Sunday, October 26, 2008
October 20 -26, 2008
This week was our first struggling week. We had a lot of service days to non-members which was good, but we also had a lot of cancels and unorganized times that were frustrating because we hadn’t planned well or at least as effectively as we could have. Then we got irritated with each other and did a little more “venting” than was good. So we had to repent. We hope to have a better week next week.
Monday we gave a lot of time to A. helping her get stuff from her old home and groceries. Then we cleaned D.’s home for her. Had some good study time too.
Tues we had a lesson we’d hoped to give cancel and then the service scheduled canceled too. It was pouring and we came home and tried to plan but nothing seemed to come together.
Wednesday was district meetings and lunch and that was excellent with the elders. Those guys are good teachers & missionaries!! Then we came home and worked on getting our elders a new place to live. Very time consuming. But we found a very interested lady in that process. Will return to see her.
Thursday we had another good study session then we went to Hartford and tried to contact some people. It was pretty much a failure. That night I had Stake RS auxiliary meetings in Kalamazoo. They were good and Gerry visited a friend who almost died a day earlier in the hospital. Good time visiting.
Friday had another good prep time. I also worked on RS & the FHEvening lesson we are putting on Monday for investigators and LA’s. We did some more service for A. then contacted several investigators and invited them to FHE. Then we went to the Branch activity and fellowshipped LA’s and investigators.
Saturday, we had our missionary breakfast & meeting. Had 6 missionaries and the HP group leader & Elders quorum counselor here. A good meeting.
Later we walked and studied and prepped for the little openhouse I am putting on for our close neighbors Sunday afternoon.
Sunday was good. We had a good meeting and classes and we invited a lot of people to FHE and encouraged the cottage classes for all to bring friends.
Monday we gave a lot of time to A. helping her get stuff from her old home and groceries. Then we cleaned D.’s home for her. Had some good study time too.
Tues we had a lesson we’d hoped to give cancel and then the service scheduled canceled too. It was pouring and we came home and tried to plan but nothing seemed to come together.
Wednesday was district meetings and lunch and that was excellent with the elders. Those guys are good teachers & missionaries!! Then we came home and worked on getting our elders a new place to live. Very time consuming. But we found a very interested lady in that process. Will return to see her.
Thursday we had another good study session then we went to Hartford and tried to contact some people. It was pretty much a failure. That night I had Stake RS auxiliary meetings in Kalamazoo. They were good and Gerry visited a friend who almost died a day earlier in the hospital. Good time visiting.
Friday had another good prep time. I also worked on RS & the FHEvening lesson we are putting on Monday for investigators and LA’s. We did some more service for A. then contacted several investigators and invited them to FHE. Then we went to the Branch activity and fellowshipped LA’s and investigators.
Saturday, we had our missionary breakfast & meeting. Had 6 missionaries and the HP group leader & Elders quorum counselor here. A good meeting.
Later we walked and studied and prepped for the little openhouse I am putting on for our close neighbors Sunday afternoon.
Sunday was good. We had a good meeting and classes and we invited a lot of people to FHE and encouraged the cottage classes for all to bring friends.
Friday, October 17, 2008
October 11 -17, 2008
This has been a very busy & productive week. After study time Gerry & I went to South Haven where I met Rachel & we lunched at the beach & did some shopping. Talked of her concerns about the economy & family. She is interested in the Glenn Beck DVD, a very good day. Ended with Gerry & I stopping by Candy & Henry’s and found that she had a bad sprained ankle. So we are taking dinner tomorrow night and they will have a lesson on HF’s plan.
