It has been a week of firsts and a week of goodbyes as we took one elder to the airport, attended the temple, had a wonderful dinner at the mission home and enjoyed a video and a testimony meeting with these fine young men.  One of them, Elder Fuller, was in our branch and we had gotten to know him better than the others.  Dinner was chicken pot pie with the best crust I have ever had, a wonderful salad with an apple poppyseed dressing and the lightest, fluffiest, creamiest homemade banana pudding. It was heavenly!  As I was trying hard to be good with all this wonderful food, the mission president came around with the pudding bowl and put more on my plate.  What could I do?  You know what I did!  Oh my!

The elders each bore their testimony, which was very touching, as they all made special reference to how their strength in the gospel had grown so much in the last two years while teaching others about Jesus Christ. When the elders finished the president asked the senior missionaries if we had any words of wisdom to contribute and Sister Putnam shared this, "There are two great days in your life, the day you are born and the day you find out why."  Very profound.





Elder France and I with Elder Fuller who was preparing to go home to Utah the following morning.

Columbia South Carolina Temple
 

On Wednesday we took Elder Burchfield to the airport.  I plugged in the address that I had found online into the GPS in the car, while Doyle spoke the address into his phone to get directions.  We were prepared..until we saw the sign on the freeway that directed us a totally different way.  I made the decision to follow my GPS and off we went further down the freeway and off through downtown, the capitol building, and finally down some side streets that looked nothing like the picture online.  Well, we had found the airport alright...the industrial airport!  Three choices and I took the wrong one!  Thankfully we had lots of time!  While Elder Burchfield directed us out of the area and back to the real airport, he shared lots of Revolutionary and Civil War history.  We found the airport and this one looked like the one I had seen online.  We sent the Elder off for home with 2 full hours before flight time.

Columbia, South Carolina Airport

On a funny note, today Doyle was asked for the second time if he is the new mission president.  I guess he just has that look about him!

We wish everyone a splendid Thanksgiving!  I see many posts on face book regarding the things that people are thankful for...one specific item for each day of the month.  We have so much to thank Heavenly Father for including His Son and His atoning sacrifice for us, our lives and our parents decision to bring us into this world, our families, and countless opportunities to learn and grow. 

Have a great week everyone!  Much love to you all!!

 

What glorious and beautiful fall weather we are having!  Today it got up to 75 degrees!  Nights are getting colder however.  It's been down around mid 30's.  We did have ice on the windshield one morning.  I miss having our vehicles garaged.  They get dirty so much faster and they are cold in the morning.  With our gas water heater in the garage at home, it gives off just enough heat that the cars never really get cold.

This week was a week of firsts for us.  We went to two of the zone conferences.  The first one, on Tuesday was in West Columbia where our stake center is.  Doyle and I made brief presentations to the missionaries with regard to housing issues and baptismal forms.  We watched some driving safety videos produced by the church specifically for the missionaries to encourage them to keep safety first while in the car.  We then started vehicle inspections of all cars in the Columbia and West Columbia zones.  Inspections include overall maintenance, cleanliness and record keeping accuracy.  If they are doing everything well, they get a treat and a happy face card.  If they are neglecting to do things well, they get a frowning face card and no treat.  On Wednesday, we traveled an hour and a half to Greenville to have zone conference with the Greenville East and Greenville missionaries.  The procedure was basically the same.  Both days we were finished before lunch, and then headed back to the office to work there.

Missionary cars lined up for inspection in Greenville.

Next week, on Tuesday we go to Augusta and then Wednesday is Florence zone conference.  On Friday, we will spend time with the departing missionaries going to the temple and having dinner at the mission home with President Holm and his wife.  Saturday is missionary departure day and the following Monday we have arrivals, then on the 21st is transfers.  (I'm tired already!)

The following day is Thanksgiving.  Fixing a big Thanksgiving dinner in the 5th wheel would be quite an undertaking.  The refrigerator is small...so what in the world would I do with all those leftovers?  I think the office staff will probably all go out to dinner together.  We went to a wonderful buffet last Tuesday.  Everyone really enjoyed the food so we may go back there.

Today was a busy day.  Doyle worked on a few maintenance issues on the fifth wheel as we prepare for unknown weather conditions during winter.

So efficient!

 

Laying in the dirt and gravel after putting on the tire covers.

 

 Everyone says it's pretty mild here, but it has been known to snow from time to time.  We have been told when that happens...everybody stays home.  They have no snow plows to deal with removal issues, so an unscheduled day off makes for smiling faces on school children and a few adults, I'm sure.

We did take some time to go for a short walk here on the campground property.  There is a small lake and it looks so lovely from the other side looking toward the campground.

 

 

Tomorrow is our predictable opportunity.  As two of the newest faces in the ward, we have been asked to speak.  It is the way of the church...when you come or when you leave, the request always comes.  We accepted of course, so we'll be looking out into the faces of the branch members.  I'm ready and looking forward to it.  My topic is service to others.

