slavery... I'll provide you food...  I'll destroy your enemies... I'll be your guide..."  He didn't immediately take them out of the wilderness, but they didn't have to do it alone. 

I'm glad that in my 9-months of 'wilderness', I'm not doing it alone.

No post is complete these days without a cute picture of Santiago!  Here's one of his funny poses.

Sacrifice

Last Saturday we had a lazy day.  Hyrum was doing "staff duty"-- meaning he was responsible for checking in on-post every few hours to make sure things were okay   (kind of like being "on call") so we couldn't go far.  When he got back from post at 10:45 pm I was laying in bed dozing off.  He jolted me awake when he said, "I just saw an email from the bishopric.  They want us to speak in the morning."

If there was a blank look on my face it's because I was mentally trying to figure out how "in the morning" could actually mean "next week".  And why we we were getting the email the night before.  And how we'd be speaking in less than 12 hours.

So I stayed up late writing a talk.  And Hyrum spent most of the night at his office working and writing a talk.  Then we had to wake up early and go on post for him to finish his work before hurrying to church.

The experience reminded me that when we're asked to do something, God helps us.  And in the end, it all turned out okay.  I didn't get to study the topic much (okay, at all!), write out a talk, or practice, but as soon as I started thinking about the assigned topic (sacrifice) a flood of stories and thoughts came to mind that formed (what I consider) a decent talk.  Others thought it was good, too. :)   Or so they say!

My main purpose in writing this is to put down a few of the stories/articles that came to mind, not in any particular (or coherent) order:

"A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation."  Lectures on Faith Sacrifice helps us become who we need to become.

There's a great page with biographies of the apostles.  I used the example of President Eyring, who mentioned in his last talk some sacrifices of "worldly success" he's made.

A young man who sacrificed everything when he joined the church, as told by President Hinckley

Ruth, left behind her family, land, and former religion to stay true to the God of Israel

Quote by President Eyring, in relation to church service.  "To be called to serve is a call to come to love the Master we serve.  It is a call to have our natures changed."  There's a lot of good stuff in that talk.

In addition to callings, we sometimes have to sacrifice to attend the temple, like the saints in Thailand.  I came across this old article a while back and it's stayed in my mind.