"Serve"

One day this week, Sister Williams sent me an article about languages in Queens.  I live in Queens.  The article reports that there are as many as 800 languages spoken in New York City, and nowhere in the world has more than Queens, according to the Endangered Language Alliance (ELA).

I believe it.  I began to think about the people with whom I regularly interact. We have missionaries from all over the world from Russia, the South Seas, Europe, South America, Mexico, Haiti, etc. but I am not counting the missionaries.  I am counting the locals who live here.  My beautician is from Bulgaria.  The beautician next to her is from Greece.  The man in the wheelchair that sells flowers by the subway is from Turkey.  The man who owns the deli is from Pakistan.  The man who sells flowers in front of the deli is from Peru.  The man at the pizza restaurant is from Sicily.  The waitress in one of my favorite Korean restaurants is from Korea. (Imagine that.)  In another Korean restaurant the waitress is from China.  The list goes on.  In my ward are people from the Philippines, Colombia, Ecuador, Ireland, Haiti, Brazil, all over the United States, etc.

I found the article very interesting.

I'm trying to turn over a new leaf.  I am determined to get back into better physical condition.  I spend too much time sitting and working at my computer and walking while I'm talking just isn't cutting it, so I am "forcing" myself to get out and do the morning walk routine.  I rather slacked on it through the colder months.  I walked Tuesday through Saturday this week.  I almost made my 10,000 steps on 3 of the days and on 2 days I had over 12,000.  I am cutting back on portion sizes and I even went 5 days with no sugar/chocolate.  (I just realized I ate chocolate on Valentine's Day. The missionaries spoiled me.)   I did partake on Saturday night.

On my walks I have enjoyed the crisp morning air.  It gets me going.  I am enjoying getting back into the routine. 

Early morning rush hour (crawl for 2 hours) from the walking bridge crossing the expressway

Ornamental cabbages in the snow along the sidewalk

Morning Tai Chi. This morning I was a little later getting to the park so there are only two people.
Usually there are 8-10. They have music which they use with their graceful movements. I should join them.

Monday was the makeup Mega-zone Conference in Brooklyn.  I rode with the Williams so I could even sightsee as we traveled.  I always marvel at the Empire State Building.  Lately in the evening, I have noticed occasionally that it is lit in different colors.  I researched that.

The relief society president who coordinated the lunch at the conference brought her little girl.
The little one was probably about 2. She fell in love with Elder Williams and followed
him around all morning. So cute!

Empire State Building taken from the back seat of the car. Cloudy day.

“The international icon of the New York skyline, since 1976 the Empire State Building’s tower lights have maintained a tradition of changing color to recognize various occasions and organizations throughout the year.

Everything changed in 2012, when ownership installed a new computer driven LED light system. The system is capable of displaying 16 million colors, which can change instantaneously.

We stage dazzling light shows celebrating holidays and events, often synchronized to music broadcast simultaneously on iHeartMedia stations. Just search ‘Empire State Building Light Shows’ on YouTube to see the shows!”

Empire State Building from a bridge near my home

I was hoping to catch a colorful lighting of the ESB but it has been the traditional white light all week.
I couldn't get a good view of the building from the railroad bridge except through the trees.

The lights will be red, white, and blue on President's Day.

Tuesday morning as I walked I found a planter outside a hardware store in Middle Village with these cute little pansies.

The streets are lined with large trees.  By many trees the cement sidewalks are buckled or broken.  It always amazes me that the roots of the tree have the power to break cement.

As I returned from my walk on Valentine's Day I received a "heart attack" on my front apartment door.  Love Sisters Panoussi and Talaboc!!

Tuesday was temple day but this week I only had two visitors.  We went to lunch in the mall.

Sisters Kim and Yu

That evening I fed the sister training leaders and four other sisters.  I continue to love cooking and feeding people.

Sisters Panoussi, Talaboc, Wuthrich, Steninger, Bush, Williams

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday were spent in the usual manner following up on missionaries, giving advice, and preparing the weekly reports.

Saturday morning after my walk, Sister Williams and I went to the Ground Zero Museum Workshop.  It is a museum of artifacts and pictures taken from and during the recovery at Ground Zero.

You may read about it HERE.

It is a small space but very interesting and intimate compared to the 9-11 Museum that deals with the whole catastrophe.  Both museums are unique and a must to see.  Here are a few pictures I took at the museum.

Artifacts. Beer cans were found hidden between beams from 1971 when tower built. Workers hid them.
Can you imagine drinking beer while walking and working on beams high in the air!!!

Glass was a rare find. Higher floors had thicker glass. Most glass pulverized or melted.
All they recovered would only fill a car trunk

This piece of glass is largest recovered from the site. It weighs 125 lb and required 3 men to carry it.
It is 3 inches thick so it had to have come from the one of the top floors.
It was designed to withstand 150mph winds.

I like looking at the shops along the streets.  I saw this shop on 14th Street close to the museum.

In Manhattan you can get anything and everything delivered to your door.

Saturday evening, President and Sister Reynolds hosted a dinner for the senior missionaries at the mission home.  It was a fun, pleasant evening.  I ate the dessert!!!!

Lilly, Adams, Johnson, Hopkins, Reynolds, Conger, Williams, Shapiro

Picture from opposite end of the table

Every week brings me closer to August when I'll be coming home.  I can't bear to think about it but at the same time, my heart skips when I think of seeing and holding my family.  Serving this mission has been one of the greatest opportunities I have had.  Being a wife and mother tops serving as a missionary but I so enjoy the missionaries, the city living experience, and the opportunity to help the missionaries and those around me.  My blessings are countless!

I was reading a talk by Elder Carl B. Cook of the seventy titled "Serve."  I like this quote:

"The opportunity to serve is one of the great blessings of membership in the Church. The Lord has said, "If thou lovest me thou shalt serve me," and we serve Him by serving others.

As we serve, we draw closer to God. We come to know Him in ways that we otherwise might not. Our faith in Him increases. Our problems are put into perspective. Life becomes more satisfying. Our love for others increases, as well as our desire to serve. Through this blessed process, we become more like God, and we are better prepared to return to Him.

As President Marion G. Romney taught: 'Service is not something we endure on this earth so we can earn the right to live in the celestial kingdom. Service is the very fiber of which an exalted life in the celestial kingdom is made.'

Serving in the Church, however, can be challenging if we are asked to do something that frightens us, if we grow weary of serving, or if we are called to do something that we do not initially find appealing.

Fulfilling callings requires faith.  Let us rise up in faith, 'put [our shoulders] to the wheel,' and move this 'worthy work along.'

Jesus Christ, our great Exemplar, gave His life to His Father's work. In the Grand Council before this world was organized, Jesus, chosen and anointed from the beginning, volunteered, "Here am I, send me." In so doing, He literally became the servant of us all. Through Jesus Christ and the power we receive through His Atonement, we can also serve. He will help us.

Whatever our age or circumstance, let service be our 'watch cry.' Serve in your calling. Serve a mission. Serve your mother. Serve a stranger. Serve your neighbor. Just serve.

May the Lord bless each of us in our efforts to serve and become true followers of Jesus Christ. I testify that He lives and directs this work. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

I too bear testimony that service brings blessings, peace, joy, and love. 

I love you my family and friends.

When I was talking to Jake this week he asked me if there is a grocery store close to me for shopping.
There are several but I usually drive to a supermarket with a parking lot because I hate pushing a
ghetto cart. Jake asked what is a ghetto cart??  Pictures are the best description. I have no idea
why the locals/missionaries call them ghetto carts but EVERYONE has a cart for carrying things
since many people don't have cars.