August 4, 2014

We treasure every day of our mission.  We know we are where we are supposed to be at this time, and we have grown spiritually and emotionally.  We have had many small and some large miracles that have strengthened our faith and testimony.  We love the people here and we love all the young missionaries and other senior couples we have been blessed to serve with.  

Some of the sister missionaries in our zone.

Our district together for the last time (Sniff...)
Tomorrow we will meet our new district
and we will love them just as much.

Our sweet young friend came with us to transfer meeting on Wednesday. She also got to babysit for a few minutes. 

Handing out and collecting TIWI cards.  
It was a fun responsibility for her.

Some of the missionaries before the meeting started.

We met some new friends during our morning walk.  They were speaking that cute chicken language to us as they enjoyed finding good stuff in the grass.

The young elders eat here at times and they say it's good food.  We will probably not try it, but Elder Lewis says the name is  famous.  Anyone?  Hint, FSU.

Elder Lewis and our friend Barbara,
studying the side door to the temple.  

The temple grounds are beautiful as always.

Snack time.

A beautiful Saturday morning.

What a nice group of people.  We loved spending time with them in the temple as we accomplished some very important work for those who have passed on. 

July 28, 2014

Some of the highlights from the past week:

I attended a baby shower this week and had lots of fun.

After our district meeting on Tuesday we were all hungry for Mexican food.  A friend spent the day with us.  She was a great "missionary" and we enjoyed having her.

 Friday we attended a barbecue at the mission home with all the other senior couples.  We just love being with everyone. 

President grilled the hamburgers and hot dogs.  He was dressed in jeans and cowboy boots.  It was a "casual day."

The weather was absolutely perfect.  No bugs, no humidity and in the 80's.  

With some of the sweet Relief Society sisters in the Brooklyn Park Branch.  

July 21, 2014

It's been a very emotional week.  Many members of our branch are having terrible problems.  One brother is homeless after leaving his wife and a difficult situation.  One sister and her family are being evicted from their apartment because they can't pay the rent.  One sister stopped talking to us because we warned her against having a relationship with someone she has only met on Facebook.  One sister is very unhappy because she is not allowed to see her grandchildren and another is suffering from chronic pain.  There are many more sad situations like that.  We try to help by teaching them to apply gospel truths and to learn from opposition and hardships.  It can be very difficult and heart wrenching and we suffer with them. 

During our zone training meeting on Tuesday, Elder Lewis and I gave a fifteen minute presentation on overcoming adversity and discouragement.  We brought a large basket of pretty red and crisp apples and handed them out to everyone (about 25 missionaries).   Elder Lewis then explained how we can count the seeds in an apple, but we can never count how many apples are in a seed.  We shared our own conversion stories and then told the young missionaries that they will never know how many seeds they sow every day while talking to people and teaching the Gospel.  They might feel rejected and discouraged at times, but God is in control, and those who are searching for the truth will find it because of their service. 

President McConkie, (yes, nephew) 2nd counselor in the mission presidency, was also there and gave a very powerful message about representing Christ.  We just love him.

Elder Lewis is studying the Old Testament every day as he prepares for the Gospel Doctrine class on Sundays.  I'm almost finished with the New Testament again and I just love it.  We have both recently again started reading the Book of Mormon and are almost through 1st Nephi.  No matter how many times I read it, I am always amazed at how much I love that book and how much strength and power is contained in it's pages.  

We have been watching the video "Journey of Faith"  which retraces the steps of Lehi and his family.  To see the places where they probably walked is so amazing, and it makes everything come alive for us.  At the very beginning, Truman G. Madsen tells us that Joseph Smith said that in the next century, (this century) proof of the Book of Mormon would "come forth in droves."  I really don't need any more proof, I know the Book of Mormon is true, but it will still be interesting to witness. 

Thank you for reading our blog.  We love you and thank you for your interest in our mission.  This is one of the best things we have ever done.  It's not always easy, but then again nothing worth having is easy.  We are grateful for the opportunity to serve, learn and grow.  After all, that is what we came here to earth to do. 

July 14, 2014

There is so much of good and wholesomeness in this world, and so many great and wonderful people ... even though we see and hear so much that is not.  I'm hopeful that good will prevail.  My favorite quote is still one by Anne Frank who said:  In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.  

We're so grateful for all the amazing memories we are making and all the wonderful experiences we are having.  

Below are just a few examples.

Last week we attended our quarterly interviews with our Mission President.  While waiting our turn, there were bagels for everyone.

During our district meeting, our teacher told us to take off one shoe, put it on our heads, close our eyes and stick out the tongue and touch the nose.  I'm still not really sure what the lesson was, but oh well, it was fun anyway.

Ready to do service for Robin M.

We have had some terrible weather off and on, but the sunsets have been beautiful because of it. 

Our best buddy during a lesson.

I had a small and quick surprise birthday party for Elder Lewis.

Always a good time with these guys.

Dinner out with good friends in the branch.  

Always a pleasure to share a table with these two elders.

June 30 and July 7, 2014

Missionary service has its ups and downs but we are very seldom down.  I had one day this week where I chose to stay home, but then the next day I had even more energy - emotionally and spiritually.  Elder Lewis would like to go-go-go, but we both realize that we are pushing seventy - oh my, did I say that? - and we have our limits.  This morning we went on our normal walk, which is almost two miles up and down hills, and I'm grateful that I am still able to tackle that a few times a week.  

I would say that we visit on an average three families per day.  We also spend time taking members of the branch to appointments and such, and we enjoy being of service where we are needed.  Things like mowing lawns and carpentry work, we leave for the young missionaries and they love doing service like that.  

