An Unexpected Pleasure
The church my husband attends encourages young men who are members to spend two years doing mission work for the church after high school graduation. They are not paid for this work, in fact they expected to pay their own expenses during this time. The young men and their families start putting money side for this purpose as soon as possible.
These men in their late teens and early 20s are sent all over the United States and to many foreign countries. They live with another missionary and serve in several places during the two years. They spend their time teaching, looking for people interested in the church and helping when needed in the area to which they are assigned.
The missionaries (Elders to give them proper church title) have been coming to our house once a week or so to visit and to teach my husband. These meetings tend to be instructional for all involved.
During one visit we got on to the topic of what the Elders are learning out on a mission. One of them is learning to manage money and they made some remarks about eating ramen noodles.
I know that the families within the church are encouraged to invite the Elders over for meals as much as possible. We have done this a few times. Sometimes though, they have to fend for themselves.
The thought of these two young men eating ramen noodles bothered me. Right now, they don't have a car which means that they get from place to place on bicycles. It's November and while we do have some mellow fall days yet, the weather can get very cold. The past few days have been rainy and they can't stay in due the the weather. Coming home to a bowl of ramen noodles after biking in the cold all day did not sound good to me nor did it sound very healthy. I had to so something.
The next time they were due to visit I made a big batch of tomato soup. I kept some of it for us and would give the rest to the Elders. The problem was that they are riding bikes, it's impossible to carry a container of soup on a bike without spilling. So I decided to freeze the soup. That way it would be solid and easier to carry. It wasn't frozen in time for them to take it with them at the end of the visit. My husband agreed to deliver it after work the next day.
The next day while I was at work I was thinking that while soup is nourishing, it would be good to have something more to eat with the soup. After all they are riding around most of the day and could be quite hungry. I got a loaf of bread, a package of cheddar cheese and a pound of butter. They could have a cheese sandwich with their soup. Most people can make a grilled cheese sandwich.
My husband called them to make sure they were home and got directions. I came along in the car with the food feeling positively gleeful as they were only expecting some soup.
They came out of the apartment building and I handed them my bag telling them what was inside. I also told them that if they liked the soup, I would tell them how to make it. It is easy, quick and inexpensive. I turned to get in the car, and they shook my hand and went to my husband, still in the car and shook his hand too. I grinned all the way home.
I don't know why it made me so happy to do that. Maybe it's because I'm Italian and we like to eat and to feed people. Maybe it was because I believe in doing at least one good deed every day. Maybe it was the thought of helping someone on a mission from God. I don't know and it doesn't matter. All I know is that I want to do it again. Next time I'd like to bring some lasagna.
These men in their late teens and early 20s are sent all over the United States and to many foreign countries. They live with another missionary and serve in several places during the two years. They spend their time teaching, looking for people interested in the church and helping when needed in the area to which they are assigned.
The missionaries (Elders to give them proper church title) have been coming to our house once a week or so to visit and to teach my husband. These meetings tend to be instructional for all involved.
During one visit we got on to the topic of what the Elders are learning out on a mission. One of them is learning to manage money and they made some remarks about eating ramen noodles.
I know that the families within the church are encouraged to invite the Elders over for meals as much as possible. We have done this a few times. Sometimes though, they have to fend for themselves.
The thought of these two young men eating ramen noodles bothered me. Right now, they don't have a car which means that they get from place to place on bicycles. It's November and while we do have some mellow fall days yet, the weather can get very cold. The past few days have been rainy and they can't stay in due the the weather. Coming home to a bowl of ramen noodles after biking in the cold all day did not sound good to me nor did it sound very healthy. I had to so something.
The next time they were due to visit I made a big batch of tomato soup. I kept some of it for us and would give the rest to the Elders. The problem was that they are riding bikes, it's impossible to carry a container of soup on a bike without spilling. So I decided to freeze the soup. That way it would be solid and easier to carry. It wasn't frozen in time for them to take it with them at the end of the visit. My husband agreed to deliver it after work the next day.
The next day while I was at work I was thinking that while soup is nourishing, it would be good to have something more to eat with the soup. After all they are riding around most of the day and could be quite hungry. I got a loaf of bread, a package of cheddar cheese and a pound of butter. They could have a cheese sandwich with their soup. Most people can make a grilled cheese sandwich.
My husband called them to make sure they were home and got directions. I came along in the car with the food feeling positively gleeful as they were only expecting some soup.
They came out of the apartment building and I handed them my bag telling them what was inside. I also told them that if they liked the soup, I would tell them how to make it. It is easy, quick and inexpensive. I turned to get in the car, and they shook my hand and went to my husband, still in the car and shook his hand too. I grinned all the way home.
I don't know why it made me so happy to do that. Maybe it's because I'm Italian and we like to eat and to feed people. Maybe it was because I believe in doing at least one good deed every day. Maybe it was the thought of helping someone on a mission from God. I don't know and it doesn't matter. All I know is that I want to do it again. Next time I'd like to bring some lasagna.
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