Tuesday we took Angela to the state offices where we spent 3+ hours getting her set up for help with food. She found out that she is through probation at the end of March and then can be baptized. Then we took her to other places she needed to go to get set up and be sustained until her food card kicked in. She is trying hard and applying at a lot of places for work. Went home and cooked dinner then to the social put on by Myra & Bob. Nice getting to know the older couples. Then on to Candy & Henry’s for dinner & the lesson. It was great. A fun evening. Candy’s brother joined us for the dinner & lesson. The Spirit came into the room like a cloud when the lesson started. The little children were very content with the balloons I gave them. At the end of the lesson Candy showed me a copy of the Book of Mormon that some previous elders had given them. She said to me, “ I read the Bible and the Book of Mormon, side by side. They do go together.” I challenged her to red the part where the Savior visited the people here on this continent & to ask HF if it was true. They agreed to have us continue to teach them next week. They are also interested in coming to the trunk or treat.
Wednesday we had district meetings in Kalamazoo and then took the 6 elders to lunch. Such a great bunch of guys. It was like eating with my 6 boys. Then I went for my first chiropractic adjustment. It went well but I didn’t like the way he adjusted me. It worked though. After we did a little grocery shopping, we came home & I crashed for 2 hours since I had had insomnia the night before. Then I finished the lesson I was to teach in Seminary as a sub on Thursday
Thursday I was up at 5:00A.M. to teach Seminary. The lesson was on Eternal Families & Matt. 19 -20. Then home for breakfast and study until I met Marian for our Relief Society meeting. That was 2 hours spent well. I really enjoy her, a wise woman. After lunch, Gerry & I went to work in Hartford. I went to pick up the embroidery I had left with Jackie and she hadn’t done it but she shared with me her life and challenges & I really like her and look foreword to seeing her next week. She has had some very hard knocks. She has brain surgery on Nov 3rd . We will visit her. Then we caught up with three others we have been trying to reach for 3 weeks. A good productive afternoon.
Friday up and studying and grateful for the sunshine this weekend cuz my two sons and their family are visiting. Baked apple cake and pot roast & rice krispie cookies. Gerry & I practiced our lesson. Saturday we plan to take the family to meet Myra, J. Grey , Candy & Henry & Marian & Ted. That will be very good. Then we will enjoy and feast on our family. I plan to take them to Maple Island, swimming at the hotel where they will stay, to South Haven for church and dinner with the Toney family. A great weekend without forgetting why we are here.
We are so very blessed to be here doing this work. HF seems to drop opportunities to teach right in our laps. We are so very fortunate to have no personal worries or concerns. Our family is constantly being blessed in our absence. We are drawing even closer as a couple and we are very needed here. What a great life. This Gospel is so wonderful it IS true and glorious and wonderful to study and understand even more every day!
Tuesday we took Angela to the state offices where we spent 3+ hours getting her set up for help with food. She found out that she is through probation at the end of March and then can be baptized. Then we took her to other places she needed to go to get set up and be sustained until her food card kicked in. She is trying hard and applying at a lot of places for work. Went home and cooked dinner then to the social put on by Myra & Bob. Nice getting to know the older couples. Then on to Candy & Henry’s for dinner & the lesson. It was great. A fun evening. Candy’s brother joined us for the dinner & lesson. The Spirit came into the room like a cloud when the lesson started. The little children were very content with the balloons I gave them. At the end of the lesson Candy showed me a copy of the Book of Mormon that some previous elders had given them. She said to me, “ I read the Bible and the Book of Mormon, side by side. They do go together.” I challenged her to red the part where the Savior visited the people here on this continent & to ask HF if it was true. They agreed to have us continue to teach them next week. They are also interested in coming to the trunk or treat.
Wednesday we had district meetings in Kalamazoo and then took the 6 elders to lunch. Such a great bunch of guys. It was like eating with my 6 boys. Then I went for my first chiropractic adjustment. It went well but I didn’t like the way he adjusted me. It worked though. After we did a little grocery shopping, we came home & I crashed for 2 hours since I had had insomnia the night before. Then I finished the lesson I was to teach in Seminary as a sub on Thursday
Thursday I was up at 5:00A.M. to teach Seminary. The lesson was on Eternal Families & Matt. 19 -20. Then home for breakfast and study until I met Marian for our Relief Society meeting. That was 2 hours spent well. I really enjoy her, a wise woman. After lunch, Gerry & I went to work in Hartford. I went to pick up the embroidery I had left with Jackie and she hadn’t done it but she shared with me her life and challenges & I really like her and look foreword to seeing her next week. She has had some very hard knocks. She has brain surgery on Nov 3rd . We will visit her. Then we caught up with three others we have been trying to reach for 3 weeks. A good productive afternoon.
