Today I had the opportunity to serve at the LDS Humanitarian Center. We were putting together sanitation kits and cleaning kits. With the recent devastation and hurricanes, the Center has run short on their supplies and so we were asked to spend some time there serving. I must admit, I initially went because I seek for ways to use the time in my day so that I don't get depressed and discouraged and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. I was very glad I went though, besides the time I spent there, I was really lifted by the service and the people I met there.

What a service the Church offers! As we assembled kits, we talked and got to know each other very well. I served with a group of individuals from Mexico and Colombia, and practiced my Spanish in the mean time! I learned that one of the individual, Bro. Alba came to the US, years ago with his parents and worked as migrant workers, picking strawberries. Each night his mom would gather a few of the strawberries, as was permitted, and they would have them each night before bed, this "mountain of strawberries" as he called them were a special memory of that time. His parents encouraged him to go to school, he followed their advice and became a High School and Jr. High School principal and now is retired. His father was a Branch President while still in Mexico and is now one of the few Spanish Patriarchs in the Salt Lake Valley.

We spoke of how quickly the Church responds to disasters and Bro. Alba mentioned that many years ago when his father was Branch President in Mexico, there was a terrible flood. The Church was first on the scene, even beating the Red Cross. When they (the Red Cross) arrived, they asked for a Mormon Bishop, but all that was available was Bro. Alba's father, the Branch President. They said that that was fine. They gave him charge of all the supplies they had to offer in addition to the supplies the Church had sent. They did this because they knew that the Church was set up in such a way that supplies could be quickly distributed and given out with care. They also flew him to San Antonio, Texas and showed him all the supplies still coming and asked him to prepare to receive them and be responsible to distribute them as well. Regardless of how the world sees us, and notwithstanding the hollering that many due at General Conference time, trying to shake the faith of the members, the world should acknowledge that our leaders have great foresight and desires to bless the world.

Service at the Humanitarian Center will become part of my regular activity. I felt much peace there and it was good to forget myself for a time and serve. I see that regular service in this fashion will bring me the greater peace I seek for.

Conference Sunday

Today I spent pondering upon the talks of General Conference and I continued my amazement at how many talks were given on holding onto faith and hope, giving up our doubts and fears, trusting the Lord and so on. I was amazed since I had prayed for some answers to my struggles recently. Many of the talks so far have focused on this subject of faith, hope, trust, joy and so on, and from this I conclude 2 things. First, the Lord knows me personally and hears my silent unspoken plea for strength. Secondly, I believe that there are many others who are struggling like I am. This only goes to reason what with the recent downturn in the economy, the upcoming election, and general conditions of the world.

It is so easy to go through life, thinking that I am the only one experiencing such and such, and forget that there are others having similar experiences as myself. This is where I am. I get so wrapped up in myself that I find little time to think outside the box. It is easy to become self-centered through this. I find that I have embraced pride and greed without even knowing it many times and fortunately Bobi keeps me from becoming too prideful with her gentle persuasions.

My posts have been very infrequent recently, I hope that will change as I share as best I can my life with you. I have found many things about life that are difficult to endure, but wonderfully edifying.

I have discovered how to add to my original blog, now it seems I have two family blogs. I will continue with this one as it is my original and I will add the comments from the other blog to this one.