A Watched Pot Never Boils!

24 November 2016

Because I never grew up having been embraced within the warmth of the security blanket of the gospel doctrines and principles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, my mother, Barbara Green Sloan, had to find other avenues to teach virtues and standards of living.

I learned many valuable lessons from "A stitch in time saves nine", "You can't squeeze blood out of a turnip",  "You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear" and "Don't be the pot calling the kettle black".   The one that still makes me roll my eyes, not because I think it is dumb anymore, but because now I realize how much it suited me is: "Pretty is as pretty does!" (I guess my poor teenage attitude was more transparent than I thought!) And to be even more forthright because Mother didn't feel like the message was getting through....she made up one all on her own:  "You can act like the Devil at home but you had better be an Angel in public!"  That one REALLY made me roll my eyes! 

We didn't have Nephi, Alma, or Moroni to teach love of family, obedience, or courage.  We did have Poor Richard's Almanac penned by Benjamin Franklin.  There I learned such virtues as "Honesty is the best policy" (I've got to say... this one always confused me coming from a man that used a pseudonym for his almanac!), "A penny saved is a penny earned", "There is a place for everything and everything has a place" and "Don't throw rocks at your neighbors if you, yourself,  live in a glass house".   All valuable lessons.


Mother is the voice in my head. She taught the application of the principles but she just didn't have the doctrine to back it up.   As Elder Bednar has so adequately taught doctrine explains WHY, principles teach WHAT, and application teaches HOW. 

It is like I had learned all the same virtues and principles as anyone else but I just had to learn it through the "lesser law".   I had to learn the hazards and follies of procrastination through sewing stitches

instead of learning obedience and listening to the Spirit from James and John when they went "straightway" when the Savior called to them.

Hypocritical behavior was always corrected through pots and kettles and glass houses

instead of soft, peaceful, melodic hymns "Let Us Oft Speak Kind Words To Each Other". 

Patience is one of those principles that is attached to the doctrine of Faith.   Of late my patience and faith is being tested.   The words of my mother that I have most recently been reminded of are  "A watched pot never boils!"

When we began our mission papers we talked about the duration of the mission.   We decided that 18 months would be enough.   Our 18 month mark was on the 25 November 2016.   That is since gone and we are still here in Cambodia.   We committed to President and Sister Christensen with all the love in our hearts to them that we would stay until our replacements arrive.   We do not regret that.  We will stay until the new office couple arrives or April... whatever comes first (we HAVE to leave by April which is our 23 month mark.  Government laws force us to leave at that duration of time) Every day for the past 6 weeks, I go to the office the first thing that I do is look on the computer to see if our replacements have been assigned yet.   So far the answer is "no".  So my patience is being exercised!   I am beginning to believe that truly this watched pot is never going to boil, therefore, this week.... I am not going to look at the assignment list until at least..... Wednesday!!!