Aunt Lillian Rasband--100 Years Old

Friday, John and I went to an endowment session at the new Oquirrh Mountain Temple. I was so happy for the memories I have of going through the openhouse with precious Emily and her desire to be baptized right then. I'm so glad that all of you were able to attend that openhouse even though live in various parts of the country.

Aunt Lillian Rasband had her 100th birthday this past week. She is still in her own home with two full-time caregivers. She gets around on a walker and has difficulty speaking for very long because of a stroke but she is still very much alive and aware of life. You can send birthday greetings to her at 2230 42nd Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94116.

Human Rights Day, 2010

It’s Monday morning and we are at home. The mission and church offices are closed today for Martin Luther King Jr. Day except for the Family History Library which is open Monday –Saturday every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Last week we had a CMS Devotional on Wednesday and a temple devotional with the mission presidency as speakers on Wednesday evening.
At Go Forth Day on Friday our students received their assignments. John’s student, a fine genealogist directly from England who reads five languages was assigned to the Family Reconstitution Zone formerly known as the Medieval Zone where they do research on pre-1500 families as well as Polynesian families that are identified through chants, etc. My student was assigned to the Church History Library where she will be an asset with her friendly, outgoing personality. After the temple session we returned to the JSMB where John worked with a former student for 2 ½ hours. The man came reluctantly to the mission but he requested the additional training from John because he is enjoying genealogy more. I spent the time working on a list of those who have sung in the Elijah Choirs over the last 6 months for the mission memories book which is published twice a year along with other choir things.
Saturday I deep cleaned the kitchen and John continues to put our large collection of talk tapes on his Ipod. It is wonderful to be able to preserve and listen to these tapes. Getting ready for Sunday takes time and now with our block at 1-4 PM there is some time Sunday morning. Both John and I gave lessons. He used a couple of video clips about the Creation from the new “Old Testatment Visual Resource DVDS” available at the Distribution Center. It is an excellent resource. There was also choir, home teaching, and a baptism in the evening.
This week we are doing call backs at the Training Zone then Friday is our Temple and Research Day. We would like to go to an endowment session at the new Oquirrh Mountain Temple. Our life is very much the same every week, just with different people and different problems, but it is pleasant in the mission because the people are trying very hard to do the right thing. We enjoy working with the Spanish Branch because we live in the reality of people who either don’t know what they are supposed to do, people don’t know how to do what they are asked to do, or people who lack commitment and desire. Church is always an adventure.
Lillis called on Sunday to bring our attention to the Church News article about the new Mandarin Chinese branch in the Irvine and Newport Beach California Stakes. Frank Byers’ nephew, Greg Byers, who served in the Taiwan Tiachung Mission about the same time Katrina served in the Taiwan Taipei Mission, is the new branch president. What wonderful news.
Hopefully the inversion/smog will soon lift. It is especially dense in downtown Salt Lake City and difficult to be outside for more than a few minutes. We’re looking for some good storms this week to clean out the air. Our thoughts have been on the tragic earthquake in Haiti this past week. Life is fragile—treat it with prayer.

Anna--surgery on gastic tube

Neal, Katrina, Daniel, and Anna had a good visit with Neal's family over New Year's weekend. They returned Monday but Anna became increasingly irritable and developed a fever. On Wednesday evening, Jan. 6, she developed a higher fever and the doctor requested that she be brought to the Emergency Room at the Buffalo Children's Hospital immediately. Neal blessed the doctors through Anna that they would quickly be able to find and correct the cause of her problem. After much testing the discovered that the external part of the feeding tube had pulled away from the stomach. Miraculously, three doctors were able to coordinate their schedules and sechedule an operating room within the hour when the hospital schedule was already full! Because Anna had had no food for over 24 hours she was prepared for the surgery. Another type of feeding tube was surgically implanted and Anna seems to be tolerating it well so far. The separation of the feeding tube parts occurs occasionally but usually it is discovered much, much later when there is extensive infection and damage. The fact that the problem was discovered and treated so early and quickly is a miracle. Neal and Katrina were promised when they got Anna that they would see miracles and this is just one evidence. Katrina will remain with Anna at the hospital until Tuesday or Wednesday while they take observations and tests of her seizures. A side note: Anna was really unhappy after they had to change the tubing where she received her medication. Katrina was talking on the telephone with Daniel and asked Daniel so talk to Anna. Katrina put the telephone down by Anna's ear and she immediately quieted and listened to Daniel. She recognized and remembered his voice and responded!

Saturday morning John and I did sealings at the Jordan River Temple. It was a very spiritual session. We did the work for the John Rayner and Mary Marshall family from Pudsey, Yorkshire, England. The Williams were there and able to stay for the entire time. Sister Williams has had hip and back surgery the past year so that was a special blessing. Pres. Smith brought his sister and her husband who had not been to the temple in years. Diane Finley brought her cousin and his wife from out of state to do the sealings for an aunt and uncle. The presence of her grandparents and others were felt. Diane wore a crocheted white collar her grandmother had made for her to honor the occasion. John Kelly also participated. His wife was too ill to come. As we were entering the temple we met Richard and Gerlinda Williams who were attending an endowment session. They went to the temple for the first time just a year ago. It is marvelous to see the increase in temple work. I asked the recorder how much of the work in the Jordan River Temple was Family File work. He said that it used to be about 20% but now most days it is over 50%.

Henry B. Eyring--Rise to Your Call

Last week as our missionaries received their assignments, Pres. Beardall shared this quotation with us. It applies to every calling. We are very grateful that each of you faithfully serve in callings because of the blessings you receive and you give.

"You are called to represent the Savior. Your voice to testify becomes the same as His voice, your hands to lift the same as His hands. His work is to bless His Father’s spirit children with the opportunity to choose eternal life. So, your calling is to bless lives. That will be true even in the most ordinary tasks you are assigned and in moments when you might be doing something not apparently connected to your call. Just the way you smile or the way you offer to help someone can build their faith. And should you forget who you are, just the way you speak and the way you behave can destroy faith.
"Your call has eternal consequences for others and for you. In the world to come, thousands may call your name blessed, even more than the people you serve here. They will be the ancestors and the descendants of those who chose eternal life because of something you said or did, or even what you were. If someone rejects the Savior’s invitation because you did not do all you could have done, their sorrow will be yours. You see, there are no small callings to represent the Lord. Your call carries grave responsibility. But you need not fear, because with your call come great promises."
Henry B. Eyring, Rise to Your Call, Ensign, Nov. 2002, pp. 75-78.