Monday, June 29, 2009
June 22-29, 2009
This has been one of the best weeks of our mission for so many reasons. It was so great feeling well enough to go back to work full-time. Then, as we visited each of our families we had so many positive responses and felt so very welcome.
In Kory’s home, where they have been so very shy since we started visiting them, the father came out to church and met with several of the priesthood for the first time in 15 years. Then his 14 year old son is very near going to scout camp ( and his father may even go with him!).
Another family, where the mother, Christy, is the only member but hasn’t been to church in 18 years, was very welcoming and two of her children are eager to come to church. I feel she will welcome visiting teachers and was very receptive to the RS president and the elders when I sent them over (who also got to visit with her nonmember husband).
Another sister, Darlene, actually came out to church for the first time in at least 2 years & stayed for the whole 3 hour block! Linda came out to church for the first time in 6 years & had a good experience too.
As we taught Sally about the Atonement, the Lord prompted me to share a personal experience and it was obvious that Sally needed to hear it and was touched. A very good experience teaching her this week. She is almost ready for baptism! HF is so kind and helpful when we ask him.
Another part member family, Dan & Robyn, also very shy, was taught the Home Teaching lesson by my good husband and principles were taught about our faith and received so well. He was truly inspired as he taught! I so enjoyed seeing and hearing his great lesson.
I had a great time with Marian & Chris & Kathy on our monthly visiting teaching lunch & haircut date. A great time of inspired sharing. I love those women!
We had great district meetings and were taught well by our district leader, then a great Chinese lunch and on to the hospital to visit Br Smith who had a slight stroke. That evening I attended YW and finished our great jewelry with the YW values. I plan to make these with all my granddaughters as they go into YW. My LA, Shelly taught and received fellowship. Very positive for her.
Had another great interview at the Rehab Center and then on to dinner and another visit with Darlene. Am doing better too with my back, only two visits this week with the chiropractor!
We finished off the week with a great barbeque at Jo’s home. The barbeque was for her work associates and she had over 30 nonmembers there and invited all 5 of us missionaries. Great people and lots of seeds were sewn. I must always do this at home. When I have guests for dinner, the missionaries are coming too!
We have realized the huge gift our parents gave us as children, that of being regular church attendees. It is amazing how crippled, spiritually, people are that haven’t had this example. It hasn’t been until now that we’ve realized it. Both of our mothers were regular attendees and we are so grateful for their faithfulness in this. We see parents who only attended sporadically and now their children and grandchildren are worse in their attendance or don’t go at all and don’t see the need. It has been a virtual nightmare helping to turn this attitude about keeping the Sabbath holy around for these families! If they only could realize the blessings they are missing!
All this in one week. The great blessing is we are seeing definite positive results for much of our efforts. Very humbling and gratifying. We are grateful to our Heavenly Father.
In Kory’s home, where they have been so very shy since we started visiting them, the father came out to church and met with several of the priesthood for the first time in 15 years. Then his 14 year old son is very near going to scout camp ( and his father may even go with him!).
Another family, where the mother, Christy, is the only member but hasn’t been to church in 18 years, was very welcoming and two of her children are eager to come to church. I feel she will welcome visiting teachers and was very receptive to the RS president and the elders when I sent them over (who also got to visit with her nonmember husband).
Another sister, Darlene, actually came out to church for the first time in at least 2 years & stayed for the whole 3 hour block! Linda came out to church for the first time in 6 years & had a good experience too.
As we taught Sally about the Atonement, the Lord prompted me to share a personal experience and it was obvious that Sally needed to hear it and was touched. A very good experience teaching her this week. She is almost ready for baptism! HF is so kind and helpful when we ask him.
Another part member family, Dan & Robyn, also very shy, was taught the Home Teaching lesson by my good husband and principles were taught about our faith and received so well. He was truly inspired as he taught! I so enjoyed seeing and hearing his great lesson.
I had a great time with Marian & Chris & Kathy on our monthly visiting teaching lunch & haircut date. A great time of inspired sharing. I love those women!
