letter from Elder Corbridge

I have nothing to report this week, except that I have been inside with my companion.  He has a Cyst on his tail bone, so we're waiting for that to heal and we have to stay in for most of this week.

I love this picture…It's the 2000 stripling warriors. Their fathers had sacrificed everything to obey God’s will. There was ugly battle and the sons wanted to fight for their religion, for God and his gospel. They couldn't because that would break the promise, but, these young men were willing and God gave them that right to stand for righteousness.  They left everything behind and it was because they loved God more than all that mattered to them. They made an oath to fight for truth and for righteousness. As long as they were living ,they were willing to fight.  They were taught by widows, by their loving mothers to obey the commandments.  These men were valiant and true in all things and obeyed every command God had given them with no fear, for they had faith and they had hope and they had courage. they had faith in Christ and fought for his gospel!

 I'm trying to be that warrior who will not quit, who will observe and obey every law of his gospel and fight for the gospel,which is truth!  I just need to become stronger and not fear for man but fear for God.

  I love you so much!  Tell the fam I say hi And I appreciate their letters of support!

Love, Elder Corbridge

funnies and whines

written two weeks ago!  I've just not been in the spirit to blog because I feel like I'm whiney.  Oh well.  It is what it is.  So, here's what it is....

this past few days have been great and awful and hysterical and sad...  I have actually laughed more in the past few days than I have in weeks.

I ordered some tube tops.  Because my scar goes from two inches below my collar bone down my arm to just over two inches above my "elbow pit", as Liza calls it, I have not been able to wear a bra since my fall in December.  (Actually, I just realized, as I typed that, that they must have cut my bra off when they cut my shirt off because I've been missing a bra.)  Anyway, I thought that I would order a few tube tops because I am feeling good enough to get out and about for short periods of time and need something! I was hoping that the tube top would be enough. I am very anxious to return to church next Sunday.

I just texted Buddy:  Did they cut my bra off when they cut off my shirt. Oh, the things that I forget about that day!  Buddy responded immediately: I don't think that they cut it off, but maybe?  Anything that has to do with that part, I have blocked from my memory.  Poor Buddy! He is still aching from holding my arm in that one position until they could get me sedated and attempt to relocate it.  Literally, over an hour a and a half, holding it, while standing there.  He may never be the same.  But, I will never look at him the same, either.  He was truly my hero that long night!  He has had to block a lot out of his memory, I'm certain!

I digress... Anyway, I ordered these tube tops.  And they came just had just stepped out of the shower.  I was on the phone with Denise. I told her about them and how excited I was to try them.  The "free" look isn't that appealing in my old age!  ha!  I opened the package and put one of them on.  Oh my!  I order things online all the time.  ALL the time!  More than I buy in real stores.  In all the years, I've returned one thing!  I have been lucky.  SO!

I step into this tube top (I have to step into everything right now.) and oh my gosh!  I was laughing so hard that I snorted.  It's "round" enough but the thing was about 8" long.  If I pulled it up where it belong, it rolled all the way up over where it should be covering.  If I pulled it down to where the bottom of a bra should be, it rolled down beneath what it should be covering. When I fixed the left side, the right slipped,  When I fixed the right, the left slipped.  It was lacy and thin as a napkin.  That should have been my first clue... three of them folded into fourths were not as thick as one slice of bread.  Oh my, it was a comedy show.  Denise only heard but she laughed so hard.  I was showing Carol at lunch and she rolled!   I guess those will be returned.   next??!!?

Also, that morning...I'm sitting in the dark. It's time for morning prayer. I am currently sleeping in the den on the recliner for my shoulder. HATE IT!  The girls are getting ready for school. Grace comes upstairs and was going to walk in the laundry room to get her phone.(The girls turn their phones and electronic devices in at 9:30 each night.)  The pocket door between the kitchen and den was closed so that the light and Doug's blender don't wake me up. Grace walked in, in the pitch dark, and she literally walked into the door. BAM!!!   I hadn't even heard her walk through. BAM!,!   Laughing so hard, I said are you OK? She said, "I am, but,my dignity is not!"  Three days later, I'm still cackling!  I could hardly pray because I was laughing so hard!  Silly girl! She's a good sport!

Quayd also wrote me the funniest letter he has ever written on Monday.  It was personal, but, it was hysterical.  I have laughed all week at that.

And then there is Miss Aylabelle.  We were facetiming and I showed her that my arm/shooulder is doing so well.  "Watch this!", as I lifted my arm and waved a small short wave at her.  She giggled, then looked at Liza and said, "I can do that."  She waved her arm and looked at Liza like, "What's the big deal with THAT!?!"  Liza and I both just burst out laughing.  She makes us both laugh every day!

