Sunday July 7, 2013

So this is summer in South Carolina!  Sun, clouds, rain...sun, clouds, rain...lots of rain!!  Plenty of rain to keep things really wet and the air very humid.  Going into a store is a problem because you never know if it's going to be pouring buckets by the time you come out.  The streets get flooded in certain areas and the mist that rises from the earth is everywhere.  The windows fog up in the car making vision difficult.  And this is only the beginning according to the locals.  By the time the extreme heat gets here combined with the rain, we've been told it's like "breathing water."  Oh happy day!

On Monday, Doyle suggested that all the senior missionaries get together and have family home evening together.  We reviewed a talk from conference together. I volunteered to make dessert and found a real southern dessert from Paula Deen...a bread pudding that is made with Krispy Kremes instead of bread, with fruit cocktail and raisins.  It was so moist and delicious and rich!  I don't even want to see anything that might indicate a calorie count.  We had plenty left over so we shared with the young sisters that live with Sister Rothman.

On Tuesday I went up to Spartanburg to look at housing for senior missionaries and also get another house for sisters in the Boiling Springs area.  It's a good thing that I went up because they were ready to rent the house to someone else even though they had just approved our application.  I signed the paperwork for that one and set off to look at the other two in a nearby branch. No luck with either of those, so I have to keep looking.  Doyle spent the day in the storage shed working on putting furniture together and making repairs to some of the donated furniture that we get.  Sometimes just tightening screws or some minor reinforcement will make furniture very useable.  He does this on a regular basis and we always find a good home for the tables, chairs or bookcases.

On Thursday the 4th we had a senior training and social at the mission home.  It's always so great to get together as a group.  It only happens four times a year.  We had a lovely dinner after our training.  And of course there was the mandatory group picture.

  Elder and Sister Mihlberger were missing as they had to leave early to teach a class. We have several new missionary couples and we have several that will be going home before our next get together.

Elder and Sister Bowman are returning to SLC.  This is their fourth mission. They have been serving a MLS mission in the Marion Branch.

 

 Elder and Sister Stowell are returning to our home stake in Wenatchee, WA. They have been serving a MLS mission in the Union Branch as Branch President and Relief Society President.

 Elder and Sister Decker are returning to Snowflake, AZ.  This is their second mission. They have been serving in the office.  Sister Decker is the financial person and Elder Decker is the fleet manager.

 Sister Rothman (shown here with President Holm) will return to southern California.  This is her first mission.  Sister Rothman is the office receptionist and mail person.  She sorts every piece of mail that arrives for the mission.

 Elder France is always in the kitchen helping with the clean up.

These are our assistants to the President, Elder Cardon and Elder Brimhall.  They do a great job and we are proud to serve with them.

 

Its' been a week filled with difficult news about family. The older one gets the more frequent this type of news occurs. As a result, my mind has been turned to things regarding family, loved ones, the uncertainty of tomorrow and the swiftness of passing time.  Each and every day, each and every moment is a gift from our Heavenly Father.   Once the moment has passed we cannot get it back.  Choices should be made wisely as to how we spend each of those precious moments.  Our families are so important to us and we need to let them know it.  Families are the foundations upon which our lives our built.  Think about your priorities and let your family know that you love them.

 

Have a great week y'all.  Love to all of you!