Mission Office was BUSY this week

We began our week with Staff Meeting in President Craven's office. It was great to meet with our  President and Sister Craven. They are so busy and so dedicated and always have such a clear plan and positive outlook. They are quite inspiring leaders. It was good to get an overview of what was to come during this week...hopefully I will one day understand the whole picture!

Tuesday was the last Zone Conference before transfers and new missionaries 

coming this next Tuesday. It was the Charlotte Central Zone and was held at our Mission Office.

  I was happy to  be able to attend.

The morning was very COLD and Elder Urban was outside helping inspect the Zone vehicles. 

Car inspections and later vehicle safety training was given to the missionaries. 

There's a great guy named Steve who changes the oil in all the cars.

You might recognize the one on the left.....

Here's a better look. The missionaries LOVE his antlers!

Part of Zone Conference Training

Snow was forecast so all the schools (including the university) 

were closed in anticipation of snow. We waited and waited......

And finally a light snow began later that evening. Wednesday morning we awoke to about an inch of snow and North Carolina shut down! In all fairness, everything was very icy...

We didn't have to go to the Mission Office til 10 AM.
And YES, the schools were closed for a second day.

The view from our backyard of the apartment next to ours. 

I can't wait to see the trees in a couple of months. 

I've been told there will be lots of fireflies this summer hanging out in the trees!

The view from our hallway to the front of the building . Our garage in the 4th one from the left.

Looking out our door to the backyard

Looking at our Sun Room window (on left) where our desk and computer are.

 Our Front Door

We went to a Farewell dinner for Elder and Sister Bushman. 

I only wish that I could have gotten to know them better. I can tell they are amazing people!

 I ordered Barbecue Chicken (southern style), fresh asparagus and my first taste
of Cheesy Grits! (They were delicious but anything with that much butter and cheese
has to taste wonderful!)

Sister Bushman is our dear friend, Kerry Stenson's, sister and she lives 

about a mile from us in American Fork, Utah. Small world!

Thursday we got to take a road trip to the northern part of our mission, 

almost to the border of Virginia. Our goal was to take beds
and other furnishings to two mission apartments.
We were so close to Mt. Airy, 

where our granddaughter, Sister Hatton-Ward is serving. 

BUT we were obedient to the rules and didn't go see her! 

This is map of North Carolina from Charlotte to Mt. Airy. We drove  North on I 85
through Concord, Kannapolis, Lexington, Winston-Salem...

then on I 52 to King

past Tobaccoville (yes, Tobaccoville) and north til we arrived in Pilot Mountain.

Elders Morrow and Thurber were happy to receive their supplies.

It was a beautiful drive! This is a view of Pilot Mountain.

We also visited with two Sister Missionaries in Pilot Mountain, who had been in a car accident
the night before. I didn't get a photo of these two darling sisters
because they were not feeling up to a photo. Luckily they were not badly injured....
a little bruised and sore and shaken up. The members and investigators in Pilot Mountain
are wonderful to them. They are loved and have been well taken care of but
they needed some extra TLC and hugs and reassurance.
I was so grateful that Elder Urban and Elder Cornelius were able to give each of them
a Priesthood blessing. What a joy it was to feel The Spirit in their apartment
 and feel the comfort and peace that the Lord provides.
It was a Tender Mercy and a reminder that the Lord is mindful of each of us.
I was grateful to have been part of this experience.

We headed back south to deliver some new beds to Elder Stone, 

Elder Wright and Elder Schlather in Welcome , NC. Where in the world is Welcome, you may ask. (Look on the middle map above and it's about where the I 52 is North of Lexington)

Friday was another big meeting for the week. "ZLC" Zone Leaders Conference.

It's a privilege to be associated with these amazing young missionaries! 

They are the hope of our future!

Tonight we invited our Harrisburg Elders and neighbors,
 Elders Durfee and Youngstrom to dinner.

Our Annie Henry Painting finally was hung on the wall. So happy to be able to enjoy it.

This is our tiny kitchen as we were cleaning up from dinner. I managed to bake brownies, 

cheesy biscuits, a crock pot roast, mashed potatoes, gravy and salad 

with the limited space, limited bowls and pots that I have to work with. 

We only have 5 dinner plates so dishes are washed as we prepare. 

It's cozy and is beginning to feel like home :)

Elder Urban was delighted to taste these homemade brownies!

The only place to cool potatoes for potato salad that I'm making for Tuesday's lunch

for the 19 new missionaries. We feed them lunch and send them off

 with their trainers to their first assignments.

Dryers can be additional counter space when needed!

The new crock pot worked like a charm!

We send our love to you and pray that you will have a great week!

A Week of Learning and Feeling the Spirit

I haven't had a chance to take any pictures of the Mission office yet but I'll try to get some this week. It's a busy place with missionaries in and out all the time. I love it! They just bring enthusiasm and energy and love where ever they go and it's a joy to be around them!

The Mission Office is located in the first chapel built in Charlotte. It was built in early 1950’s and I don’t think it’s ever been remodeled!  FM spent all last week fixing the antiquated heater in the chapel and in the building. The building has been freezing but in our little area we can keep the heat in if we keep the doors closed from the rest of the building. I have to wear a coat to the bathroom! Hopefully everything is warmer tomorrow. The YSA ward meets in the building for evening activities and Institute and church services on Sunday.

This is our Harrisburg Ward building. We're one of three wards meeting in the building.

We found a Family History Center here and immediately felt right at home.

GETALONG ROAD is a block from our church. Had to get a picture of that!

Food Lion is the first grocery store we went to last Saturday. It's close to our chapel.

