A Culture of Thankful Hearts

Each day the feeling of being integrated into this Mission

as "family members" grows and deepens. 

Among the many endearing things about the approx. 150

young missionaries with whom we serve is their easy

and constant expressions of appreciation.

I would describe what we observe as 

a culture of gratefulness.

This post aims at documenting the many ways

we have received their thanks.

* * * * *

As I mentally organized some thoughts for today's blog post subject

on Saturday evening, intending to dash from our apartment 

down to the lower floor to switch our laundry batches 

in the building's wash room, I grabbed the knob, 

opened the door and surprised our wonderful 

Bedford Sisters as they were  "heart attacking" us. 

Sister Semadeni had been startled by my abrupt action,

and automatically tried to "hide" by attempting to

flatten herself into invisibility against 

the adjacent corridor wall. We laughed together about this

 immediately, because there is no place to hide

in our apartment hallway!

(Sister Drollinger with Sister Semadeni)

 NOT the first time we have been attacked

in this surprising way.

This version is especially fun on the first day

of February. But also because Sister Semadeni

was one of the first young missionaries that we felt

connected to, meeting her in "writing" on a FB post

by her interesting and energetic mom, prior to meeting

her in the MTC in Provo, Utah, as we were able

to meet up with the young people in our "flight group".

I get notes of appreciation for stepping aside

from my office cubicle station to allow the local

Sisters (and Elders) to use my computer terminal

to compose and print materials they need.

(These two from the Manchester Spanish Hermanas

and the Bedford Sisters are representative of many.)

 We receive thank you notes after each dinner "treat"

that we have the pleasure to extend to the Manchester

or other area Elders and Sisters - often written even before

the event has been completed. They are certain

their experience will be thank-you card worthy!

Through the mail or as we travel out to Zone events,

we receive notes such as these, expressing

gratitude for bringing supplies or helping

to care for the mission vehicles.

(The motorcycle sketch expresses interest

in the "revelation" that Sunday-dressed Sister Warner

has a motorcycle operator's license - 

a fact learned during our dinner conversation.)

On our phones, we get thank you notes at the end

of every text conversation.

They usually come with these extremely positive

and supportive comments.

Finally, this hand-written note represents

many in the mission who thank each senior missionary

in the office for the work we do to help things function,

put on the lunches, take care of forwarding packages,

fix cars and phones, regulate and manage apartments,
offer medical advice, arrange for physician visits,

and so many other small things. And that these things

do not go unnoticed. Bless you young missionaries

for rewarding us so regularly and richly.

And for filling our lamps. We feel it a privilege!

In everything give thanks. . . .

1 Thessalonians 5:18