Friday up and studying and grateful for the sunshine this weekend cuz my two sons and their family are visiting. Baked apple cake and pot roast & rice krispie cookies. Gerry & I practiced our lesson. Saturday we plan to take the family to meet Myra, J. Grey , Candy & Henry & Marian & Ted. That will be very good. Then we will enjoy and feast on our family. I plan to take them to Maple Island, swimming at the hotel where they will stay, to South Haven for church and dinner with the Toney family. A great weekend without forgetting why we are here.
We are so very blessed to be here doing this work. HF seems to drop opportunities to teach right in our laps. We are so very fortunate to have no personal worries or concerns. Our family is constantly being blessed in our absence. We are drawing even closer as a couple and we are very needed here. What a great life. This Gospel is so wonderful it IS true and glorious and wonderful to study and understand even more every day!
Friday, October 10, 2008
October Zone Conference with Elder & Sr. Maynes
Captain Moroni visits (I wish!) Ha! This elder did a great job.
Singing to the ladies who provided lunch. "Called to Serve" of course!
One half of Kalamazoo Zone.
Our half of the Zone. We call ourselves Kalamazion.October 10, 2008
This has been another good week with growth & excellent instruction. We had very productive meetings with several less actives. We have commitments for lessons with new people and were asked for Book of Mormons by people that we will follow up on of course. We were instructed in our first Zone Conference by a General Authority Elder & Sr. Maynes of the first quorum of Seventy. They were amazing! We feasted on their words & instruction. We are so grateful to get this training at the beginning of our mission.
General Conference too, was a feast. Such a wonderful weekend sitting at the feat of the apostles and other authorities (figuratively) and being taught about the Savior and the heavens, etc. I especially loved Elder Holland’s talk about angels.
I met 3 women this week who were starving to talk sewing. We met a charming and very interesting lady who is doing some embroidery for me. Her daughter just married a Mormon and she has traveled, been to temple square, a creative sewing symposium at BYU, wants to know more of these symposiums after she goes on her cruise and has brain surgery. Very eager to talk sewing!!! Hopefully she also will be eager to talk of better things some time. Very delightful lady. Another lady in Paw Paw was starving to talk sewing with me. She is married to one of our branch members. One of our teaching opportunities did cancel on us. Gerry & I are feeling more & more confident in our teaching. We get so concerned that we won’t explain the principles of the Gospel clearly enough, but HF is helping us and we are doing much better.
I have about 7 classes for cottage Meetings for the women in our branch for Enrichment, a nice healthy variety. I am excited about them.
The weather is colder and the trees are absolutely brilliant. Wonderful crisp, but still warm days and cold evenings. We saw a wild turkey the other day crossing the road and lots of deer.
General Conference too, was a feast. Such a wonderful weekend sitting at the feat of the apostles and other authorities (figuratively) and being taught about the Savior and the heavens, etc. I especially loved Elder Holland’s talk about angels.
I met 3 women this week who were starving to talk sewing. We met a charming and very interesting lady who is doing some embroidery for me. Her daughter just married a Mormon and she has traveled, been to temple square, a creative sewing symposium at BYU, wants to know more of these symposiums after she goes on her cruise and has brain surgery. Very eager to talk sewing!!! Hopefully she also will be eager to talk of better things some time. Very delightful lady. Another lady in Paw Paw was starving to talk sewing with me. She is married to one of our branch members. One of our teaching opportunities did cancel on us. Gerry & I are feeling more & more confident in our teaching. We get so concerned that we won’t explain the principles of the Gospel clearly enough, but HF is helping us and we are doing much better.
I have about 7 classes for cottage Meetings for the women in our branch for Enrichment, a nice healthy variety. I am excited about them.
