This inspirational word art was found on an internet search listing
that offers "943 Three Little Word Quotes".
Without thinking too deeply, anyone reading this can spout off
many very important "three little word" statements
that have huge significance. Such as:
I love you.
You are awesome.
I'm so sorry.
Please be safe.
I'll call soon.
Today's blog post aims to link together some recent events
that associate in my mind because of the "little words"
that led to good things.
But first, something with words that is just a little silly.
Somewhere in Maine there are these "attractions" surface
road signs that are interesting post-mates, in a photo
shared with us by Sister Johnson who has served there.
On top is a location indicator for a meeting house
for the local ward chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-Day Saints - the Church we are serving as
missionaries. Below it "advertises" for a local food
purveyor, touting "Best Damn Lobstah!
(Can't help thinking my Dad would enjoy this!)
The first event I will describe centers around a project
of Sister Beck's, our Mission President's wife and "companion".
Toward the end of last year, she was enlisted to help a couple
of different companionships (one in Manchester and also
one farther afield in the Mission) obtain literacy materials.
A community need was being addressed with literacy classes
offered for free to members and friends of the Church.
Mention of Church-prepared materials - for both teacher's
and student printed manuals - was made in
the December 2019 issue of the Ensign [Church] magazine.
Sis. Beck had "gone down the rabbit hole" of the headquarters
phone tree to find them. But when the materials she thought she
had arranged to be sent still hadn't arrived, she enlisted
my assistance to "try again". So I followed the same convoluted,
passed-along phone experience. Progress seemed possible
when I landed at the Genr'l Relief Society office [women's ministry]
and began talking with Bridget there. She later returned
a call to me, relaying her discovery that the materials for
"Ye Shall Have My Words" had been discontinued.
During our friendly chat, in response to my frustration,
she casually said, "I know I have seen some for sale
on Amazon, of all places." I ended the call feeling thwarted.
Then the thought crossed my mind: "I don't even know what
we are hunting". So I decided I would go online and search.
Rapidly I had results, with the image above on my screen.
It was a Eureka moment. Just outside the mission office,
overlooked on a coat rack, I had seen a stack of abandoned
materials which eventually prompted a curiosity check.
When I pulled down the spiral bound manual,
I had been impressed by the artwork
of Jesus Christ in a synagog that I had never before seen.
These were NOT mission materials, so I left them where they were.
(Turns out, the Mission secretary Sister Matkin had also looked,
but likewise taken no actions.)
That incidental mention of Amazon, then a decision to follow the clue,
began a chain of events - hence the "Nothing Is Random" word art.
"Light" of inspirational promptings entered my mind, as I wondered
if these books may have ended up in the "materials center"
in the building, a.k.a library. I borrowed the "master key"
and there on a shelf the two manuals sat. We had found what
we needed - master books to copy from for the potential
students and instructors.
There was another "mystery" to be solved from my phone
encounter as well. As Bridget and I casually conversed, she
mentioned her interest in quilting. Because she was speaking
with me from the Relief Society Offices, another mental alert
was triggered, bringing forward "random" thoughts I have had
about a long-lost quilt of mine that had been "loaned" for a 1999
open-ended display in that downtown SLC building. So I mentioned it.
"This may be a long shot . . ." I began, explaining the loan,
that it hadn't been returned. Would anyone know if it was still there?
Bridget knew just the person on staff who would know, and she
assured me we could find it IF there was an image available.
Of course there was -- but clear back there in Lehi, UT,
packed away and irretrievable until we return in late November.
But the niggling voice in my head didn't want it to wait til then.
How could I find an image? I contacted the original publisher of
the series for which it been completed --
and left a voice message.
Then I remembered Bridget's earlier words --
and recalled that EVERYTHING can be found online!
Only a few minutes later I found an eBay listing:
and this was forwarded along to Mimsi Harrison who was
the RS staffer who would complete the 'archive' hunt.
Early the next day, Mimsi responded with this email,
which reads "I'm happy to let you know we located your quilt"
with an offer to mail it wherever I instructed.
It had been a great day for my "inner sleuth".
And there was one other bit of "fall out" from this process.
Barb Sprunger from House of White Birches who published
the Creative Scrap Quilting series DID respond,
and we had a delightful phone conversation and email exchange.
She was "so happy", she said, to see my name come across,
and complimented the expertise and quality of my former work.
It filled my lamp in a most amazing way, and helped me look back
to my previous quilting obsession. Perhaps I still really AM a quilter.
So I've recommitted to working on the "funeral quilt" patchwork
that I prepared and brought along. A few blocks are completed:
Other seemingly random words touched us during Valentine's week.
As I worked in the Exeter Ward building kitchen, preparing
lunch fare, I listened remotely to the Zone Conference meeting
going on in the chapel, with the kitchen audio turned up,
Elder Sears (from our flight group at the MTC) spoke.
He was offering a 'Mission miracle', and talked about some
appointments that he had been randomly involved with because of
'exchanges' (or splits). Meet-ups continually failed, including one
with a friend being taught. Then, as they made a last-ditch
effort to deliver something to a fellow at the bottom of their list,
they pulled into a driveway, and right next door the young woman
whose appointment had fallen through pulled up in her van.
As he described her situation, I instantly knew it was
our new friend Andrea. Later, Elder Sears (below, left) confirmed it.
Thinking of these people we love - Elder Sears AND Andrea
- filled that rather bleak stormy day with warmth and light.
Later that afternoon, as we drove home to Goffstown,
our conversation turned to a personal event. Dental developments
will necessitate that I fly to Utah for oral surgery later in March.
It will be brief, and it turns out Missionary rules require that
we travel as companions (even as Senior Missionaries!).
That overlooked detail had resulted in one-passenger air tickets
that had to be cancelled to remain true to what we had agreed.
Furthermore, substitute flights booked with errors, needed correction.
Vince mentioned that "today" would have been the day we'd
be on the plane traveling west. I asked if he had been able
to get those tickets refunded. He said 'No'. My heart sank.
But Heaven pays attention to the desire for obedience.
When we returned to the Mission office the next day,
Elder Warner found an email from Delta Airlines indicating
that the flights to Utah and back had been cancelled, and we
would be receiving a FULL refund. Amazing blessing!
(This, below, is part of the reservations cancellation email.)
Here's my final "nothing random" incident.
Lovely Rebekah, my new sister-in-law, had us/me
in her mind when she had "extra", made-by-herself
Valentine's Day chocolates sent to New Hampshire.
How did she know I needed something sweet just NOW?
Many more drops of inspiring truth from these three little words:
God loves us!
Indeed, we matter in His scheme.
Hope your week is blessed, as well.
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