Some Fun

A Moment of Clarity

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HE prepares "every needful thing"

Dear Ones,

This last couple of weeks has flown by with the speed of light. Scott has been very busy building bicycles, repairing flats, installing new brake cables, and tweaking adjustments to make the used bikes we rent to missionaries useable. 

Monday we were busy in the office. In the evening we attended a FHE with wonderful grandma and grandpa Senior Missionaries. Then Tuesday night we went to the storage unit to help some friends finish fixing the last of the bicycles and load them in the mission trailer. We got home at 11:00 and went to sleep.

Wednesday evening we had 17 smiling new missionaries enter into the service of the Lord. Some faces were showing signs of shock but all were very tired by the end of a busy day of travel and instructions. Bless their hearts! We had several dozing off during the evening training sessions. 

Sister Jensen always prepares a wonderful supper for new arrivals and the office staff is blessed to eat with them their first evening in the mission field. While President interviewed each missionary separately, Sister Jensen instructed them on how to stay healthy and the office staff did the dishes. The missionaries were instructed on car care and safety by your dad and Etiquette by Sister Duff. We then serve them brownies and ice cream to wake them up and send them off to bed. I like that part!

Now the work began: President and the assistants met and through prayer and inspiration they decided who was paired up with which new trainers. President and the assistants went to bed around 2:00 a.m.

Thursday morning we arrived early at a chapel next to the Columbus Temple for transfers.  Thank goodness for scout training. Since we arrived early we had enough time to vacuum, put up chairs, and set up the rooms so the spirit could be in our meetings. We changed out 42 companionships and placed our new arrivals with their new trainers. After our meeting the parking lot was packed with missionaries loading luggage in and bikes on member’s cars.  We loaded up departing missionaries’ bikes into the mission trailer and we were off to the office.

All 15 departing missionaries had a small lunch at the church with President and Sister Jensen and then they all walked across the street to the temple and attended a session before they spend the night at the President’s home where they had their final interview.

Thursday morning the departing missionaries flew home and in the afternoon we had a huge storm system move across with tornadoes touching down here and there. The sirens went off most of the afternoon and the wind really blew. What a fitting welcome to all the new missionaries. The next day was sunny and beautiful. The storm reminded me of life: you have some rough times, you live through them some how, and then the sun comes out.

Friday is now pretty blurry. I just know there was lots of paper work, phone calls, sorting of mail, and unloading and cataloging of bikes. One very wonderful thing did happen and I will always be grateful to my incredible companion. He built me several “merge files” for all my letters I send out.  Now I just select whom I want to send my different letters to and the computer generates all the info into the body of the letter and I only have to add a little information to the letters and it is done for me. YAHOO!!  I cranked out 17 letters in a fraction of the time!  What a blessing to be married to such a sweet man.

In the middle of all this coming and going we have met several nice people in the medical profession and had some great conversations about the church. There are some really wonderful people out here. One doctor knew of and had good things to say about our church because of another Sr. Couple he had treated. You just never know the impression you leave on someone!

In Sunday school we were talking about the Lord “preparing” things. He “prepared” the great fish for Jonah, He “prepared” the way for Nephi and his brothers to go back to Jerusalem to get the brass plates, and the list goes on and on. This last week He prepared the right people to be in the right places for us when we needed them. What a wonderful loving Father we have.

We love you all and keep you in our prayers.  Stay strong and keep loving each other.                               MOM

PS.  Grandpa emailed me and said Tess Peck was now at Lincoln Court due to health problems. I called her and we had a great chat. If you get a few extra minutes please stop by and visit her also. Our sweet grandma Tess is one of those special people who make a lasting impression for good on so many lives. She sends her love to all of you.

PPS.  I finally remember what I wanted to tell you:  President Jensen has asked all companionships to take turns praying out loud for each other’s needs and express your gratitude for them. Well, miracles have been happening. Last month we had 41 baptisms in our mission. Two weeks ago we had 15 baptisms in one week.

While reading in 3 Nephi 17:17  “...no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard him (Christ) pray for us unto the Father.” Tears came as I realized the joy the people must have felt to see and hear Christ pray for them, and then I remembered the sweet joy I felt when your dad prayed vocally for me and my concerns.

Don’t let a single day go by with out praying vocally for one another and expressing your love and gratitude for each other.  I promise miracles will happen in your lives too!

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A Story and a Walk in the Woodenism

So, the Roush family story has been so interesting. We love those two so very much, it has been a real tear at our heartstrings to watch them waver up and down after they moved to Kentucky. They stopped going to church for a while. We wrote emails to them and to their Bishop and the Bishop got strongly involved and assigned his best people to them. These good members tried to drop in any time they could. This caused the next problem, Sister Roush’s artificial leg doesn’t fit well because she is pregnant, so she kept it off while at home, and she can’t just invite people in without notice, so she wouldn’t answer the door. The visitors knew she was home so they got the wrong idea, and one thing led to another. Anyway, they didn’t go to church for quite a while. Then Sister Earl called Br. Roush on the phone one night and it was obvious he was reluctant to talk. She finally got him loosened up and then gave him some advice and some fairly direct instruction. He replied, “Yes ma’am.” The next week we got an email from him, they broke down and went back to church, and of course, it was not what they expected and they had a wonderful time. So, who told Sister Earl what to say? Hmm. They are moving to a home outside the city and located between the two cities he has been working, so that will help too. What great people.

Satan wants the Roush Family. He wants me and you too. (As to those he already has, he doesn’t bother them much.) “…for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.” 3 Nephi 18:18. Now in those days the wheat stalks were laid on the threshing floor and beat senseless. (I know what that feels like!) Then the wheat was sifted by throwing it up in the air and letting the wind blow away the chaff. The solid grains of wheat dropped back to the ground and were gathered. So, this makes me think on the days I feel light headed or light minded or just light, that if I chance to get thrown into the air (life does that, you know) I might just get blown clear to Bone, Idaho.  Now, I love Bone Idaho, especially in the winter, but that’s not where I need to be if I want to go back with my family to my Father in Heaven. If I am not on the ground (firmly grounded) when the gathering comes then I “miss the boat.” See how this all fits together? It's amazing.

Okay, on to lighter stuff. It has been HOT! Not so much the temperature, high 80’s - low 90s, but the humidity. We walk out the door at 8:00 in the morning and take a breath and, well, you can’t breath it. The trees are starting to turn. Tell me how they figured out it was going to be fall when it never got within 20 degrees of freezing? Last night cooled down to 50 and we are going for a walk right now. Bye!

Hey, It was cool outside and we even had an Idaho breeze. (They call it Big Wind here.) Felt Great.


Water Towers are big out here. Since there are no hills to put them on, they stick out pretty good.

Here is the trail pretty close to our apartment.

This stream bed is usually full of water, but it hasn't rained much for a couple of weeks.

Let's see you grow a fungus bigger than a basketball!

Now THAT'S a TREE!

Hanging Vines, LOTS of them. Very strong, you can swing on them!

Okay, we love you all tons, and we have to get back to the office.
Bye!


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