Conference Weekend

Dear Family,

  It made us so happy that you were all together on this Conference Weekend.  It is so important to hear the messages and receive the council from our leaders.  There sure were some POWERFUL messages.  It is also important to stay close together as a family.  We know how important each one of you are to us and how much we look forward to being back with you when we have completed our mission.

We have had a week of service:  A sister who had surgery and her non-member husband was so thankful for our dinner, our Branch President who needed Grandpa’s help in setting up his new lap top and his wireless printer; and our neighbor who needed help with her yard.   Grandpa may have traded his golf cart for a John Deere mower.  Our landlord lives next door to us and she has several acres to mow.  Grandpa told her he would be glad to take care of it.  She also has a golf cart, so she took dad for a ride to show him where she wanted him to mow.  She is a wonderful lady and has become a very good friend.  She doesn’t want the lessons, but we give her little messages when the opportunity comes up. 

Inasmuch as Grandpa is in the Branch Presidency, President McIntosh asked that he set up the new 55 inch TV for all the conference sessions to be viewed at the church.  There was only the two of us for the four sessions but 10 came to the priesthood session.  It was a very rainy weekend here (as usual for General Conference) so we think that everyone chose to view conference on the BYU station as all the members have access to that.  It was strange to watch it all alone, but it will be a “Mission Moment”. 

We are so grateful to each of you for your sending us little “thoughts and pictures” from home.  It is so important to us that we feel your support as we try to serve the Lord.  We are all making a sacrifice for us to fulfill this calling and we know that our family is being blessed for the things we are missing out on. Our memories and our love for the Gospel keep us going and we are happy to be serving.  We send our love and our prayers  for each of you.  Love, Grandma and Grandpa

PS   Our little Storm Warning Speaker just announced Tornado Watch for Clark and Wilcox Counties in Alabama.  We are in Wilcox.  This is only a Watch...which means stay alert and be prepared.  We don’t have to leave yet. 

See & Respond

Dear Family

Last night we went over to the Branch to set up the new big screen TV to watch the Women’s conference.  As we got it set up, there were scenes of the Conference Center, the flower gardens and the Temple and it brought back such fond memories of the times we have all been on Temple Square.  What a wonderful conference it was!  I looked for you in the audience and in the choir, but also knew how very large the area of the valley is.  We only had 5 women (and Dad) at our building, but found out this morning that several of them watched it in their homes.   When you think how many were in the conference center and that was a small number compared with all those around the world who were able to participate via the internet.  Truly a World Wide Church.

I wanted to share with you a thought from our testimony meeting today.  Edward talked about planting a bigger garden this year.  His wife died last year and so it is only him at his home, but instead of growing less, he decided to grow more.  He said we don’t have to go to Haiti to help the less fortunate....they are right here among us.  So he is going to plant a larger garden so that he will be able to give more in the fall.   Our Stake President was visiting today and his message was just that. It is small and simple things that we can do to lift and help others.  He said, we only have to keep our eyes open to see the little things that we might do to brighten and lighten someone’s burden.   

As Missionaries , we pray many times a day that the Lord will bless us and inspire us as to who we might see and what He would have us say to help His children here.  As I was standing in the kitchen, I notices three bags ( zip lock bags with 6 chocolate chip cookies) sitting on the dryer.  ( I don’t have much counter space).  As I noticed them, a thought came to me....RoShara loves your chocolate chip cookies!  Take some to her and ask her to attend the Conference with you.    I went into Dad who was ready and told him that I was going over to RoShara’s.  RoShara is a 13 year old black girl who was baptized almost 5 years ago.  Since she turned 12, she has not been to church.  You know how hard it is to go when you are the only one your age and then to be the only black youth member.  So I went over.  She was just finishing rearranging her bedroom.  I went down the hall and asked her if I could see her room.  She is so shy, but she gave me a small and a nod.  We chatted a minute or too and then I asked her if she would come with me to the Women’s Conference that night.  I told her it would our “date”.  She said, can I call you?  I said I brought a “BRIB”.  She laughed and said, Can I call you?  I said, I would take that as a yes, unless she called me and said no.  She took the cookies and I left.  You all know that I don’t carry my phone everywhere I go, but I did for the rest of the day.  I checked it about every 15 minutes.  At ten to Seven...no call, so I went over to pick her up.  Just then her mom got home and she said she would come with her mom.  SHE DID!

