President Packer once said that a constant thing we can expect in a living church is change!
Sometimes in our mission come emergency changes. And we found a great way to save steps. Why use stairs when you can "heave ho" and find someone reaching down?
That same night we found white in nearby pacas. Pacas are places where they sell clothing that came packaged from places such as Deseret Industries, Savers, or Goodwill.
Here is an answer to Elder Starkey's fasting that came home in a tiny bundle, growing just doors away.
Other things grow nearby with speed and character.
Our neighbors hosted a traveling resident doctor from Indiana with four children who visited with us and met some of our neighbors.
Elder Starkey asked us today what our talents are. I think I like watching things grow!
These living things were found at a home nearby flying an American flag. The family lived in San Francisco for years and carry the last name Flores (flowers). How is that for fitting?
Again. I like capturing growth!
This is from our motel in Salama where we spend weekends working to support a "district" which is like a stake comprised of "branches " or congregations similar to wards dependent on a mission president rather than a stake president. When this area grows to become a stake, the mission president, talented as he is, will have the luxury of concentrating on one less garden to nurture.
Elder Starkey was invited as guest speaker for the district conference priesthood session. He brought weights and illustrated his story of a young friend whose family questioned the teen's lifting (for hours each week) until his siblings were caught in a whirlpool in a nearby river.
Then the youth's family became instantly grateful for a son's strength
Elder Starkey listed eight weights for the young people to reach and "lift"
and sometimes "get thee out!" (thus tennis shoes, to suggest that running from danger can serve, as it worked for Joseph and Potipher.)
Then President Curtiss pulled out a whiteboard to teach from a talk by Elder Oaks about keys, authority, and how exercising priesthood is like dating--success is dependent on carefully noticing another's interests, needs, and trying to fill them. First time I ever saw 16 year olds begging to stay!
Elder Starkey brought home an arrangement from the conference he called his prize! And he gained friends in sharing his gift!
Speaking of prizes, Coban zone carries the wood statue of Moroni--for helping the people they teach to grow most consistently
Concilio de Lideres (Leadership council) brings together leaders to problem solve and motivate team work
Amidst growing come the pains of parting
Some missionaries are still not sure about "growing up" including a few older ones.
However at our lead we find a reputable example, unafraid to mop things up.
Not above doing anything to lift (where he stands).
The ranks of us are still stretching shoulders and elbows, to
strengthen feeble knees, to lifting up hands which hang down.
Prayers and hopes for lifting in your part of the vineyard!
Hermana and Elder Starkey
