Ted has been having a good week. This was the first week that he was out of training and officially out on the floor. His mentor, Elder Smith, had him shadow him to show him how to do some of the computer stuff that they need to do. The older folks there are great at the genealogy portion of the program but the young guys do the work on the website and stuff. Other than the Arizona(too hot)weather, Ted has been quite cheerful about the longer hours. I am really proud of him.
The other boys spent 3 days at youth conference. I have to say that I was nervous about Daniel going. He turned 14 on Wednesday, just in time to go. This was his first experience with church dances. He had a great time. He did just fine. Stephen had a good time too, and they had great spiritual experiences. But I still have mixed feelings about church dances. They are so hard on some of the kids. Stephen said he had a friend there that didn't dance at all because he had been turned down by 13 different girls. Now, unless he is a proven abuser, I feel like there is no call for that. I remember being around 12 or 13, and going to a mandatory school dance in Jr. High. I remember one boy who was very socially awkward. Maybe it's because my home is inhabited by the socially awkward, I am more sensitive to this phenomena. Maybe it is because I was somewhat social awkward myself, and still have that sad little wallflower lurking inside. Anyhow, I remember this boy trying so desperately to get girls to dance with him. Not just any girls, either, but the popular ones. He would try dragging them to the floor. No one would dance with him. They probably felt very justified. He was kind of creepy, and extremely embarrassing to them by the way he tried to yank them out to dance. But on the other hand, it would have taken only 5 minutes (at the most) of their time to show kindness to one of Heavenly Father's children. I also remember at that same dance there was a certain "usher" Ushers in my Jr. High were the personification of cool. They had to be in 9th grade (the oldest). To me they were all good looking. One of them asked me to dance. I will NEVER FORGET IT. If at some point in a future here unknown he needed someone to stand up for his character, I WOULD STAND FOR HIM. He didn't have to dance with a geeky wallflower. He could have asked any of the popular girls and they would have been glad to dance with him. He took 5 minutes out of his life to show kindness to an awkward girl.
So I guess, in my rambling way, my question of the day is this: Do we have the right to reject one of Heavenly Father's children just to be one of the cool kids? Or are the cool kids really those who can show kindness and not worry about how cool they appear?
Scattered Sunshine
My scattered thoughts on the Web-o-sphere
Showing posts with label Missionary mail. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Missionary mail. Show all posts
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Monday, May 31, 2010
Missionary Mail and New Carpet
Ted had a nice week. It was his birthday and his favorite parts were his cakes. He asked me to make a cake based on the video game Portal. It seems that the computer in the game promises cake, (moist and delicious) at the end of the game. It was black forest cake. Here is my rendition:
His words were, and I quote for all you Portal fans, "This was a triumph!" His brother in Law, Emmanuel also made him a cake for his birthday with a Portal theme:
We had some fun with this that we found at Deseret Book.
How could I help it, with a name like that. Ted had a good day. On the mission news, Ted is now out of training. As of tomorrow he will go from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. I think he will triumph. He rules.
We did get the new carpet in. It is a triumph also. We aren't letting the kids wear their shoes on it. It is beautiful.
This is how it makes us feel:
His words were, and I quote for all you Portal fans, "This was a triumph!" His brother in Law, Emmanuel also made him a cake for his birthday with a Portal theme:
We had some fun with this that we found at Deseret Book.
How could I help it, with a name like that. Ted had a good day. On the mission news, Ted is now out of training. As of tomorrow he will go from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. I think he will triumph. He rules.
We did get the new carpet in. It is a triumph also. We aren't letting the kids wear their shoes on it. It is beautiful.
This is how it makes us feel:
Monday, May 24, 2010
It doesn't get better than this!
I really am supposed to be writing these on Sunday, but I needed the extra time just to organize myself. So much happened on the Elder Teddy front that it took me some time to process.