I even think she enjoyed the meeting.  I was so grateful for the prompting I had to ask her and that I followed that prompting.  I know it will take more opportunities to help her, but I know that I was blessed to ask and she was blessed for saying yes and for coming. 

In all you do, try to see, really see the people around you and respond to those promptings you receive to do a small and simple things to help lift His children.

We love each of you and are so happy to received your texts and notes and pictures as to what is happening to each of you.   We pray for you every morning and every night.  Stay close to the Gospel and to each other!.  Love grandma and grandpa

PS  Happy Birthday to Derek and Caitlin this week. 

BAMA kids

We had an interesting experience last week.  You know that we have been to Hobbs Elementary a couple of times to do some service.  The Librarian called us Friday and asked if we could come to an accreditation meeting on Tuesday and be “shareholders” in the school.  We said we would and we were there at 8:00 am on Tuesday morning.  Before our meeting began, the school had its morning announcements on.  A student about 10 was giving the announcements’, then he said, “Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance”.  We could hear students repeating the Pledge.   Dad and I were surprised by that. Can our students say the Pledge?  I thought they could not.  We asked if this was a private school and it is public.  The man we asked said, they probably shouldn’t say it here either but no one is going to complain.

   Our meeting began; a team of three educators explained they were there at the invitation of the school to perform an accreditation evaluation and had some questions for the shareholders.  Of course they called on us first and we really didn’t know how we fit into the evaluation.  We gave them our names and why were here in Alabama, how long we would be here and how we were involved with the school.  As the other shareholders gave their names and how they were involved, they were people from Alabama Power who supports BAMA Kids, a program for youth after school, a Four H Representative that provides outside curriculum projects and brings extra programs to the school, such as the Raptors program from Auburn University.  That program is like the Bird Show at the Oregon Zoo that we all loved to see.   Each of the people in the room explained how they fit into this program.  It was interesting to me, that not only have we served at the school, but I have been serving at a resource center which is part of BAMA Kids.  I go to the Black Belt Treasures sewing group on Thursday’s and they too provide extra curricular activities for the school.  It turned out that we knew 5 of the other folks there.  It gave us a sense of accomplishment that we have become acquainted with different service groups here in the City.  Interestingly enough, the lead educator has friends in Idaho and she spends a few weeks every summer in Driggs, Idaho.  What a small world we live in.  

The rest of week was very busy; we had Missionary Day at the Birmingham temple on Thursday.  We left at 10:00 and got home at 9:30 that night.  What a wonderful experience to be in the temple with all those young Sisters and Elders.  Friday was our District Meeting.  Dad and I are in a District with 6 other elders....right now we have 7 elders.  One companion got sick and had to go home, so we are waiting for another missionary to be sent out here.  Again, we are blessed to be with these young elders.  It is amazing to see how they grow in their confidence and ability to serve the Lord.  Transfers are next Tuesday and it is surprising to me that we kind of dread it, as we have really come to love each of these young men.   

Saturday Night we had a Branch Pot Luck Dinner and classes on Family History and Genealogy.  Some how I got put in charge.  I was so nervous, mostly concerned that we might not have enough food.  WELL  let me tell you.....we could have fed another 50 people or more.  The whole evening turned out GREAT!  When we had our activity last night, Dad was helping different people get logged in and Dad’s wallpaper came up.  Each of you are on that wallpaper.  Oh how our Branch loves each of you.

Tornado Warning!!

Dear Family.

WOW   We have news tonight.  About 6:00 am this morning our Storm Alert System in our kitchen went off.  This is a very LOUD beeping noise that seems to go forever....then a deep voice says:  “This is a National Weather Alert....Tornado WARNING for Clark and Wilcox County. This alert is from 6:05 am CDT to 6:45 am CDT. “ We live in Wilcox County.  Within a few minutes another loud beeping....”This is a National Weather Alert....Tornado WARNING for CAMDEN.  Do not wait to see if it is coming.  To wait, it may be too late.”  We were dressed by this time.  Dad turned on the TV to see what the warnings were on the TV.  Usually they have the warnings and instructions streaming across the bottom of the screen....but there was nothing.  Just then, the TOWN WARNING SIRENS started.  One is on our corner...so you know it was loud.  At that time I said to Dad, “We are leaving right now.”  We got into the car and drove to the Church.  The Branch members had told us that it is the safest building in town,   It was built strong and sturdy.  We waited and waited...but nothing.  At about 7:00 we came back home and felt relieved that we had not had any trouble.  Then the Heavy Rain came.

