Mission Update 18 Jan 2019
It has been two weeks since I last wrote. Much has happened. I'll try to update on all.
On Monday, 7Jan we entered the MTC. It was also my mother's birthday. We were a little nervous because we didn't know what, exactly, to expect. The food was pretty good, but was not designed for those of us that watch our sugar intake, so I didn't eat as ravenously as I normally do.
Sister Black had to do much more walking than she is used to doing. At one point we walked clear across the MTC campus to look at some new murals that have been painted there. We were afraid she would not be able to walk it by herself, so we put her in a wheel chair and pushed her to see the murals.
We made some great new friends. Our "other" couple were the Waddoups. We have become good friends as we progressed through the week. They are serving in a neighboring mission, the Texas Houston mission. We are in the Texas Houston East mission. We also made some good friends in our missionary district. Elder and Sister Powell, who are going to New Zealand as MLS missionaries, Elder and Sister Crouch who are going to Africa as Medical missionaries (Elder Crouch is an MD), and Elder and Sister Graham who are serving as Mental Health missionaries. (Sister Graham is a nurse, and Elder Graham is a Clinical Psychologist. Thus she says he is mental and she is health.)
On Friday we were finished at about 3:15 p.m., but dinner is not served until 4:00 p.m. We elected to pack up our car and then leave the MTC after dinner.
We had reservations at the Blue Mountain Horsehead Inn in Monticello, UT for Friday night. We traveled much of the way above 6200 ft altitude and then Monticello is at 7069 ft altitude. I had no problem whatsoever with my oxygen levels. The Lord continues to bless and heal me.
We learned that Monticello expected snow on Saturday, so we prayed we would be able to stay ahead of the storm and we left early on Saturday. We did run into some light snow as we passed through Cortez, Colorado, but it was not enough to cause us any fear. We traveled to Santa Rosa, New Mexico and spent the night at the Super 8 Motel there. Again there was snow predicted overnight in Santa Rosa, but when we woke Sunday morning it was just beginning to flake and we fled into Texas.
We checked in to the Quality Inn in Ft., Worth, Texas and then spent a wonderful few minutes with some good friends from long ago, Rob and Mandi Munafo. What a great time we had during those short minutes. But we needed to get to bed so we could leave Ft. Worth in time to arrive to our mission office Monday afternoon.
We met with President Hewlett on Monday afternoon. He didn't give us much direction or his expectations. He just told us to do what we do, and use our talents to strengthen the Jacinto City Ward. We left there at about 3:00 pm and found our apartment. Another missionary couple are in our same apartment complex, and they helped us unpack our car. It was a project.
Tuesday night we met with the young Elders and Sisters missionaries who work in the Jacinto City Ward and let them know that we are available to assist them however we can, but that our real work is with the membership and leadership of the Jacinto Ward.
On Wednesday we met President Rascon of the Summerwood Texas Stake. He is a newscaster for the local ABC news channel. He gave us more direction as what he expects us to accomplish in the Jacinto City Ward. This Ward has 334 members but only has about 75 attending. There is much work for us to do and we will do it.
We met with the Jacinto Ward Bishopric this morning and found there to be much training to be done. With my limited Spanish and Sister Black's even more limited Spanish we explained that our work here is in reactivation and strengthening the Elders' Quorum.
We attended all meetings in our little ward today. Sister Black played the organ. This ward has never had someone that could play the organ, and the people loved hearing it.
We have been well received and we will do our best to bring back the one that is lost as indicated by Luke 15:4, and as we have been charged so to do.
We are now waiting for Ward leaders to furnish us with a ward list so we can get to work in our assignment.
On Monday, 7Jan we entered the MTC. It was also my mother's birthday. We were a little nervous because we didn't know what, exactly, to expect. The food was pretty good, but was not designed for those of us that watch our sugar intake, so I didn't eat as ravenously as I normally do.
Sister Black had to do much more walking than she is used to doing. At one point we walked clear across the MTC campus to look at some new murals that have been painted there. We were afraid she would not be able to walk it by herself, so we put her in a wheel chair and pushed her to see the murals.
We made some great new friends. Our "other" couple were the Waddoups. We have become good friends as we progressed through the week. They are serving in a neighboring mission, the Texas Houston mission. We are in the Texas Houston East mission. We also made some good friends in our missionary district. Elder and Sister Powell, who are going to New Zealand as MLS missionaries, Elder and Sister Crouch who are going to Africa as Medical missionaries (Elder Crouch is an MD), and Elder and Sister Graham who are serving as Mental Health missionaries. (Sister Graham is a nurse, and Elder Graham is a Clinical Psychologist. Thus she says he is mental and she is health.)
On Friday we were finished at about 3:15 p.m., but dinner is not served until 4:00 p.m. We elected to pack up our car and then leave the MTC after dinner.
We had reservations at the Blue Mountain Horsehead Inn in Monticello, UT for Friday night. We traveled much of the way above 6200 ft altitude and then Monticello is at 7069 ft altitude. I had no problem whatsoever with my oxygen levels. The Lord continues to bless and heal me.
We learned that Monticello expected snow on Saturday, so we prayed we would be able to stay ahead of the storm and we left early on Saturday. We did run into some light snow as we passed through Cortez, Colorado, but it was not enough to cause us any fear. We traveled to Santa Rosa, New Mexico and spent the night at the Super 8 Motel there. Again there was snow predicted overnight in Santa Rosa, but when we woke Sunday morning it was just beginning to flake and we fled into Texas.
We checked in to the Quality Inn in Ft., Worth, Texas and then spent a wonderful few minutes with some good friends from long ago, Rob and Mandi Munafo. What a great time we had during those short minutes. But we needed to get to bed so we could leave Ft. Worth in time to arrive to our mission office Monday afternoon.
We met with President Hewlett on Monday afternoon. He didn't give us much direction or his expectations. He just told us to do what we do, and use our talents to strengthen the Jacinto City Ward. We left there at about 3:00 pm and found our apartment. Another missionary couple are in our same apartment complex, and they helped us unpack our car. It was a project.
Tuesday night we met with the young Elders and Sisters missionaries who work in the Jacinto City Ward and let them know that we are available to assist them however we can, but that our real work is with the membership and leadership of the Jacinto Ward.
On Wednesday we met President Rascon of the Summerwood Texas Stake. He is a newscaster for the local ABC news channel. He gave us more direction as what he expects us to accomplish in the Jacinto City Ward. This Ward has 334 members but only has about 75 attending. There is much work for us to do and we will do it.
We met with the Jacinto Ward Bishopric this morning and found there to be much training to be done. With my limited Spanish and Sister Black's even more limited Spanish we explained that our work here is in reactivation and strengthening the Elders' Quorum.
We attended all meetings in our little ward today. Sister Black played the organ. This ward has never had someone that could play the organ, and the people loved hearing it.
We have been well received and we will do our best to bring back the one that is lost as indicated by Luke 15:4, and as we have been charged so to do.
We are now waiting for Ward leaders to furnish us with a ward list so we can get to work in our assignment.
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