Vistitors in Camden

Monday we received a call from Sister Newman of the Mission Office.  We chatted a little and then she said...” The purpose for my call is to let you know that you have 13 weeks left in your mission.  You will be receiving a letter in the next week giving your further information”.  I said...that can’t be right.   She counted it up again and said, yes, that is right.  Boy, that has sure gotten here quick.  There is still so much we want to do.  We will have to get busy!!!

Tuesday we had our interview with our Mission President.  He is such a spiritual giant and gives us such encouragement and direction.  Wednesday we had our District Meeting.  We have 4 sets of Missionaries in our District ( 6 elders and 2 sisters)  On Transfer meeting we are loosing 1 sister and 4 elders, and Transfers are hard.  You come to love each of the missionaries and want to stay with them, but the growth comes from making the change.  This is the first area for Elder Hills and although he is excited and ready for the transfer, he is also very nervous.  He asked Elder Hepworth if he could received a blessing.  It was such a special experience to see all those young Elders participating in the blessing.  We have such GREAT young people serving missions.

The Highlight of our week has been having Sue, Michelle and Alyson come to visit us.  We met up with them on Friday morning in Selma.  We did all the tour highlights of Selma, then on to Magnolia to tour the 100 year old LDS Church there.  That little building has such a spirit and such a history.  Ten of us went to dinner at Gains Ridge.  This is an antebellum home which has been converted to a lovely dinner restaurant.   This home was built in 1820.  (Think of what was happening to Joseph Smith in 1820.)  Jarrett ordered the appetizers which consisted of Fried Dill Pickles, Onion Rings, Fried Green Tomatoes and Fried Catfish.  OH SO GOOD!  The main course was pretty normal and dessert was Black Bottom Pie.  The food, the atmosphere and the company were so special.  A real Southern Evening.

Saturday we toured all the highlights of Camden.  The trapper’s,  various members homes,  downtown Camden,  Black Belt Treasures, and the Alabama River.  Dinner Saturday was a Pot Luck at the Church.  We had a wonderful time meeting and visiting with more of the members and several investigators.

Today, Sue, Michelle and Alyson were asked to speak and bear their testimony.  They will tell you that in the short few days that they were here, they too had grown to love the people here in Camden, the members of the Branch and people in the community.  Then today at 3:30, the wonderful visit was over and the girls headed back to Birmingham for their flight out tomorrow morning.   We hope that as you talk with them in the weeks ahead, they can share with you their feelings about life here in Camden Alabama. 

We love each of you and are so very grateful to have the family that we have and all the wonderful friends we have in our life. 

WE love you, Grandma and Grandpa