So, that's a few of my good laughs this past few days.  I've needed them.  I have been doing so well.  I began physical therapy two weeks ago and it has been very painful, the day after.  I've shed many tears.  I have been trying desperately to be well enough to make the six hour trip to St. George for EdieAnn's baby blessing.  Sadly, my physical therapist says that it would not be in my best interest yet to make this trip.  I've pushed so hard that I've had to go back into my brace again because I've had a little set-back.  I have bawled over this!  I want to be there for the blessing, for Liza, to see these two sweet little granddaughters of mine. 

I've done my fair share of crying this past eight weeks.  Eights ago yesterday, I got my shoulder.  It hurts.  A lot.  I've had six major surgeries in my life and never imagined this kind of pain.  It just seems so senseless... one minute, I'm writing my missionary son and going down to dinner with my daughter and her sweet little family.  The next, I'm in a hospital six hours from my home and away from my husband getting a new shoulder.  I still can't wrap my head around that.  But, we all have our challenges and this one is mine.  I'll cry a bit and then I'll smile some more and be thankful for the blessings that I've been given through this challenge.  Doug and the girls have been wonderful in their care.  Friends and family have gone above and beyond.  I have a beautiful home to recouperate in with so many comforts of life to make it more tolerable.  

Mostly, I have been reminded, when I'm bawling through my physical therapy and sleepless nights, the Savior went through so much more than this.  I can do this.  And as always, I'm reminded of Doug's "I'm still alive" and "This too shall pass."  Although, these days, he doesn't say those things.  He mostly tears up and says, "I hate seeing my best friend hurt."  That makes me cry.  I am blessed. I hurt.  A lot.  But, I am blessed.

Quayd's letter

Quayd was so excited to share his testimony and notes from Elder Dallin Oaks visit last week! 

This week has been one crazy week.  Elder Oaks is coming and we have a young choice lady who has decided to follow Christ, our savior and is heading into the waters of baptism. We have been plagued with sickness and are dieing slowly within our apartment and have been SKUNKIFIED!!!!!!

And love is in the air and I can't be loving it better!!!!! hahaha I love this work! I love this gospel!! I love sharing the truth with those who need it!!! and I love those who change their life around and accept the gospel to help them!!!! Christ is real! I have witnessed his hand in all things and I have seen his grace and mercy through every thick and thin of this mission. With the companionship of the holy ghost testifying of its truth... hearts are softened... tormoil and grief are changed to peace and joy... and I have seen that this week! So, here a couple highlights! 

We have been plagued with sickness. It's not at all how I thought I would start this transfer off, but that is what happened. We are dying in our beds, coughing and hacking. Apparently, Beaumont is the place to get sick. haha It's not fun! Although I enjoy the sleep, I'd rather be living the life by teaching the gospel! We are doing a little better each day anyway.

We were SKUNKIFIED!!!!! Our car reeks of skunk !

Like I said, an apostle of the Lord came and on that very same day a baptism happened....Our new follower of Christ is Hayley. This choice young daughter of our Heavenly Father is a character! She is funny and sometimes arrogant with her sarcasm, but she is a light that this world needs! It's Christ’s light and his love! We saw that as we taught her and as as she said yes to the invitation. It's amazing,  the work the Lord has for us to do. ...We got to baptize Hayley. I got to see Elder Earl and Elder Matthews!  

Elder Oaks! There's a big difference seeing him on a tv screen and actually meeting him! He looks very young and healthy for his age which is saying something...  the Lord takes care of his apostles, along with the prophet himself. I got to shake his hand and you could feel his spirit! So some things that I learned from Elder Oaks…

 Well, he said he does not like the world of technology.  One thing that Elder Oaks has is humor! He said, as he was trying to use his iPad, “I hate this inferno device and the only reason I use it is because Elder Packer told me I had to.” I was laughing so hard. He calls his jokes “fragments”.

Here are some things that I learned…He told us a great deal of the Book of Mormon…he told us of Alma and Amulek and how that revolves around us missionaries and wife's and husband’s companionship… unity is very important.

 He also explained how we read the Book of Mormon just to go through it or to read it so we can say we read it for seminary.  That is what I did and I'm ashamed that I just read it through. I'm learning more and more about the Book of Mormon, but it still feels like I'm just reading it just so I can get through personal study... haha.  Something he said though struck me…Are we reading the Book of Mormon differently than we read anything else? Are we reading the Book of Mormon differently than a chapter book or novel or magazine? Are we reading the Book of Mormon with faith to learn something, to lose ourselves in its pages and it's doctrine of Jesus Christ? Are we finding faith and courage and a purpose for living and sharing this gospel?