 

People are so friendly here!  Lots of smiles and courtesy.  Speaking of courtesy, I have really noticed it while driving.  People will actually stop and let you out into traffic.  Now that is a rare sight indeed in the Seattle area!  I love Seattle, but the drivers are pretty rude most of the time.

 

Until next time, I wish all my friends and family all of the peace in their lives that can be achieved by living the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I love all of you!

 

What a week we have had.  The work in the office has kept us on our toes as we learn more  about our job assignments and implement them.  We rearranged our office and removed two old printers and hooked up the new one.  Doyle and I share the same office, but we each have our own desk and our own computer.  It's cozy!

On Thursday we had dinner with Danielle, a member of the branch we attend.  Her boyfriend and our two missionaries from the branch were there.  We had a lovely visit.  Her dog Zoe loved Doyle and didn't mind showing it!  What energy.  Danielle sent us on our way with a quart jar of her  chicken soup made from her grandmothers special recipe. We plan to enjoy it for dinner tomorrow.  On Friday the office staff had lunch with the Mission President and his wife at the deli just a short walk from the office.  It was a luncheon to thank the Bowman's for their work in the office as it was their last day.  The deli has the most divine Tomato Basil soup.  Tonight we had a staff dinner at the Bowman's apartment with our local sister missionaries, the assistants to the President and our last three visa waiters who leave for Columbia tomorrow.  Sometimes it takes a longer period of time for some visas to process after a missionary is out of the MTC and so they put them on a temporary assignment in a mission in the US.  These particular missionaries had been here for six weeks waiting.

Our wonderful sister missionaries, Sister Allen on the left and Sister Chai on the right with Sister Rothman, our receptionist.

Our visa waiters Elder Soderburg, Elder Palmer and Elder Schwab.  They fly to Columbia in the morning.

 

 

Yesterday all missionaries in the mission plus all stake presidents and their wives had a very
wonderful and special opportunity to hear from a member of the Quorum of the Twelve.  From 4-7pm we were all privileged to be taught by Elder Bednar in our stake building in Columbia.  He was so insightful in how he conducted the meeting by allowing the missionaries to ask many questions and giving instruction to them.  He said that the Holy Ghost is always the teacher, not the individual and that we need to be worthy conduits for that purpose.  He taught that we should first observe, then listen, then discern, and finally, after we do those things, we should talk.  We have to know what the needs of the individual are before we can help them.  We all gathered for a group picture in the cultural hall.  There were about 220 of us. When Elder Bednar was finished speaking to us we each were able to shake his hand!  I will post the picture when I get a copy of it.  Needless to say, it was amazing!  Probably a once in a lifetime opportunity. 

It seems that we are going all the time.  The Mission President has told us that we need to have a date night every week.  I'm not sure how that is going to be possible but we are going to try.  Once a month probably sounds much more realistic.  I'm not complaining!  I'd much rather be purposeful and productive than lost and bored.  I love my mission!  President Holm gives a beautiful coin to his  new missionaries.  On it are the following words:
I love tough things.
I am first to do tough things.
I do tough things first.
I'm a finisher.
Words to live by!

I have the most wonderful story to share.  It was told today in Relief Society by the sister teaching the class.  It touched my heart!  It confirms that Heavenly Father directs and guides us IF we will listen.

A senior couple decided that they would like to go on a mission and so they submitted their papers.  When the call came they were shocked and saddened to see that it was a call to Siberia.  They did not want to go because of the cold and other health concerns.  They turned the call down.  They waited one year, as required, and submitted papers again.  They looked forward to serving, but when the call came a second time, it was again to Siberia.  It was hard to believe that this would happen a second time.  Again, they turned the call down for the same reasons.  Another year passed and they submitted papers for a third time.  The couple waited and prayed.  The call arrived and again it was to Siberia.  At this point, they decided that they needed to go and do as the Lord would have them do.

The church has a program of providing blankets and other items to prisons in some countries.  This couple was called to minister in this way.  One day as the sister was trying to speak with a prison guard she became so frustrated at the communication problems that she said out loud, "Doesn't anyone around here speak English?"  From a cell down the corridor a voice said, "I do."  The sister heard the voice and went to the cell to talk with the man only to find that it was her own son who had vanished while travelling some 3 years earlier.  He had lost his papers and had been picked up by the police and could not prove who he was, so they threw him in prison.

The missionaries were able to prove who their son was.  He was released from prison and went back to the U.S.  The Elder and Sister had learned a profound lesson and determined that they would stay and complete their mission.

Are we listening?  In our fast paced world with so many things to keep us busy and so much technology to distract us, are we taking quiet time to reflect, ponder and listen?  I hope that this story will remind each of us to do just that!

