April 04, 2010

4 April 2010

Happy Easter! I hope everyone has had a beautiful Easter weekend as we have had. What a treat to hear the words of the Prophet and apostles on this Easter day. Certainly we are blessed!! Wasn’t conference wonderful. It was definitely different this time – it began at 11:00 and then the last session didn’t end until 5:00.
I had been quite concerned about being able to watch conference, wondering if the Center would be closed. It seemed odd tome that one would go an a mission and then not be allowed to watch General Conference. Finally in talking to Sister Poole she said that we would be open but we would be able to go to the Stake Center and watch it. The Phelps said they didn’t mind to stay and help out at the Center and then watch it later. As it turned out Elder Phelps was sick Saturday morning and Donna had appointments. That would have left Sister Phelps on her own & wouldn’t be very nice so we stayed at the Center. We set up a TV in the Conference room and actually had very few distractions during the entire morning session, so it turned out good. We had an hour break after the Center closed so we just got a quick lunch then went back to the Center and watched the afternoon session there too.
Jack went to the Priesthood session at the Carrollton Stake Center and was pleased to see Tim McCauley there too and was able to visit with him for a little bit.
This morning we watched it at the apartment on the computer. For the afternoon session Kim Marshall Heaton had invited us out for watching conference and dinner. It was very nice, we always enjoy our visits out with them.
They had also invited another missionary couple over – the Jenson’s, they are serving in the Fort Worth Mission Office. When the choir was singing we talking with Kim and pointing out to her where Beth was. Sister Jenson said that she also had a Beth in the choir. But we were calling her Beth Whitney – and she said hers was a different Beth, Beth Briendholt (sp). So it was fun to compare family connections with her. Her maiden name is Brienholt and Beth’s husband Wally is her relative. Such a small world.
I mentioned that last week we went to the Messiah out in Plano. We really enjoyed the evening. They had about 75+ people singing with an orchestra, including trumpet and timpani. They let the audience sing along with the Hallelujah chorus so I enjoyed that. The Stake did a good job. They actually have a director from a different church come and lead. I guess a few years ago the LDS folks and a congregation from a different church were going to join together and do the Messiah. The pastor from the other church got very upset and wouldn’t allow his people to be involved with the LDS people. The music director was so upset that he actually left that church and joined a different church and is the paid music director (they actually have a different title but I’m not sure what) but they have continued to have this man come and direct the choir for about 8 years now. We always enjoy Charlie on the harpsichord.
We have learned a lot about Good Friday this year. That would be the day that Christ was crucified. They actually have a day off school – well mostly, usually they do. I guess a couple of the schools had a make up day for their snow days they took earlier this year.
The different churches have their paid full time music person and then they also have money to hire some professional musicians so for Good Friday they have some wonderful music programs. Friday at noon we slipped out of the Center and went to the Highland Park Presbyterian Church (this is in a VERY affluent part of Dallas). They have a beautiful church/cathedral with beautiful stained glass windows, high vaulted ceilings and a beautiful pipe organ. Here we listened to the Mozart Requiem. It was very beautiful and finely done. We were going to meet Charlie & Karla but we had a tough time getting away from the Center on time and then it was raining really hard so traffic was slow. So by the time we got there at 5 minutes after the only seating left was on the first few rows that are reserved for patrons but at 5 minutes after they were letting other people sit there – so that was nice.
That evening we went to the University Park United Methodist Church., we were able to get there early. Earlier enough to have Charlie introduce us to the organist/harpsichordist. She just retired from one of the universities and was the teacher in the doctorate performance program. She had designed this organ, a portative, a portable pipe organ but this one the pipes lay horizontally. It had a beautiful sound. We got to go up and look at it and hear it before very many of the others arrived – fun and interesting.
At this program they performed Stabat Mater by Vivaldi, with a chamber orchestra w/ organ and a counter tenor. The next was Cantata 106, Actus Tragicus by JS Bach with period instruments, including viola da gamba AND recorders – a delight! The last was Requiem, Op. 9 by Maurice Durufle, something I’ve heard about and have wanted to hear so I was excited for the opportunity. A beautiful but more contemporary piece, somewhat like Debussy I would say.
Fortunately Jack and Charlie are becoming such good friends that he enjoys attending these concerts. That was stretching it for one day. But we are grateful for such opportunities.
It was great to top it all off today with hearing the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I thought they were sounding especially beautiful As it was said in conference today, we focus more on the living Christ and his resurrection.
We were also able to hear ‘Music and the Spoken Word’ today. That’s the second time in 5 months, a real treat.
Our work at the Employment Center continues to be very busy. There have been some revisions on the computer program at ldsjobs.org and so we have to figure them out then help the other Ward & Stake Specialists understand what’s happening also. The Presiding Bishopric is reviewing some of the privacy issues right now and so we are waiting to see what they decide. All leaders were adding notes and for now only we at the Center can see and add notes on the candidates – so we will wait and see.
We see the Lord’s had in so many things every day. Usually they are just little things, just in the way it works out who answers the phone for a particular phone call, who is ready and available to greet someone at the door. At the end of the day Jack and I compare notes as to who we have worked with and how things went. We always feel that we ended up working with the people that would be the best for that particular person..
One day we had a volunteer come in, a young lady. We had her working on her profile on line because she was job seeking too. Another young lady came in that Jack was working with. They talked about her going to a job fair but she was fairly new to the area didn’t know how to drive in downtown Dallas. Jack got the two together and the volunteer was more than willing to take her down and go to the fair with her. We all just said okay – that’s not a usual thing you do – but he was really inspired to handle it that way. They returned in a couple of hours and the young lady was so excited. She had been able to talk with an employer there and was scheduled for a job interview the next day. She said she felt her Heavenly Father watching over her that day and felt his hand in what had happened.
I worked with a father/son team that came in. They both came in to help the other one. The father was about our age and he had moved to the United States about 10 years ago. They were from South Africa, of English descent, a humble, faithful man. He shared with me some of the history of South Africa, a partied and some of the political conditions that exist there now and why. It was so interesting. Our lives are truly blessed by the people we serve. So many of them really open up to you and tell you about themselves, why they are where they are and where they want to go from here. They share the frustrations, their faith and hope in the future.
Wednesday evening we had a training meeting with all of the missionaries and service missionaries in the Center. We had a dinner and then some training and some thoughts by the agent Stake President of the Dallas stakes. It was all very good, but long. That made for a 14 hour day. Fortunately the next day was our P-day so we were able to sleep in a little bit (in theory at least).
Thursday, -P-day we enjoyed going out to the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens. For a few weeks they have a Butterfly Garden. It was really fascinating and beautiful. You go in this enclosed area and there are just hundred of beautiful butterflies flying about in a tropical garden setting. The rest of the gardens were also beautiful, clothed in their spring blooms.
We also went to the I-max theater, which is like the Omni-max in LV.
We continue to enjoy our service here in this area. I’m glad we trusted that the Lord would send us to the right place, for we indeed feel like he did. We never would have chosen this mission, just because we didn’t know anything about it. But once again the Lord has proved that he knows what is best and His way will bless our lives if we trust in Him.
We love each of you and miss you. We appreciate your support and prayers in our behalf. We pray for you too and trust the Lord to bless us all.
Our Love,
Grandpa & Grandma, Mom & Dad, Jack & Gaye
Elder & Sister Nelson
Jack n Gaye