20 October, 2013

I recently said we were going to blog more, for we have much to say.  But THINGS got in the way.  We still have much to say, but it will be coming later, rather than sooner.  

Miracle #13 Musings from the purple one.

Between 11:30 pm Tuesday night, Oct. 15th and Wednesday morning, before 6:30 am someone(s) entered our apartment while we slept and stole our laptop, our cell phone, my ipod and some cash.  The door to our apartment was unlocked from the inside and no forced entry was evident.  Whether they had a key or we somehow forgot to lock the door, who knows?  There is a locked door to the building that requires a key as well.  Thankfully, we slept soundly through it all.  Confronting robbers in the middle of the night is not a happy thought.  They were obviously in a hurry to grab what they could quickly…things they knew could easily be sold.  They opened my purse and took out about 1,000 pesos ($25) and Bill’s wallet had about 1500 pesos ($37) only.  They left our passport copies, driver’s license copies, the originals are stored elsewhere), credit cards, Temple recommends.    My violin was in a bedroom untouched.  We had more money in the bedroom where we slept so we don’t think they were wanting to find everything nor awaken us.  Tender mercies.  

Shock, dismay, disbelief, and then slowly the realization that so much of our lives as missionaries for the past year just walked out the door.  Sadly we had no backup program in use (though we had talked about getting one and I had a sense of urgency about that.  Our son-in-law Jacob was planning to bring down a flash drive to back up our files when he and Missy visit in November.)  Whoops, "too late, had our chance, muffed it!"  44G of photos, music, videos, journal documents and such are gone. Thank goodness that at least we have this blog.

Yeah, I've been through the full range of emotions from tears, to fears, to anxiety, to a sense of being violated and vulnerable, to anger (I really wanted to hit someone (where was Ouiser Boudreaux when I needed her!) and finally to profound gratitude for our safety.  Thankfully, that emotion that has been overarching all others.  Now I'm working on that pesky little thing called forgiveness.  That's a tougher one...but when I think of how poor most of these people are, I can hold out some hope that "our" robbers used the money for something they needed more than we needed our memories in living color and surround sound. 

The loss of my little ipod was a killer because I listen to music or Spanish Lessons or my violin lessons  almost every morning on my walks.  Music can be recovered with time from home, Spanish lessons can be put on another ipod when I have one and though I lost some violin lessons that weren't on my jump drive, Sister Douglas reminds me that she's still here and we have 5 months of lessons still to do.  Maybe it's a good thing I don't have proof of all that squawking I've been doing.

Today, we went to the little barrio in Hato del Yaque, to visit the YSA's. Yes, we're still smiling!

 

 
 

The Primary had their program.  As the children performed I imagined each of my primary-aged grandchildren...only with brown faces.  It was so sweet and I felt that healing balm that comes from children and music.  I fell in love with these sweet Dominicans again.  I needed that.  

My scripture reading the past few days has been in 3rd Nephi, the Savior's visit.  I'm teaching this for the next 3 weeks in my BOM class.  So wonderful.  I read again, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and dust doth corrupt and thieves break through and steal...but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven..."  I've pondered much about my treasures in heaven.  I'm so grateful for them, for all of my loved ones, for this wonderful opportunity to serve a mission, for the young adults and their testimonies and devotion, for the chance to be part of their lives, for the memories locked in my heart, for my sweet Billy, for our safety, and most importantly, for my abiding testimony of my Savior Jesus Christ, for His Atonement and for the love of my Father in Heaven.  No thieves can ever take those from me!  In our Devotional on Friday we sang "Did You Think to Pray." Verse 3 was for me.  "Did you plead for grace my brother, that you might forgive another, who has crossed your way." I promised my class that I would plead for grace...after all, I am in need of as much forgiveness as they are, and I can't receive it if I can't give it.