Sometimes we underestimate youth and sometime we overlook wisdom of age and experience. They are now a synergy that will rock our small branch here in Mariupol. Last Sunday our Mission President came to town, he asked to meet with all the priesthood holders. Elder Cannon was asked to serve as 1st Counselor to the Branch President. We both assumed it was to be with the existing president. Then into Sacrament meeting we were a little confused due to the fact it is our practice, we don't have interpreters to 1. diminish the distractions and 2. force us to listen to the cadence of Russian as a learning tool.
When I heard Elder Cannon's name called and our hands raised in confirmation of our support of him and heard other names called. This was our first insight into a bigger change. Our new branch president's is the son of the now former Branch President, He is a returned missionary about 26 years old and full of enthusiasm for branch growth. Especially here in Eastern Europe sometimes change feels like a "demotion", but our Former President was grinning from ear to ear. He told us later he was prompted a change was coming but didn't realize it would be his son. Mother was happy for both to have her always serving husband back and knowing the weight her son would now bare.
Since it was fast and testimony meeting and a sweet little woman came to the stand and started to talk in an accelerated pace, somewhat agitated I asked for an interpreter. She was distraught over the change and my heart went out to her. Change is hard in many ways but the young branch president and his fine counselors will bring a new energy and purpose to this branch.
The new Presidency met in our home at noon, I was volunteered to provide lunch and decided on Dad's favorite a meatloaf, with all the balance trimmings to compliment it. They met for 4 hours, discussed new ideas, prioritized, made assignments and jumped in with both feet. Elder Cannon has taken on the job of calling members to remind them to come and clean the church each Saturday as they are assigned. He studied that conversation in Russian and made 4 phone calls this morning. He gave his prepared speech and then when they replied answered in English that he had not idea what they were saying.
I am so pleased that the Lord has provided this calling, it will be a good challenge and a refining responsibility for my good and faithful mate and already it has advanced his Russian skills.
Now let me digress to the tender mercies... The young missionaries asked us to join in a fast the purpose was to "increase the number of priesthood holders in our branch". We agree to eat lunch together a wonderful Muslin fast food place and thereafter begin our 24 hour fast. The plan was to break our fast together we had a small window of opportunity right after our Sunday meetings and between President's assignments. I agreed to make the Sunday meal, which was a macaroni salad, carrot salad, lunch meat, bread and cucumber etc. The plan was to feed 6 of us. Then after arriving at the churchouse I realized I should invited the President his wife and his counselor and his wife. Not realizing their day started at 6:30 am and would not end until after 5 pm. I prayed that the Lord would stretch this meal for all, he did and in fact it ended up feeding the original six and seven more adults. (including some second helpings for our young elders) .
I made more than I originally anticipated, but I know it was stretch beyond its normal portion allowance. So in all 13 people ate good portions from a lunch designed for 6, and after a long day at the church they didn't have make a 2 hour drive home on empty stomachs.
I want to share what our another senior couple repeated at our at our senior conference last month. "Do you know why they only call Mission Presidents for three years?" Answer: Because it has been medically proven that is all the time they can go without sleep. We all laughed but there is plenty of truth to that as well. This is a job for the young and the more seasoned and it is WORK!!.
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