The weather is colder and the trees are absolutely brilliant. Wonderful crisp, but still warm days and cold evenings. We saw a wild turkey the other day crossing the road and lots of deer.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Great Elders!
This good Elder is from near Salmon, ID. He was only with us 1 week. Now he is a great zone leader up north. He was a genuine cowboy!September 22, 2008 - October 2, 2008
It has been a good week. HF really helped with our talks for sacrament. I talked on "Eternal Families", Gerry talked on "What makes our Church Unique". Gerry & I are exercising regularly, studying our scriptures more by the Spirit, having better planning discussion, being more efficient in our travel, contacting people at more productive times, getting input from our leaders that is time saving, bearing our testimonies more often. Even better, we are hearing the Spirit more and having more confidence in our teaching abilities. Not letting the idea that because we are on a mission our skills here are less than otherwise take over.
We had a lovely evening at the Women’s Broadcast. The wisdom and inspiration of our leaders is a feast for the women. I am so grateful for the opportunity to “sit at their feet “ & be taught of the Lord. We had a lovely dinner and good mini-classes on canning, dry pack, drying food and homemade grape juice. Man! That grape juice was so good. It made me want to run out and buy a canner and put up about 50 quarts!
We have been going to all the little towns that are a part of our branch. Have your parents show you where we are on a map of Michigan and then find the little towns we have been going to, to find members that haven't been coming out to church for various reasons. We live in Paw Paw & that is the name of our branch. The towns we have visited so far looking for people are Hartford, Lawton (that is where they make all of Welches grape juice - it smells GOOD right now cuz they are harvesting the grapes), Lawrence, Marcellus, Mattawan & Decatur. All these towns are little farm communities. Most of the people here are quite poor. We enjoy meeting these people and sharing our testimony with them.
We have great Elders to work with in our area & District. We love them so much and HF does too. They are the best young men. Full of eagerness to please HF and serve Him. They are so proud of the Gospel and proud to be representing the Lord. They are fun and every week we can see the growth and confidence growing. They each have a story. The elders we are working with the most for instance. One is tall & strapping and comes from Vancouver,WA. He loves it that we used to live in Orchards. He wants to be a computer person and work with his Dad in his business after his mission. He gets all excited when we mention places that he used to frequent like Burgerville or the Deschutes River. He loves his grandma who writes him daily. His family has been members for 2 -3 generations. Our other elder is from near Jackson, WY and he is a real cowboy. A little hefty, he earned his mission money taking people on elk hunting trips on horseback. They take the hunters about 10 miles into the wilderness, direct them to the elk. Then when they get an elk, he helps gut it, he also cooks for the hunters. These hunting trips are for a week or more per trip. He is a great cook and is pretty well of. He inherited his grandparent’s house so he has his own home. He plans to be an electrician and train others. His father’s business was dairy farming and they used to have about 50 horses Hanna. He loves singing, has a powerful testimony and has ancestors, in the church, on both sides all the way back to Nauvoo, then Sweden.
I am praying to know what the theme for enrichment should be for the year. The talk at Women’s conference by Pres Uchtdorf about how HF finds joy was so inspiring. I feel that should be our theme. “Creating Joy like HF does through Creating and Compassion”. So I will build on those promptings. It is so great having the gift of the Holy Ghost. He helps us so much! I know when He gives me the answers to my prayers great things happen when I act on His promptings. I am so grateful for that gift.
I want to have classes on teaching in the home, focusing on quality ideas for ten 10 minute sessions for moms, grandmas & baby-sitters. I want to have classes on 30 minute meals, semi-homemade & one on making a week’s worth of meals in 1 day. I want to have classes on humanitarian projects that the church gives us to do. Each lesson needs to be presented so it can be adapted to a FHE lesson to encourage that. I want to have classes on genealogy – how journals and photo albums etc. are all a part of getting the spirit of Elijah.
