Ma's Place: Darkness cowers at the presence of LIGHT

WOW!! It's been a busy time since I last reported. In caring for some of the missionaries, I have been to Staten Island, The Rockaways, Flatbush, Jamaica, and Flushing (you can click each city to learn more about them). I love, love, LOVE going to the areas of the city. Each area is unique even though it is one city.

The area of Flatbush where I was had nice homes on tree-lined streets.

Homes

The top is the chapel. Bottom white building is the bishop's storehouse.

While I was waiting for the sisters, I dipped my toes in the Atlantic at Averne in the Rockaways.

Surfers

Rock barriers. I talked to two men who were preparing to fish off the rocks.
They told me they catch striped bass and right now the king fish are running.

The board (cement) walk, high rise apartment buildings, and the sea grass plantings on the beach.

Staten Island Geese

Staten Island Hen turkey and chicks

"Historic Richmond Town is an authentic town and farm museum complex in the neighborhood of Richmondtown, Staten Island, in New York City. It is located near the geographical center of the island, at the junction of Richmond Road and Arthur Kill Road.

It was formerly a county seat and commercial center, including the former courthouse of Richmond County, and is coterminous with the borough of Staten Island. People who lived in Richmond Town were mostly of Dutch, English, or French descent, and the most common jobs were those of blacksmiths, shoemakers, and other craftsman types. British troops were stationed in Richmond Town during the American Revolution.

The town consists of more than 30 historic buildings and sites dating from the late 17th to the early 20th centuries. Decker Farm, located about one mile from the center of Historic Richmond Town, features a farm stand and seasonal activities such as pumpkin picking. The site also contains other former commercial and government buildings, as well as farm buildings and homes, some of which were relocated from other parts of Staten Island."

One of the churches there caught my attention. I really enjoy walking through cemeteries and looking at the stones and memorials.

While on the island, we couldn't pass up the opportunity for Korean food at MaDang Korean BBQ. The two sisters had boiling soup again but I like to try new things so I had a sweet and sour type of pork.

Sisters Fitt and Seo

Close-up of sweet and sour pork. Fancy carrot cutting!

Korean pancake. Tasty!! The sisters took me to a Korean market and bought
the mix to make these pancakes at home.

When we went to the Korean market the sisters bought bean cakes. They are very good.
The outside rice mixture is the consistency of gummy bears. Inside is a paste of red beans and nuts.

The sisters also told me how delicious Korean melons are. They're right!
A bit like honeydew melons but sweeter.

On the way to Staten Island, Sister Fitt told me about a meal she had been served and how she almost
couldn't eat it. She managed a couple of spoonfuls of bundegi. She wrote it in Korean for me.

Beondegi (Korean: 번데기) is a snack food in Korean cuisine. Literally meaning "chrysalis" or "pupa" in Korean, Beondegi are steamed or boiled silkworm pupae which are seasoned and eaten as a snack. Beondegi are often served by street vendors, as well as in restaurants and drinking establishments. They are also sold in cans in grocery stores and convenience stores, but they must be boiled in water before serving. Beondegi is not always sold in the market and is usually sold from street vendors, although it is possible to buy the live variant for personal preparation.

Chicken noodle Karjebi. Hand made, thick noodles. I think this might become one of my favorites.
Reminded me of my grandmothers homemade chicken noodle soup.

Kimchi - fermented side dish of seasoned vegetables. Top one is radish. Bottom one is cabbages

Seafood Karjebi - noodle soup

Four days later we had to return to Staten Island for a follow-up but we didn't eat until we returned to Flushing. I think I am becoming Korean. I like the food.

My name in Korean

This week I also had the opportunity to visit with Ruma. She wanted me to come to meet her mother who is visiting from India. What a pleasant afternoon I have been getting to know the family better. I took Ruma a family history booklet and suggested that while she has her mother here, that she take advantage and find out all she can about her ancestors and then write their stories in her booklet. Her oldest son was most interested in looking at familysearch.org to see if he could find out anything about his ancestors. Fun afternoon!

Ruma, the Indian investigator, and her mother

A handbag brought to me from India

A money roll given to me by Ruma. This type of roll is used to give gifts of money, particularly at weddings.
If the giver and recipients are wealthy, the gold on the roll is real.

I had a conversation the other day with Sister Anderson who lives in the apartment above me. She was discussing light and dark or good and bad. She told me a story that I liked.

"There once was a father who was nearing the end of his life. Having three sons, he was confronted with the difficult decision of which of his sons was the most deserving of his home. After struggling with his three boys he realized that the only way to resolve the issue was to give the three boys a challenge.

He gave them a certain amount of money and said that whoever could buy something with that money that could fill up the entire house would be the one to inherit it. And so it began. The first son returned quickly, followed by truckloads of straw. He had used every penny given to him by his father to buy as much straw has he could, however it was not even close to filling the house up top to bottom.

The second son did something similar, this time with water. He was confident that the gallons upon gallons that he purchased with the allowance given by his father would be enough to fill up the whole house. However, just like his brother and the straw, the water didn't even come close.

When the third son came to the home just after dark had fallen with only a small box in hand his brothers mocked him. They ridiculed saying that there was no way that a box that fits inside of a house would ever be able to fill that house from top to bottom. The youngest brother kept walking. He entered into the living room and turned off the light. His father and two older brothers watched curiously but could see nothing for they were surrounded by darkness. Within a few moments they heard the strike of a match and saw a flame that illuminated their brother just enough to realize that he was lighting a candle.

This youngest brother proceeded from room to room lighting candles. His father stood in pride, and his brothers in shame as all came to realize that the illuminating light from the candles had completely filled the home. The home that now belonged to the third son."

We talked about the choices that we make in life and that most of the choices are between light and darkness. Do I serve a mission, do I not serve a mission? Do I smack this person, do I not smack said person? Do I react in kindness, do I react in malice. Do I cut this guy off, do I wait for my turn in line? Do I tell my hungry little brother I have a granola bar in my bag, do I wait and save it for myself? All of these sometimes seemingly menial examples really show that synonyms for light and darkness are good and bad respectively.

This world is full of darkness and is starving for light. This can be discouraging and daunting. Sister Anderson remembered something someone said to her: "The concept of darkness is overwhelming because there is so much of it. Sometimes the light looks like it's going to lose. But that is where hope comes in, because we are on the right side. We are on the side that will never lose." What we learn from that is that we should take courage because darkness cowers at the presence of light. Luckily for us, we have Jesus Christ to serve as our everlasting and never dimming source of light. As we follow Him we will be able to actually receive more light into our lives. This reminded her of a scripture:

D&C 50:

23 And that which doth not edify is not of God, and is darkness.

24 That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.

25 And again, verily I say unto you, and I say it that you may know the truth, that you may chase darkness from among you;

When we stand on the light side, we stand with Christ and with Him we cannot lose. We can have that hope. We can have our path illuminated by that light that is Him.

I love visiting and sharing with the missionaries. They are full of the Spirit and always inspire and teach me.

I am so grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that it has been restored in it's fullness.

I love you my family and friends.