....ramblings...........

Well............who says worrying doesn't work? We worried and everything went really well. We had a wonderful missionary leadership council today............we are so blessed! And the food was great!!! We ordered hamburgers and hot dogs.......they came grilled and in chafing dishes..........and.......drum roll, please...........they received rave reviews from the missionaries. We--the other sister missionary in the office and I--worried about amounts, but we had only six hamburgers and one hot dog left over. The office Elders were more than happy to take them home. I'm afraid I have forgotten how much teenage boys can eat............. it was delightful!!!!!

Can I just say again how wonderful this experience is?!! How much we love it!! WOW!!!! And how much we love these missionaries...............and Pres. and Sis. Hanks. It is such a blessing to be here to learn from them...............we are tired..............Roger is taking a nap, but he's entitled to.........he was awake at 2:00 a.m. worrying about our additional "children".

And I'm going to stop..............I'm just kind of rambling here...........but I wanted you to know we had a great day and feel very blessed...........................

But I just remembered, I was going to tell you about the rain storm we had this morning. That was another WOW!!! Lightening clouds to ground and one so close it scared me...literally..........rain in sheets. It was like a really bad blizzard only rain........ and then it was over.......... it's gorgeous tonight.

It's Monday again.........

A quickie for today..............I think I'm all ready for tomorrow. The boxes are all packed with supplies, Ensigns, and mail. Roger and I got the shopping done after we left the office......we were tired, but we needed to get it done. Our day started off with office staff meeting with Pres. and Sis. Hanks. He asked me how I was doing, how I was feeling........what do I say to that in front of everyone???? We had TWENTY referrals this morning!!! I got them assigned, checked my shopping list for MLC tomorrow......and I had everything done. I couldn't go in "my" room because they came to clean the carpet today--since the water in there last week........it still didn't smell good enough for Sis. Newman, so she insisted they come clean it. I had a really l.o.n.g. day........... Roger had a couple of little things I could do for him and Sis. Newman let me do some things and taught me how to use the postal metering machine.......That was cool!!! Tomorrow will be a busy one though. In contrast, Roger had a monster day. He spent quite a bit of time on the phone with a man from Salt Lake. AND!! he learned he is an answer to prayer! Joe, from Salt Lake, (he is our representative to the global fleet services for the Church, over a number of missions) ......anyway, Joe told Roger he has been praying for him for six months. Do you know how long ago it was that I told Roger we needed to go in May?? Yeah........just under six months......... And Roger is doing a good job! There are lots of things he has to remember and take care of, and he has to talk with the missionaries more than we thought he would have to. He is also trying to get eight cars ready to sell...........lots to do..........

I'll let you know how tomorrow goes................

...sweet land of liberty.....

Oh. My. Goodness!!!!! We had a wonderful and somewhat unexpected treat tonight!! I'll backup a little. Last week at sisters' training meeting, Sis. Jones--another senior missionary--and the wife of one of Pres. Hanks' counselors were talking about a patriotic program put on by the two stakes in Huntsville.......that it was really good and we should go. Sis. Jones let me borrow her phone right then to make "reservations".......but you don't have to have a ticket and the seating is first come...... Our "reservations" were for the 5:00 performance. I wish so badly I had a picture for you......but I don't. I will try to "paint" one for you..........picture a large stake center--like Rhodes Valley or Delta--very large. About 5-6 rows of middle benches removed and a platform set up with a military band on it! The entire open floor space is filled with chairs. On the front wall, about the size of the projector screen is a flag and then, on either side and around the walls where the "cove lighting" is, there are red, white and blue buntings......the entire length of the chapel. All the seats--with extras--on the stand are filled with a 70 voice choir. They had short narrations between the songs--narrators being members of the legislature, city councils, school board president, etc. After prayer we all stood and sang "The Star-Spangled Banner". Oh. My!!!!! Then short narration and "America, the Beautiful". The tears would come............Thankfully, they stopped. Other numbers were "God Bless America", "You're a Grand Old Flag", (I'm doing this from memory as my program is out in the car.) all the "service" songs and the veterans stood, (there were even a few World War II veterans!..........I thought they would have been awfully young to serve......... They ended with "Battle Hymn of the Republic".......which we just learned about--written during the Civil War for the northern army--the army of the Republic............I wondered how that really goes over here in the "heart of Dixie". I like to think we have healed, but on the way "home" we saw three or four trucks and cars with Confederate flags--big ones--in the beds of the pickups........and I wondered more about how that flag is viewed--decided it's different here than how I have thought/felt about it all my life.......anyway, that's beside the point. The military band played "Stars and Stripes Forever"!!!! WOW!!!!!! It wasn't a big band,  so it wasn't "full" and "grand" like it would have been with a bigger band, but they were good!!..........they had the piccolo player stand up in front when it got to her part (and I'm having a total blank about what that part of the march is called--the Trio?) She did a fantastic job!!!!! I've tried to play that part, and she made it look easy!! The whole program had us on our feet repeatedly. It was superbly excellent!!! Wow!! And what a thing to know that it could be repeated in nearly every area of the church............there is that kind of talent--in music and organization. We are an amazing people.

