We're Here!!

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

We arrived in Palmyra at 10:30 AM and Elder Searle, Site Director, met us at the Hill Cumorah Visitor's Center.  Elder & Sister Searle met with us for about an hour and gave us a new missionary orientation to the historic sites.  He suggested that for the rest of this week we visit each of the historic sites as often as possible and take tours.   That seems to be the best way to learn what goes on at each site.  We received a schedule for us until the end of October.  We will be really busy! 

We found out today that we cannot get into our apartment until later this week.  So, we are staying in the Martin Harris home.....can you believe it!  This home is not open to the public.  There are actually three apartments and Facilities Management couples live in them.  We will be staying in a guest room....at least it has a king size bed.  Hopefully we will be in our apartment by Friday morning.

Martin Harris Home

Our Home for the Next Year!

October 13, 2012

We are finally in our apartment.  Elder & Sis. Malan left today headed back to Utah via Kirtland and Nauvoo.  We wish them a safe trip home.

We spent this week visiting all the historic sites and taking tours, listening to the young sisters and other senior couples and trying to take it all in.  It is truly awesome to walk these sacred grounds and know that we are walking where the prophet Joseph Smith walked and be in the Sacred Grove where Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared. We will be conducting tours at the Hill Cumorah Visitor's Center, Joseph Smith Farm, Peter Whitmer Farm, and the Book of Mormon Publication Site.  So much information to learn; I'm sure some of my brain cells have died; so, it will take me a long time to retain all this information.

It will take a couple to weeks to feel like we have really settled in, not only to the work, but also to our "home away from home".  Elder Searle, our Site Director, told us before we came out that our apartment was "adequate".  Actually, it is very comfortable.  It will be hard to go back home and have an entire house to clean.

We start working at the sites Monday.  Wish us luck!

New York or Bust!

Monday, October 8, 2012

We left this morning at 8 AM in the drizzling rain.  Traveled in the rain most of the day.  Hope the carrier on top of the car keeps everything "mostly" dry.  We have packed the car with about as much as your can and still have room to sit and drive.  This is what modern day pioneers look like.

Modern Day Pioneer

 

Drove until 7:30 PM and stopped in Corning, NY.  We are about two hours from Palmyra.  It has been a long day.  It's cold and damp.  Ready for some warm dinner and bed.  Tomorrow we report to our mission.

SURPRISE!

Sunday,  October 7, 2012

What a weekend!  We arrived home last Thursday (Oct. 4th) morning at 9 AM....dead tired.  Overnight flying is not for me, plus I have a sinus infection.  Glad we had until tomorrow to recover and start our trip to New York.  General Conference was great....missionaries may now serve at 18 (young men) and 19 for young sisters.  I think that it is wonderful and it will greatly increase the number of missionaries, especially young women. 

The weekend has been really busy.  We surprised Maxine & Bobby (sister & brother-in-law) for their 50th Wedding Anniversary.  She thought we left for NY Friday morning.  It has been hard to dodge her the last two days so we could keep this a surprise.  We even went by their house Thursday night and told them good-bye.  It was great to see the expression on their faces when we walked in at the last minute. 

Maxine & Bobby Jackson

Saying our good-byes today has not been as difficult as I thought it would be.  I know what we are doing is what our Heavenly Father wants us to do and that is a great comfort...and it is for a year not two.  I will have to admit, I will miss my weekly Subway lunches with my sister.  I look forward to our time together and now I will look forward to resuming that when I return. 

Goodbye MTC

October 3, 2012

We finished our MTC training today.  This week has been really inspirational.  Elder & Sister Mitchell are great teachers.  Monday morning we toured Temple Square with a couple of young sisters.  Then we ate lunch in the Nauvoo Cafe.  Elder & Sister Germer and Elder & Sister Monsen ate lunch with us.  Discovered that Sis. Germer's cousin (Bro. Earl Rouche) married us in the Washington DC  Temple.  It is truly a small world in the church. Had dinner tonight with the Sam Crowley (former missionary in our area) family and had a wonderful time....great family.

Sam Crowley & Family

We have been spiritually fed for the last ten days.  Hopefully we have learned how to be historic site missionaries and to teach by the spirit.  Now we head home and watch General Conference this weekend before we head out to New York.

Our First Week in the MTC

September 28, 2012

We have survived our first week in the MTC!!!  My brain is in overload, but it has been truly a spiritually uplifting week.  The classes have been very informative; teachers are great; and everyone has been so helpful.  The young elders always hold the door for the senior couples and allow us in line ahead of them.  And you have never heard "The Army of Helaman" or "Called to Serve" until you have heard approximately 2000 missionaries sing it.  WOW!! 

We have made such great friends while we have been here.  Elder & Sister Barber are going to Missouri St. Louis Mission as Member Leadership Service missionaries.  They both have such strong testimonies of the gospel.

 

Feeling Real

September 24, 2012

The day is FINALLY here!  We reported to the Missionary Training Center today.  Of course, we were the first senior couple to arrive; you know Lee is not going to be late.  The first thing we did was get our name tags.  We feel really official now.

But more important than that was our ministerial card that gives us the authority to preach the principles of the gospel,  That is when it really it me - I am a representative of Jesus Christ - what an awesome responsibility.  There are 64 senior missionaries here in our group.  Two other couples will be serving in Palmyra with us - the Howells and the Heyns.  The MTC is expecting 121 senior missionaires beginning October 1st.