Week 31, 32

August 27, 2017

Dear Loved Ones,

Well today has been the good, bad, and the ugly.  Sacrament meeting was wonderful. It is easy to feel the spirit in these Sacrament meetings; I love my ward. A sister talked about the importance of Family prayers, and how difficult it is in our busy lives to overcome the obstacles that the devil throws in our way. He is good at telling us and our kids that we just don’t have time. “What was the score in your house this week,” she asked. Counting morning and evening, score your family in the fight between conscience and the devil. Who had the highest score? A thought provoking idea.

Next, I had the Teacher Council training.  It was also wonderful about teaching with the spirit.  I was all fired up to do a great job with my little class! My 4 little guys were also fired up with explosive energy out of control. By the end of class instead of testifying of the things I had so much trouble getting through, I was a grumpy old lady putting Bradley in tears because I threatened not to let them have treats because their behavior was so bad. I came home feeling like a total failure!!

I got busy and printed all my notes and group pictures from Zone Conferences this month and reminded myself that these energetic little boys with eventually grow into amazing missionaries. I am sure that Elder Boatright, one of our APs, was just like these little boys.  He has amazing energy and drive now in the mission, but I’m sure he gave some Primary teachers a bad time.

Little Malachi that lives across the hall from me. Knocked on my door and his mother had him apologize to me and give me a hug.  I told him I loved him and was glad he was in my class. Hopefully, next week will be better.

It was so great to see you all at David’s wedding!! What a darling couple -they gave us all a reminder of what love is all about.

Thanks Sally for bringing your family plus some of the college kids up to see the Eclipse.  I can’t believe it took you so long to make it from Roberts, ID, to my apartment.  But you all seemed to feel it was worth it. Our mission staff went outside and saw what we could, but my take-away from the experience was how dependent we are on the sun. I was amazed at how quickly the temperature dropped as the sun dimmed. I have some strange UFO’s in the pictures I took. Tell me what you think they are?

Yesterday, the two sister missionaries that serve in the YSA stakes came to my apartment for lunch and worked on rice bags for cancer patients receiving Chemo therapy.  We made about 10 bags. Sister Costa is from Peru and had never sewn on a machine before.  She did great!! Sister Gold likes to make quilts so she was happy to be sewing. We finished about 10 and cut out enough fabric for about that many to sew next Saturday.  This is our Just Serve project.

I like to read or listen to audible books while I do my laundry. I am currently reading a book that Cherie gave me.  It is Falling in Love with America Again by Jim DeMint who left Congress to head the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. It is fabulous! And I highly recommend it. It reminds us why we are Republicans even if we are embarrassed by the President. He praises all the good being done by private groups he calls “Little platoons” in the states that are hampered by Federal regulations.

Love you all and look forward to celebrating Nancy’s wedding with you!!    Love and Hugs, Grammie

 

 

Week 30

August 13, 2017

Dear Loved Ones,

I have had a marvelous week! Tuesday was Zone Conference in Soda Springs, Wednesday, Zone Conference in Blackfoot, and Friday Zone Conference in Chubbuck. Each of these Zone Conferences seemed even better that the last ones. They are the highlight of my mission experience.  I am glad that I keep the history, because as I type my notes I get to relive the experiences.

During these conferences, the missionaries were shown the video, “Only a Stonecutter”. I don’t know if you have seen this before.  I had never seen it. It tells the story of John Rowe Moyle, who joined the church in England, crossed the plains in the first handcart company, settled in what is now Alpine, UT. He was called to work on the Salt Lake Temple. For over 20 years he walked the 20 some miles to Temple square on Monday and stayed with his son’s family during the week and walked home again Friday night. Saturday was the only day to work on his farm.  When his cow kicked him, and broke his leg it had to be amputated, so he carved a wooden leg and eventually continued walking to Salt Lake.  He carved the words, “Holiness to the Lord” on the front of the temple.  I will never look at that quite the same way thinking of a 77-year-old man with a wooden leg up on the scaffold cutting the words in stone. He was the father of James Moyle who served missions in the South and wrote about Henry Lindsay. He was the grandfather of Henry D. Moyle who was an apostle when I was young.

I’m looking forward to David’s wedding.  I have permission to come down for the festivities.  Can’t wait to see family.

Week 28, 29

August 6, 2017

 

 

Dear Loved Ones,

 

Sorry I failed to write last Sunday. I came home from church and fell asleep, Jon and his family came to see me on their way home from Jackson.  It was so fun to have them come, but when they left I was too tired to write.

This week has been very busy.  Monday night the missionaries going home had dinner at the Mission Home.  Afterward was a testimony meeting.  It is so hard to say goodbye to the missionaries I have grown to love.  The ones leaving have been the leaders of the mission Elder Hale and Elder Brooks have both served as assistants to the President which means we see more of them in the office than most of the missionaries. The sisters are the ones whose names I know and the ones I have enjoyed. Tears and testimonies!!!

Wednesday afternoon our new large group of eighteen arrived from the MTC. One of the original nineteen is staying at the MTC for another transfer. I’m not sure if it is a health issue or a language problem like Sister Bernel who finally came with this group. She is from Peru and needed an extra 6 weeks in language training. After a brief welcome from Sister and President Hancock and Safety video,  their pictures are taken with President and Sister Hancock and tomorrow I will be emailing them in a letter to their parents letting them know they have arrived safely. I spent much of last Thursday downloading their pictures and storing them in their proper file. I am always panicked that I am going to delete them or lose them in the great expanse of internet space. At one point, my computer froze on me and I feared all was lost.  Our new Elder Funk happened to come into the office, he rescued me! He found the problem and got me back on track.  I told him the fact he was a computer whiz was one more reason that I was sure he was related to my Funk family.

After the video, the office staff gives an orientation while the President gives each a quick interview. They were divided into 5 groups that rotated every 20 minutes. I shared my 20 minutes with the Finance staffer, who didn’t take long.  So I spent at least 15 minutes x 5 times telling them much more about how to fill in Baptismal records than they probably wanted to hear and will have long forgotten by the time they have a baptism.

When the orientation was over, we went to the Mission home where Sister Hancock had a wonderful dinner prepared. After dinner, Sister Hancock gave a presentation telling about their family and their ranch in Arizona. The Assistants gave a welcome presentation with facts about Idaho, and also, they went through D&C 4 encouraging them to work on the Christ-like attributes mentioned. President Hancock shared some thoughts and his testimony. They each received an envelope with the name of their companion.  President used a laser to show them on the map where they will be serving as they read the contents of their envelope. It was an exciting time!

This coming week will be another busy one; we have three Zone Conferences. Tuesday will be in Soda Springs, Wednesday will be in Blackfoot and Friday will be closer to home in the Chubbuck Stake Center.

I officially have the O.K. to come to David’s Wedding and Nancy’s also.  So I will be seeing many of you soon. I am so happy to be with you all again.

 

 

Love and Hugs,

Grammie/ Sister Shill