One of the joys/blessings/curses of having a child that has certain disabilities (or in Ted's case, Autism) is that teaching them to be independent takes awhile. They are usually at least 3 years behind socially, (Aspies, that is) and usually plagued with nerves when it comes to new experiences and transitions. Well, a mission has been a bit of a transition, but Ted has done really well dealing with the stress of it. He has loved going to his mission everyday and learning about his ancestors. He has done well on the floor and on the phone (oh happy day) but this week I had to push him out of his comfort zone once again. It was always our intention that when I got out of school for the summer we would teach Ted how to ride the bus. For most people not that big of a deal, but for Ted and ME it was a big deal. I could easily take care of him for the rest of his life, driving him where he needs to be and making sure he is safe, but he will not grow if I do that. He needs to be able to be independent. So I taught him the bus this week. I really threw him right into the middle of it. Took him to the library on the bus and told him to come home on the bus at night. The first day, he did get a little lost. He got off a mile early. But you know what? It was okay. He had some money with him, and he walked to a Circle K and used the pay phone to call me. He wasn't nervous, he wasn't that upset, and he handled it manfully.... I was so proud of him! He even knew the cross streets of where he was to tell me so I could come find him. The next day he did it perfectly, and I think by the end of this week he will not even be phased at all by it. Maybe I won't be either....
In other Ted news, Saturday was one of the greatest days of my life. He went through the temple for the first time. He is a profound boy, so it effected him profoundly. He said it was an extremely interesting experience. Seeing him come into the Celestial room in his Temple whites was one of the most wonderful feelings I have ever had. The only thing that could have made it better was if all of the family could have been there. Yesterday he got set apart as a missionary so now he is official. This has all been such a good experience for him and I am so happy that he gets to learn all this new stuff and practice changing things up! That's all for this week!
One of the joys/blessings/curses of having a child that has certain disabilities (or in Ted's case, Autism) is that teaching them to be independent takes awhile. They are usually at least 3 years behind socially, (Aspies, that is) and usually plagued with nerves when it comes to new experiences and transitions. Well, a mission has been a bit of a transition, but Ted has done really well dealing with the stress of it. He has loved going to his mission everyday and learning about his ancestors. He has done well on the floor and on the phone (oh happy day) but this week I had to push him out of his comfort zone once again. It was always our intention that when I got out of school for the summer we would teach Ted how to ride the bus. For most people not that big of a deal, but for Ted and ME it was a big deal. I could easily take care of him for the rest of his life, driving him where he needs to be and making sure he is safe, but he will not grow if I do that. He needs to be able to be independent. So I taught him the bus this week. I really threw him right into the middle of it. Took him to the library on the bus and told him to come home on the bus at night. The first day, he did get a little lost. He got off a mile early. But you know what? It was okay. He had some money with him, and he walked to a Circle K and used the pay phone to call me. He wasn't nervous, he wasn't that upset, and he handled it manfully.... I was so proud of him! He even knew the cross streets of where he was to tell me so I could come find him. The next day he did it perfectly, and I think by the end of this week he will not even be phased at all by it. Maybe I won't be either....
In other Ted news, Saturday was one of the greatest days of my life. He went through the temple for the first time. He is a profound boy, so it effected him profoundly. He said it was an extremely interesting experience. Seeing him come into the Celestial room in his Temple whites was one of the most wonderful feelings I have ever had. The only thing that could have made it better was if all of the family could have been there. Yesterday he got set apart as a missionary so now he is official. This has all been such a good experience for him and I am so happy that he gets to learn all this new stuff and practice changing things up! That's all for this week!