We had great district meetings and were taught well by our district leader, then a great Chinese lunch and on to the hospital to visit Br Smith who had a slight stroke. That evening I attended YW and finished our great jewelry with the YW values. I plan to make these with all my granddaughters as they go into YW. My LA, Shelly taught and received fellowship. Very positive for her.
Had another great interview at the Rehab Center and then on to dinner and another visit with Darlene. Am doing better too with my back, only two visits this week with the chiropractor!
We finished off the week with a great barbeque at Jo’s home. The barbeque was for her work associates and she had over 30 nonmembers there and invited all 5 of us missionaries. Great people and lots of seeds were sewn. I must always do this at home. When I have guests for dinner, the missionaries are coming too!
We have realized the huge gift our parents gave us as children, that of being regular church attendees. It is amazing how crippled, spiritually, people are that haven’t had this example. It hasn’t been until now that we’ve realized it. Both of our mothers were regular attendees and we are so grateful for their faithfulness in this. We see parents who only attended sporadically and now their children and grandchildren are worse in their attendance or don’t go at all and don’t see the need. It has been a virtual nightmare helping to turn this attitude about keeping the Sabbath holy around for these families! If they only could realize the blessings they are missing!
All this in one week. The great blessing is we are seeing definite positive results for much of our efforts. Very humbling and gratifying. We are grateful to our Heavenly Father.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Enrichment Classes
1. Leading music, 2. Basic car maintenance, 3. Basics of Financing, 4. Dutch-Oven Cooking.
Friday, June 19, 2009
June 10- 19th
This last week I have been down with a bad back. First problem I have had in 10 months of serving. I have no idea what brought it on so I don't have to feel guilty. Gerry is carrying on as best he can. Went to another great zone conference today without me. Bummer. Tomorrow I am in charge of Enrichment. My goal is to make it for half of that and then to Sacrament on Sunday. I feel prayers in my behalf so am grateful that I can see improvement, but it is slow.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Back to work!!!
We had a great weekend visiting with our family. Really special. Now Greg & Jill are moving to Houston , TX to start another faze of their life and they are excited! Just as they should be. We will miss them and are so very happy to have had these special times for memories.
We have had some more productive days in spite of pitfalls. We got out yesterday and found lots of people and had a good time teaching our lesson to Sally. Caught up with Gloria who has broken her arm on top of her husband dying. Amazing what can happen to people. She is coping quite well though.
Today,after having all our meetings canceled (a full days worth!). We decided it was a good day to get strawberries and make jam. Four recipies later, we had enough to take to all our friends, for all 6 of our apartment building mates, for our good missionaries and for us too. We had fun delivering from Hartford to Decatur to Lawton and Mattawan. A good time and we were able to give one sister a priesthood blessing to boot.
Allie on a buggy
Allie just sat here for her picture. We actually rode in an Amish buggy and she got to help drive the horse. Was she ever delighted.
Family fun in Shipshewana
We took Greg & Jill & Chris & his family to Shipshewana, IN for a day. Great Amish & Mennonite country. It was a great day. We toured the Memmonite historical museum and shopped quilts. Then ate at the famous Blue Gate restaurant. Then it was buggy rides and shopping before we headed home.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
May 26 - June 3, 2009
This time period has flown. We spent most of it visiting our families that we Visit Teach and Home Teach, (sometimes for the 2nd & third time). Our meetings with Dan & Robyn and Lori & Kori have improved immensely. Sharron is recovering slowly but steadily for her heart surgery and we had a nice visit with her at her home. Henry & Candi, our former investigators, have sadly separated, which breaks my heart. They could have been so very blessed as a family if they had accepted our message. We continue to try and help them. Sally & Erica have finished the lessons and we continue to visit them and read the Book of Mormon together. When she gets baptized is up to her & President, we are all hoping it is soon.
We also spent a couple of days working in the South Haven area. While there we had a great visit & meal with Rachel and visited the Toney’s after their return from wintering in California. Church there was great as usual.
