Murphy's Law or Simply Usual Vacation Antics

 Of course 

the power will blow out if someone is using a space heater and someone else is using a blow dryer - everyone knows that - at least we do now.

The first night our guests arrival the power blew out in two bedrooms and three quarters of the living room.  Hello guests, you can use flashlights and push lights for the rest of  your stay - because of course we will have to pay top dollar if we want the house re-wired. Luckily Vladimir is coming to re-wire the bedrooms and living room - on Monday just after the Magno's go to the airport. Hopefully this visit will be one of the "remember when..." type of vacations. 

Ezra and Michael testing our electrical voltage (or something like that)

But it wouldn't be a vacation

without a food antic either. Rachel informed me she did not want turkey for Thanksgiving. I asked what she did want and she said, "Ribs." Since I have never made ribs, I got advice on how to bake them. 2 hours at 275* slow baked and then add the Kinders and cramelize them until bubbly.

I put them in at 4:00 pm because we were going to eat at 7:00 pm when Michael got back from work. (Murphy's Law there - as he is newly hired he has to work Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's days) So around 3:30 I look in the oven and those ribs were still pink in places! 

We had a regressive dinner and ate the rib around 10 pm after everyone had really enjoyed the pancit, lumpia, sweet potato pecan and other vegetables first, ate pumpkin pie, and then talked for a few hours. At ten we enjoyed the ribs though most of the company could not eat much, they just tasted. 

The next day I found out that an hour or 45 minuets per pound is the usual cooking time. So our meaty ribs took five hours.

What a Fun Week

 This has been a grand Thanksgiving Week! A few weeks ago, Juna Magno texted and asked if their family could come for Thanksgiving. When I talked with her personally she indicated they needed to be out of their house by the 20th and were on their way to Alaska to stay with family. That meant they were coming for Thanksgiving week instead of a day. We thought that would be just fine. Ezra is a student of BYU Hawaii and they don't have a car, so they probably couldn't give us COVID having never gone anywhere. The day they arrived the governor had put a quash on all gatherings over 10. We were ok because with everyone in our home there would be 11 people and one of those is a infant.

Arriving at the Amtrak station
Ezra, Junia, and Juna Magno

I hadn't realized how great it would be to have the Magno's in our home. Makynlee had a friend to run around with. Michael had someone who knew computers and programing, and Julia and Juna could talk about parenting skills together. Junia got to know what a younger sister would be like (good and bad) and Makynlee tried to figure out how to get an older girl to do what she wanted. Mostly they made blanket forts and ran around the house together. Both the mothers read to the girls.

Junia reading to her mom and Makynlee

Magical world of books

One of the best parts for me was sewing up placemats and watching Juna make a baking apron and circle skirt for Junia. Patrice Christensen gave me four boxes of material from the high school who was dumping them and I have used that material for different projects for about 2 !/2 years. I was so glad that Juna and Junia could find something that made them happy. I aided a little in technique and looking up how to make measurements fit but mostly it was Juna making Junia happy.

We all were happy to taste the sinigang soup and adobe chicken that Juna made. On Thanksgiving she really hit it our of the park with pancit and lumpia! It was a highlight of our meal.

Ezra cooking up the lumpia that Juna made

It really is a treat to have them over. I wonder if the reason is because we have seen so very few people these last few months that it has given us a greater appreciation having company visit.

Can you believe it?!! Next week I will be in Africa!

Evidence of Things Not Seen

 Nov. 3

Jeffrey took a flight to Utah last night in order to hand deliver our papers for our visas to the travel department so we can get to Ghana. In Salt Lake City he was able to go up to the 14^th floor and talk with the woman who accepted the papers digitally yesterday and forwarded them on to the consulate in Ghana. The flight didn’t cost anything because we had so many airline points. Now Jeffrey is hiking up the beautiful mountain in Ogden canyon.

I started out the day with a prayer for two things. One that I could find Isla’s birth certificate quickly and two that I could find the title of the red car so we can give it away. 

Within an hour of sorting Jeffrey’s to-do pile of papers, I found Isla’s birth certificate and was very grateful for the quick answer to prayer.  As I sorted out all the papers I found car insurance and other car forms but no title to the car.  I looked all over his office and sorted out other stacks of paper but no luck.  I finished a few other tasks and visited with Laura bringing home some smoked salmon. I love going to Laura’s!  Anyway after dropping off my old iPad for recycling at Walgreens I talked to Jeffrey on the phone.  He said he thought it might be in a manila envelope. I came back and searched all the manila envelopes I could see in his office. Then I had another prayer for help finding the title. I sat quietly for a few minutes and remembered a time when Jeffrey and I put together a three ring binder of our financial dealings just in case something happened to Jeffrey and I had to take over. I wondered if the title was in the binder. I knew I had seen that binder a few weeks ago and it didn’t appear to be in Jeffrey’s office. When I walked into the bedroom and looked on the shelf there it was. A white binder we put together years ago. The first two pages held the titles of the van and the red car!

