What a week we have had.  This is the first time since we've been here that President Holm has asked everyone in the office to come to all the Zone Conferences to give training to the missionaries based on our particular assignments.  Doyle was asked to do training on records and media, Elder Decker gave training on cars, Sister Decker on finances, Elder and Sister Mihlberger trained on emergency preparedness and I trained on housing issues and energy conservation.  So, each day, Tuesday thru Friday we went all over the state to make our presentations.  We needed to be to our destinations by about 8:15am, so that meant getting up at 5am...not my favorite thing.  But each day was very good and hopefully helpful.  We also helped Elder Decker inspect every car in the mission, which is done once per quarter. 

I took several pictures that I would like to share.  For those mom's that I know are watching my blog, I tried to find your child and take their picture.  These are pictures of the Columbia-West Columbia Zone Conference only.

 

We love our missionaries and we enjoy being with them so much.  They all work so diligently to spread the joy of the gospel.  They are respectful, caring and obedient and they love the Lord.  What a blessing it is for us to be able to serve with them!

 

Yesterday we went up to the Spartanburg area with Elder Taylor and Elder Hatch.  We were gone for 13 hours opening up two new apartments, one for two sisters and one for four sisters.  We loaded out here in Irmo at 7:30am did our set-ups and then went to a storage shed that contained an enormous amount of donations from the stake members towards the missionary housing.  It was wonderful to see everything in the storage shed.  The members really cleaned house and instead of giving it to Goodwill or some other entity they gathered it together for us.  There were many dining room tables and chairs, some chest of drawers, lamps, lots of dishes and silverware and other kitchen items.  There was so much we couldn't bring it all with us and will have to go back for the rest of it. 

Some members simply went to the store and bought things for missionaries apartments, based on the list that I had sent out to all the stakes.

Thank you all so much for your generosity.

 



 

The week ahead will be filled with opening more apartments and going through and organizing all of the donations we recieved.  On Friday we go to Charleston to pick up more donations.

 

On a personal note, Doyle and I finished reading every page of the Old and New Testament last week.  It has taken us about two and a half years to complete.  We were very pleased to finish the reading project and have started on the Doctrine and Covenants. 

 

Until next week.....

Love y'all.