It May Not Be At the Battle's Front

As I write, the wind is wailing around the building and rain is pelting the windows.  It is nearing midnight, and we have been home now for about 20 minutes.  The Mary Poppins umbrella has been inverted twice today but has recovered nicely.  The wind nearly swiped my scarf right off my neck as we walked to the car!

We have not had much time to enjoy the outdoors today, even though it has been in a perpetual state of twilight....it is as if the sun never quite made it up.  It has rained throughout the day.  We watched it from our apartment windows in the morning, ran through it to get to the car, watched it from the 4th floor window of our Danish class, and watched it out of the windows of the center as we prepared dinner.

I still love it.  The temperature is in the 40's....quite warm really.  But by the weekend we should have snow and below-freezing temperatures.  Perhaps it will get old, but I can't imagine that happening.

This evening, many of the YSAs came early and enjoyed relaxing and visiting.  Our dinner was fairly simple but still took the lion's share of the day.  That is OK.  I kind of enjoy it.  I particularly enjoy watching them sit around together laughing and eating.

The menu was sloppy joes, baked potato wedges, cut vegetables and dip, a odd little appetizer that was spectacularly successful (our mission president's wife served it last week at her daughter's wedding reception) and for dessert brownies and lemon bars. The appetizer was polser (very tiny hot dogs) which are very good here wrapped in a small piece of bacon, basted with a mixture of brown sugar and butter and baked until the bacon is done.  I made about 90 (one young man with a good appetite could polish off a couple of dozen with no problems) and they disappeared in the first 10 minutes.

We served about 30.  For once, I think I estimated fairly well.  I thought I was making enough for about 40, and we had enough left of the sloppy joe mixture and buns for 6 or 7.  So it worked out great.  And they all seemed to like everything....which makes me happy.

Another thing that makes me happy is that some of them seek me out to talk.  Some came in the kitchen to see if I needed help, and I did!  I love visiting with them while we work.  During the evening, I had several nice little visits.  One of the young women who is energetic and bright and cheerful (and whose name is Lea ... she says that qualifies her to be our favorite) is preparing to submit papers to leave on a mission sometime in the next few months!  Everyone will miss her terribly.

One young man was from a town about an hour's ride away by train.  He helped me clear up and clean up the serving dishes.  This was his first time since we got here.  They have a small YSA program in his town, but he was here for something else and decided to come to Institute.  While we were talking, he shared with me some of his philosophies of life.  I was astonished at the depth of his understanding of the Gospel.  He talked about the importance of forgiving, saying that when we experience trials and pain caused by someone else, the only way to purge ourselves of that trial is to forgive.  He talked to me about it for some time, and I sensed that he has had some difficulties in his life which he is moving past.    He has a beautiful attitude about life in general.

My father used to say that the worst modern invention was the dishwasher because it took away the opportunity a mother has to visit with her children.  I loved to have kitchen duty with my mom.  I would close both doors to the kitchen and then I had her all to myself, and could ask her about anything I wanted or just talk.  I have very fond memories of those times.

I think perhaps I can serve in that way to these YSAs.  I am a grandmother figure, non-intimidating and available.  If they need someone to listen, I am right there... putzing around the kitchen.... and can generally use help.  We sit together chopping vegetables or washing dishes and it is easy to chat.  It is a sweet experience for me, and I hope a pleasant one for them.

My mother would never have thought that she was being an example to me of how to be a missionary. These days, missionary work comes in all varieties...and it seems to me that mine is in the kitchen.