What's next?

Here is what I wrote as a comment to my blog over three and a half years ago, while I was still at BYU in the Masters of Linguistics program:

Mary Bonham said...

In reading my past post about my ASL story, I am reminded that this experience of going to BYU is also lead by my Heavenly Father. I really am not sure why I am going for a Master's degree, but I do feel God has a plan for me and this is part of it!

May 27, 2013 at 11:01 AM

My Master's degree is finished. It's been a year. My thesis is popular throughout the world. It has been downloaded over 4000 times in 41 countries. It is on the BYU scholar's archive top ten list and has been for a year.  I look back and read my feelings of wonder at WHY I was lead to get a Master's degree, and I stand all amazed. It makes me so happy that I continued through the degree, even though it was sooooo difficult. I knew the Lord was leading me, so I kept the faith and finished...finally. What a testimony to me that Heavenly Father was again at the helm of my life, steering me in the direction He wanted me to go.

I have gone back to interpreting. I feel, as the apostles of old, that "I have gone back to fishing." I love interpreting...that isn't a problem. It is a joy to be back in the interpreting world! In the back of my mind, though, I wonder...'What is next?"

One enjoyable thing I am doing is working several times a month on translation teams for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The LDS Church translates church-related materials into over a hundred languages. I work with American Sign Language, ASL. It is wonderful to be part of the work of spreading the gospel to all nations, kindreds, tongues and people!

Well, it has been a while and lots has happened. I am in graduate school at BYU, 2nd year, Linguistics major. Loving it! My two baby girls are leaving on mission next month. Have five grandsons. Wow! Life has really moved along!

Jackie

Last night we spent the evening with Jackie. It was her birthday and she had a Twilight party on Friday. We had run out of time to watch the movie so we went back to her house last night and watched it. Jackie is awesome! She has been on this earth for 23 years. In 23 years she has never said an unkind word about anyone. She is never judgmental about anyone. She just loves everyone. What a way to be! In her eyes, all the world is full of love. She is a peacemaker. She finds joy in simple things - like watching Twilight with friends. She is a wonderfully happy person. She has her place in the Celestial Kingdom assured. It is so cool to be around a Celestial Being! I hope some of her goodness rubs off on me!

Find Joy

I am loving school, as I mentioned. So, why do I do all the complaining about the work or reading? My visiting teacher recommended to me to just enjoy it, because I do. It is easy for me to feel stressed out over ANYTHING! But, I LOVE what I am doing! Those two statements contradict. My feeling contradict! I don't have tiny children in the home. I have more freedoms than I have ever had. Have I conditioned myself to feel stressed out CONSTANTLY?

My neighbor gave me suggestions on keeping up with the reading I must do for my classes. I can do this! Keeping calm (not in my nature!) is my goal. Breathe deeply and lower the shoulders. Ahhhhhhh...doesn't that feel good?

to graduate or not to graduate

Bob will graduate next month. I will be taking more classes. Life would sure be easier if I weren't going to school. I love what I am doing, though. On June 24th I will be half way done. That means I will have finished 32 credits and have 33 credits left. Agh!

I guess I just have to eat the elephant one bite at a time. Just keep on truckin'!

Update

Anaise's comment, for my last post, was a great one. Come to find out, the family now has a favorite nurse at the hospital. She has been a nurse who gives them great hope for bringing this baby home. She gave them a blanket for the mom to sleep with for a couple days. Then, when they feed the baby, they can hold him in this blanket so he can smell his mommy. He is getting several drips of breast milk now. Also, the nurse said not to feel sorry for the baby. He has never experienced another life. I mean, he is the way he is and he doesn't know anything different. It reminds me of something my deaf teacher said. She says she doesn't miss music, she doesn't care about music and no one needs to feel sorry for her. She has never experienced it and she doesn't mind that at all. As for the baby, we are still waiting to see what is going to happen.

Baby

I haven't posted since Baby Energy. Yes, Dianna had an awesome experience with her great friend and neighbor. Everything was going along fine. The neighbor really appreciated Dianna's calming influence. Then the friend went to the hospital to deliver the baby. The baby was born with severe, severe problems. It has been a very sad and tumultuous time. The family is hoping the baby will live. The doctors are not sure if the baby will live. Everyday is like a roller coaster. Even if the baby lives, there will be severe problems, mental and physical. Dianna has been a fabulous support to her neighbor. The pain of this situation is extremely difficult. There was no clue given, before the birth, that there would be anything wrong. (Seems impossible that the doctors didn't catch this sooner.) The little baby is a sweet baby boy. It is weird to be close to this situation. I haven't known anyone, personally, while they were going through a situation such as this. It is hard to know what to pray. Dianna says she prays that the family can be strong in the faith, no matter what happens. I think that is a good prayer.