A Full and Novel Week

It has been another busy week beginning with a devotional on Monday evening in which we sang with the choir performing “Peace in Christ” and Sister Sharon Eubank spoke. Since she is the director Latter-day Saint Charities I had a secret hope that she would need to make a trip to India and I would have the opportunity to meet her. That probably isn’t going to happen but I was able to say hello to her afterward and shared that we are headed to India as soon as we get our visas. She was excited for us and thankful for our willingness to serve because there is so much need. She told us of a sister who served there. This sister was touched by the poor conditions of so many people in India. She wrote home about the poverty, the smells, the lack of proper sanitation, shelter and food. She felt extremely sorry for the poor people of India.

Meanwhile the Indian people felt so sorry for her because she was fat and sweat profusely and had to wear nylons. She had no smell. It was like she came from space—she didn’t smell like anything! (Sister Eubank said it better. Wish I was as articulate as she is.)

So, it is all a matter of perspective and what is culturally acceptable to you. Obviously there are certain things that are unacceptable no matter your culture but it is important to remember that what we think matters may not be what is needed by those we endeavor to serve.

We decided we needed to build some muscles so started working out at the Wellness Center in the Church Office Building. It is a very nice facility and I feel privileged to use it. We found some muscles we haven’t used lately! We will continue with the twice weekly regimen.

Friday we received comp tickets to the Utah Symphony. They performed Wagner’s Prelude, Interludes and Entry of the Gods into Valhalla and Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No. 3 with Stephen Hough on the piano. The piano was absolutely incredible but I enjoyed the Wagner more.

We finished the week with a pretty typical Saturday–laundry, cleaning the apartment, grocery shopping and a short hike.