Monday, May 17, 2010
Elder Teddy Report
Missionary Moments this week were fun. Ted discovered that on my line on the Lyons side, there is a line that stretches back into the distant past that includes scottish princesses, Old King Cole (I'm not kidding) and goes until 99 AD. On his dad's line he found a line that goes back to Norwegion Kings, Joan of Arc and again, Old King Cole. He was so excited to show his brothers and sisters this fun information. He might even begin to dabble in Mexican/Spanish genealogy and see if Emmanuel's line can hook us up with some Spanish nobility. He continues to do really well. He got his temple recommend signed by both the Bishop and Stake President so we are good to go on Saturday. Oh, and he wore his cute little badge to the Gila River Valley Temple open house that we attended this week. So I will post pictures of him when my drive is up and running. Right now it's not.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Elder Teddy: New report
A lot of my missionary mom friends out there are having a wonderful day today because they get to hear from their boys who are away. I am happy for them! I remember the days on my mission, calling my mother (hoping to get through the totally tied up phone lines on that day was a joke at times) I only had one out there I think.....yeah, but it was a good one.
I am lucky because I get to see my missionary grow right before my very eyes. It is weird to think that next year he might not be here, but in Salt Lake and working at redeeming the dead up there. He has had a lot of opportunities to work the floor this week. He has been the host, been at the copy center, helped people with computer issues, and hardest for him, worked the phones. He said that the second time was easier because the person training him didn't mess him up so badly that time. The phone thing is a point of nervousness with him, but I am encouraged that they actually used him on the phone and on the floor this week. That must mean that they trust him to help the public appropriately. He says he can't decide whether he likes going to class or working the floor better, because he is finding them both enjoyable.
The other momentous news this week is that we got a date for his temple endowment. It was quite the adventure. The bishop asked us to schedule the date before his birthday so that they can set him apart as a missionary right after his birthday, as this is the official start to his mission. I called and the lady at the appointment desk asked me if he was going on a mission. I told her that he was technically already on his mission, because he was serving at the Family History Library. She put me on hold and then got back on and told me that traditionally, missionaries called to service missions didn't get their endowments out to serve in that capacity. I would have to get the bishop to call and verify that the stake president knew what was going on. I was totally confused by this, I mean, I let her know that the bishop and stake president were the ones that had decided this. So Friday night, which was Stake Temple Night, we went in there, planning on meeting the bishop there and taking him in to talk to them on person (we had set this up ahead of time). The bishop never showed up (we later found out that this was because he and his wife had been asked to do sealings when they had come in... but I digress). Randy got antsy (and me too I might add) and decided to go see at least where to take the bishop when he did show up, and he talked to the lady at the appointment desk (hopefully not the same one but I didn't think so because our results were so not the same). She saw the temple president passing by and talked to him about our predicament, and found out that the sister who had told me to get the bishop to call in was in the wrong, it was not the temple's business to "screen" people before they could get their endowments, because if the stake president saw fit to give them a recommend, that was good enough for the temple. So we got a date, May 22, at 8:00 a.m. Reflecting on this experience has made me wonder at how hard it seems to be for Ted to get the wishes of his heart sometimes. He was really worried about the temple thing. I wonder what kind of strength and fortitude will be necessary for him to develop to live the life that Heavenly Father has in store for him. I am certain he will succeed. After all, he is MY son. Happy Mother's Day.
I am lucky because I get to see my missionary grow right before my very eyes. It is weird to think that next year he might not be here, but in Salt Lake and working at redeeming the dead up there. He has had a lot of opportunities to work the floor this week. He has been the host, been at the copy center, helped people with computer issues, and hardest for him, worked the phones. He said that the second time was easier because the person training him didn't mess him up so badly that time. The phone thing is a point of nervousness with him, but I am encouraged that they actually used him on the phone and on the floor this week. That must mean that they trust him to help the public appropriately. He says he can't decide whether he likes going to class or working the floor better, because he is finding them both enjoyable.