We need to read the Book of Mormon differently, that we cannot read the Book of Mormon like we read other things.  Seek to find understanding… we will be just flipping page by page and in the end we will be stuck with question like... what did I just read? Sadly, I have done this and need to correct my error. He offered this advice: Experience reading the Book of Mormon! Put prayer in between reading the Book of Mormon and other activities. Plead for the spirit to guide the way to understand and capture the importance of the words of Christ. So, I am going to repent myself and try my best to understand the truth of its doctrine.

Also, he told us the success of the mission depends on honesty… to be honest with your mission president, with your companion, with your mission and, most importantly, with yourself!  He said, and I quote, “The devil has many tools, but, a lie has a handle them all.”  He said to be honest and fix anything of error. Honesty needs to be cloaked with diplomacy.

  

 I love you all and I know that the gospel is true, that it's being led by a beloved prophet and his followers, one of them being Elder Oaks. The wisdom these men have are inspired by God, the power of discernment and the priesthood.  I know also that Joseph smith was and is the prophet of these last days and that Christ is our eternal maker, our judge and our friend. Let us lay down our lives and fight for this gospel and not measure up to those around us but measure up to Him!

I love you and wish you a happy Valentine's Day! 

Love,

Elder Corbridge

another brick in the...my road

I am making progress, slowly but surely.  I cried during the first physical therapy.  it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.  I had heard so many nightmares about how I had not experienced pain yet, until I began PT.  So, in my mind, I imagined being racked in a torture chamber for days kind of pain.  In actuality, it was just moving my arm for the first time out of the position that it's been in in the brace for two months.  /much less painful!  But, the next day.  WOW.  OW!  OW!

However, the therapist gave me clearance to get into the hottub!  I've missed that hour of my every day.  So, I was thrilled for that.  I could hardly wait.  Doug had drained and cleaned and refilled it the night before and had it all ready for me.  But, by the time we got home, I was hurting to much to try to even get ready to get in.  So, on Friday night, we went out and I even did my physical therapy exercises in the water, which made for much easier stress on my body.  Every time I do the exercises, I want to cry about fifteen minutes after I'm done and then for the next hours.

BUT! It must be helping because I went back to PT yesterday and he said that I have 20%more motion than I did last week!  He upped my workout and oh my!  I didn't cry yesterday but last night was long and painful and today, Ive not wanted to move.  It's not physical therapy that's hard.  It is recovering from it.   Ow, OW, OWWW!  enough whining, though, because it does mean I am getting better!  I have been given the ok to remove my brace for periods during the day when I am at home.  Still sleeping with it, although, I'm loosening it at nights now and I have to wear it when I am out, in case of falling or slipping... which right now, there's a lot of that with all the ice and snow!

btw, I do own more shirts and most pix of me since my fall are in one of three shirts.  Doug even bought me six new blouses.  However, the velcro on the brace ruins anything it gets near.  I got jumbo-set size shirts so that I can move and not feel even more chocked in these. I never realized that 90% of my shirts were pull-overs.  One of my button-ups, the one I had on the day of the fall, had to be cut off me at the hospital.  New wardrobe awaiting me. Oh,  I also owned exactly one blue thing.  They cut it off me... I now own four.  ha!  whoknew?

In other news...

our snow is melting so quickly!  There are spots with barely six inches left.  There are still three to four foot mounds, as well, but there is half what we had.  And the wind is blowing fiercely.  it sounds like a freight train outside my window. I love living so near the mouth of the canyon!  The wind blows a lot! I do feel like spring will come... before June.  Speaking of which, the girls will have to go to school in June for make-up days to the snow days that we had.  I wonder if Grace will be expected to since her graduation is before the make-up days?

We bought the movie, 'light between oceans" last week..  It is so painful to watch.  SO painful.  But, we watched it with the girls and had quite the deep discussion about morals, ethics, honesty, integrity, love and right and wrong.  I was touched by the depth of which the girls watched the movie.  Seriously, painful to watch, but oh, so worth it.  A thinker.

ZJ helped me create a valentine tablescape and hung a few hearts in the entry.  I am missing decorating, moving furniture, going out with girlfriends the most.  I am humbled and amazed by the meals that my friends have brought it, the cokes that have been dropped by, the treats. Texts and phone calls every day for week after week.  My friends are my family and for that, I am eternally grateful.  I'm reminded that something as simple as a "Hope you['re having a good day" text can make someone's day!

Life is good! And so is getting better! forgive the typos

elder corbridge weekly letter

Elder Corbridge sounds great!!!  busy and happy!  Thanks for your prayers in his behalf!

Well, last time, I told you about the baptism. This week, we are having another baptism.  I do not know this soon to be convert,but, it will be fun and hopefully, I'll have better news with Elder Oaks, an apostle of the Lord, coming to our mission because he might actually be at the baptism! Might! It might not happen, but, how legit would that be!