On the way home Roger decided we should stop at a couple of grocery stores to see if we could find some rootbeer extract for our lunch on Tuesday........took us quite out of our way, but oh! we saw some pretty places. These I do have some pictures of...........not really good ones, because, as you probably know, I take most of them "on the fly".........

I was anticipating this one, we saw it on the way up.......but........you will understand my excitement....

This is the Tennessee River above one of the thousand dams they have built....(and the railing and mirror.........sorry.......you really can't see much of the river)

And on some little county road east of I-65........beautiful country........this is why you leave the Interstate.......lovely.......I told Roger I want to live here.......(one of several other places I'd like to live)      ............I love thy rocks and rills, Thy woods and templed hills. My heart with rapture thrills...............

No........we did not find any root beer extract...........

I think it's a TGIF day..........

A good day.......but kind of long. Roger wanted to get to the office early because there was a training for vehicle coordinators originating in Salt Lake, and he got the time difference backwards...........so, yeah, we were there before 8:30. And when the training didn't start and he was frustrated, Sis. Newman straightened both of us out!! I didn't catch it either! I got the referrals assigned and made sure I have all the materials ready to take to MLC next Tuesday. I wanted to have that all ready today because on Monday I'm going to concentrate on the food. I had a moment of "overwhelmed" combined with a little panic.......but I worked through that. When I stand in that room/closet and look at all the books and pamphlets--all the teaching materials--that are going out I marvel again. We really are flooding the earth with the Book of Mormon!! And nearly all of them go out in the hands of 18-20 year-old "kids". Pres. Hanks says Salt Lake doesn't like us to call them that, but that's what they are! And he's right!!!! They are "kids"!! But they are doing amazing things and fulfilling the trust the Lord has in them. It is a marvelous thing to see first hand. So anyway............I made a couple of phone calls to make sure I had everyone on the same page for the food for Tuesday. That's set to go as well. AGH!!!! Writing about it is stressing me out again.............

I went with Roger to the DMV again..........and the line moved lots faster than we anticipated. But it was still pretty fruitless, though now we know that as well. And it was good for me to get out of the office because I had pretty much run out of things to do. I did some filing for Roger as he was on the phone quite a bit today.

I made another order for some things I forgot yesterday......and added four DVD players because I thought I gave out the last one earlier this week. Well.......we still have some, and now I've spent $200 I didn't need to, and I'm having a hard time with that. I was hoping I could go in and revise my order, because when I ordered this morning, it was a "revision"............I hope everyone will be patient.

I forgot to mention the other day that Roger made bread in the bread machine!! It's pretty good too!! Surely did smell good while it was baking. And we have gone twice now--two days in a row--to the exercise room here at the apartment complex. I walked a mile tonight. I really hope we can keep it up.

You know........I'm a little nervous about continuing my writing here........when things become routine around here, what's going to happen? Hmmmmmmm............... our mission president is Richard D. Hanks, son of Elder Marion D. Hanks and he told us right up front that he learned his leadership skills from his father...........a great recommendation!!!!

I stand in awe...........

First of all......thank you all for your kind comments. This has been fun for me. And it makes me record my thoughts and our activities. So........if you are up for another one............

It was an absolutely gorgeous day.......

We had another session at the temple this morning. It was totally wonderful!! And I'm so envious! We got there for Pres. Hanks' little "instruction" time before the session. There is a waiting room just inside the front door to the right that I missed yesterday. It was standing room only. Thankfully, we teach etiquette (and being respectful to your elders) in our culture, so I was able to sit. But that's beside the point.........Pres. Hanks taught us things this morning that I really wish I had known forty years ago when I first went to the temple!!! And I've spent all these forty years trying to figure out things that are totally superficial and maybe even non-existent!!! And obviously unimportant--with this new insight. But what a blessing to learn it now! I'm so thankful I could be there today. I hope we have an opportunity sometime in the future to talk about these things........

