My goodness, here we are into September already!  Some of the leaves are starting to turn color and fall, but the weather is staying very toasty.  It was over ninety today.  The rain that came down almost daily and by the bucket full in July has ceased which is a very good thing.  We did have a very loud thunder and lightning storm a few nights ago that lit up the night sky, however.  I guess that's just part of the weather pattern in the summer in South Carolina.

Sunday we had our elders over for dinner.  We really enjoy the time we are able to spend with these fine young men!  It's so much fun to visit with them and get to know them better.  It was the last opportunity before transfers to have them over and we're glad we did as changes are coming.

Elder Bailey and Sister Canaan will both be transferred to another area of the mission.  Sister Canaan is not in our branch, but she lives very close to the mission office so we see her often.

 

Elder Nissen, Elder AhKuoi and Elder Bailey all ready to eat well and share a spiritual thought with us.

As Monday was Labor Day we stayed home in the morning and worked around the house.  Doyle washed and waxed the car, which made us both very happy.  We really dislike a dirty car and it's pretty hard to keep it clean when it's out in the open all the time.  Then we went into the office for a couple hours to do some paperwork, did some shopping and then went to Saluda Park with the Mihlberger's to go for a walk.  This is a picture of the Saluda River at 7pm with temperatures in the high 80's and the thick mist rising and falling over the water.  It was very interesting to see.

This is a picture of the bog that is in the park.  Imagine what might be lurking beneath the surface of the green and scarlet vegetation that sits on top of the water.

 

On Tuesday, we opened our last apartment for this week in Lexington.  We had the help of Elder Winn, Elder Appleton, Elder Oviatt and Elder Harris.  They just moved out of this apartment and the owner came in and replaced the carpet, painted and took care of several other maintenance items so we could get it set up for sisters who will move in tomorrow.

Tomorrow is Wednesday and another transfer will take place.  All the new elders and sister were picked up at the airport yesterday.  Tomorrow at transfers they will all learn which area they will serve in.  We love transfers.  It is a mix of happy and sad, but always uplifting to hear the testimonies of the departing missionaries.

Here they are!  The incoming missionaries...22 sisters and 11 elders I believe.  What an exciting and tiring past two days they have had!

Sister Titus...this is for you!!

New companionship's...

Old companionship's...

And more new companionship's!  Sister Chatterton, on the right, is on loan from Temple Square and Sister Walker on the left is now a seasoned missionary.

The chapel is a hub of activity after transfers are announced.  Lots of hugs, a few tears and much conversation.  Many members help out by providing transportation for the missionaries.  They bring them to the chapel, sit through transfers (which everyone always loves) and then take the new companionship back home.  As you can see from this picture there are lots of sisters now.  Our mission will have 101 sisters by November.  When President Holm got here in July of 2011 there were 20.  My how we've grown.

We are so blessed to be here in South Carolina, to be a part of this wonderful mission, watching young missionaries as they learn and grow in the gospel and help others to do the same by inviting them to come unto Christ.  Miracles are happening all around us.  Elder Mihlberger will baptize a man tomorrow that left the church 30 years ago and has wanted to come back but never did.  Elder and Sister Mihlberger went to visit his wife and found him.  It has been a joy for us to see the joy in Elder Mihlberger as he talks about this wonderful experience.  The work is never done.  We simply do not know who we will meet or who we will impact as we go about being missionaries.  What a wonderful time this is for us.  We know that the Lord is out ahead of all of this and we are thankful  for our many blessings.

 

Love y'all