Thursday, January 14, 2010
Second edition to my musings:

On Monday last we arrived at 6:25 a.m., at the MTC cafeteria to pick up a brown bag breakfast for our travel to Salt Lake City to tour Welfare Square. We had the morning of instruction and then a tour - what a large facitilty, the diary was huge, we were told the cows were milked three times a day which produced vast gallons of milk that was turned into white milk, chocolate milk, and cheese. The cheddar was scored into 1# blocks. We sampled the jam from the cannery and the bread from the bakery. The vast elevators for the wheat have been on site since 1940 and held tons and tons of grain.
Then we went into the building that housed the humanitarian goods, bales and bales of clothes that had been sent to Deseret Industries - all had to be sorted (the sorting was being done by mostly ladies, mostly imigrants who received a wage and also who were given english lessons for several hours each day). After the bales were sorted; into, children, adults, teens, sweaters, coats, shoes, etc, they were then bound into smaller bundles, labled and stacked one upon another until they touched the roof of the warehouse. In this same building were emergency kits being put together for infants, new quilts and clothing that had been donated by relief societies and other auxiliaries of the church to be given to children.

Here I want to share with you a story of a young mother. It is entitled -Baby Blanket:
"One day a very young mother, obviously living in poverty with no one to turn to, came to Welfare Square asking for help. She was poorly dressed and needed a number of things; however, she didn't ask for food, clothing, or money. She said there was something more important she needed. Finally, through a few tears, she said she needed a nice, clean baby blanket in which she could wrap her baby. We assured her that we could find something for her. Then she told us that her little baby had died and she didn't have any money to clothe the child and if she could have a little blanket, then she could wrap the baby in it. One of the mortuaries had agreed to bury her child for her.
We were all immediately touched by her situation. Of course we found the blanket she needed, and, in addition to that, got her some new clothing and some food. Then we attempted to find a bishop that would be willing to assist her.
Some of our Relief Society sisters had received assignments to make small blankets. One made a particularly beautiful blanket that was used and greatly appreciated by a young mother who had tragically lost her only child."

It is just this kind of situation where Welfare Square helps ease the suffering.
That same day were taken to the 10th floor of the Joseph Smith building where we were treated to a lovely luncheon - a full meal. The guest speaker was Brother Glen L. Rudd, one of the original church members who helped to manage Welfare Square. He helped put together the many faith promoting stores from his service at Welfare Square. Brother Rudd is 92, a speaker with wit and knowledge, he told us - story after story -of the people that were helped gain their self respect and who where helped to become self sufficient I will be sharing many of the stories he as put together in a pamphlet. They are truly faith promoting.

The rest of the week we spent in classes on Career training, which encompassed identifying your skills and talents, finding the resources that would require your special skills, writing a resume' that would get results, presenting yourself with a "me in 30 seconds" statement and a 60 second power statment. We had a 16 hour workshop that was squeezed into 7 hours. We had assignments in presenting , roll playing, writing and, lots of listening. It was intense. We are going out with our heads full and eager to apply what we have learned ( or sort of learned).
Well dear friend. You have heard enough from me today. Grant and I are in Salt Lake City at his older brother's home and will be here to rest up a bit before we leave Monday at day break for our travel to Detroit. Don't know what internet I will have access to until then - so for now. I love you and hope all are well. Elaine