It was delightful to watch the Elders greet one another and stand around in the heat and humidity talking together. They are all so kind and seem anxious to meet us. Some of the older ones are more willing to talk, and have more confidence in doing so. It was fun to watch Roger interact with them. He had a couple of them he needed to talk with...........such a fun time.........

When we got to the celestial room we sat on one of the couches for a bit. Pres. Hanks came over and sat down beside me and asked how we are doing........that he hears good things from the other missionaries--especially the ones we are working with in the office. They are kind.......but we are trying hard to learn what we should be doing. Anyway........then he started to "introduce" some of the missionaries..........he prefaced it by "every one has a story" and how he loves them. ....an Elder who was so discouraged and depressed and treated poorly by his companions when he first arrived that he just about went home.........I know him!!!!! What a blessing he has been to us!! And a sweet, loyal, dependable young man. I'm so thankful he didn't go home! I would not have known him! Two sisters who, when they first came "would not open their mouths". One is now a Sister Leader Trainer and the other.....after 4-5 companions who had to teach every lesson, do every door approach and talk to every "WalMart contact" gave more than 50% of the lesson the other day!! He said she was the greatest miracle in the room. Then an Elder from Jamaica (I'm going to ask him if he maybe knows Doug)........he came with a group of 38......and "got lost at the airport". They couldn't find him!!!! Finally......at the baggage claim. He was helping random strangers up the stairs with their luggage. They waited half an hour for him! He is "my best missionary", a zone leader for ten months and going home soon. Pres. Hanks will cry again. He is not looking forward to next transfer.........this will be the first group to go home that he welcomed to the mission. He does not like the every "six week heart wrenching".

On our way back to the office we ventured into downtown Birmingham to the DMV.........yeah...... that dreaded place........and there was the requisite line! Thankfully, they had a lady walking down the line directing people and answering questions. We learned that we didn't have all the information we needed, so we left. I shudder to think how long we could have been there just to learn that!!

I placed my first order today!!!! It only took four calls to Salt Lake and at least thirty minutes on the phone!! Talk about a circus! And then, some of the missionaries came to the office after their temple session this afternoon. One really rewarding for me........they wanted a large print Triple--which I did not have because they have been flying out of the office all week and we only had ten to begin with. It was supposed to be for one of my referrals!!!!!!!! I felt like stealing one out of a box for another Zone!!! I was thrilled!! Not really "my" referral, but one I had processed.......and the lady was really excited because the missionaries were on her doorstep the day after she had made her request!!!! That's the way it is supposed to work!!! RAH!!!!!! I wanted to hug those young men!!

I told one of the Elders at the temple that really, the most awe inspiring thing about it all is the young missionaries!! They are incredible!!!! They are not perfect. And sometimes they do really stupid things. But they do so much good!!!! They go out there and teach and testify..........it is an amazing thing, really. I stand in awe................

One more thing that is neat, but not spiritual at all..............remember Lee Johnson, BYU punter on the 1984 team? His son is in our mission!!! I had to run out and shake his hand!! I was in "my room" and could hear them talking.......he was delighted to find some people who knew who his dad is/was and admired him. He said they are kind of hard to find.............made it all the more special. I was impressed with him. 

We went to the temple this afternoon..........we have never lived this close to a temple in our whole lives except for the three years we were in Provo going to school............and here we are in Alabama!!!! Whoever would have thought!?!?!?!??? This was our first time inside one of the "small" temples.........it's beautiful. And while the building is a bit diminutive, the Spirit is not! I have always been afraid that it wouldn't feel like a temple.........but it does!! And I'm so thankful for that! And oh!!! so neat to be there with the missionaries!! We entered, and immediately to the right of the recommend desk is the baptistry......the font is there below ground level, but certainly not in a "basement". The sisters make an immediate "left" while the brothers can make a more leisurely left into the dressing rooms. I think there were 13 dressing stalls with two tall skinny lockers and four short skinny lockers--and one "shelf" along the wall where they had clothing for the missionaries who don't have their own. Two new name booths, but you go through the one to get to the other........three steps across the hall and you are in the ordinance room! I heard the Elders say yesterday "with the chairs" it will hold 48 people. We had about 43 people today........they took out the chairs on one side of the isle. There are two ordinance rooms.......like in Brigham City and Draper--I think......... Exit to the front and enter the terrestrial room.........through the veil in the front, then through a door into the celestial room. All very compact. Every inch used. Simply beautiful. And huge on Spirit. It was lovely!!! And 30 minutes away if there is light traffic. Wonderful!!!!!!

