Cookies in Jeopardy

It's so nice to live only about 20 miles away from the temple. As we drove there on Thursday, Sister Mundell mentioned how the Lord knows us better than we know ourselves. A year ago, her greatest wish as we were preparing to submit our mission applications was to serve at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie, or her words, to "wear a muumuu and a name tag". Instead, we were called to the Honolulu mission, and we've had the opportunity to talk with many senior couples serving at the PCC. Their descriptions of what they actually do there leave us feeling underwhelmed, and we now realize that we wouldn't have enjoyed being assigned to the PCC nearly half as much as we are feeling it in the work we've been called to do. The Lord knew that we would be better servants and make a greater difference in this part of Oahu than in Laie. It's a testament to us that calls for missionary service in the church are divinely inspired, and we go where we are needed the most, the place where our talents and abilities can be put to greatest use.

One example of this was on Tuesday. Cathy demonstrated how to bake oatmeal raisin cookies. She had an 11 year-old girl mix all the ingredients in a bowl, and all of the little children came up to watch the cookie dough being made. She really has a gift not only for making cookies, but getting everyone else involved and participating. The highlight of the evening came afterwards. She divided the group into two teams to play Cookie Jeopardy, with questions about cookies and points awarded based on how difficult each answer was. The categories were What Cookie am I?, Cookies in America, Cookie Business, and Fun Facts about Cookies, with a Double Jeopardy called Cookie Crumbles. Everyone loved it, and were still talking about it several days later. That's how you know a church activity is a real success. 

We loved our first week teaching Seminary. We're hardly the most skilled teachers in the stake, but have great enthusiasm and a sincere love for all the students, which is all that really matters. It's going to take some time for them to warm up to us and feel comfortable speaking up in class, but that will come gradually as we persist and give it our very best honest effort. We tried to meet each family during the semester break. They are really good kids and we have their parent's support so we're excited to see what happens as we study the Book of Mormon this year. We're the type of members who want to MAGNIFY their calling, not just DO their calling. We made laminated sheets with the first mastery scripture of 1 Nephi 3:7 "I will go and do the things the Lord has commanded" and a little wooden stand for them to place in their room as a reminder to them of each mastery scripture. It will be a rewarding experience for us to be creative, and challenge ourselves to make the class fun and interesting. 

At the end of December, Elder Mundell felt impressed by the Spirit to teach the elders in both wards how to consecrate oil and to perform this ordinance in the first quorum meeting of the year so each family could have their own vial of consecrated oil readily at hand in the event someone requested a priesthood blessing. So he ordered 100 plastic vials and olive oil from Amazon, then filled each vial with oil on Saturday night in preparation for Sunday. He served many years as an elders quorum and high priests group leader, and knows that not everyone who holds the Melchizedek priesthood is comfortable performing the sacred ordinances of the priesthood, may not have much experience, and are hesitant to exercise the power and authority they have when called upon in an emergency. Next month he will discuss how to administer to the sick and give a priesthood blessing. It's his own way of providing "member and leader support" to the wards.