This week I visited the chiropractor, just because it had been 6 weeks. Doing great! We had a good craft day for the sisters in the branch as part of Enrichment. For our next Enrichment meeting on the 20th I am scheduling a Dutch oven cooking class & demonstration, basic car maintenance, Leading music & an intense budgeting class. Should be good. We have a LA sister who will teach the music class. One of our shy men is teaching the Dutch oven class and another man is teaching the car mechanics. We have a financial planner in the branch which will teach the budgeting class. The sisters seem enthusiastic about it all.
We had the elders to dinner 3 times and they had no transfers as scheduled due to a case of swine flu at the MTC. Every transfer is on hold for 2 weeks!
Shelly taught her jewelry class for the YWomen last night. She had spent hours preparing and did a great job. The best part is she finally met some of the members and was made to feel so appreciated and loved. Fifteen girls came and they loved her class and the value bookmarks we made. I am making them for all of my granddaughters for when they turn 12. They are fantastic.
We also spent a couple of days working in the South Haven area. While there we had a great visit & meal with Rachel and visited the Toney’s after their return from wintering in California. Church there was great as usual.
This week I visited the chiropractor, just because it had been 6 weeks. Doing great! We had a good craft day for the sisters in the branch as part of Enrichment. For our next Enrichment meeting on the 20th I am scheduling a Dutch oven cooking class & demonstration, basic car maintenance, Leading music & an intense budgeting class. Should be good. We have a LA sister who will teach the music class. One of our shy men is teaching the Dutch oven class and another man is teaching the car mechanics. We have a financial planner in the branch which will teach the budgeting class. The sisters seem enthusiastic about it all.
We had the elders to dinner 3 times and they had no transfers as scheduled due to a case of swine flu at the MTC. Every transfer is on hold for 2 weeks!
Shelly taught her jewelry class for the YWomen last night. She had spent hours preparing and did a great job. The best part is she finally met some of the members and was made to feel so appreciated and loved. Fifteen girls came and they loved her class and the value bookmarks we made. I am making them for all of my granddaughters for when they turn 12. They are fantastic.
Chris & Kathy are good friends. Chris's husband, Steve was a young teen in our ward in Benton Harbor years ago when Gerry was bishop. Since we've been here Chris & I have been fast friends. She cuts my hair and Kathy, who was just married when we moved to Benton harbor in 1971, has been a renewed friend from years ago. We schedule our haircuts for the same time and then we all go to lunch and solve the world problems. Kathy lives in Coloma and Chris is in Hartford therefore a member of our branch. I love these ladies.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Psalm 112: 1 & 7
Really like this counsel concerning this Psalm....
"It is not enough to fear God, we must love him: fear will deter us from evil; love will lead us to obedience."
Sr Patricia Holland, wife of the apostle Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, explained that as a mother, she wishes to help her childrebn not be frightened by "evil tidings". She said that "after our own efforts toward individual and marital spirituality, our greatest spiritual priority is ... to see that our children 'shall not be afraid of evil tidings; that their hearts are fixed, trusting in the Lord.' (Psalm 112:7.) We have determined that our children will be peaceful, fixed, and trusting in the Lord - in large part at least - only so far as their parents are peaceful, fixed, and trusting in the Lord" (Holland and Holland, "On Earth As It Is in Heaven", p. 73-74)
Wonderful & wise!
How I am enjoying the Psalms! What an lovely exercise in praising and appreciating our God!
"It is not enough to fear God, we must love him: fear will deter us from evil; love will lead us to obedience."
Sr Patricia Holland, wife of the apostle Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, explained that as a mother, she wishes to help her childrebn not be frightened by "evil tidings". She said that "after our own efforts toward individual and marital spirituality, our greatest spiritual priority is ... to see that our children 'shall not be afraid of evil tidings; that their hearts are fixed, trusting in the Lord.' (Psalm 112:7.) We have determined that our children will be peaceful, fixed, and trusting in the Lord - in large part at least - only so far as their parents are peaceful, fixed, and trusting in the Lord" (Holland and Holland, "On Earth As It Is in Heaven", p. 73-74)
Wonderful & wise!
How I am enjoying the Psalms! What an lovely exercise in praising and appreciating our God!
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