COME ON SPRING!

March 2013

Our month started with the touring cast of the musical "The Book of Mormon" coming to The Hill Cumorah and Book of Mormon Publication Site.  They began at the Hill with lunch and a tour and then off to the BOMPS.  Those who took them on tour said they were very nice, polite and respectful.  At our site meeting the next week we heard that one of the cast members did a "self-referral" to hear more about the Gospel and others stated that the "blue book" prop would never be the same.  Who knows....maybe this visit made a difference in their lives.

This month several of the senior couples did a tour at the Everson Maple Syrup Farm.  Our guide, Darryl, was great and very informative.  We were shown how the trees are tapped, the sap cooked, and made into maple syrup.  This farm does it the old fashioned way and does not use pumps to gather the sap, but rather they rely on gravity to gather it.

Darryl, our guide

Tapping the trees

Mr. Everson

On March 20, 2013, at our site meeting, we had an awesome surprise.  Kuha'o Case was here visiting the historical sites with his grandparents.  He is 15, blind, and plays the piano like you would not believe.  When we enter the theater for site meeting everyone is usually laughing and talking because we are so excited to see everyone.  That night we all sat quietly and listened to Kuha'o play and felt him bear his testimony through the piano.  He is an amazing young man; I will never forget how I felt as he played.

Kuha'o Case

This month we had to say good-bye to three terrrific sister missionaries....Sis. Park, Hausauer, and Hatch.  They were all wonderful representatives of Jesus Christ.  They will be missed here in the NY Rochester Mission and we wish them well as they return home.

Sis. Hausauer

Sis. Hatch & Sis. Park

Sis. Park & Strouds

This has been the month of decision with my left foot.  I have had to wear my surgical boot since February 20, 2013.  Without warning, my left great toe started having piercing, stabbing pain; to the point I could not stand for a sock to touch it.  I spent this month trying to determine the cause of the pain.  After seeing a podiatrist (Dr. Carrie O'Neill), I have tried a taper dose of Prednisone, steroid injections, uric acid level to rule out gout, and lastly an MRI.  The MRI revealed a bone spur, cyst and a malformation of my toe joint.  We have scheduled surgery for April 19, 2013.  When Pres. David Walker set me apart for my mission, he blessed me that I would be able to handle whatever adversity I would meet while on my mission.  I have been able to still conduct tours and be at all our shifts.  Our site director has been so kind.  When I phoned to tell them our plan of treatment, they insisted that our shifts would be covered the 19th and 20th and we are off the 21st and 22nd.  Hopefully by the 23rd I will be able to at least sit in the office at the sites.  Just glad to have a diagnosis and plan of treatment.  I do not worry about having surgery here while on my mission; I know Heavenly Father will watch over me and the doctor.  Lee & Elder Howell will give me a blessing before the surgery and I will put it in the Lord's hands.

Still cold here and we had snow right up to the last week of March.  Hope Spring is right around the corner.  I am ready for some sunshine and warmer weather....I did not say HOT weather, just warmer.