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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday was a day of errands and a couple of hours in the office.  Sunday we attended church, took a nap and then went for a leisurely walk around a small lake a couple miles from the office.  There were many others taking advantage of the weather and the lake.  These interesting looking ducks were everywhere.

There was a paved path all the way around which made for an easy walk.  Many parents were out with their children running along side of them while they rode their bikes.  It was great to see.

Here we are getting ready for transfers again.  Six week intervals pass by very quickly.  Monday was a crazy day as we moved elders from one apartment into another, and worked in the office.  Because Monday is preparation day for the missionaries, we always have many of them in and around the office for one reason or another.  We had several of our visa waiters leave for their mission destinations as well.

Elder Oviatt, Elder Appleton and Elder Harris in their working mode.

A few hours later at the office and they look like well dressed missionaries.

Get a new companion and the picture is complete.

 

Tuesday we went to Greenwood which is about 140 miles round trip...and...you guessed it!  We opened another new apartment.  It was actually a very nice drive with only about half of it on the freeway and the other half on secondary roads.  Believe it or not, those roads had many, many logging trucks on them.  Being from Washington, seeing logging trucks used to be very common place.  I just don't think of South Carolina as logging country.

Our morning load out help was Elder Billiter and Elder Loos.  Our missionaries are always so willing to help us with anything we need help with.  We are thankful for that!!  We found out that Elder Billiter bakes wheat bread and he was generous enough to give us a loaf.  He actually made four loaves that morning.  Our missionaries are full of surprises.

We had the help of Elder Wilkinson and Elder Hansen moving into the apartment, so we took them out to lunch, which by the way was very good.  The elders recommended a place called O'Charleys.

The apartment looked really nice by the time we finished.

Wednesday was our trip to Camden, which is an old, historical town about forty-five minutes from Columbia.  On this move our helpers were Elder Gonzales and Elder Sprunt.  Not only did they help us move the furniture, but they also helped put some of it together.   

This is not my favorite job, but it has to be done! 

Finally back in the office for me on Thursday to get caught up on all the paperwork and computer work.  I was certainly ready for that.  For Doyle, Thursday brought more moving of furniture and other items.  He enlisted the help of four elders who came willingly at 7am to get started before it got really hot.  Their reward was ice cold water, many donuts and the blessing of providing service.

 

Elder Bailey, Elder Oviatt, Elder AuKoui, Elder France and Elder Winn.  Every one of them a donut demolisher!

Friday was a very busy day in the office as much planning is taking place for the 34 new missionaries who will arrive next Monday.  It is the second largest influx we have had.  As President Holm says, "There's lots of moving parts in a mission."  It just doesn't stop!  We all prepare for our presentations to the new missionaries.  Each person in the office gives a brief informational talk to the newly arrived elders and sisters.  Part of what I do after all the apartments are opened and ready to go, I organize all the keys and prepare an envelope with the address the keys and instructions.

I have hundreds of keys!  Not that we have hundreds of apartments, but we usually keep more than one copy as well as a few mailbox keys.

So....with the upcoming three day weekend, I hope everyone is safe and spending time with people that they love.  Family is so important no matter how big or small. May we all live to have the spirit be with us as we strive to be more loving and Christ like.

Blessings!!

Love y'all!

 

 

 

 

Today has been very hot, but really nice.  No huge rainstorms today thankfully.  We are at the end of another work week and it has been an eventful one, as we said goodbye to our wonderful Sister Rothman.   She was taken to Charlotte, NC by President and Sister Gold from the temple and flew home today.  We will miss her sweet spirit so much.

On Wednesday night we helped her pack up her things into boxes that were loaded into her car which will be shipped back to her home.  When we finished up we took her out to her favorite pizza place in Lexington.  She gave me a great smile for this one even though she was very tired.

On Tuesday, we went for a ladies luncheon together at the local Atlanta Bread.

 

From left to right, Sister Holm, Sister Mihlberger, me, Sister Decker and of course Sister Rothman.

President and Sister Gold from the temple came to help.  They ended up taking Sister Rothman to the airport.  She was very pleased.  While talking with the Gold's we discovered the always present link in the church.  They are friends with Rod and Laura Mortensen who are in our stake.  Small world indeed. 

On Tuesday morning before we all met for lunch I went to Camden to get the utilities set up for the apartment we will rent there.  I also stopped by the landlord's place of business and they gave me the keys to the townhouse so I'm ready to go next week.  The setting is so pretty.

Camden is a very historic town with lots of beautiful old homes.  I would love to explore it more, but it seems like I'm always on a very tight schedule every time I am there.

On Thursday we started moving into the new apartments for this transfer.  This new area for sisters is located in the town of Seneca which is located up at the top of the western edge of the state by the North Carolina and Georgia borders.  Such a cute little apartment and it includes a washer and dryer...which is a big deal.  When missionaries are living on such a limited budget spending $20 or more to go to the Laundromat is expensive.

This is the mail center for this apartment complex.  It spoke to both Doyle and I and I just had to take a picture!!

Today we went to Charleston for a double move.  We had the help of four elders who drove for 30 minutes to come help us move two sisters out of a one bedroom apartment and into a new location with two bedrooms and two bathrooms.  We'll be placing two more sisters there at transfers.  It was quite a workout as both of the apartments were on the second floor and it was really hot.