They came and took the fans out of "my" room this morning............it still smells horrible............ and there are a few books I don't feel we can give to investigators. I don't know what we are going to do with them. Maybe if some of the missionaries want them............. But I'm learning that you use only the best to represent the Church.......well, really, as a representative of the Lord you would want to use only the best.

I'll have some pictures on Thursday.........we get to have another session at the temple............

It had to be Monday...........

I just keep having these "one time" experiences.......at least I hope they are one time!!!! We started off this morning with an office meeting: Pres/Sis Hanks, Elder/Sis Newman, Elder/Sis Jones, the APs--three of them, the "auto men"--the two Elders who have been taking care of the cars for the past six months, and Roger/me. It was great........interesting......... Pres. Hanks is such a softy!!! And I love that! And he's funny when he wants to be. And I think I told you he has a very large personality....... Well, my upcoming assignment is the food for our Mission Leadership Council--51 people--on the 30th. I have reigned in my AGH!!!! feeling and was moving ahead..........well, it kind of got taken out of my hands. Which is okay. We are going to have good food, and it doesn't matter who or what, right? As long as the missionaries get a good meal and know we love them........ It's going to be good.

I sent out a text to the Zone Leaders that I need to have their "media orders" in so I can get stuff ordered. I was going to order that today, but I really need to know what to order. OH!!!! I didn't go into "my" room where all the supplies are stored until after the meeting--which would have been about 10:00. When I went in the second time a very short time later, I thought, "wow, the floor sounds funny when I walk over here." Yep. It was soaking wet!!!! Sadly, we had 3-4 boxes of books sitting on the floor. I hurriedly emptied them and set the wet books out on the table to dry, if possible. When I announced that it was wet, the Newmans sprang--somewhat literally--into action. One of the APs moved a stack of bedding Sis. Jones has been acquiring for the new missionaries coming in two weeks. I moved some other books off the floor onto shelves........three of the 72-hour kits backpacks were wet and I emptied them and put them out to dry........as much as possible in this 89% humidity. The building maintenance people came with fans and a wet-vac........and now the whole office smells musty like wet carpets always do. It was a leaking hot water heater.......thank goodness!!!! The restroom for the building is just through the wall!! And thankfully, I had things I could do at the computer most of the afternoon. I have all the referrals assigned back to the middle of April. I have a couple more pages to go through.

I made a couple of phone calls today about possible "Senior Activities". One to a marble quarry. (Did you know Alabama has some of the most beautiful marble in the world......and a seam 32 MILES long and 400 feet thick!!!! Amazing!! And I'm going to watch on the internet for a time when we can go to a glass blowing artist. I think those sound pretty cool. And there are some caverns near the marble quarry. Tomorrow we are going to the temple with the missionaries!!!! RAH!!!

Oh......the places I'll go..........

I have more adventures to record.......while I was writing last night, Roger was taking a nap on the couch. I wondered how he was ever going to sleep through the night. Well........just as we were kind of heading to bed, or getting ready to head to bed--about 9:30.......some sisters called, "Elder Stephenson. We have a problem. We locked our keys in the car." Roger's first response, "Are you okay?" Yes. They were. A member was taking them to their apartment and they thought we should wait till morning. Roger felt differently. So we learned quickly how to open the building where the office is (we have keys to the office).......went to the office, Roger had a hard time remembering the usernames and passwords, so it was about 10:00 before we punched the address into the GPS and headed north. I called the sisters to tell them we were on our way. They were at the Elders' apartment and the Elders were at the other Elders' apartment.......the keys to the Sisters' apartment was on the same ring as the car keys. When I knocked on the door of 1A, Sis. Smith opened the door and threw her arms around me. They were so thankful we had rescued them. Now I know why Roger took a nap at 7:00! We got home at 1:00 a.m...........

