Two Sides

........ D&C 44:4

4 And many shall be converted, insomuch that ye shall obtain power to organize yourselves according to the laws of man;

5 That your enemies may not have power over you; that you may be preserved in all things; that you may be enabled to keep my laws; that every bond may be broken wherewith the enemy seeketh to destroy my people.

6 Behold, I say unto you, that ye must visit the poor and the needy and administer to their relief, that they may be kept until all things may be done according to my law which ye have received. Amen.

Jeffrey and I make a good duo. He is doing all he can to keep the church in the countries in West Africa to obey the laws of those countries. It is very difficult sometimes to have the members of the church ok with keeping the laws. It is cumbersome, difficult, and unwieldy to wait in long lines despite conditions, to have officials set arbitrary appointment times, and the neighbors are running along nicely without all the certificates. Even missionaries who are given a car need to get a drivers license - which is VERY cumbersome. Jeffrey gets to deal with the members and the missionaries in many different aspects of church life and he is often seen as the fly in the ointment, or the person who is going to hold someone up in their efficiency.  Then there is dealing with all the officials needed to construct buildings, offices, and obtain visas, etc. 

The government does not own very much land. It is held by tribal members - who change and grow with time. So obtaining land to build a chapel can be risky when 10 people sign a contract and after the building is built, another says he owns the land too. Jeffrey is loving life.

I come into the picture by giving away Jeffrey's money. Lots of food sacks, tips, banana bread, a mattress, also hospital and medicine is going out the door every week, along with a few students educational pursuits. But despite my efforts there are mountains of people who can use help and aid. 

I am really looking forward to the time things can be "done according to my (God"s) law". Which I don't think we are doing as life would run much more smoothly if God were running the show. 

So for today we do the "small, small" that we can. And hope it is enough.