I am a little overwhelmed by the angels that are surrounding me and giving me such immediate answers to prayers. Again there wasn’t any way I could have remembered where this title was or known where to look without the heaven sent answers or nudges on where to look.  I could have spent days looking through Jeffrey’s office and never found that title.  I am so deeply grateful for the blessings of having answers to prayers at my fingertips. Thank you very much Heavenly Father for your help and ministering angels.

My ongoing prayer is that we will be ready, able, and prepared to go on this mission. So far every prayer for aid and help has been given promptly. I believe these are the assurances that are spoken about in Hebrews 11:1  "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

Little nudges, thoughts - promptings

 Jeffrey had a prompt, idea, an urge to call Salt Lake City and ask about our visa and departure date about a week ago. Someone had forgotten to send us the papers, so they sent them that day. There were a lot of requests that had not been part of the Philippine experience. Jeffrey looked at each requirement and determined which to do each day. I could not get a yellow fever vaccination before my surgery and my urologist recommended that I wait two weeks after my surgery to get it. I had looked up what was available and had made an appointment about a month ago to get both of our vaccinations on Saturday morning. It is a requirement to get a yellow fever vaccination in order to get a visa. This is the first possible week we could have gotten our visa application in after getting the vaccination. So the angels in heaven don’t need to give a prompting until we are in a position to move on it. I can tell you with certainty there are ministrants and angels helping us every step of the way. Only someone from heaven could know or find all of those papers in the many, many boxes available to look in. 

Family members, neighbors and friends have been helping, supporting and loving us too. I count them among the angels too. This has been a really wonderful ride.

Assurances

 How and why are prayers answered?

[November 1]

Jeffrey and I have been having some prompts and some prayers answered from Heaven very quickly. Two stories: On Thursday Jeffrey felt it was important to follow up an email sent a few days ago to the Police Station to see about our records request from their department.  The lady on the phone told him he hadn’t paid the fee for the request -- so he sent it in promptly, and had the idea in his mind that she was right there at her computer so he sent an email thanking her for her advise. She sent our records (or rather a letter stating we had no records at the police office) immediately. Because of his feeling or a prompt, the right person was there to give us this letter that usually takes 10 days – which would have been too late for the Monday deadline of turning in all our papers for a visa to Africa.

Story two: Today was the day to go through boxes and try to find certificates or papers of value to support our Resume (another visa requirement). Jeffrey had been through many of the boxes. He asked if we could have a prayer together. I asked Heavenly Father that we could find our records that were needed for this visa and thanked the Lord for our blessings already given and the opportunity to go on this mission. When the prayer was over I thought about the boxes in our bedroom that had never been opened from our last packing up to go on a mission.  In the first box, Jeffrey found important certificates that pertained to me. He went into the garage to continue looking through boxes. A couple of hours later, I finished a small quilt for Jayson’s baptism next June. Something got me up and thinking about Jeffrey’s quest to find his three degree certificates. They had been framed and packed up before leaving for Manila.  I went into the garage and asked if we could have another prayer. He said yes, I prayed again for help and aid from the heavens in finding these certificates so we could get the visa. I indicated that Heavenly Father had already given us assurances that we are going on this mission and asked if Jeffrey could be directed so he wouldn’t waste his time. I thanked the Lord for all of His help and asked for some more aid. After that prayer I told Jeffrey there was a corner of the garage that had lots of his history in it. Jeffrey had not been over there. He opened a large box and found all three of his degree certificates still framed. It was an immediate answer given. 

In the how and why - I’m still figuring it out. 1. We have been given quite a few assurances from the Lord that we are suppose to go to Africa. 2. Obviously there are angels or ministrants who are helping us from heaven – nudging or dropping thoughts and ideas into our minds. Part of the how is asking, part is knowing what to ask, and part is given us when and how to ask for blessings that are just waiting to drop into our lap.

Answers

 Jeffrey and I went through the steps of filling out our papers to serve in West Africa, and found the process so much easier and clear than in 2016. The forms are entirely different as they presume you are going to take care of yourself physically and only ‘recommend’ the colonoscopy, mammogram, and pap smear which were all required before turning in papers the last time. In July we submitted our papers though I had appointments set up for August and September for the ‘recommended’ procedures. 

When I had my physical in late July, Dr. Crockett again suggested that I have a hysterectomy due to my prolapsed uterus (he has suggested it since Rachel was a toddler). This time I made an appointment to get it taken care of. I’m not sure why but he sent me to a urologist first who then recommended a gynecologist.  

Since it is 2020 there are many, many more hoops to jump through for every appointment. First everyone gives each appointment in two weeks from the day I call. The only call I’ve made in three months that did not have a two-week waiting time was for an X-ray. Next I have to get more lab work done and then I have to get COVID testing before the big procedures.  I wear a mask to every appointment and get asked EVERY time if I have a fever, cough, sneezing, and if I’ve gone out of the country or been exposed to a person who has COVID symptoms.  Some offices give you a new mask to wear in their facility and some ask if the mask you are wearing was new today.  The mammogram turned out ok or in the normal range. The colonoscopy was a very different experience from my previous three and turned out with one node that if left could turn into a cancerous condition, but I’m good for now. I got good results on my pap smear. So far so good!

