Reality Vs. Television

It was a detective show featuring a male and woman as partners.  The lady always carried a bag over her shoulder.

At an intense moment in the scene, the male detective needed a pen.  He asked his partner for one.  She reached inside her bag and produced the pen.  Just like that.  In about 5 seconds or less.

I wanted to hit rewind.  How did she DO THAT, I wondered?

I was recently at an office needing to fill out some forms, so I needed a PEN; a simple pen.

I reached inside my bag and pulled out two lollipops from the bank.  Hmm....not quite right.

Reaching back into the depths, I produced a gas receipt, a broken comb, a quarter, a half stick of gum.

No pen yet.  But, I knew there was one in there.  I have a pen and pencil fetish, so I keep them around.  But WHERE were they when I needed them?

Searching around the bottom, I came upon a tube of lipstick - uncovered - so the tube of color was stuck with bits of popcorn, cracker crumbs, a small piece of tissue,  candy wrapper, a small screw, and who knows what else?

By this time, the lady at the desk looked at me snarkily and asked sarcastically if I would like to use the office pen?  Perhaps?

So, you can understand why I was so puzzled when the lady detective was able to pull out a pen immediately?!?!?!??!?!?

Could it be the prop people put only one item in the bag?

And, that one item was a PEN, just ready to be pulled out!?!?!?!??

I wonder.........????????!?!?!??!?!?!?

From the Former Mission Files

While going thru files on the computer, I came across this entry from a journal of our mission at the LDS Employment Center.

I'm just going to add this little tidbit of information.

I absolutely LOVE the mission to the family history center.  It's such a happy place.  The People who come in, ACTUALLY WANT TO BE THERE...unlike at the employment center......

On the other hand, the mission to the LDS Employment Center was so challenging.  It often left me feeling helpless and hopeless for so many of the people who came in.

So, here from 2013 is the journal entry I discovered:

Monday Mission Files – Feb 11, 2013

He stood by the bulletin board looking over the job possibilities.  He had on a plaid polo shirt and didn't look like the kind of person we normally get searching for a job.  Since the computers were - and will be - all down, I asked if I could help him and what sort of job he was looking for.

We chatted for awhile and he told me his story; at least his side of the story.Over his career, he had had an unusual job of buying mines that were in financial trouble...he would then sell off all the equipment and sell the mining property to the government who would pay top dollar.  (I don't really understand all the details and I'm not sure about it all.)

He made millions of dollars, but his wife spent even more.  (How does a woman living in St George, Utah spend millions of dollars?!?!?!??!)  At any rate, the money came to a screeching halt - as did his marriage.  It was only while in the process of going through the divorce, that he discovered just how much his ex-wife was spending....he was appalled and shocked.  He had never paid any attention to the bills or the accounting of his finances.

This was actually the 2nd time in three days that a man has told me this:the man made truck loads of money, but the wife spent trainloads of money.  And both marriages ended in divorce, although everyone involved were Mormons.I am often amazed and intrigued by the stories of money.  Money can be such a divider of families, lives, friends.

I often think of Allen's father who lived on practically nothing....he totally lived off his social security which amounted to about $400.00 a month.  He believed in paying cash, paying his bills, and living within his means.  But, he also had something that few people do; he was CONTENT with his life just the way it was.  What an inspiration!

Ah, Mondays....always interesting.

Where There's Smoke there's Usually Trouble – Tuesday, Feb 12, 2013

I don't mean to be judgmental or to be prejudiced, but I will just say this....Nearly ALL of the people who come to see the transient bishop are smokers.  It just amazes me that so many/most come in trailing clouds of smoky smells.

What's my point...there isn't one, just simply stating the facts.

And, adding this thought:

I hate the tobacco companies.

The Sunday Visits

I do love visiting on Sunday nights.

Last week, a few of us went caroling to a lady dying of bone cancer.  She seemed so appreciative and she inspired us with her cheeriness and spirit.

Tonite, Allen and I went to visit the Hancocks; a wonderful couple in our ward.  They are just good, good people....thru and thru.  He is 87 and recently suffered his sixth stroke, but he seems to be doing okay, although he struggles just a little with remembering names of people he hasn't seen in a while.  (HA, I struggle with that even when I haven't seen people in a week!)

He is approaching his 2 millionth name in indexing.  He does over 1300 per day - EVERY DAY!  I just can't even think of that many names in one day!

But, they had a sad story to tell of their beloved son, who is 36.  He - in the last 4 months - has become confined to a wheel chair because of a rare illness called PLS.  Just hearing about it was so heart breaking; he has five children and can no longer work.  The extended Hancock family is fasting and praying; giving them money, helping them in so many ways that it was very inspiring to me.

But, the tragedy of it was overwhelming.

And, once again, I came away so grateful for health, for mobility, for life itself at this point in our lives.

Life is just a constant struggle in so many ways.

I will pray for him and for his wonderful family.

It was so inspiring to be with the Hancocks.  They have such faith and strong testimonies of many things.

Yesterday, I visited Linda Asay.  Her husband was just diagnosed with liver cancer.  He has been sick for a long time, but they thought it was something totally different, so they are just trying to decide what steps to take to get him well.  Linda just got over breast cancer about a year ago, then she was operated for essential tremors, so they have been thru a lot of hard things.

And, once again, I am reminded of the many good people we encounter in our daily lives.

Knowing people like these is such a blessing.

The To-Do List

I love having a to-do list.

Truthfully, it makes me so much more efficient.

I'm not sure why, but writing things down, then being able to cross them off is such a kick.

I love it.

And, as I said, I get more done.

So, here's to a to-do list (WHEN I do it, that is!)

Stories from the Mission

Carman was delightful.

She wanted to see if her great grandfather's endowment could be released since it was reserved in 2014.  We checked into that (It can't YET!) and then she wanted to know about a temple cancellation.

We also checked into that and she will get an email about that.

But, while she was there, I learned a little about her.  She was such a happy and delightful, pleasant person that I was a little surprised she she told me that a financial advisor had lost ALL THEIR RETIREMENT SAVINGS the year they retired.  He had come to their home in Las Vegas and said, "I lost it all.  Sorry about that."

As she told me this story, I was appalled.  Both she and her husband are working now to recover and get an income.

BUT, and HERE"S THE THING......

She was not resentful.  She said she's as happy in her life as she has ever been.  She is content.  She likes her job, her husband likes his.

They had to sell the home they were living in;  they live in a much smaller home in a tiny town called Beaver Dam, but she is grateful to God for her blessings.  Both she and her husband have survived cancer; they feel healthy, they eat right, and life is good for her.

She so inspired me.  I have things weighing on my mind and her faith and optimism just buoyed me up.

She was the LIGHT in my world yesterday evening, and I feel so blessed...

As I often do on the days I go to the mission.  So many inspiring people overcoming so many challenges.

And, they all help me.

Sorrow That The Eye Can't See

They look like any normal family.

They smile, they have fun, they laugh, they go to church, the children go to school, and he goes to work.

But there is great sorrow in the depths and hearts of that family.

One child suffers from debilitating depression; he is young and wants to die.

Another child has huge anger issues.  He is just a young child and is out of control.

I know this family well, and my heart aches for them.

I don't know how to help, but they need help.  The mother is emotionally worn out and the father is struggling to know how to help everyone in his family.

I need the comfort of the Holy Ghost, badly; as do they.

Sometimes life can be complicated and challenging.

But, for me, I must continue to look for the beautiful and the good!