Dear Richard
This should be the last time for a while that I miss a week. Life is
finally slowing down, now that the semester has ended J The last two weeks saw some pretty
intense work for me. The first week I was lecturing 4 hours a day, but I
definitely was blessed! I was most worried about the physical fatigue going
into the week, but on the first day I realised that I was having incredible
clarity of thought during my lectures, and I realised that Heavenly Father was
blessing me with what I needed almost more than physical strength – the mental
capacity to get through the teaching and keep everything straight, and also
just to keep on going. The most hectic was Friday when I lectured second years
twice in the morning, then tutored my third years for 2 hours and then lectured
the 1st years twice after that. Very hectic! But I got through, and
reasonably well I think J I made a short
little video with the kids saying good luck for the exams, which I showed the 1st
and 2nd years on the Friday for my last day lecturing them for the
year, and they just loved that!
Then this past week I spent a lot of time marking the videos that my
students made – but that was the best marking I’ve ever had to do at varsity J And then I spent the week lecturing my 3rd
years revision, and on the last day we had a premiere of the top 5 videos and
they voted on the best. Such fun! And a really great way to end the year J And I showed them my video as well, of
course ;)
In general things have been going pretty well
with the kids. Like this evening they were really great! And the times like
that are becoming more frequent J They’re also
being pretty good about helping around the house, unpacking the dishwasher and
tidying up, putting their clean washing away… But we did have an interesting
time when we put Josh in the naughty corner one evening, and, in defiance, he
kicked the bottom glass panel in the front door and broke it! He got a real
fright, and quite a bad gash on his leg… Mom thought it probably should have
had stitches, although we just used steri strips, and it seems to be holding
fine. But now that I’m thinking about it, I think there has been an improvement
in his behaviour in general since then J So lessons
learnt! We’ve been talking a lot to Josh about consequences recently, pointing
out how if he does something, there is a consequence, good or bad. I think he’s
starting to get the concept J
Josh lost his first tooth! He was so
excited! He spent the rest of that evening colouring in a beautiful picture of
the tooth mouse, which we stuck onto this bed, so that the tooth mouse would
know that Josh wanted him to collect his tooth, instead of the tooth fairy ;)
And he was so excited to get his money in the morning! But what was just the
best was that we then helped him to fill in a tithing slip, and yesterday he
very proudly handed his envelope to Sam. The money came in coins so that he
could easily pay his tithing. And Sam was great about it when I told him it was
Josh’s first tithing. He shook his hand and said, “The Lord is very grateful
for your tithing!” Such a special experience J
We also started reading the first of the
Magic Faraway Tree books to Josh and Hannah at bedtime. They are LOVING it!
Especially Josh! That might also be helping with the good behaviour, because I
can use it as leverage ;) We will probably finish the first book this week,
after less than 3 weeks! And what’s also really great is that this shows that
Josh especially can listen to a story and enjoy it, and not have to be seeing
something as well, which so many kids these days need to have J
Cindy drove in with me a couple of times
for old times’ sake, before she then left last week for Joburg. It was strange,
because the day after she left Caleb was wanting to go over the road as usual,
but after finding Granny, he then started looking all over for “Me-me”. He even
came to the window, confirmed that both cars were there, and was convinced that
Cindy should be there! That was also the first time that I’d heard him using a
name for Cindy, just after she left! But she’s all safely there, as you know,
I’m sure ;)
We’ve been visiting over the road a lot
recently! Caleb is the main instigator, but it’s just SO great to see Mom doing
so much better with her mental health, and now that the neurologist has
diagnosed her, her physical health is improving a lot too! So awesome! So she’s
also able to handle the kids being there right now J So all of you guys are gone, but the
house is still full of kids ;) But it’s also just so nice to see how Mom and
Dad are getting to do things together like they haven’t done in years!
And then last weekend was General
Conference! We only got to watch limited amounts, although I did participate to
some degree or other in 5 sessions over the weekend, so I was happy with that J And what amazing talks, as always! I’ve
been listening to and reading some more as the week has gone by, and there are
some many that really struck home! A few that were really great: Elder Holland
– Like a Broken Vessel (which I also sent to 2 people, and they both responded
favourably!), Elder Bednar on tithing, Elder Soares on meekness (wow, so much
to work on!), Pres Uchtdorf – Come Join with us (in case you hadn’t heard, the
New York Times reported on this talk in particular, and no wonder!). So much,
and I’ve still got so much to get through and absorb! Conference is such an
amazing gift J It was also just so awesome to see how Facebook
was covered in the rugby match between South Africa and New Zealand and General
Conference. There was very little else that people were talking about on the
Saturday! The members really are catching the vision of being visible!
During the Relief Society session we sang
hymn 270 – I’ll go where you want me to go, as the intermediate hymn. I had
been looking down at something, but as I looked up the words of the 3rd
verse, which were on the screen at the time just hit me so hard!
“So trusting my all to thy tender care,
And knowing thou lovest me,
I’ll do thy will with a heart sincere,
I’ll be what you want me to be.”
Heavenly Father really does love us! And
so we can trust Him to know what’s best for us, and then to know that whatever
he’s asked of us is really for our best. What a blessing to know that, and then
to also know what He’s wanting us to do!
And I’ve had some great missionary
experiences these past couple weeks! So I sent the talk by Elder Holland to one
of Josh’s friends’ mom, as well as to a couple that I work with. The couple at
work said they were grateful and they planned on watching it over the weekend.
But this morning I got a call from the mom saying that she was so grateful to
read the talk, and amazed that I thought to send it to her. Her brother is
struggling with cancer, and I’ve been thinking for a while that I need to try
and talk to her about the gospel. This was a good way to do it in the end. But
she told me that she’s just recently started attending church again, so the
timing is really great! I invited her to meet with the missionaries, and
although she said no, she’s just starting to go the other church, we did end
the conversation with me inviting her to chat to me if she has any questions
about religion. She’s new to it at this stage, and she can see that it’s a big
part of my life. So I think it was actually a really good experience overall!
And I think we’ll invite her and her family to come to the Primary presentation
next month J
And then I also had a couple of other
conversations with people, where I was able to bring up the church and the
gospel. I’m getting much better at being able to do it in a natural way, and
without going overboard! I’m really happy with my efforts J Plus I’ve been posting things pretty
regularly on Facebook. So huge improvements for me all round!
The last major event of the last 2 weeks
is that on Saturday Andrew’s youngest brother, Peter, got married, and on the
same day Andrew’s parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary!
Quite a day in the Herbert house! And what a blessing to have the gospel, which
plays a big part in getting to 50 years of marriage: it gives you the
principles to live so that you are trying to be your best self, it gives you
the motivation to try and work at your marriage, even if things aren’t going
well, and it keeps you healthy so that you have your best chance of living long
enough to get to 50 years!
So very busy times, but thankfully things are
looking quieter now! Such a relief J
Shelly
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