Another very happy bit of news was confirmed today by my zone leader. Because I sing in the Elijah Choir, our mission choir, I will have a two-hour break in my late day of work to go to practice. Since I am pretty much a morning person, and afternoons are the time when I am least alert. So a three block walk, and singing for an hour are about the perfect combination to perk me back up.
This morning I shadowed for the Rover position, and got to help a guest with finding the parents of a couple on a German record. Such a blessing for me, since I had wondered how much of my German script deciphering I had retained. Of course, the handwriting was very nice, the record was clear, a near-perfect situation for bolstering one's confidence. Along the way I got a review of using the microfilm reader, and learned how to use the machine that sends pictures of microfilm frames to the printer. I bought a $5 print card, just to have one handy. I do not know how much I will need to use of it at five cents a copy, but maybe I will find some of my relatives that have been hiding for a long time.
After the shadowing experience I finished the final review for Level 1 Certification, so that at the Recognition meeting I would actually have completed everything I needed to do. After the meeting we had a sumptuous potluck luncheon--way too much way too good food! Even better than the food were the greetings from various other missionaries, volunteers and staff members. I spent quite a while talking with one sister who is on the floor as a Church Service Missionary twice a week, and who comes the other days to work for clients. She does German research, and it was fascinating to talk with her.
After lunch I worked on my Level 2 Certification--way harder than Level 1! There are three courses and 10 case studies to complete, along with some research on partner sites. This will definitely take longer than two and a half days! And next week I will actually be out on the floor helping guests! So I will not have hours to spend at the computer, which is actually a good thing for me. I pray I will be able to be of help to those who come to the library to search out their relatives. I know how important this work is, especially in this day and time, when families are so often unraveling. I am grateful to be able to help in the work.
Practice for the Elijah Choir went pretty well. Afterwards I talked with one of the other missionaries, and I think we will be good friends. We both have been nurses' aides, and we both provided help, she more than I, for our mothers. So we have some things in common. She told me she thought I would not want to be friends because she was old--turns out I am three years older than she is! That taught me though that I need to make an effort to connect with as many of the other missionaries as I can, in case they need a friend and think for some reason that I would not want to be friends. Perceptions are so easy to be inaccurate.
We had an awesome spiritual thought this morning at devotional. A young man had a falling out with his parents and left home at an early age. Years later, he saw two elders passing his house, and thought, "There go those stupid Mormons. I used to be one of them." A few minutes later the elders returned. One of them asked him if he knew a certain street in Idaho. He said, "Yes, my parents live there." The elder replied, "I know. I am your brother." Thus, the man was reunited with his family.
Our work here in this mission is to reunite families. I hope we will all do what we can to keep our families united and happy.
I love your sharing that story about the two brothers! We never know what miracles we can learn about and take part in as we participate in this great work. You will have many more to come, Ellen!
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