Now the hysterectomy experience so far has been very interesting. As in NOT FUN! After reading all the literature of the pros and cons and wading through the different awkward procedures I started to question whether going through we this was really necessary. I’ve lived with inconvenience and thought about just going on with my life despite occasional unwieldy days.

Early one morning I looked out the bathroom window and asked God if this was really a necessary procedure and should I go through with the surgery or not. The next day Dr. Hanna (whom I hadn't met yet)  the gynecologist personally called me about my sonogram results and asked if I have been bleeding at all. She told me my uterine wall was 11 centimeters when it should be 5 centimeters and if I had bleeding that would be a sign of cancer. She told me they would take a biopsy at my next appointment to make sure. Whoa. I was flooded with great thankfulness for such a quick answer to prayer and a hollow feeling that my life might take a different turn if it turned out bad. The bottom line we will go ahead with the surgery on the 13^th of October. I still have three more preparatory appointments and another COVID test before then.  

My thankfulness stems from the fact that I know I would have drifted on in my ‘normal’ state for however many years if I had not said yes to Jeffrey’s desire to go on a mission. I have been blessed now and in the future because of this experience right now. I won’t get uterine cancer in 8 or 9 years from now. I won’t get colon cancer in the next few years and so far I am free from breast cancer. I am am very grateful for these tremendous blessings from the Lord.

Twelve Days until we Leave

 I was asked to speak in church zoom meeting today. Almost all in person group meeting are canceled and the governor has even issued a curfew to restrict types of gatherings, so we are meeting in zoom again.

After Pomagrong spoke on how to survive the trials and that they actually help us grow stronger, Jeffrey told the branch that we are leaving on a mission to West Africa. He will be working in the Office of General Council as a lawyer for the church and I will be serving under the Area presidency. We will be in Accra, Ghana though we have been told we will travel to other countries in West Africa in the course of his duties. 

I spoke about my favorite subject of getting answers to prayers. I used Nephi's example of being able to guide, direct, and save his family over the years. He got plans from the Lord on a mountain to build a ship to bring his family across the sea. This is after learning how to use the Liahona which responded to faith and diligence. He was able to figure out the means to make a new kind of bow and where the family should go to get food. He was in direct communication with God to save him from his brothers and knew how to listen and get answers. He could even control the weather and knew when to stand and when to run. He lived "after the manner of happiness". 2 Nephi 5:27 This was in contrast to his brothers who followed the prophet (their dad) just as Nephi did and were given a promised land for their children to grow and expand on, but didn't know the highest blessing from the Lord. I gave a story from my life of listening and heeding the Lord with blessings that have 10 year ramifications, and ended with the thought that it is not enough to just “follow the Prophet”. It is crucial that we Hear Him individually.  God will give liberally to those who ask. Prayer works.

This branch is so special, spiritual, and kind. I am going to miss my friends here.

We leave on December 3! Twelve days - will I be ready? Have I done everything I can to be ready? What 'lack I yet'? 

We have had so many 'assurances' from the Lord in answers to prayers, promptings at the exact right time, and exquisite timing of circumstances to know we are suppose to go and that the Lord will have our back.

I'm Reminded How Great Daughter-in-laws Are!!

 A couple of days ago Juna Magno (Jonah's sister-in-law) who is presently living in California, asked if her family could join us for Thanksgiving. I thought that was a marvelous idea but wondered why they wanted to celebrate Thanksgiving as there were no Pilgrims in Philippine history. When I actually talked with her, the story was that they had to be out of their present home on the 20th of November and needed a place to hang until they could go to Alaska where their grandmother and other relatives are late November or early December. 

Jeffrey and I are very happy to have them stay though I was a little concerned where they would actually sleep because Mike and Julia have two rooms, Rachel takes one, one is an office stacked with books and boxes and the other is our room in a five bedroom house. As I was talking with Juna and assuring her we had some excellent couches and definitely some air-mattresses, Julia walks in with the complete solution. She will move her girls around and put them both in her room. She'll move beds around and give the Magno's a queen size bed with a toddler bed and even move Michael's table in for a desk because Juna's husband Ezra is still attending school online the whole time they are moving.

Julia not only found a bed and bedroom solution (instead of a main room couch I offered), she even talked with her mom and her mom offered to drive the Magno's to the Amtrak station on the Saturday  the 21st when they are coming to our house. I didn't realize that the Magno's don't have a car or access to a car. Can you imagine what it would be like to be in a foreign country without a car or someone to help figure out your options? So looking up transportation, I found no busses, light-rail, or car pools that travel from Fresno to Concord. Only the Amtrak has a direct trip from Fresno to Martinez which is close to Concord. 

Julia really is a wonderful girl with a big heart and really great organizational skills to help this family she has never met. I am blessed to have her in my family!