Teaching, Life, Charity, and Love

The days are going by very quickly. I can not believe that we have been living in Oregon for 3 months now. And at other moments it seems crazy that we have accomplished so much in only three months. I am already at midterms at portland state for my first quarter, and Blake is taking his fifth test tomorrow. So far he has been doing great and getting above 90% the first time which is great. i have every confidence that he will do just fine on tomorrows test as well. Well besides going to school full time Blake has been playing the Oregon in church every week. I know he likes this calling because it is a sunday only calling and he does not have to worry about it during the week. I am the laurel advisor which means i teach a lesson twice a month and have activities with the girls on wednesday nights, some of which i don't make it too. I have also picked up a small job on tuesday and thursday nights were i tutor a 14 year old girl. I meet her last night she is busy busy and likes to talk but what 14 year old girl does not like to talk. I always said that i would not know what to do with daughters seeing as i don't have any sisters and i had very few girl friends growing up. it seems the lord is teaching me what to do with teenage girls in around about way seeing as 3 nights a week that is who i am hanging out with teenage girls. It's funny now that i am not a teenage girl i like to be around them a lot more.

I have a degree and am working on another degree in teaching music but at the moment i seem to be teaching everything but music. On sundays i teach nutrition, time management and the importance of education along with other useful things. On Tuesday and thursday i tutor in Geometry, science and computers. I just thought this was an interesting fact.

I had a very interesting conversation last night about the church. i would like to note a couple things. first i was told a very touching story from a german violinist i had dinner with. He told me of his first violin student she was a 20 year old LDS girl, who he said had the sweetest spirt. he said you could not help but lover her not a romantic love but just love her. He said that she seemed to know things. She was hit by a garbage truck taken to the hospital where she was put back together and lived only to suffer a stroke shortly after and pass away. He was told at her funeral that she had written emails to some of her friends before she was hit telling them that she was sorry for being busy and wishing them the best in their lives. She seemed to know her time was at an end and was ready for it he was very touched by this. he said that he was given a book of mormon in german at the funeral, but has not chosen to convert. My thoughts on this are i am sure that young women had no idea what an influence she was being by just living the gospel to the best of her ability, she is a great example to me. And second i hope that when we give Books of Mormon to nonmembers we have the courage to follow up with it. Find out if they read it and answer any questions they may have. I may never see this German Violinist again but by one conversation with him i want to be a better person.

Never be afraid to share what you know.

I was also asked by another dinner companion that night about the members in Portland compared to the members in Utah and was happy to tell them that no matter where you go the church is constant the same. I told them that when i got to portland the missionaries were unpacking my home and the bishop was there with a list of doctors for me and food for that night so that i would not have to stress about the small things in my condition. this questions was asked by a person who claims to be anti-religious but pro community and wonders why charity(this is not the word he used) has to be tied to a religion. Why can't you pull up to your new home with a moving truck and the neighbors just come out and help no matter what religion anyone is? I love this thought and as members of the church we should be showing charity to everyone not just fellow members and the world should follow suit.

well those are my thoughts for the day.
Jamie