On Sunday, March 12th, we packed up from Geraldine and drove 30 minutes to Timaru where the LDS ward met. The ward was small, but welcoming. What we love about going to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints all around the world is it’s always the same. Different people, sometimes different language, but the schedule, doctrine, and lessons are always the same. It’s a blessing to feel at home at church even half-way around the world.

Evelyn really liked the chorister and somehow ended up in her arms while she led the songs! There was no nursery, so I kept Oliver with me in Relief Society. Brandon met the O’Sullivans, who was an elderly couple who had joined the church about 4 years ago. They knew someone Brandon knew from the MTC, so they invited us to their house after church.

We had a nice visit with them and learned all about their family. Patricia, the wife, had the yummiest homemade zucchini muffins that we all devoured. Homemade baked goods tasted so good after our diet of crackers and dried food we’ve been eating on the road. They could have talked our ears off for a few more hours, but our children were needing a nap in the car. They gave them each a stuffed animal on the way out that Blake and Evelyn have been carrying around non-stop.

Lesson learned

• Be welcoming to visitors at church. Even if I don’t have a perfect meal to prepare for them, inviting them over even for a snack is such a nice gesture.
• Don’t take nursery for granted.
• The O’Sullivans reminded us a lot of Ellis and Millie Wilson, Brandon’s maternal grandparents. They were so nice and patient with our children, even when they got crumbs all over the table and carpet. They assured us many times to not pick up and to stop saying sorry because kids are just kids. I’d like to develop this kind of patience and enjoy people more than perfection.
• It was a very cold and rainy day, and since I was not prepared for cold weather, Evelyn had to wear mismatching leggings under her skirt and white socks with her sandals. Not the best fashion statement, but worshiping is more important than fashion. It was a liberating feeling to not care that she was dressed like this. Of course, I like my children to match, but I think I would be a stress case if she wore that to church back home. It really doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. And how easy going are children to not even care or think about mismatching clothes.