Autumn Leaves

Dear family,

After church last week we took a drive out in the countryside to see all the changing colors and visit a few ward members. We found a really great High Councilman and had a good visit with him. He gave us some grand ideas of who would make good fellowshippers for our recent converts. He had been a member of the ward a long time and knew everyone and their circumstances. At our missionary correlation meeting Thursday we made these suggestions and our mission leader loved it. It sure helps to put heads together instead of working on your own limited brainpower.

Click any of these to make them bigger.

Here is a movie clip going up a steep hill onto a rare open place.

At our office staff meeting Scott and Pres. Robbins were discussing all the driving problems we were having with the missionaries. The church has made some really great instructional driving movies for training in the mission field but none of them addressed our problems. Pres. said, “Maybe you will have to make your own film.” DUH!?!! So Saturday Scott wrote, directed, and burned a video using the assistants simulating our driving problems. It turned out great. We will use it at zone conference in two weeks. Problem solved!

Saturday night the Eastgate Ward held a baptism for four individuals. Two of them were the father and son we had once helped the sisters teach. What a beautiful testimony Jesse, the father, gave. It was very short but powerful. He told how his wife asked him, “Why this church?” He responded, “ Because of a scripture I read. By their fruits ye shall know them.” He said he didn’t understand all things but because of the friendship and concerns for him and his family by total strangers he knew this was the Lord’s church. He stated that he had seen many churches speak of their beliefs, but not many that actually practiced them. He was so taken back to be invited into someone’s home for Sunday dinner one of the first times they came to church. Oh—the power of opening our homes and extending a hand of friendship. The teachings of Christ are so simple and powerful.

This coming week will be a full week for sure. We have four new missionaries arriving Monday and two going home on Wednesday.

Thanks for all your fun Halloween pictures and emails. We sure love you all and pray for your health and safety. Be good kids and invite someone to dinner and share your testimony with them.

Love, ma and pa

.