Connections

At first meetings it is hard to know what associations will wander into our hearts and on through our lives.  When Layne and I were in Mongolia, 10 years ago, we met a young woman named Batbileg, who served for a time as our interpreter and language teacher.  She was a newly returned missionary from Idaho at the time.  We bonded with her and developed a sweet friendship.  When she mentioned a desire to return to America to attend school, we helped her to do so.  Over the years we have grown closer to Batbileg.  She considers us her American parents and calls us "mom and dad."  She is our girl.  

The name Batbileg means "firm wisdom" in Mongolian.  But it sounds a bit harsh in English.  Batbileg caught on to this early and has changed her name to "Brynn."  She was an American girl from the start, and determined that she would remain here.  She is now married to an American man named Roy Long, and is living in Arizona.  She and Roy visited us this past weekend.  It was so pleasant to spend time with them and see how thoroughly Brynn has indeed become an American girl, with a love of this country, complete with strong political opinions.  Our girl is in our lives for good, I think.

Here is Brynn and husband Ray Long, in our kitchen.

Roy and Brynn shared a video with us called, "Eat Fast Live Long" that we found fascinating.  It is based on a series of experiments on aging that have come to a conclusion that fasting several times a week is very beneficial to health.  Not the kind of fasting that we do for Church that includes avoiding all liquids and food for 24 hours, but a 600 calorie day twice a week, with all the water desired.  That amounts to about one meal a day on fast days.  We are going to try it this week.  Today in fact.  As I write this the time is nearing 10:00 AM, the time I've decided to begin our meal prep for the day.  I'm anxious already.  Hum.  Think we can do it?

As I write, my view of outside exposes a lovely scene of light snow quickly melting in the warming sun.  I guess the locals are right when they say the snow doesn't last long.  I am finding this place to be very pleasant and beautiful.  There is a peacefulness here that is soothing and relaxing.  Our days are pleasant, as we unpack and organize, then re-organized again.  Someday soon (I hope) we will truly be settled and able to think of things other than this house.

A scene from our front yard, showing the snow melting in the morning sun.

There is a new program for the youth of the Church that I have avoided learning about.  I can't explain exactly why I have done this.  Perhaps it is because a part of me feels that no time at all is given to us older guys and how to live out our final days providentially.  I'd like some ideas.  But I do understand that it is perhaps most important to meet the spiritual needs of our youth as they begin their mortal journey.  It is interesting how the Lord works things out.  I've just been called to teach the youth in Sunday School.  So I guess I will relent and learn something about the new teaching approach for our youth.  Front door or back door, the Lord has His way with us, if we let Him.  Who knows, maybe teaching the youth is how I'm supposed to spend my "final days!"