Summer is Real, Now

 We had such a mild June that even with the summer solstice, it hasn't seemed much like the scorching summer we had expected. With July, we have to admit that summer is upon us. It is warm and humid, which is the most pleasant type of weather for me, but it's hard on Olivia.

We spent a lot of time this past week in employment matters. Elder and Sister Packer actually left and we are getting busier with the candidates they left behind and those we had already accepted. We have both been busy with one, in particular; Olivia especially.  Olivia talks to her often and I have helped her with business cards, a flyer, and a couple of priesthood blessings. 

Who wouldn't want such a nanny?
She is desperate.

Subushini Chandraseckera joined the Church in Sri Lanka, is a returned missionary who served in New Zealand, got a BS in accounting at BYU Hawaii, but fell into a legal issue when her student visa expired and her attorney failed to file properly for her green card. Now, she lives the best she can until she can afford another attorney who is a little more honest and capable. Sri Lanka is no place to live at the moment.

I also worked on some flyers that can be used when a ward, branch or stake want to send the word out to others of the availability of a Self-reliance course that is not yet full, while Olivia worked with Suby. We'll get a picture of her this week.

We had a special opportunity to attend the temple, this week. Our friend Norah Jackson, is the Relief Society President in the Brooklyn 5th Ward, so she works closely with Elder and Sister Barnes. Her brother recently died and she wanted his work done. Elder Barnes performed the ordinances for him with her present and we were invited to go with them for the endowment session. The only time she was available was the 8:00 PM session, which meant a very late trek home through a vibrant Manhattan and onto a busy subway from 10:30 - 11:30 PM on Friday.

Sister Norah Jackson

Sister Jackson, like so many other members in this area, works 2 or 3 jobs and is very busy with her calling, so it has been years since she has made it to the temple. This time, she was so visibly moved, that she hugged us and explained, "My brother is happy tonight," then hugged us again. We felt privileged to be in her presence.

In a beautiful terrace just off the 
sidewalk on our walk to the temple.

Trump International Hotel and Tower
at the entrance of Central Park, near the
entrance of our Metro station. 7:00 PM -
It is summer.

On the plaza by the Trump hotel

Walking home from the (almost) midnight train.
No bus was coming anytime soon, so we walked.
It's only about 15 minutes in a safe neighborhood.

Made it home by 11:30 PM.

I have been concerned lately about whether the work we are doing is what we are supposed to be doing, or if we are missing something. It was a question I took with me to the temple. I had a few moments by myself in the celestial room and made it a matter of prayer. The only answer I got was to have a counseling session with Olivia. We did that the next day and had a very fruitful discussion. Now I have to finish committing it to paper and we need to calendar and chart it so we have a sense of how effective our efforts will have been in the end. It was one of those times that is sacred beyond any ability to express.

On Sunday, we were prepared to attend the Harlem YSA Ward and visit with Elizabeth Jones' uncle, Bishop Steve Brown. We thought we had looked up the time for sacrament meeting and it was either 12:00 PM or 12:30. We were just getting ready to go to the bus a few minutes after 10:00 AM, but decided to make sure which time was correct, only to discover that it started at 10:00 AM. We hurried to the car and went to another place we had wanted to visit, the Waveny Park YSA Ward in Stamford, Connecticut. We were glad we did.

We met this young woman from Texas who was there
for the first time. She is a nanny for a 15-year old girl
whose mother is American, and whose father is the
UN ambassador from Pakistan. Behind her is Elder
Moser, the district leader. He had been a DL 
companion for several transfers in our district, so it
was great to see him again. Behind him are three
young people from Haiti (covered by Elder Campbell
and Olivia), who were also new to the ward.

Lizzy is one of probably a dozen young women there who are working as nannies. There are also several YA men working there just for the summer, selling bug spray (pest control).

That's about it. Not that it was not a productive week, it was, but not much that we can share and situations that did not lend themselves to photographs. It is sacred work and we are happy and intimidated (at times) to be involved. Have a wonderful Fourth of July.

This Vietnam veteran comes down to the Bronx from
upstate just to care for the grounds and keep the
building in good shape. He doesn't get much help.
Happy 4th of July!

She always has something to keep her
two little hands from being idle.

Already harvesting beans from her 
balcony garden. There is plenty, indeed
for her two hands to do.