Unity

We have had the privilege of serving with the same 7 missionaries for 2 transfers (12 weeks- 3 months).  This is so unusual!  The first transfer there were three elders in Nieuwegein, Elder Lewis, Elder Derochie, and Elder Diaz.  There was a companionship of sisters in Utrecht, Sister Lechtenberg and Sister Hardy.  In Amersfoort there were Sister Gillespie and Sister Williams.  We began our transfer together in early Sept.

  On October 18, the next transfer day, none of the missionaries got transferred!  President Bunnell added a greenie, Elder Thomas, to the 3-man, making it a 4-man. 

 

The Elders decided we should all have matching t-shirts for our Zone P-day “turkey bowl”.  They designed them, found the materials and organized the project at our district p-day. 

 

 We love the shirts!  Go team!!

After Zone Conference last month, the missionaries grabbed a bite to eat and headed home on the train.  It was rush hour and crowded.  None of them could get a seat together so they spread out in the train car.  After a long day, it would have been understandable if they had relaxed and taken a quick nap.  But they didn’t….as they traveled home, each began to talk to their seat mate.  Elder Derochie told us he looked around, and saw every one of them in conversation.  All were doing the work they were called here to do.  At that moment he said he felt such unity.  As they discussed it later they each said they too noticed and expressed their joy in their unity of the work.

We have played together, studied together, eaten together, served one another, and done missionary work together. We have all grown close.  It has been a unique time in our mission that we will cherish. 

Shortly after this, the Assistants to the President in the weekly letter to the missionaries, asked each companionship to take 10 minutes and evaluate the day and then have companion prayer and give an accounting to the Lord.  They promised “this will build comp unity”. 

I got to thinking about unity.  Does working toward the same goals define unity?  Can you be working on the same goals and not feel unity?  Elder Derochie and Elder Diaz went with us to Den Bosch to institute.  On the long drive there I asked them about unity.  They felt it meant not only working toward the same things, but it required a “connection” to the others.  Caring, tolerance, appreciation, sacrifice and service were attitudes they felt created unity. 

We just celebrated Thanksgiving and our children decided they had to get together (at our house : ) That meant Andrew and family made the trip from California, Russ and boys drove from Washington and Emily and Dona Missy planned and organized the weekend. Of course, Grandma Cusick was there, supporting them, helping with dinner and love.   Without us there, everyone pitched in and covered for us.  The kids all expressed their joy in being together.  (and that they could and did get together without us orchestrating it!) 

This is unity…caring, tolerance, appreciation, sacrifice and service.  We aren’t just 21 people on parallel tracks heading in the same direction.  We are tightly knit in our love and devotion to each other.