We attended church today in the Ensley Branch.......and it is tiny. The "chapel" is a little bigger than out to Callao, but still kind of like Marion Ward, where we moved the chairs to have activities. We had Relief Society in the back part of the chapel which is really the cultural hall and we could hear nearly everything going on in priesthood meeting. They asked me to play the piano for Relief Society. The Stake Music Chairman comes every week to play the organ for sacrament meeting and she has worked at teaching how to lead music and tried a keyboard class, but has been more discouraged about that. She wants me to trade off months with her playing the organ and leading the music in Primary. There are only three Primary children.......sisters in a family who is called to work in the branch for two years. Why am I nervous to do this? I do it regularly at home.........

I'm trying not to think too much about grandchildren today........I'm missing them. It will be good to get back to work at the office tomorrow. And then we are going to the temple Tuesday morning. And I have to get the food for leadership council meeting arranged.

Exploring

Quick run down for today............

• Got up, ate, washed sheets and towels........I knew Roger couldn't stand to stay in the apartment all day long...........so we went out........
• Went to the Red Cross donation center and donated a pint of blood each........YEA!!!!!
• Drove to Ensley and found the church where we will be attending for a year.
• Drove north another 11 miles or so to the temple
• Ate a late lunch at Outback Steakhouse (they could take a lesson from Milt!)
• Meandered our way "home"...........saw an ice cream shop on the way up so I put it in the GPS on the way home and it had turned into a Dunkin' Donuts shop :(
•  Did some grocery shopping and came home............we are tired............
• Hung up the family flag.........right behind the table

Now a couple of things I want to expand........ I had one of my most pleasant experiences donating blood.......she was good with the needle and we were in and out fairly quickly. When I came out!! My glasses fogged up!!!!! Think about that! Took me a bit to figure out what was going on!

We are going to the temple next week with the missionaries.........we are assigned Tuesday morning at 9:00 and Thursday afternoon......... I'm told it is a real treat to be there with the missionaries. It's always a treat though, isn't it?

Of course there are trees everywhere............but I particularly love the way the mimosa trees peek out every now and then with their feathery pink blossoms.........lovely........... And I think next spring when the magnolias bloom it will be SPECTACULAR!! There are a few blossoms left, but only here and there........

Notes from Sisters' Training Meeting

Now that we are to Friday......and we are wondering what we are going to do tomorrow (I know Roger will not be able to stay in the "house" all day long. We would BOTH go nuts!!!!) And I need to write my "journal" for today anyway...........

Our "sisters' training" was so good!! We started off with "As Sisters in Zion" with new words for sister missionaries. I noticed Pres. Hanks getting teary, could feel the tears welling and pushed them down again. I wanted to sing, not cry!! And it was glorious to sit there and sing with my sisters!!! Another "celestial" experience. I can't tell you all that was taught......I don't remember. And since a talk we watched of Elder Bednar's............ "The Character of Christ" which he gave at the MTC on Christmas Day on a Sunday 2-3 years ago...........I didn't take anything for notes--which mistake I won't make again. I think there will always be scripture references I will want to write down. There certainly were today. Pres. Hanks taught us three things........

1. God loves us
2. Set goals, but be kind to my friend (you are my friend)
3. Seek the Spirit

You know, now I'm just going to give you my "notes" as I recorded them on my iPod.

Moses 1:39 immortality/eternal life
John 17:3 know God
Moroni 10:32 (I hope that one is right) come unto Christ
Serve/commandments.......ACT
John 7:17 do it=know............(I'm going to memorize this one)
Alma 32:32 (another one I hope is correct)
James 1:5
John 5:39

Seek the Spirit
Exodus 16.....manna to teach them to remember Him
spirit is like manna
Alma 5 sing song of redeeming love..........
                       can you feel so now? Ask self every day after returning home
John 14:26; 5:26 (I hope this one is correct as well)
[Somewhere here he started teaching about how the Spirit speaks to us]
Galatians 5:?
D&C 8:2 [One of his favorites is 'doth make my bones to quake']
1 Corinthians 2:11, 14

Does he ever turn away? How long will He wait for us?
Moroni 7:36
His hand is stretched out still......................

Sacrifice for a missionary is the perfect use of the Lord's time
1 John 3:29
His father taught "develop a habit of helpfulness"

And I love this one!!!!!!  If Eve made a wrong choice Jesus was plan B
And then he told us to think about that and then said it again.............so good!!!!

