It has been a long time since I wrote here. It’s funny, I was told most things in the office grind to a tortoise pace in the summer when the General Authorities are on vacation. But guess what?! Everyone else in the world also wants to take advantage of the summer break and a lot of Church members here hope to have a chance to come to the temple. Here in the Caribbean, travel among the many island countries can be very complicated and the airfare expensive, but fortunately for those who don’t have all the funds, the Church has a special assistance fund to help these members who might not otherwise be able to afford the trip.

One of my responsibilities here in the Area Office is to help the members who request to use this General Temple Patron Assistance Fund (GTPAF) get their requests approved by the Area Presidency and help facilitate the process for them to get their flights along with any other needs related to the trip. Sometimes the process works beautifully, and sometimes the cart gets put before the horse and I end up trying to facilitate disaster mitigation (or Mr. Hot Stuff has to step in and help). It’s been difficult to help members and leaders understand that we can’t begin the process at all until everyone planning to attend the temple has a temple recommend, and a passport. (A temple recommend is a card that shows you have had an interview with your church leaders and have assured them that you are keeping your heart turned toward the Savior and trying to keep His commandments.)

I have had times when I’ve been trying to assist as many as six groups to make their plans to go to the temple. I’ve learned a lot about how to keep track of all these different families and groups, and where each one is in the process. It’s been a trial by fire at times, which has occasionally involved tears and hair-pulling frustration for everyone.

About a month ago, in the middle of my most difficult group management EVER, I started having some trouble with my eyes. I was spending too much time in front of the computer trying to help everyone who needed assistance, so I got more deliberate about taking breaks to let my eyes rest from the bright screen. Sometimes I would spend 15 minutes doodling or making the little floral wire dolls that I like to give away to kids.

Then one night I got up in the night to go to the bathroom and when I blinked, I saw a bright flash like a string of lights across my right eye and then a hazy grey veil in the corner of my vision. This didn’t seem like a good thing to me, but I wasn’t sure what to do here in a country where I’m not familiar with the medical system AT ALL, and besides that it was the start of the weekend. Long story short, it took a while for me to get the name of an eye doctor who could help me, but in the end, one doctor referred me to another and (after about 2 ½ weeks) I found someone who diagnosed a retinal tear in a location that was not easy to see without a painful eye exam. Fortunately, this doctor had the skills and equipment to repair the tear and during the laser surgery to repair it, he also noticed another tear that was hiding in a different spot, and he fixed that one too.

And that’s the story of how I had ophthalmologic laser surgery in the Dominican Republic last week. Yes, you can get good medical care here if you know where to find it. Hopefully, you know someone you can ask. Did it hurt? YES. Oh, did it hurt! Yes, they used anesthetic eye drops. I understand much of the time this type of surgery does not hurt, but mine sure did. He said for some reason the lower melanin in white people sometimes makes it hurt more than for people with darker skin. I will go back for a checkup in a couple of days. I don’t want to. I’m afraid it will hurt again, but sometimes we have to be grown-up about these things, you know?

To be clear, the retinal tear wasn’t caused by stress, but sometime stress magnifies a weakness and contributes to having things show up that never have before.

I’m grateful to know people here who I trust and are willing to help me find the help that I needed. Also, I’m learning that it’s important to not push myself so hard that the stress starts causing glitches in my matrix.

Some of our missionary friends went home this week. We will miss them. I’m a little sad because we are entering a period where several of our missionary couple friends will be leaving, one after the other, and it is going to feel empty at our group Family Home Evening meetings when there aren’t as many of us there. Part of me is a little jealous. I miss my children and grandchildren and they are growing so fast. I have to remind myself of all the new, wonderful people we will get to meet and know over the next year, and of all the miracles that our family has seen so far. Those are beautiful things.

I know that Heavenly Father sees us in our difficulties, that Jesus Christ will help us face them, and that the scriptures will speak to us the words of help, encouragement, and hope when we need them, if we take the time to pray and read those inspired words for us. I hope that you will be able to take some time this week to count your blessings and open your eyes to see all that God has done for you. The sun rose today. I hope you smiled.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13