Sister Creager, Sister Banks, Elder Condie, Elder Ward, Elder Proctor and Elder Robinson.

Lunch was at a place recommended by the sisters called Raisin' Cain...another one of the many chicken places in the south!!  It was fun and we were so grateful for their help.  We are blessed to be able to associate with so many wonderful elders and sisters.

This truck was outside the restaurant.  The mud was so thick!.."only in South Carolina" was the comment by the other person taking a picture of this truck.  The owner was obviously proud of his very muddy truck.

We finally arrived back at the office at around 5pm.  There was a package waiting from our friends Margie and Bill.  Doyle's birthday is in August and mine is in September, so she sent a double gift and I had to share.  Margie is very talented and made a beautiful bag for me!!  It is so heavy and sturdy.  I love it.

The cake mix is for Doyle.  Margie sent a special recipe for me to bake a desert for him.  I will definitely do that!!

I heard a quote this week that I would like to share. "Bring the past only if you're going to build from it."  Think about that everyone.

Love y'all.  Have a wonderful week and give thanks for the blessings that are yours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The new week started out with a wonderful Sunday.  The weather was awesome and we had such a nice day at church.  It was also Elder France's birthday.  We had the Elders over to have dinner with us.  I made a new desert recipe that I got off Face book with apples and a sugar cookie crust which became Doyle's birthday "cake" with candles stuck in it. Dinner was the best stew I have ever made using a cut up roast that I fried with flour and then put in the crock pot for about 24 hours on low heat.  When I cooked the carrots and potatoes, I got them peeled and cut and them put them in the microwave to cook before placing them in the crock pot with the meat and gravy.  It was a big hit. 

Here is the birthday boy with his gift and card.  He looks pretty happy don't you think??  What do you get for the man who needs nothing??  A couple new golf shirts made him very happy!

 

Monday was a busy day in the office trying to get back on top of everything.  Elder France always has baptisms to record.  Fort Jackson, which is an Army base nearby always has many baptisms over the weekends, so they are waiting to be recorded into the records of the church.  I am finishing up my search for the new apartments I will need for our next transfer.  We have about 8 this time.  I spend a great deal of time on the Internet searching for the right apartment in the right location and phoning to see if they have vacancies.  We have also had to find a few different apartments to relocate for a few existing areas. 

On Tuesday I went to Greenwood to look at an apartment there.  It was about 150 miles round trip.  I was very pleased with the apartment I found and it happens to be managed by one of our existing vendors so that makes the process much simpler.  Most of the apartments that I am opening now are for sisters.

Thursday was a wonderful day in the office.  We had several of our former missionaries come for a visit.  Two sisters and one elder came to the office to see everyone.  What very special young people they are and each one an exceptional missionary while they served.  Two of them had their parents and other family members with them.  They also spent some time with President and Sister Holm.

We love our current and former missionaries!!

This is Madison Chai, Dylan Israelsen and Heather Allen, all former SCCM missionaries!!

Here Sister Chai is trying out President Holm's desk and chair!  I think she likes it!

 

Friday we went to Myrtle Beach with the Mihlbergers to pick up donations from church members there.  It was pouring like crazy as we got ready to leave Columbia.  Doyle took the garbage out, which isn't very far and his jacket was soaked completely through.  We ended up getting our waterproof sailing jackets out from underneath the bed and taking them with us.  Thankfully, the rain subsided by the time we got to our destination.

This is us with the van and trailer that we use.  I much prefer the van to the truck because there is so much more space to haul things.

 

There is a place called Sparky's on the highway to Myrtle Beach.  It is a very interesting shopping experience with lots of things to satisfy the sweet tooth.  The Mihlberger's had never been there so we stopped to check it out.  We found a couple of unique gift items for family and also bought some of the chocolate covered pecans that they are famous for.  They have one of the largest selections of hard ice cream I have ever seen, but we showed great strength and passed on that waistline killer. 

 

 

 

There is a Costco there and of course we took advantage of that.  We don't have one locally in the Columbia area, so when we get to the cities where there is one we try to fit that in.  There are three in the mission.  One in Spartanburg, one in Greenville and one in Myrtle Beach.  The closest one is over 90 minutes away!!

We use the donations to help furnish the new apartments that we open. We took the van and the trailer which was pretty full by the time we got done.  The Bishop in Conway, which is very close to Myrtle Beach, has a business that has a large warehouse and he had been storing the items for us.  The two local elders came to help us load out and so that meant that we took them to lunch.  They picked Olive Garden which is always a hit.  We were all very happy with the choice.

The Mihlberger's, the France's, Elder Maurer and Elder Houghton. 

 

It was a long day...almost twelve hours, so we did not unload the trailer into the storage sheds last night, but instead went over this morning and with the help of Elder Billiter and Elder Loos, we got the unloading done in about 30 minutes.

I have lots of great pictures of all of this, but I'm having a hard time downloading them, so I'm going to publish anyway, with the hope that I can get it figured out and put them in later.  I much prefer a blog with lots of pictures!!

Have a blessed week everyone.

Love y'all.  

 

(I finally figured out how to get the new pictures off of the new camera!!)