I think we should have a special health night where we are taught about identifying breast cancer, an evening where we are taught self defense & I want the sisters to be aware of that great video on kids & strangers. Well this is a beginning. Now I wish I had more evenings. Some sisters want a sewing evening for Christmas gifts. I will look into that.
Someone gave us a great DVD to watch on “The Conversion of Glenn Beck” I ordered two copies. It is a wonderful inspiring story. We really enjoyed it.
We had a lovely evening at the Women’s Broadcast. The wisdom and inspiration of our leaders is a feast for the women. I am so grateful for the opportunity to “sit at their feet “ & be taught of the Lord. We had a lovely dinner and good mini-classes on canning, dry pack, drying food and homemade grape juice. Man! That grape juice was so good. It made me want to run out and buy a canner and put up about 50 quarts!
We have been going to all the little towns that are a part of our branch. Have your parents show you where we are on a map of Michigan and then find the little towns we have been going to, to find members that haven't been coming out to church for various reasons. We live in Paw Paw & that is the name of our branch. The towns we have visited so far looking for people are Hartford, Lawton (that is where they make all of Welches grape juice - it smells GOOD right now cuz they are harvesting the grapes), Lawrence, Marcellus, Mattawan & Decatur. All these towns are little farm communities. Most of the people here are quite poor. We enjoy meeting these people and sharing our testimony with them.
We have great Elders to work with in our area & District. We love them so much and HF does too. They are the best young men. Full of eagerness to please HF and serve Him. They are so proud of the Gospel and proud to be representing the Lord. They are fun and every week we can see the growth and confidence growing. They each have a story. The elders we are working with the most for instance. One is tall & strapping and comes from Vancouver,WA. He loves it that we used to live in Orchards. He wants to be a computer person and work with his Dad in his business after his mission. He gets all excited when we mention places that he used to frequent like Burgerville or the Deschutes River. He loves his grandma who writes him daily. His family has been members for 2 -3 generations. Our other elder is from near Jackson, WY and he is a real cowboy. A little hefty, he earned his mission money taking people on elk hunting trips on horseback. They take the hunters about 10 miles into the wilderness, direct them to the elk. Then when they get an elk, he helps gut it, he also cooks for the hunters. These hunting trips are for a week or more per trip. He is a great cook and is pretty well of. He inherited his grandparent’s house so he has his own home. He plans to be an electrician and train others. His father’s business was dairy farming and they used to have about 50 horses Hanna. He loves singing, has a powerful testimony and has ancestors, in the church, on both sides all the way back to Nauvoo, then Sweden.
I am praying to know what the theme for enrichment should be for the year. The talk at Women’s conference by Pres Uchtdorf about how HF finds joy was so inspiring. I feel that should be our theme. “Creating Joy like HF does through Creating and Compassion”. So I will build on those promptings. It is so great having the gift of the Holy Ghost. He helps us so much! I know when He gives me the answers to my prayers great things happen when I act on His promptings. I am so grateful for that gift.
I want to have classes on teaching in the home, focusing on quality ideas for ten 10 minute sessions for moms, grandmas & baby-sitters. I want to have classes on 30 minute meals, semi-homemade & one on making a week’s worth of meals in 1 day. I want to have classes on humanitarian projects that the church gives us to do. Each lesson needs to be presented so it can be adapted to a FHE lesson to encourage that. I want to have classes on genealogy – how journals and photo albums etc. are all a part of getting the spirit of Elijah.
I think we should have a special health night where we are taught about identifying breast cancer, an evening where we are taught self defense & I want the sisters to be aware of that great video on kids & strangers. Well this is a beginning. Now I wish I had more evenings. Some sisters want a sewing evening for Christmas gifts. I will look into that.
Someone gave us a great DVD to watch on “The Conversion of Glenn Beck” I ordered two copies. It is a wonderful inspiring story. We really enjoyed it.
Our Womens Conference Dinner
Our Sweet Relief Society President. She is a minute 4' plus. A spiritual giant.
We use the chapel for dinners & homemaking. The chapel is an all purpose room.
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