Sis. Hanks' sisters (2) and mother were here to help her and we had really yummy salad and fruit, more teaching, then hot fudge sundaes.........it was just really fun. I had to keep reminding myself that I was one of the missionaries, though they also teach us that we are there to support the young missionaries. And they are really great!! I've been able to meet more of them, though I wonder if I will ever remember their names. Several of them came to the office afterward for supplies. I am totally amazed at the number of copies of the Book of Mormon we give out!! These are amazingly wonderful ambassadors for the Lord. I'm grateful to be here to help. I ordered 20 more boxes (40 books per box) this afternoon!!!!!! And I assigned a whole bunch of referrals today. One of the office elders thanked me for the one I sent to them. AND!!! someone called the office to make a referral while the sisters were gone. So I entered it (now Salt Lake knows about it) and then made the assignment..........SO FUN!!!!!!! If I can call it fun. But it IS!!!!!! Now I have to convince them to update the data when they have made the contact. I'm excited to see this work. We had four or six new referrals when I got there this morning!! One of them was bogus--"Happy Halloween Dr." for the address......oh well.

Thanks again for "listening".

First "real" day..........

I do not plan on posting every day. But I had to say something about today. The couple in the office--mission secretary and finance--were in Utah for a week for family events (read weddings!!--yes, two of them!!) and they were back in the office today. For two days I heard a lot of "We'll have to ask Sis. Newman", "Let's wait and see what Sis. Newman says". So today we heard what Sis. Newman said!! She is a lovely lady--former kindergarten teacher--who loves the Lord and is serving with heart, might, mind and strength. And it's a good thing we waited to hear her!! She had a question about the copies of the Liahona we get......... so I called Salt Lake to see if we could make a change, etc. My answer--basically, no. Very politely said and that's okay. She was very kind and I was somewhat reticent to call anyway! So I divvied up what copies we had among our Spanish speaking missionaries. (I had no idea we had Spanish speaking missionaries in Alabama!)

I was then able to do what I really wanted to do first off...........make referrals!!! It is an amazing system!! They come from Salt Lake to our office. I then find out which ward/branch they live in and assign the referral to some missionaries. With one click!!! I can send the information by text to the missionaries!!!! I can now text faster than Julia!!!! And that's saying something!!......as you know. The missionaries can then make the contact and update the information so I can see what is happening. A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. what the Lord has done!!!! He has done so much to hasten His work!! I'm humbled that He will let me be a little part of it. I had to call the help line and got a very nice and cheerful young man in Provo who walked with me through a couple of referrals...........again......it's amazing what the Lord has done!! We were able to share screens so I could see what he was doing and he could see what I was doing............He was so kind and patient. I suppose he gets to work with senior sisters fairly often, since we are often called to work in the office. I hope I can be as positive an influence on someone else as he was with me.

Pres. Hanks wanted to talk with Roger and invited me along........he is also very kind. He is so concerned about how I am feeling about everything. He wants me to feel safe and has asked three times now if the apartment is okay. I think both Roger and I were feeling a little displaced and wondering if this could ever really feel like "home". But this morning Roger said he is feeling better about it.........I didn't know till then that he was struggling a little with it........as I have.......

Our "galley" kitchen.....you can see the corner of the sink on the left and the edge of the frig on the right. Immediately next to the frig is the stove and then 30 inches of counter space before the wall on the right-hand side.

I have chopped all our veggies and fruit on that little bit of cupboard in front of the toaster. There is about 15 inches to the left of the sink where I can put the washed dishes on a towel for a bit before drying them and putting them away. Yes. You can see a dish washer.......but we still wouldn't have filled it once!!! I'd much rather have another cupboard! I wonder if I will be able to get the hang of shopping for one week at a time!!?!?

The "view" from the front door.......the "bar" into the kitchen. I'm sitting at the table in the chair facing the door right now as I write this. Roger is lying on the couch......you can just see the corner of it peeking out of the left side of the picture. He worked so hard today.

We were told so many times "your mission president is going to love you!!" I know that will be true with Roger. Pres. Hanks "deputized" him today--well, me too, I suppose--but with Roger's nature and personality he is going to take a huge chunk of anxiety from the President. The first vehicle coordinator Pres. Hanks had was a stickler for detail (much as Roger is, I suppose)......but he had the program down to where he would text Pres. Hanks to tell him his car was due for an oil change this week!!! Then another couple was here and it all fell apart. Pres. Hanks told us today that he is not going to "look over our shoulders"........well......maybe a little with Roger, just because things got so behind. The young elders who have been filling that assignment for the last while (I don't know how long) have been amazing!!! They ARE amazing!! Certainly born in the computer age! And they have done much and very good work, they have just about everything back together, but they are peers........ I'm excited to watch Roger and see how he will do his part of this marvelous work! He spent a lot of time today calling missionaries to tell them their cars need and oil change NOW!!!

