There is a Tulip tree outside of our apartment! Look closely at the yellow flowers and how they blend closely into the tree. They are quite lovely!
Last week we took Jeremy to the Amtrak Station to catch a train and spotted this beautiful mosaic tile inset in a building downtown. They have mosaic billboards all over in this area on the freeway on-ramps. We don't dare even slow down long enough to take a picture of them in the traffic here - so we jumped at the chance to snap a photo of this one.
NEWS: We have been given the assignment to go to a different ward in one of the four Fresno Stakes every Sunday and let them see our faces and report a little on the Employment Center programs. There are 32 wards in Fresno and we have 18 Sundays left, so we began today. Because we had a previous appointment today, it limited where we could go, so we went to the Dry Creek Ward which meets in the same building we have been attending. It was like we were in a totally different ward! Our previous ward had a reverence problem (putting it mildly). This ward was so reverent and quiet - we wondered if we were in the right church. We introduced ourselves to the Bishop before the block started and he actually pointed us out from the pulpit and encouraged members to visit with us if there were employment needs. YEAH! Better than we ever expected! We had five or six different people come and talk to us at various times during the block! Success already!
Last fall we had a Muslim husband and wife come to the ERC and to the Career Workshop. Their names are Ahmad and Amanda. Ahmad is Syrian. Amanda grew up here but spent much time in Syria also because her father is Syrian. We fell in love with them in the workshop. They are so humble and trusting and we have a great friendship. They talked about us so much that Amanda's mother came to our workshop a few months later to see if we were as nice as her children said. On Wednesday Amanda, Ahmad, and their daughter Julia came in. We were so excited that we just hugged Amanda and Ahmad. He was so pleased to share pictures of his two business (dress shops) in Syria. ... Then they shared the great news. Diane, got an amazing job last Friday. It is more perfect than if she had written the description herself. She was beyond excited and they were too. They all said that they noticed that their luck seemed to move forward when WE started to pray for them, and even with the time and little discouragements, they have moved forward. They acknowledged our part in the good things that are happening in their lives… Even though Ahmad does not yet have the perfect job, he sees the blessings, and they are here in the US where his family is safe. That led to a discussion on Syria and the refugee camps there. Sister Olson mentioned to Amanda that she had heard that the Church had sent over 18,000 blankets to the refugees there, and Steve said that while he was in SLC last week he saw 3 of the huge cargo crates being staged to be sent over there with sanitary kits, clothing etc. They said they wished others knew of this, and I reminded them that wasn’t why or how our church does things. The humanitarian work done by our Church is mind-boggling. They invited Sister Olson and I, and Steve and his wife, to dinner on Sunday but that wouldn’t work so a date is still to be decided. That is always fun and we appreciate their desire to include us in their life. On Thursday Diane called to tell us the details of her job, and thank us personally for our support and prayers. We suggested that she write up her experience and Steve (our boss), asked if she would put it on the Employment site. She said she would. I will be sure to share it when it is posted. WE LOVE OUR WORK!!!!
The power of our prayers has greatly affected this little family. They recognize it and Amanda has even asked if she can come in and visit with us and learn how to recognize when God is talking to her. WOW - have we got some fun ahead of us with that assignment!! There was a time when I didn't think that a mission in the ERC was going to be very fulfilling because we didn't get to teach investigators. I have come to understand and love the ERC and shout from the rooftops the fact that we get to teach and to testify every single day. We have the opportunity to seek the Spirit and share with every every person we call, every person who comes through the door at the ERC and all we meet in other places, how much God wants to bless them, how much He loves them and that He is ALWAYS there. I testify that I know this is true.
