Just GO!

Water seeping from the rocky hillsides
 freezes into into ice sculptures.

Ice in the harbor in Grand Marais, MN.

High Falls, Pigeon River, near Grand Portage

High Falls, Pigeon River, near Grand Portage

On the North Shore of Lake Superior,
between Grand Marais and the Canadian border.

Ice inside the window of our apartment.
The saying around here is: "There's no bad weather, only bad clothes."

Since our return to Duluth, from our holiday travels to Boise and Chicago, this is what we've done:

3 Saturday morning breakfasts with the Elders and Sisters

1 new teacher trained

1 in-service meeting

1 trip to Canada where we were detained until they thoroughly checked on us.  Is it the Idaho plates?

7 trips to the health club

1 trip to the foot doctor--no more boot!!

2 mornings at the food bank packing potatoes and carrots

1 trip to the temple and a seminary training meeting in Minneapolis

3 institute classes in 2 cities

4 seminary classes taught in Duluth

1 visit to a seminary class in Thunder Bay, Canada

1 visit to a Institute class in Thunder Bay

1 baptism attended

1 wedding attended

1 screening of the feature film "Meet The Mormons"

We are having such a great experience on our mission.  We are being challenged with new experiences.  There is joy that comes from missionary work, meeting the new people, being challenged in in-service meetings, giving talks, teaching classes, getting our reports in, and feeling the presence of the Holy Ghost.  We LOVE the young missionaries and we LOVE the Minnesotans.

We are only a little bit in love with the ice, snow and wind.  

Last week in our studying we were reading from Doctrine & Covenants 114.  It is written to David W. Patten and says he should, "settle up all his business as soon as he possibly can, and make a disposition of his merchandise, that he may perform a mission unto me next spring in company with others, even twelve including himself, to testify of my name and bear glad tidings unto all the world." Doesn't that sort of apply to you and me?  

Those of us who are in the "senior" category are told the same thing, right?  Settle up our business affairs, dispose of our merchandise and go perform a mission.  From my perspective, you should go. It's true that you bring some physical limitations with you and maybe limitations in other areas, and you are nervous about the unknown and insecure of your abilities, but just GO. You will love it, you will be useful and productive, and you will feel relevant. And the people you will meet and serve, will love you back!  Just GO.

-really-