Saturday, I went to the school to watch the kids for Aunty Vida. I was there from 1-6...and played football for about 4 of the 5 hours. At one point, when I went to get some water, I thought to myself, “If life could be like this all the time, I’d be pretty dang happy.” = ) It was such a beautiful, sunny day!…such a great day to be outside! = ) And I’ve figured out how I can help the boys’ football skills while I’m here! = ) Since they can dribble and juggle circles around me…and I’m always trying to handle the ball more like them…my help is not actually for their skills. You see…they get SO mad and argue SO often! If a teammate makes a mistake, they get mad. If they get fouled, they get mad. If they get a foul called on them, they get mad that they didn‘t do anything. If the ball goes out and is called off of them, they get mad that it didn’t touch them. If they get scored on, they get mad. If they lose, they get mad. And each time, an argument breaks out, sometimes quick and sometimes looonnnng. So finally, yesterday I just yelled, “Are we hear to argue or play football?” It was like that was all they needed to realize how ridiculous all of the arguing was. And then I tried to compliment like everyone, even when it was a goal against us or something, and emphasize that it wasn’t a big deal when someone made a mistake or when we lost (yeah…me…haha…it was so hard at times, when I wanted to get frustrated - now I need to work on doing this when I play at home…haha = ) It totally melted my heart when I heard the boys start telling each other, “Good try” and “It’s okay,” instead of getting mad. Anyways…it was so much fun…but I’m pretty battered and bruised now!
Saturday night we had okra soup and gari for dinner…and in the soup Mandy put snails! The texture was kind of like octopus a little…rubbery…but one side was more slimy. My first bite was actually pretty tasty - I think it had soaked up the flavor of the soup. But the subsequent bites were more, uh, earthy tasting. I felt so honored, though, that she cooked them for me, because they’re a delicacy and REALLY expensive (she got a good deal…and they were about GHË1...or almost a dollar…each!). And she was so cute! She was sure I’d like them because she loves them so much…but she was still like - don’t feel like you have to eat it if you don’t want to = ) The okra soup actually had snail, beef, fish, and pig’s feet (which I didn’t eat…funny that snail is less scary to me…haha = ) - it was interesting to be looking forward to beef…haha = )
Sunday morning, I woke up to one of the church CDs I would listen to on the way to church at home, and it was so familiar and wonderful! Chuks was playing it on the speakers in the living room, and it made me feel so at home. Then he started to play the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s hymns…and I’ve never loved and appreciated the MoTab so much! Anyways…it just set things off on the right foot…and my Sunday was great! = ) My “aha” moment of the day was when we were talking about the Prophet Joseph Smith in Relief Society. First off…I hadn’t realized that he was the only one who we have documented as visited by both the Father and the Son…I thought that was pretty cool! But yeah…I was just so saddened for him - all of the persecution that he went through starting at the tender age of 14.
“The result [of Joseph’s prayer] was that wonderful manifestation, unlike any other that we have ever heard of in the history of the world. We have heard of instances where the Redeemer of mankind has manifested himself, but we have never read of any instance where the Father and the Son have appeared to any living being and have spoken to that individual.
People of the world do not believe it. Men and women have been taught that the heavens are sealed … , and when this youth declared that in our day, at the very time when we needed light most of all, when men and women were running to and fro for the word of God and could not find it, as predicted b the old prophets [see Amos 8:11-12], the Lord had manifested himself, he [Joseph] was ridiculed. … His statement was rejected, and those who should have been his friends turned away from him and even said it was of the evil one. What was the boy’s testimony?
‘ … I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two personages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for saying, I was let to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision, and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it, at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation.’”
Why would he go through all of that if it wasn’t for the truth? And then he sealed his testimony, even with his own life.
Funny story from church…I greeted a girl who came into the bathroom as I was washing my hands, and while we were talking she just walked into the stall (without closing the door) and started peeing! I quickly turned around and busied myself in the mirror…but it was hard to keep from chuckling. Oh…and the other day on my run…I was literally a foot from a guy when I realized he was peeing right there (well…into the gutter…the streets are all lined on both sides by these deep, open gutters that often smell really bad)!
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| It's probably a little smaller than my palm... |
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| ...and you just eat the whole thing. I liked the part you see on top better |
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