It was rain like Noah must have had.  They tell us tonight, that there were over 3,000 lightening strikes in the storm area.  It appears that the storm front has moved to the East and we will just have some light rain tonight.    Several Branch members called to check on us and they were glad that we had heeded their instructions to go to the church.  Most of the members’ live quite a ways out of town and several have their own Tornado Shelters.  So there you have it...our first experience with a Tornado Warning. They tell us we are in the Spring Tornado Season.  I hope it is not too active a season. 

We had our Zone Meeting on Wednesday in Montgomery.  Again, these young Elders and Sisters are amazing.  This is what Derek is doing right now: Teaching and training the newer missionaries, so that they might have the most successful teaching and sharing experiences.  I am glad that I have been practicing the piano, as I was asked to play for Zone Meeting.  I did alright and it did feel great to be of service to our missionaries and to help bring the Spirit into our meeting.

Thursday we were invited to the Mission Home for a going away party.  Several of our Senior Missionary Couples are going home in the next couple of months.  It is surprising how close you become to the people who are serving just like we are.  The May’s from Idaho, have been over housing and she is the Mission Nurse, the Tyler’s from Wyoming have been over Cars and Safety and Literature. And the other couples have been in Branches and wards serving like we are.  President Hanks said each of the couples was excited to be going home, but also sad to be leaving their area of service.  The Spanish Speaking Branch in Birmingham provided the lunch.  We had Chile Rejenos, Rice and some kind of spiced meat sandwiches, with a Mexican kind of cake and Flan for dessert. 

We had our Stake Conference today and it is a good thing Elder Hepworth was here.  It was the first time that they have telecasted the conference from Montgomery to each of the outlying branches.  The members are not too electronically experienced, so Dad met with the High Counselor for instruction on the new equipment we just received and it worked pretty well.  It froze up a couple of times, but dad was able to connect and re-join the conference.  It was a great Conference.  We are all so lucky to be members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and have all the blessing, guidance and peace that it brings to us.  It is a blessing to us, that no matter where we go, we can be nourished by the good word of GOD.   We love each of you and pray that you will feel our Heavenly Father’s love for you and His guidance in your daily life.  Love Grandma and Grandpa

           

Meant to be in Camden

Dear Family

It has been another slow quite week here in Camden.  We have been out trying to meet with some less-actives.  We had one great experience last Tuesday night.  We went to visit a couple where the husband is not active.  He at one time was very active... but things changed for him and he slowly drifted away.  We were having a wonderful visit, just talking about life experiences, when he changed the topic to church activity.  He told Dad that he felt from the first time they met, that Dad had been sent here just for him and if we stay long enough, he knows that he will get stronger in his faith.  Dad told him that we would be here long enough.  That he too felt there was a reason that we had been sent to Camden.  He promised Dad that unless he was sick, he would not miss another Sacrament Meeting.   

On Monday, we went to the Hobbs Elementary School for Dr. Seuss Day.  

We each picked a Seuss book and went to a First Grade class and then to a Kindergarten class to read to the students.  They were so excited and so cute.  They all have such happy faces with big sparkling eyes.  When we finished reading, we went back to the Librarian and she thanked us for coming and said that she would be calling us again to come help at the school.  As we left, some of the students were coming from their class rooms with Dr. Seuss Hats on their heads.  They were having such a wonderful day.  Here’s a picture.

Today, I taught Primary and we had 8 children ranging from 11 to 4.  4 were visitors.

It turned out that I taught the full 2 hours, so it forced me to draw on all my experiences in primary, songs, stories, testimony and an activity.    This little Gospel light of mine was one of their favorites.  Pop Corn Popping another.   Dad conducted and taught Priesthood.  In a branch, you get called on to do almost anything at short notice.  We love to give the Active members a break and give them our support.

We love to hear from you, even if it is only a picture.....or that you won a math competition...or a question about the Beatles...or that you met someone at the Temple who used to live in Tualatin....or a surprise package of goodies.... it helps us to know that everything is well with you and it tells us of your loving support for us.

We love each of you dearly and pray for you everyday.  Love, Grandma and Grandpa