Jan 24, 2020 Mental Health and Yamashitas

• “And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble, and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them”

(Ether 12:27).

I've been alive long enough that I've become aware of more than one personal weakness.  The joy of weakness is that we can learn a new skill and become strong in a new area.  I have a new appreciation for mental illness.   There are many different forms and treated differently.  All of us struggle in some way.  The reality is that there is hope.   We can all work to find peace in our lives.  I'm grateful for the many resources available today.

“Old sailing ships had periods when the wind did not blow. They were ‘dead in the water.’ But the wind will return. The sails will fill. You will come into port.”

Elder Jeffrey Holland

Two of my favorite starting points with helpline links and inspiration: 

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/mentalhealth?lang=eng

https://caps.byu.edu/apps-and-websites

Including ways to help and support:

“The world is in need of your help. There are feet to steady, hands to grasp, minds to encourage, hearts to inspire, and souls to save.”

Thomas S. Monson

Stress is real for all of us. Tools to manage and cope are available to everyone.   Some have learned how to use these successfully.   It's amazing how many missionaries struggle with relaxing or sleeping and most of them don't have a clue how to slow down and do focused breathing.

https://caps.byu.edu/relaxation-recordings

https://caps.byu.edu/relaxation-and-meditation

https://www.smilingmind.com.au/smiling-mind-app

We finished a senior Missionary conference this week.   What amazing missionaries our seniors are.  We need each other.   Each come with different talents and strengths.   Some of them are literally sent to the BUSH or wilderness.   Most of them are on their own to fill needs they identify.   I Love the wards we attend.   Many weeks we attend multiple wards.   We love all of them.  

We continue to harvest tomatoes in abundance.  There is more waiting.  It gives us something in hand to deliver to friends.  Thank goodness for good friends and neighbors.   We came home last week and the house alarm started ringing.   The neighbors joined us to verify that all was well.  A contractor had come inside to get a quote to install cool air.   It was installed yesterday and we are alive again!  What joy to feel some cool air when it's hot outside! 

Missionaries stop by regularly and we often provide them with ice cream.  It's a blessing to be with them and hear of their journey.

Wednesday after a doctor appointment and then district council, we dropped off some elders at their flat to find water streaming down the driveway.   They had left their washer running and the hose popped off and sprayed water full force at the ceiling which left pools of water in the detergent, on the shelving unit and running onto the carpet and into the foyer.   What a mess!  Thankfully it was turned off and repairs begun.  Housing Coordinators were called and wet vac purchased, then carpet pulled up and property management notified.   That's one of many missionary Uh-ohs.   So many things to teach and learn.  BUT we have a lifetime.   We keep growing a learning.

Over the next month we're focusing on helping missionaries with knowing the doctrine so they can teach with more confidence.   We love them!   

Two Zone Combo Conference with Elder and Sister Yamashita

Jan 13 .... Recovery Ahead

Karangahake Gorge Windows Walk Old Mining Track

Karangahake Gorge Windows Walk

                                             For 10 glorious days Kayla was here.   And we crisscrossed this island in  awe of the beauty everywhere.   She entertained bystanders with her photoshoots and we delighted in her audience.

Waiau Kauri Grove and Waterfall

Dawson Falls Bridge Missionaries (Base of Mount Taranaki)

New Plymouth Paritutu Rock

Three sisters Beach

Three sisters Beach

Hot Springs Steam Facial

Rotorua Thermal Hot Springs

Rotorua Redwood Forrest .... "Do I look like a tree?"

Mt. Maunganui

Aratia Rapids after the dam released water

2 bike rides ..... One along Waikato River and one from Huka Falls to Aratiatia Dam

Hamilton Garden

Kayla and Nikolaus bounced around inside the ZORB balls down this mountain

We did still manage to make it to a few doctor appointments and answer phone calls.  We're so grateful to be with people who want to pick up and help and make sure we can spend important time with family whom we love.   We physically had a lot more exercise this week than normal, but loved having someone to play with. 

We're grateful for friends and family and those we love who support us and teach us.
And we feel the influence of family beyond the veil.  We learn more each day how much God loves ALL of his children.  We invite all to come unto Christ and feel his peace.

Jan 5, 2020 BofM Intro

2020

Kayla is visiting!   It's such a treat for us to spend time with her a figure out how to actually play a little.  She asked what day we write in our blog.  Sadly, we're not consistent, and Elder Despain  has some great pictures to come .....

Christmas was great.   We had the missionaries from our district over on Christmas Eve and we spent most of the day with a nice family here and their children and grandchildren.   We missed our own family, but called nice and early the next day to watch them enjoy their gifts and goodies.



Missionaries had a lot of stomach problems the week after Christmas .... and I asked them what they ate for Christmas.   Most of them had an extraordinary amount of food that was full of fat and sugar beyond any normal diet.  We need to be kind to our bodies.  It's funny that we wonder why we react to such intake!


I also spent a majority of time helping a missionary with anxiety beyond what I had seen in the past.   After a month of visiting doctors and trying to get it under control, the best option was to return home.   Anytime that amount of time is invested with an individual it tugs at my heartstrings a little more than usual.   We really love these missionaries and pray for them and their individual struggles.

New Years was uneventful.   A LOT of neighborhood fireworks and noise.   Now we're looking forward to 2020 with an ENTIRE year as missionaries.   We're so grateful for the opportunity to serve and learn from many talented individuals.  An Elder asked me if we ever get a "holiday" with our assignments.   My reply is that EVERY day is a holiday .... we're in New Zealand!   I still can't believe we're lucky enough to be part of these devoted and beautiful people whom we love and learn from.

May 2020 be full of JOY and a focus on the Savior Jesus Christ.  We acknowledge his hand in our lives and know the peace we feel from following his teachings.
The book of Mormon is the Keystone of our Religion and we're blessed to study it during our Gospel Study in Church this year.  The Book of Mormon will lift us, inspire us, and lighten our load. I'm grateful for another year to focus on Christ and his teachings.

As you read the introduction to the Book of Mormon, Try this brief teaching lesson used by some of our missionaries.   Read just the first line of each paragraph as an intro to your friends.  Perk their interest and see if they're willing to read a little more.

• The Book of Mormon is a volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible.
• The book was written by many ancient prophets by the spirit of prophecy and revelation.
• The crowning event recorded in the Book of Mormon is the personal ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ among the Nephites soon after His resurrection.
• After Mormon completed his writings, he delivered the account to his son Moroni, who added a few words of his own and hid up the plates in the Hill Cumorah.
• In due course the plates were delivered to Joseph Smith, who translated them by the gift and power of God.
• Concerning this record the Prophet Joseph Smith said: “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.”
• In addition to Joseph Smith, the Lord provided for eleven others to see the gold plates for themselves and to be special witnesses of the truth and divinity of the Book of Mormon.
• We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true.
• Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is His revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the Second Coming of the Messiah.

May you find peace as you ponder and renew yourselves for the year that lies ahead.
Love,  The Despains