For the next few weeks I will need to take a break for blogging. Let me know if you would like me to come back to blogging at some point in the bearish future.
Thanks to all who have read small or large portions. It has been a good way for me to record some of my mission experiences.
Friday, April 28, 2017
Thursday, April 27, 2017
One Year and 12 hours later--back in Arnold. 27 April 2017
I am most grateful to have arrived back at.my house one year and some hours after leaving for my mission.
Tomorrow I will be reunited with my Sweetheart.
I am grateful to my daughter for driving all the way from Utah. We stopped over in Cheyenne, and made good time today.
I talked with and prayed with my Sweetheart this morning and we did talk a couple of times on the way.
Many lessons were learned during this year--and there will be many to come, I am sure.
Tomorrow I will be reunited with my Sweetheart.
I am grateful to my daughter for driving all the way from Utah. We stopped over in Cheyenne, and made good time today.
I talked with and prayed with my Sweetheart this morning and we did talk a couple of times on the way.
Many lessons were learned during this year--and there will be many to come, I am sure.
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Made it to Cheyenne. 26 April 2017
I am very glad I talked with my Sweetheart this morning, as cell service across Wyoming was practically non-existent.
My daughter and I got out of Salt Lake City later than we had hoped, but we are safely in Cheyenne, Wyoming. About 950 miles to go.
My daughter and I got out of Salt Lake City later than we had hoped, but we are safely in Cheyenne, Wyoming. About 950 miles to go.
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
Moving Helps. 25 April 2017
I don't think it was anywhere near as hard to get ready to move out to Utah as it has seems to get ready to move back! Apparently my trips to the swap meets really caused me to accumulate a LOT. I had decided not to do the steps this morning--good decision. I definitely climbed those steps more than 14 times today.
When I got up very early this morning I checked my church email--and found that new training modules were available to preview.The topics were of interest to me, so I did several of them--and in the first quiz I found an error, so I sent feedback. Overall the lessons were well done. This afternoon I got to talk with one of the staff training team. He said I would continue to be able to do the lessons--and I will continue to give feedback.
My daughter's friend had mentioned that I could stay with them tonight if I needed to--and I took her up on that offer. It is good to have my packed car in a garage. I was able to meet a friend for supper. She moved here from Missouri almost a year ago. We went to In n Out burger. Her daughter came, too. They were willing to take some of my excess food, so that I have a place to sit on the way back to Missouri. My daughter will do most of the driving because she cannot sleep or read in the car, while I can do both. I will spell her if she needs a break.
One of the elders who takes care of the Swap Meet sheds agreed to come after his shift to take he many loads of items I had to donate. He had asked that I not being the items if it was raining. There were showers off and on all day, and as I was bringing down yet another load, the clouds were gathering. I prayed the rain would hold off--and it did. Some of the items I washed today were not dry yet. I hope to figure out how to donate them tomorrow.
I was able to take a few minutes to go over to the Library to give out more CDs.. I either saw the rest of the people myself, or asked friends to pass them on. I turned in my badge and blue lanyard.
IMy Sweetheart and I talked twice today and will talk briefly tonight. Then I am sure I will crash!
When I got up very early this morning I checked my church email--and found that new training modules were available to preview.The topics were of interest to me, so I did several of them--and in the first quiz I found an error, so I sent feedback. Overall the lessons were well done. This afternoon I got to talk with one of the staff training team. He said I would continue to be able to do the lessons--and I will continue to give feedback.
My daughter's friend had mentioned that I could stay with them tonight if I needed to--and I took her up on that offer. It is good to have my packed car in a garage. I was able to meet a friend for supper. She moved here from Missouri almost a year ago. We went to In n Out burger. Her daughter came, too. They were willing to take some of my excess food, so that I have a place to sit on the way back to Missouri. My daughter will do most of the driving because she cannot sleep or read in the car, while I can do both. I will spell her if she needs a break.
