Fred and Paula’s Most Excellent Adventure

  I wouldn't say I have been patiently waiting on the Lord😬 Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.  Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass...Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him; fret not thyself...Psalms 37:4-7 This week Fred suggested that we start counting the blessings we have received because we haven't been able to go to Japan yet.  They are many.  I can't even express how wonderful it is to live around family.  We have been gone for 35 years.  It's nice to be home. Fred ran a 10K on Pioneer Day, July 24.  This is a race that he ran several times in his younger years.  Fred has always pushed himself to be physically strong and have endurance.  Every week he runs the hill toward the capitol 10 times, up and down.  He also runs up the canyon and back for 9 miles once a week.  His determination and strength has been a blessing throughou...

This week we have been blessed to return to the temple.  The SLC Headquarters Mission President made it possible for the missionaries to attend nearby temples.  The temple is a place of peace.  I feel closer to God when I am in the temple.  I receive inspiration easier when I am there.  Lately when I pray, I hear a hymn in my mind.  These are the words. Dearest Children, God is near you, Watching o're you day and night, And delights to own and bless you, If you strive to do what's right.  He will bless you, He will bless you, If you put your trust in him. We are still waiting for the borders to open in Japan.  It is hard to be patient.  During our family scripture study this week, we read words that seemed to be written just for us. Wherefore, go ye and preach my gospel whether to the north or to the south, to the east or to the west, it mattereth not, for ye cannot go amiss.  D&C 80:3 I feel that what matters is how I am serving, no...

If ye can no more than desire  to believe, let this desire work in you,  even   until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words. Now, if ye give place, that a seed  may be planted in your heart... ye shall reap  the rewards  of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit  unto you.  Alma 32 We have had the opportunity to join the missionaries in Japan for several lessons with a woman learning about the gospel.  She asked an important question which lead us to search the scriptures.  Her question was, "Why does God require faith? The Apostle Paul saw a vision before he converted.  Wouldn't it be easier for God to just tell us the truth rather than search for answers ourselves?" Faith requires us to trust the Lord even when we don't understand all things. Holy Ghost is a more sure witness that is hard to deny.  His communication to ...

 "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."   Declaration of Independence I am grateful for my Creator that has given us the ability to choose how we will believe and live our lives. I am grateful for those who have gone before, those who have paid the ultimate price for us to enjoy our lives as we deem right and good. I am grateful for those who sacrifice to bring peace among our people. I am grateful for goodly parents who raised me with good moral values that give me direction. I am grateful for friends and family that bring joy to my life.   Life can bring storms that challenge us to our very center.  We don't need to be tossed about or destroyed during these storms. "And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build y...

 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted. Matthew 5:13 Fred and I are finding a balance between working during the evening and nights with Japan and during the day with Salt Lake City Headquarters Mission.  The first week we worked too much and became overly tired.  This is when I found this scripture while reading during my daily study.  The Lord needs us to share his light with others.  We can't do that if we wear ourselves out.  This week we had better balance.   Celebrating 37 years of marriage this week. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.   Proverbs 3:5-6 We are trying to be patient but are so excited to go to Japan.  In the meantime, we are enjoying spending time with our families on the weekend.  We have lived away for 35 years.  It's nice to be back home...

  Gravity Hill Salt Lake has a gravity hill in the canyon near the capitol.  It is an optical illusion.  The road looks like it is going “down” in the canyon but the road is actually going up.  The way the road sits next to the mountain and the surrounding land causes the road to appear as if it is descending. I was unaware of this hill.  The first time we cycled this hill, I became frustrated because I was having difficulty “going downhill”.  I thought, “I am so out of shape!  I can’t even ride downhill.”  I wanted to give up and quit the ride.  Fred told me we have to be going up.  “Stop pedaling and see what happens.”  I couldn’t believe it because your eyes deceive you.  It was very strange.   Of course, I have made a spiritual parallel.  I am a missionary after all.  Life can be like this.  We might be struggling with difficult things...

This week we took a Family History training for all missionaries working in the Salt Lake City Headquarters Mission.  It was 8:00 to 3:00 each day.  We learned so much about family history and how to preserve and research records.  Here are some of the fun tips we learned. Sign in to FamilySearch.org🠚Activities🠚Where are you from? I learned that my ancestors orginate mostly from Iceland and the United Kingdom. Fred's ancestors come from Germany and United Kingdom Activities🠚 Compare a Face I learned that I look most like my Grandmother, Bernice Dame.  I found this interesting because my family has always told me that I looked like her and had many of her same personality traits.  Grandma Dame died when I was a toddler so I don't remember her. Fred learned that he looks most like his Grandfather, Fred Rutschow.  This is the person he was named after. There are many memories submitted under our ancestors including pictures and written memories.  Famil...