This is so long!!! Sorry!!! Just to tell you that Pres. Hanks gave me a couple of other assignments today........these are going to stretch me some!!! AWK!!!!!!!! Food for the mission leadership council meetings which are once a month and last through lunchtime and excursions for the senior couple missionaries every 4-6 weeks!!!!! See why I'm concerned!?!?!!??? This isn't "cook a big pot of food" stuff. This is call someone--Subway, a pizza place, etc.--and order it. That is SO much harder!!!! If I ask him about my "budget" he'll just say, "use what you need". This is plan something for others that will be fun. And I know very well that what's fun for me is not necessarily fun for you!!! Pres. Hanks is a BIG man!!! 6'6" and wide!!! He completely fills a doorway! And a personality to go with it. He said he got his leadership ideas from his father.........very "I give you an assignment and you do it" kind of attitude. And "I'm not going to continually check up on you"!!! MLC (mission leadership council) is June 30!!! AGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When Sis. Newman said she would help me, he made it very clear that only one of us is to be "in charge"........there will be no falling through the cracks........... there is so much I can learn from him if I'm smart enough to remember!!!

Okay..........I'm going to stop............it's been good to talk about it and relive my day............ We are having "sisters' training" tomorrow. And then next week, Tues-Thur, we are all going to the temple. They assign the couples when so there will be couples in each session and we are expected to participate. The other couples are excited about it............must be another wonderful experience. I'll let you know................

If you made it all the way through.......wow!!! You are amazing!!!

A totally and absolutely amazing 2 weeks......

Wow! I have so much to make up........but I really don't see how it would be possible. As I hope you can see from the new picture, we have started our next new "great adventure". We entered the MTC on 1 June and had a truly incredible two weeks.

Here is a list of highlights:

• the blessings promised were amazing and tear jerking
• the young elders and sisters are WOW!!!!! There really are no adequate words to describe them. It was so fun to sit in the cafeteria and just watch. They are so full of life and light and enthusiasm with the desire to share our message with the world. I was a little amazed at how I felt about them..........and the knowledge that the Lord trusts them and knows they can do the job. It was amazing.....
• Elder Christofferson came for Tuesday night devotional.
• Roger and I were privileged to sing in the MTC choir that night. It was wonderful. But it made Tuesday really long and we were very tired.
• We met lots of other "seniors" who we wish we could have got to know better--from many places and going to serve all over the world: Thailand, New Zealand, Bulgaria, San Diego (Mormon Battalion visitors' center), McAllen, TX, Boston, Massachusetts, Japan, Salt Lake and Logan, Utah, (there will be a new Logan Mission come July 1--and Sis. Fowles was Aderyn's Primary teacher!!!!) and a sweet single sister going to Finland with the help of "her" elders--men who served when she was there with her mission president husband. She was so thrilled to be going back. And we learned again that everyone has a "story"..........we really are quite an amazing people!
• We had terrific and loving teachers who were more than young enough to be our children--grandchildren to some in our group
• We were able to go home for the weekend and participate in the Payson temple dedication. (Seniors get all kinds of privileges.)
• We met Elder Luke who happens to be Roger's second cousin!! They knew all about William Luke and Mary Haydock Luke.........so fun! They are the ones going to San Diego.
• Met an Elder Andrus who is about twice as tall as I am.........he didn't know his ancestry very well........just that there is a Milo back there.........
• The "office training" was easier than the first week of "Preach My Gospel" training....and in some ways more fun. The Church has created some amazing programs to keep track of all the things a mission needs to handle. I had no idea there was so much to do to run a mission!!
• Got acquainted with two absolutely and totally darling sisters from Canada going to Poland. How I wish I had got their email addresses when I had the chance......I thought we'd see them again....... :-(
• Sis. Burton came for devotional the second Tuesday night...........she asked for participation from the congregation........I was further amazed and impressed with the quality of our "youth". WOW!!!! And the message from Bro. Burton was thought provoking and soul stretching.

We left a day early so we could be to Dallas for Saturday afternoon to bless little Ava and her cousin Nathaniel. We made it!!! I think the traveling will be another post........