STRESS MANAGEMENT

It was a stressful week.  We had been asked to teach the Plan of Salvation for our first ward missionary fireside but we had also volunteered to be delegates to the Army Family Action Planning (AFAP) conference.  The focus groups were meeting over the next three weeks to discuss grass roots issues in the Army.  Our mission encourages us to get involved on post and get to know people, so this was an opportunity to fulfill that commitment.  It turned out we had already met some people in our group in other capacities.  It was interesting to work together to refine and clearly state a problem with a possible solution, but we were torn because we hadn’t finished our fireside preparations.  On top of it, Elder Baum wasn’t feeling well (he got his flu shot and I think he was reacting).  We also worked through P-Day, washing and shopping in between everything else.

We had planned to give the lesson together like missionaries are taught to do, but after doctoring Elder Baum and putting him to bed, it became clear that the major responsibility would be mine.  I prayed for the enabling power of the Atonement.  Even though I burned two batches of cookies and let the dishes pile up, I felt amazingly calm and grateful (I beg God to help me not let things get to me, and to especially not take it out on my husband).  I wasn’t perfect, but Elder Baum commented that he didn’t even know I was stressed.

I don’t know if I was just noticing it more, or if I really did get an inordinate number of phone calls while I was preparing…the kind that you can’t put off.  Even so, I was preparing a power point presentation and noticed that I was able to find the perfect pictures almost effortlessly, which is unusual.  

I have to share one delightful image I found, trying to depict our reaction to the Plan of Salvation in the pre-existence:

I didn’t include it in the presentation because I wasn’t sure it was an accurate representation, even though that’s probably how it would have been for me.  The Hosanna Shout is a little more reserved (if that’s the shout we did back then).  I know we are cautioned about light mindedness and I'm not quite sure what that is either.  

I was trying to get a script down so Elder Baum could just read it, but then opted for an outline for me so he could just read the scriptures and quotes.  Setting up the equipment was a challenge and it took five adults to get it to work.  One of the soldiers needed a ride, so Elder Baum had to go do that before the meeting.  Our Samoan mission leader who was supposed to be conducting was predictably late so we started without him.  He was fortunately very good natured about it.  I secretly prayed that people would not be distracted by my husband’s and my weaknesses and that they would feel like it was worth them making an effort to come.  We had about 20 there, more than enough refreshments, and just about the right number of programs, even though we had no idea what to expect.

Afterward, a Samoan woman thanked me, explaining that she had been baptized in 2006 but had never really understood the Plan of Salvation.  Her exact words were, “It was worth coming.”

So it all worked out.  We’re taking our P-Day on Wed, Elder Baum is sleeping off his illness, and I am nurturing my soul with CES talks.  I listened to Elder Ballard today who quoted a poem that brought tears to my eyes, primarily because of my gratitude for the power of the Atonement:

  

The Oak Tree by Johnny Ray Ryder Jr. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A mighty wind blew day and night, It stole the oak tree's leaves away. Then snapped its boughs and pulled its bark until the oak was tired and stark. But still the oak tree held its ground while other trees fell all around.... The weary wind gave up and spoke, "How can you still be standing, Oak?" The oak tree said, "I know that you can break each branch of mine in two, carry every leaf away, shake my limbs, and make me sway. But I have roots stretched in the earth, growing stronger since my birth. You'll never touch them, for you see, they are the deepest part of me. Until today, I wasn't sure, of just how much I could endure. But now I've found, with thanks to you, I"m so much stronger than I ever knew.”