One of the elders who takes care of the Swap Meet sheds agreed to come after his shift to take he many loads of items I had to donate. He had asked that I not being the items if it was raining. There were showers off and on all day, and as I was bringing down yet another load, the clouds were gathering. I prayed the rain would hold off--and it did. Some of the items I washed today were not dry yet. I hope to figure out how to donate them tomorrow.
I was able to take a few minutes to go over to the Library to give out more CDs.. I either saw the rest of the people myself, or asked friends to pass them on. I turned in my badge and blue lanyard.
IMy Sweetheart and I talked twice today and will talk briefly tonight. Then I am sure I will crash!
Monday, April 24, 2017
Loaded Day! Short Post! 24 May 2017
Today began at 3 a.m., not 5 a.m. With the pressure of getting everything done in the apartment, I did not go back to bed after reading scriptures. I did not eat breakfast although I felt a bit hungry at about 4:30-but I wanted to weigh myself after devotional. "Officially"I lost 3 1/2 pounds during my year here. I am satisfied. Copious exercise, and using mostly food storage items were responsible for this modest loss.
People are still trying to feed me, though. One of the Japanese sisters who brought me sandwiches twice in the past four days, today gave me a bag with granola and a bottle of milk. Another siste of my wanted me to come for supper, and I actually did "crash" the other branch's social at the invitation of my MTC companions so that we could be together and get a last time photo. I had not intended initially to go, but decided that would be an easy way to share the 20 hard-cooked eggs and a bag of cut-up carrots.
This morning after devotional I went to a warehouse store and picked up chocolate for a parting snack for my co-missionaries. I gave out more CDs, and talked with a lot of people.
I talked with my Sweetheart this morning and we got to Skype tonight. Yes, we are now counting the hours until we are together! He took my daughter to the airport-she will help me drive home.
My fellow trainers honored me with a lovely certificate highlighting my accomplishments in the zone. One of the other trainers had said I should get my Level 3 certificate, and I told her that would be just another spice of paper to eventually throw away, but this special certificate was a treasure.
My exit interview with the Mission President and his wife went well. They seemed pleased with the CD I gave them.
There Ismore I could write but I am falling asleep, so must close and sleep.
Sunday, April 23, 2017
Broadcast Gift, Lots of Phone Time and One Last Testimony. 23 April 2017
Today was my last time to attend the Music & the Spoken Word rehearsal and broadcast. I wondered if I might be permitted to sit in my preferred spot by the tympanii and the monitor--and I did receive that gift. In addition to being very touching pieces, the songs were mostly percussion heavy, so the tympanii was in use a lot, and as was an instrument played with glass mallets, like a xylaphone, but smaller. I very much enjoyed both the rehearsal and the broadcast.
I talked a while with my oldest daughter after talking with my granddaughter. We are very glad that my Sweetheart has gotten approval for time off in July, so that we can travel to visit them in Virginaia.
My Sweetheart had to stay late at work, which does not work well for Sunday worship. The only good thing is that we got to talk this morning/early afternoon, and we were able to counsel together on some things of importance. I am grateful for his leadership in important matters.
I talked a couple of times today with my youngest daughter. Tomorrow she will arrive in Salt Lake City, very late at night. The friend she will stay with will pick her up, which is a big blessing to me. I no longer do really well with late night trips.
This evening I have worked on some family history, and also getting in a few more phone calls to friends both in Utah and in Missouri. I will talk again with my Sweetheart, and until that time I expect to do a bit more family history.
I find it almost hard to believe that next Sunday I will be back in my own ward. I did get to bear my testimony of the Savior one more time, as our Relief Society meeting was just the bearing of testimonies--I had thought I would like to do that, and was glad that the opportunity was presented.
I talked a while with my oldest daughter after talking with my granddaughter. We are very glad that my Sweetheart has gotten approval for time off in July, so that we can travel to visit them in Virginaia.
My Sweetheart had to stay late at work, which does not work well for Sunday worship. The only good thing is that we got to talk this morning/early afternoon, and we were able to counsel together on some things of importance. I am grateful for his leadership in important matters.
I talked a couple of times today with my youngest daughter. Tomorrow she will arrive in Salt Lake City, very late at night. The friend she will stay with will pick her up, which is a big blessing to me. I no longer do really well with late night trips.