Anyway, I Have been helping a lot of people move into homes and lots of them aren't even members. It is nice letting people know the good old message of Jesus Christ and His restored gospel. Investigators and seekers of the truth are coming in left and right and we have been on fire!

I miss Beaumont a lot, but my new ward and extended family is awesome. Great fellowship, so it's pretty fun.

Anyway, some things that have stuck out this week… one being the Book of Mormon. We taught the Remixes family about the Book of Mormon .I know if they take the time to read it,  they will receive an answer! It's just amazing how that works!

Another time, we met a less active. He hasn't gone to church in 33 years. Crazy stuff, but he remembers his baptism and still believes the church is true. That is awesome! The conviction and convincing power of the Holy Ghost… you can't deny the church or the gospel if you have and even though this guy hasn't gone to church or anything, I can feel his wanting for the Spirit, thus, we gave him a Book of Mormon and he was excited to gain that knowledge. So, we'll see what comes in the works of the gospel.

Sacrament meeting was awesome! For some odd reason, I was having a hard time staying awake. Sadly, I dozed for a couple minutes but the spirit is so strong and it wasn't a roar but a small whisper saying wake up... A young man named dawson was charming. His expierience about meeting this one lady and how he was able to share the gospel with the missionaries meaning us a couple weeks ago. This lady knocked at our door and asked us to come to dinner. Well Dawson came with us and we were able to share the gospel with them. Turns out he had met one of the girls there at Walmart and he had a chance to talk to her again.  This time it was the gospel, so he shared that.  His testimony was that God answers prayers at his timing. Second, another young man shared an interesting story about judging and how we do not need to judge because we don't know but Christ knows.  He's the one who will judge us in the end.  Third is the power of the Holy Ghost…one of the elders shared his experience with his family who do not know about the gospel.  He shared his beliefs and his mouth was filled with the spirit of the lord. He was reading scriptures and telling them stories and bearing testimony, which means if we are in tuned with the spirit, we can work wonders in the lives around us.  This is what I learned and I needed it! I know this gospel is true! I know that testimonies are a strong evidence of it being true and the Holy Ghost can attest to that!  So exciting!

Love, 

Elder Corbridge

and so it begins

Tomorrow, I will begin my physical therapy.  it has been six weeks since my fall.  I have to say that this has been the longest six weeks of my life!  thankfully, friends and family have been here and in thought and deed!  I am blessed!  I am also not a great leftie!

a few ramblings today:

I have now officially seen more tv than a person shouldin  a lifetime!  I have watched a ton, and I mean a ton on Netflix.  Old movies, movies that I love, series after series, documentary after documentary.  I've been so excited to read but I can't stay awake long enough to read a chapter of anything.  Frustrating.  But, ask me about the 80s, about being a midwife, about Bones, about sharks or whales or bears or strange and unusal deaths! ha!

I'm thankful for the stack of books that I do have to read...when I am more alert and not confined to this recliner!

We are getting out taxes done today. This is probably my least favorite thing to do in life!  I don't know why.  I like Ken, our CPA.  He does a great job.  We usually get a refund.  I have all the paperwork together as it comes in and it takes very little effort on my part but I hate it!  Ken teases me about it every year.  So, today, I'm going to go in and not say one negative word about the whole process.  I'm sure that he'll notice.

I took Grace into the doctor this morning.  Well, Carol took us in.  She will be having an endoscopy in a few weeks.  we drove her to school and talked about going to lunch on the way home.  by the time we'd driven to the school, I asked Carol if she minded just drving through a fast food place and getting me back home.  As much as I want to be back to life, my body is in control, not my mind.

I went to the doctor last night and I cried for an hour after the exam.  He moved my arm more than its' been moved yet.  He poke and pushed harder than anyone has.  He is wonderful, and he was just doing what he needed to but it hurt!  I'm still hurting. Thankfully, even after my mishap last week, he says it's looking good.  I just pulled muscles that weren't ready to be stretched like that yet.  Have I mentioned that I'm not looking forward to physical therapy.  Carol teased, "Not for one whole block."

Quayd was busy and on the run this week.  His letter said that he'd received my letter and package, he likes his new companion, he misses his old one and he is working hard. The end.  Less than five sentences.  I no likee that.  But, he's busy and hanging in there!

That's all.  It's taken hours to get this much written, but I am determined to get back to life asap!  I am blessed.  I want to say that I am overwhelmed with gratitude for this good husband of mine.  He has always been amazingly wonderful to me.  But, seriously.  He is so attentive to my every need and desire through this challenge.  I think that I have fallen in love with him all over again!  I could not appreciate him more!