Greetings from beautiful South Carolina!  What a wonderful Saturday.  The weather was in the mid- 70's with a little wind but nothing to serious.  The weather channel said we might get some wind today from Hurricane Sandy passing by  out in the Atlantic.  I spent the day cleaning, reading and helping Doyle do a few things.  I just had no desire to go anywhere!  He built me a really nice step platform to place at the bottom of the RV steps...complete with a welcome mat attached to it!  What a guy.  He also sprayed the perimeter of our site to help keep the bugs at bay.  The famous Palmetto bugs are found everywhere here.  Also commonly known as cockroaches.  We have decided the best way to combat them is to keep them out in the first place. It makes me uncomfortable to even talk about them  let alone living with them!!!

The campground we are staying in is only about 12 minutes from the mission office and the local mall.  It is huge!  We are about 10 minutes from the chapel where we are in support of the Chapin Branch.

We walked around the campground for the first time tonight.  It has a large pond on the opposite side from us full of carp and turtles and lots of other things I probably don't want to know about.  The squirrels are everywhere and just as busy as can be.  I watch them running about and jumping from tree to tree.  It's fun!

Our campground has electric meters on each monthly site.  The rates here are over 13 cents a kilowatt hour, so the electricity is provided to a $100 limit and then we pay anything over that.  Certainly not like Douglas County PUD.

 

Our spot for now.

 

 

And finally a gorgeous sunset to cap off a simply lovely day!

Elder and Sister France with our official name tags.

We have just completed the first week of our mission as office specialists in the Columbia South Carolina Mission.  So much to learn but such a wonderful opportunity to grow in the gospel, experience the joy of working with other missionaries and hopefully having time to see some of the local area.


Elder and Sister Stowell 

On Tuesday we were able to meet with our Mission President and his wife and all of the senior missionaries in the mission.  Brother and Sister Stowell from Wenatchee were there to greet us.  It was such a wonderful, spiritual meeting.  We received instruction from President Holm and his wife.  Doyle and I were asked to introduce ourselves and bear our testimony.  It was a tender moment.  The meeting lasted for three hours and then we all went to the mission home for a wonderful harvest dinner.  The meal consisted of homemade wheat bread, squash soup (so delicious), beef stew, apple slices with cream cheese dip, green salad, pumpkin roll and pumpkin cheesecake.  These wonderful meetings that include dinner occur once a quarter.  Everyone looks forward to the fellowship!

Elder and Sister Bowman

My job title is Housing Coordinator and Elder France is multi-tasking as an executive secretary.  I also produce the monthly newsletter that is sent out to all missionaries in the mission.  Yesterday I had the opportunity to go look at one apartment, but my companion, Sister Bowman and I both decided that it was not where we wanted to place Elders.  Elder and Sister Bowman are the senior missionaries we are replacing in the office. They are from Provo and have a home very close to the MTC.


We also work with Elder and Sister Decker and the Assistants
to the President (AP's).  We have a wonderful and delightful single sister working as the receptionist.  Her name is Sister Rothman.  Elder France calls her the "energizer bunny".  She stands on her feet all day and handles the phone and all the mail for the mission...which is a formidable task....and many other things that I don't know about, to be sure.




Elder and Sister Decker and Elders Abrahamsen and Olson





We have not had much time to explore and from what I can see at this point, our explorations will be pretty limited as there is much to do. President Holm did tell us to be sure and take our p day on Saturday, but we'll see how that works out. We have been assigned to support the Chapin Branch on Sundays and sacrament begins at 11am. I'm sure we will be involved in many activities with our branch.

The news is all about Hurricane Sandy right now but from what we can gather from the news and weather reports (which are limited as we do not have TV yet), our area is not in danger.  Hopefully it will stay that way.

Don't be shy.  We would love to hear from you too!

 


On Friday, October 19th we arrived in South Carolina!!  Our trip was long and tiring, but we made it safe and sound.  We left home on Thursday, October 11.  The route Elder France chose was the one with the shortest mileage which took us through Idaho, Montana,Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri,Illinois, Tennessee and into South Carolina.  We drove through a lot of really beautiful country!  We did stay one extra night in South Dakota so we could go to Mt. Rushmore.  It is an awe inspiring place with an incredible story.  It started out as a 5 year, $500,000 project and took 14 years at a cost of $1 million.  Not one life was lost during all those years even though they used massive scaffolding, used dynamite, and hung off the face of a rock formation.

 

 

Margie, this next picture is for you!  We had to stop and look at this wood sculpture!

 

Yesterday we checked out our local area, did some shopping, located the church building we will attend and found the mission office where we will work.  We have been asked to work in support of a small branch here as well as being office specialists during the week. This afternoon we went to the Mission Presidents home and met with him, his wife and the other senior missionaries that work in the office.

 

We are very excited to finally be here to begin our mission.  We know that there are many individuals who are waiting to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We pray that we might be instruments in his hands for that purpose.  We will we working with wonderful young elders and sisters who are filled with a love for the Savior that radiates from them as they share gospel principles with those who are ready to hear it.  We are grateful for your prayers in our behalf and so thankful for a safe journey.