Counting Our Blessings

 November has been a month of many blessings for us, starting with a visit from our son, Rob, and his wife Ruthie.  After they enjoyed a full day and a half of running around New York at top speed, we met them for the Broadway musical Lion King. We loved this show from the moment the elephants and giraffes came dancing down the isles to the final curtain call. Its masterfully done puppetry and costuming, beautiful music and dancing, and powerful message were an inspiring blessing. 

Rob and Ruthie stayed with us until Monday morning and we were able to take a walk around Todd's Point in Greenwich.  We feel blessed that we are able to take these little breaks in our service to enjoy our family - and that they want to come! 

The following weekend we experienced one of the blessings of living in a culturally diverse ward - Dia de Las Naciones.  I think we counted 14 different countries represented in displays, food, and dancing.  Best of all, I think it helped us move toward our goal of unity within our zebra ward.

Our weekends were full this month as we had the double blessing of attending the Manhattan Temple and then joining the other senior missionary couples for dinner and the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular.  It was quite a contrast to go from the peace and spirit of the temple to the festive, crowded streets of New York City; what a blessing it is to have these sacred islands of peace throughout the world.  The Christmas Spectacular was appropriately named and included the Radio City Rockettes, a 3-D flight on Santa's sleigh, visual technology that brought the stage right out into the audience, a full orchestra plus two organs, ice skaters, and frost fairy drones!  Plus all our favorite Christmas music to get us ready for the season including sacred Christmas carols.  I'm ready to bring on the season!

Of course, we wouldn't even notice blessings if there weren't some challenges thrown in.  This month we also had our dryer break, our Hermanas get transferred out (again), zero people come to our Family History Workshop, a bad reaction to the COVID/flu vaccine for Neil, and more.  But every time we count, the blessings far outnumber the trials.  We ended the month with the wonderful blessing of seeing an entire family come into the fold of God.  Roberto Mamani, who was baptized on October 29, was able to baptize his wife and two children on November 26.  I will never forget the tears streaming down his 15-year-old son's face as we sang Families Can Be Together Forever at the end.  And that's the greatest blessing of all.