We talked to a member of the branch this week who is very worried about her finances, and we showed her how to write things down and make a budget so she will know where the money goes and plan accordingly.  Service or advice like that is often needed when visiting people that are less fortunate.  

The most important thing we do is lifting the weary souls and comforting the downtrodden, reminding them that Christ suffered not only for our sins, but also for our heartaches, pains and disappointments.  Everything will eventually be made whole through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Lately I have been a little concerned about some of the negative things I have seen in the news, on Facebook and other places concerning women's rights in our Church.   I'm glad that our leaders, both men and women, have made several statements on the subject, and so happy that I know the truth.  I have had so many opportunities over the years to grow and learn by serving in leadership positions in the Church.  

I remember many years ago, when my mother and I were investigating the Church, someone tried to warn us by saying that the Mormons came to gather all the women, and then take them to Utah.  They would lock them up in the temple, and the women would jump out of the windows and drown in the Great Salt Lake.  I thought it was ridiculous and funny then, especially after I moved to Utah and found out that the lake is many miles from the temple.  Sadly we still have to deal with misinformation and untruths, but we're always willing to "take one for the team."

We love being missionaries for the Lord Jesus Christ.  We love it when people come up to us in the stores or on the street and ask us who we are and what we do.  We even love it when people just stare at us.  In the "Preach My Gospel" manual, page four, it talks about how special it is to be "set apart" as a missionary:

When you were set apart by priesthood authority, you received the right and privilege to represent the Lord.  You received a ministerial certificate that verifies that authority to the world.  President Spencer W. Kimball said:  "The setting apart may be taken literally; it is a setting apart from sin, apart from the carnal; apart from everything which is crude, low, vicious, cheap, or vulgar; set apart from the world to a higher plane of thought and activity.  The blessing is conditional upon faithful performance."
(The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball)

Below are a few pictures from the past few weeks:

Sister missionaries eating lunch at Ginos

Cute family on the 4th of July.

4th of July brunch at church.

Everyone had a good time

All decked out for the holiday.

Our Mission President: the best.

With his wife.  She is amazing.

Sister missionaries.

Good friends came to visit.  What a treat!

June 23, 2014

Today, June 23, is my mother's birthday.  She lived to be almost 101 but passed away in April last year.  Today is also midsummer.  At least it is in the Scandinavian countries. There will be lots of fun and festivities this evening with bonfires everywhere and burning of witches who will fly south on a broom stick.  My childhood memories are flooding my mind.

Here in the Baltimore mission we are "hastening the work of salvation."  This past week we said goodbye to several missionaries and welcomed eleven new ones, plus a senior couple.  What an amazing experience it is to be part of this work and to feel the enthusiasm and also the humility of these missionaries.  There are no finer young people in the world today.  To give up two of the best years of their lives in service to the Lord, and to do it with such class and character is a sight to behold.  We are amazed again and again as we get to work along side with them, attend meetings with them and just watch them in action.  Elder Yardley and Elder Latu were transferred to other areas and we miss them.  Not just regular miss them, but pain-in-your-heart miss them.  I know, I'm a softy.  

We have sister missionaries in our district that we love and adore, but sisters will not be assigned to the Brooklyn Park area because it's too dangerous.  Are you thinking what I'm thinking?  Yes, I guess this senior sister missionary is safe.  I have a strong man with me all the time to protect me. :)  Actually, I have gotten used to being here and the area doesn't bother me.  The only bad thing that has happened is that our car was "keyed" really bad all the way down the right side.  I may have mentioned that before.

The other day we went to McDonald's to get an ice cream cone and to talk to a homeless man we have become friends with.  While we were there, there was a man sitting at a corner table who sounded very angry and was rapping something loud.  At another table a young couple were sitting with their heads on the table, completely stoned, high, low or whatever it's called.  There were several other characters, who obviously were there for the AC, and then of course our friend, who is a really nice person.  He owns a car and gets a little Social Security every month, but doesn't want to spent it on a room.  He has come to church with us one time.  

We have been enjoying some street contacting/inviting, and we are even teaching an investigator, but most of our time is spent with our ongoing member and leader support activities.  

We have had some interesting experiences this past week.  I wasn't sure if I would share this one, but I will.

The elders had been teaching a young gay man (we will call him Joe) whom we had come to know and love.  He was very excited about the gospel and he accepted and loved everything about the Church.  He told us that the first time he walked into our meetings he felt like he had come home.  He came to one of our Family Home Evenings and had a wonderful time.  His baptism date was set and we were all very excited for him.  Then "a friend" decided to show Joe some ugly anti-Mormon material.  We had warned him that the adversary would try hard to discourage him, and we encouraged him not to waste time looking for and/or reading stuff like that, but he did.  So, he abruptly texted the elders and us, and basically said stop coming!  

Last week it had been about a month since the text and we decided to go and visit him.  He was sitting outside his apartment when we arrived and he looked angry when he saw us.  I walked up and asked him if he was still mad at us.  He said he was not mad but felt like he had been deceived.  I said: "Honestly Joe, do you think Elder Lewis and I, and the young elders, would ever deceive you?"  He looked down and said "No, I don't."  We then told him that we had missed him and just stopped by to make sure he was okay.  We ended up having a nice friendly conversation and gave him a hug before we left.  As we were leaving, he said with a smile, "Don't be surprised if I show up at church one day."  We hope he does.  There is a place for everyone in our Church and everyone is welcome, but we all have to live by the same commandments that God has given us.

The following pictures are from last Wednesday's transfer day.