.......what a week..............

Whew..........it's been a long time! But Oh!!!! What a week we have had!!

Last Monday was Jerry's funeral........a stormy, overcast, Alabama winter day. I hoped the rain would stop while we were at the cemetery, but not so.........and the wind was blowing, which made it cold. We already had aching hearts which the rain and cold did not improve!! As we had driven out to the cemetery, we went past a huge power plant we had seen from the highway--and I wondered if it were a nuclear plant because of the shape of the towers. Roger decided he wanted to drive right by it. So we did. WOW!!!! And it's not a nuclear plant. It's coal.........and why not!?!?? It's sitting right in the middle of very large coal fields. (As a side note, I wrote down the names of some towns/cities here in Alabama, just for fun--Coal Fire, Coaling, Coker, Coalburg--you think they have coal around here??? And iron--Red Mountain and Irondale.........they were harder to find) Anyway.......I'm always amazed at the size of these kinds of things and marvel that we--humans--know how to make something so massive and that we expect it to remain standing!!! Okay.........I'll stop talking and give you some pictures:

This is the bottom of the huge cooling towers. You can see the curtains of water at the bottom (you might have to look carefully and maybe with some imagination and/or actual knowledge).

See the train cars full of coal?

 

 It wasn't long before the road we were following was "closed" with a HUGE pile of dirt and rocks dumped across it, so we turned onto another "back" road and kept going........the road continued to deteriorate, but any of you who know my knight in shining armor also know that a little thing like that wouldn't stop him! ............so glad it didn't...........(and that we made it back to civilization safely!)

This is what's left of an open pit coal mine...........at least we are assuming that's what it is.........

 

...........because a little farther along the rough, pothole-y road, we found this............(picture taken through the windshield because of said rain)

.........all deserted and abandoned............sad..............

 

It was beautiful in the "back woods"............These gorgeous little trees still have not dropped their leaves. I wish I knew what they are.

After a time, we saw a house here and one there. Then a few bunched together--kind of--you know, that feeling of an idyllic life where there are no cares, no dirt, and the food magically appears on the table already prepared? And then it dumped us right into Ensley!!!!!! Where we wanted to be!!!! So fun!!!!! And the food had magically appeared!!! We ate with the family at the church.........and the sisters from the branch--the Relief Society president, the branch president's wife and the Relief Society secretary who was baptized in June, just after we got here. I felt guilty that I didn't stay to help, but we really needed to get some things done at the office for zone conference in Montgomery the next day.

Zone conference was wonderful!! And, thankfully, the weather was nice as we had to inspect the cars. Can I just say I LOVE ZONE CONFERENCES!!!!! (I'm not yelling, just emphasizing!!!) I love to stand with those wonderful young people and recite D&C 4 (I'm even getting so I can say most of it) and then a "poem": There is no chance, no destiny, no fate can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul. Then the declaration "We are Preach My Gospel and white handbook missionaries and we are steadfast in Christ!" I absolutely, totally love it!!!! Such affirmation!! 

Wednesday was a catch up day and kind of hard. I came home later than I should have to get dinner for the Elders in Ensley.......it was good to be with them. 

Thursday and Friday were more zone conferences. And we were again thankful for good weather. So pleasant......... After lunch yesterday (Friday) at zone conference we jumped in the truck and headed to Selma. We had to get the rest of the mission furniture out of a house (President Hanks took two of the four Elders out of Selma so we needed to close an apartment--which was really a house with holes in the floor!!!!! I am not kidding!!) Then to Alexander City--we got there about 6:00--to do the same thing. An apartment this time without the holes. We were really glad to finally turn north toward "home". We stopped in Sylacauga for something to eat. Mistake. We should have stopped sooner and at a different restaurant. 

There are some really poor areas in Alabama. Makes my heart ache. I have been so blessed. My whole life. I would not want to live in the house we moved the Elders out of, and there were places that looked much worse than that! I'm learning more reasons why all this needs to end.

OH!!!!! something REALLY COOL!!!!!! go to https://www.justserve.org/ and check it out!!! This is one of the neatest things the Church has ever done!!!! 

And now I'll stop. The coming week also looks pretty busy, as we have two more zone conferences at the end of it, and we need to move some Sisters somewhere in there. I'm so thankful Elder and Sister Mason are coming!! But we've got about four more weeks of double duty.

February MLC

We had MLC again today...........RAH!!!!!! One of my very most favorite events here. We get to meet with the leadership of the mission and learn from President and Sister Hanks. Stupendous!!!!! I just don't think there is any way I can communicate what a wonderful blessing this is! I really wish I could  have all of you in my pocket for these meetings. AND!!!!! Remember, January was "Book of Mormon month" and each companionship was challenged to share 40 copies of the Book of Mormon? Not just hand them out, but have a conversation with someone, share a scripture and hand them an open book! I have maxed out my order for the last three months trying to keep up to them!!! When I ordered everything I could the first of January, I suddenly realized I wouldn't have anything for them at this meeting today!! YIKES!!! And just to give you perspective........they wanted 1640 today!! Needless to say, I didn't have them. I had almost half though, thanks to the secretary in the Georgia Macon Mission. I called her two weeks ago and asked if she would order 800 books and have them shipped to me. She was willing. So the Books came yesterday and we loaded them off the truck right into the van. (Occasionally I do a smart thing.) Then I got on the computer to make my order on the 2nd. I ordered 800 to send to Macon, then 840 for us. That was all I could order. We will take them to zone conferences next week. We had quite the juggling act. I hope I juggled well. Come to think of it, I don't know what we'll do for MLC next month! AGH!!!!!

And I'm very grateful to say our lunch was a grand slam!! We had stew, bread/butter, clemetines and banana splits with a variety of toppings. Sister Hanks made a fudge sauce to die for!!! Ohhhhhhhhhh. We agreed to swap recipes. Roger peeled about 30 carrots last night which I chopped up and put back in the frig then chopped four very large onions and browned 8 pounds of stew meat. When we got to the church this morning--an hour later than I wanted to be there--I dumped the meat, onions and carrots into three 6-quart crocks (from crock pots), one large--6 quart--stainless "Dutch oven" I brought with me and other spices; covered them and put them all in the oven. I was a little nervous about half way through fearing that it might not be completely cooked. Turns out it was cooked "to a turn". I was so thankful!!! Father in heaven has blessed me so many times! The missionaries kept filling their bowls and we hauled the pans out to the table. We had one large pan left which I will take to Ensley tomorrow night for the Elders there. It just worked out so well!! And they loved it!! We had a really cold, wintry day here, so it even fit with the weather.

I had asked Roger and Elder Newman to dish the ice cream, but by the time we got back to the kitchen the sisters were doing it!!!! And such beautiful, lovely sisters!

The one just peeking into the picture and the one with the scarf are "brand new" sisters.........they have come since we got here and this was their first leadership council meeting. They are so impressive! and darling......which is probably needless to say. Wonderful! Wonderful Day!!!! I absolutely, totally love this opportunity!!!!