This evening I have worked on some family history, and also getting in a few more phone calls to friends both in Utah and in Missouri. I will talk again with my Sweetheart, and until that time I expect to do a bit more family history.
I find it almost hard to believe that next Sunday I will be back in my own ward. I did get to bear my testimony of the Savior one more time, as our Relief Society meeting was just the bearing of testimonies--I had thought I would like to do that, and was glad that the opportunity was presented.
Saturday, April 22, 2017
In Quiet Times My Thoughts Turn to Home. 22 April 2017
People ask me if I am trunky or dwelling on leaving, and I am not as long as I am busy. This was my last working day [really half-day] at the Library. I helped one guest, who was very complimentary about my assistance, but this morning was not extremely busy, so I got to take the time to talk personally with several of my fellow missionaries, and give them a CD to remember me by.
The missionary who I "recruited" back in June or July shared a thought in Prayer Meeting concerning the line I helped him establish then--the "end of line" great grandfather [many times] was born in the early 1600s, and they bear the same name. He is so excited about this, he and his wife may extend their missions indefinitely. Their plan had been to move to California to be near one of their children. I am so pleased for them.
Another missionary shared the good news that her grandson, who suffers from a blood disorder, has been stablized, and will get to have a more normal life for a five-year-old.
I had decided to bring some snacks to share, and one of the sisters had forgotten to bring a lunch, so cheese and crackers came in handy.
I worked about two hours on research--that is taking off time for dozing! I was up again at 4 this morning, and stayed up to finish burning the CDs. That went better, as I gave the program more time to rest between sessions. But after lunch I just could not keep my eyes open at times. The research went well, though. I found a mistake in the index online, verifying that by getting the original images on microfilm. The indexer had inverted two numbers. I suppose it has been things like that which I was sent here to fix.
This evening was our zone temple session, which I attended. We had a pretty good turnout, but the session was not extra large, so it went quite smoothly. During those quiet moments was when my thought turned to a week from today when my Sweetheart and I will be together again in the temple--and in two weeks we will be married!!!!!
He and I only got to talk for a few minutes tonight, but the most important things happened--I got to hear his voice, and we prayed together. Life is good!
This morning while burning CDs I went through more papers, and discarded a lot of them. This evening the thought came that I should take both trash bags out to the recycle bin. I was quite resistant, but i am glad I ended up doing that--getting the clutter out helps me feel the Spirit more.
The missionary who I "recruited" back in June or July shared a thought in Prayer Meeting concerning the line I helped him establish then--the "end of line" great grandfather [many times] was born in the early 1600s, and they bear the same name. He is so excited about this, he and his wife may extend their missions indefinitely. Their plan had been to move to California to be near one of their children. I am so pleased for them.
Another missionary shared the good news that her grandson, who suffers from a blood disorder, has been stablized, and will get to have a more normal life for a five-year-old.
I had decided to bring some snacks to share, and one of the sisters had forgotten to bring a lunch, so cheese and crackers came in handy.
I worked about two hours on research--that is taking off time for dozing! I was up again at 4 this morning, and stayed up to finish burning the CDs. That went better, as I gave the program more time to rest between sessions. But after lunch I just could not keep my eyes open at times. The research went well, though. I found a mistake in the index online, verifying that by getting the original images on microfilm. The indexer had inverted two numbers. I suppose it has been things like that which I was sent here to fix.
This evening was our zone temple session, which I attended. We had a pretty good turnout, but the session was not extra large, so it went quite smoothly. During those quiet moments was when my thought turned to a week from today when my Sweetheart and I will be together again in the temple--and in two weeks we will be married!!!!!
He and I only got to talk for a few minutes tonight, but the most important things happened--I got to hear his voice, and we prayed together. Life is good!
This morning while burning CDs I went through more papers, and discarded a lot of them. This evening the thought came that I should take both trash bags out to the recycle bin. I was quite resistant, but i am glad I ended up doing that--getting the clutter out helps me feel the Spirit more.
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