The other momentous news this week is that we got a date for his temple endowment. It was quite the adventure. The bishop asked us to schedule the date before his birthday so that they can set him apart as a missionary right after his birthday, as this is the official start to his mission. I called and the lady at the appointment desk asked me if he was going on a mission. I told her that he was technically already on his mission, because he was serving at the Family History Library. She put me on hold and then got back on and told me that traditionally, missionaries called to service missions didn't get their endowments out to serve in that capacity. I would have to get the bishop to call and verify that the stake president knew what was going on. I was totally confused by this, I mean, I let her know that the bishop and stake president were the ones that had decided this. So Friday night, which was Stake Temple Night, we went in there, planning on meeting the bishop there and taking him in to talk to them on person (we had set this up ahead of time). The bishop never showed up (we later found out that this was because he and his wife had been asked to do sealings when they had come in... but I digress). Randy got antsy (and me too I might add) and decided to go see at least where to take the bishop when he did show up, and he talked to the lady at the appointment desk (hopefully not the same one but I didn't think so because our results were so not the same). She saw the temple president passing by and talked to him about our predicament, and found out that the sister who had told me to get the bishop to call in was in the wrong, it was not the temple's business to "screen" people before they could get their endowments, because if the stake president saw fit to give them a recommend, that was good enough for the temple. So we got a date, May 22, at 8:00 a.m. Reflecting on this experience has made me wonder at how hard it seems to be for Ted to get the wishes of his heart sometimes. He was really worried about the temple thing. I wonder what kind of strength and fortitude will be necessary for him to develop to live the life that Heavenly Father has in store for him. I am certain he will succeed. After all, he is MY son. Happy Mother's Day.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
How is our missionary doing?
Well, for those of you who know and even for those who don't, Ted started his grand adventure at the Family History Center this week. He has been working from 8 until around 3 every weekday. It was fun to pick him up and ask him what he had learned that day. I think my favorite comment from him was something like, "Genealogy is exciting, and anyone who doesn't know that hasn't learned how to do it." There were a few insights that we had about this interesting mission experience that is so not typical.
First of all, Ted is learning stuff that most people his age have not interest in learning; he will be a big step ahead when the future as far as knowing how to do genealogy goes. It might even give him some hints as to what he would like to do long term. The other thing that Randy pointed out is that he will be learning things on this mission that he might not learn in any other place or time. I have had it confirmed to me, anyway, that this mission will also help Ted understand how unique and cool his brain is. At one point, someone was looking at some handwritten census records, trying to make sense of them, and Ted, with his thinking in pictures brain, was able to look and see exactly what was written. And this is before he has been set apart.
Second, it is giving him a unique chance to bond with some of the other missionaries, both that are his own age and those who are much older than him. Most young people don't see the value of older people fully. Ted will be in a wonderful place to find out the great benefit our older people can be to us if we let them.
Third, I have learned so much from this experience about my son, about the love of the Savior for him and for me, and tender mercies that are EVERYWHERE!
That is our missionary message of the week. We were at Deseret Book yesterday to get Ted a missionary journal and we saw this stuffed missionary bear called Elder Teddy. Do you think I could pass THAT up? It was a sign.
First of all, Ted is learning stuff that most people his age have not interest in learning; he will be a big step ahead when the future as far as knowing how to do genealogy goes. It might even give him some hints as to what he would like to do long term. The other thing that Randy pointed out is that he will be learning things on this mission that he might not learn in any other place or time. I have had it confirmed to me, anyway, that this mission will also help Ted understand how unique and cool his brain is. At one point, someone was looking at some handwritten census records, trying to make sense of them, and Ted, with his thinking in pictures brain, was able to look and see exactly what was written. And this is before he has been set apart.
Second, it is giving him a unique chance to bond with some of the other missionaries, both that are his own age and those who are much older than him. Most young people don't see the value of older people fully. Ted will be in a wonderful place to find out the great benefit our older people can be to us if we let them.
Third, I have learned so much from this experience about my son, about the love of the Savior for him and for me, and tender mercies that are EVERYWHERE!
That is our missionary message of the week. We were at Deseret Book yesterday to get Ted a missionary journal and we saw this stuffed missionary bear called Elder Teddy. Do you think I could pass THAT up? It was a sign.
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