Elder Frost (one of two APs), Elder Fajardo and Elder Lino hanging out at the Mission Office

Elder Lino is holding a reflective "taillyte" worn by missionaries when biking.

Every day we look out our window of the Mission Office and see this beautiful cardinal. It's great entertainment watching the different birds that live around us and enjoy the big trees. We've also seen a gorgeous blue bird but no photos yet. I do miss the Quail in our American Fork back yard. No quail here just squirrels!

Elder Andrus, Elder Urban and Elder Cornelius at the mission storage shed

 where assorted supplies and furnishings for apartments are stored. 

The Senior elders borrowed the mission's brand new 2014 Chevy Silverado from the APs to tow the mission trailer which they loaded with furniture and household items to take to the apartments.

Getting ready to eat our first care package of homemade raspberry jam and wheat bread we received from Annette last week. Everyone at the office was jealous! Nummy good! I think I cried!

Saturday, which was our first PD, we spent most of the day of moving furniture and taking bicycles to Concord to be repaired. We also picked up 9 new bikes for new missionaries coming on February 4th. Elder and Sister Andrus, Elder and Sister Cornelius and Elder and Sister Urban shared a delicious dinner at Ming Fu in Matthews, on the outskirts of Charlotte.

Today, Sunday January 26th we attended the first baptisms in our new Harrisburg Ward. Sisters Pace and Lambert taught these two investigators the gospel and it was a very special event. The room was full of ward members, missionaries and also others who are not members of the church. The Spirit in the room was warm even though we heard the water was not!

Carlos Moronchel

Lucy James

I’ve been learning many aspects of Missionary referrals. Our missionaries were among the first group testing Ipads as tools using social media and it’s been a great success. All the young missionaries now have Ipads and each companionship has an Iphone also.

Keeping 260 missionaries housed is an ever changing job and I’m learning all about setting up new apartment leases, extending the leases, connecting utilities, maintaining and changing all of the above including closing the apartments as needs change. I’m learning how to furnish apartments, replace broken or missing items for the missionaries and basically anything else that comes up at the moment.

There were 3 Zone Conferences this past week and Tom has been leaving our apartment as early as 5:30 AM. Even though “early” is not his favorite time of day, 

he’s been on his best Eeyore behavior!

At Zone Conference the Senior Elders work outside for hours checking out each car in the zone. The weather here has been in the low teens every morning and even the gloves and hat we bought him aren’t keeping him warm enough. Yesterday as he was carrying a bed down a flight of stairs, he fell down the last four stairs and landed in the rocks. Miraculously he was not badly injured. So grateful for that.

We’ve been eating dinner between 8:30 and 10 PM each night and going to bed right after dinner. Not so good for the waisteline J

Sundays have been a day of spiritual renewal for us and we love our new ward. There is much diversity here and everyone is great. During Sunday School we attended the Gospel Principles class and I was surprised that over 30 people were in attendance. The teacher asked each one of us to tell the year we were baptized. There were 3 of us baptized in 1956, 1 in 1952 and a few others baptized when they were 8 years old. Most were converts and most of those were recently baptized. There were 2 who were baptized later today and one non member. The lesson was on the Second Coming of Christ and I would encourage you to go to this link to study it if you'd like.

https://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/content/english/pdf/language-materials/06195_eng.pdf?lang=eng

I'd like to share one last experience we had this past week that touched my heart. Tuesday night we were eating dinner about 8:30 PM at Panera Bread and as we finished, I stood up to clear our dishes from the table. A young woman who'd also been eating there,came up and said she'd be happy to take the dishes for us. I was tired and very appreciative but a little stunned. I don't remember that happening before. I studied her face and thanked her and after we left I had wished that I had gotten her name. Thursday night, as we were leaving the mission office, it was dark and as I walked out the door, a young woman was coming in to attend Institute and she looked familiar to me. I said hello to her and continued walking. Then I realized why I remembered her so I hurried back up the stairs and asked her if she was in Panera Bread on Tuesday.  Guess what? Yep, it was her! I was able to thank her again and it helped me remember that kindness is a great attribute to have!

We send our love to you.....

North Carolina Here We Come!

Monday, January 13, 3014  The long anticipated journey begins....

An early sendoff surprise. Nikki came bearing "Daylight" donuts and HUGS....

A packed car and a few tears

and we were off on our adventure

 Breakfast at McDonald's in Park City

High Winds and blowing snow through Wyoming

 

First night we stayed in Sidney, Nebraska

    Ate a delicious dinner with a buffalo in Sidney.

Driving though Nebraska going out of our way to go to Omaha

to see Winter Quarters Temple. It was well worth the extra time!

Winter Quarters Mormon Pioneer Cemetery. 

This is the only picture we took there because it was FREEZING!
If you know Tom at all, you know that cemeteries are his favorite hangout
and even he didn't want to spend any time prowling around
because of the frigid temperatures.
How did our Pioneer ancestors survive the trek?!

We met two great missionaries, Sister Lewis and Sister Frisbee in the Mormon Trail Center.

Sister Frisbee is waiting for her visa to continue serving in Brazil. When she found out we were on our way to North Carolina, Charlotte she was so excited because she has a brother serving in our same mission, Elder Plants. We can't wait to meet him and share this picture with him!

 This is the Kansas City Temple where we able to perform sacred ordinances for our ancestors.

It is a beautiful place to feel close to our Heavenly Father and to find peace and feel renewed.

We continued on our journey and saw the St. Louis Temple in the afternoon.

One of the highlights of our trip was visiting with a longtime friend I grew up

 with in Hayward, California, Fawn Stewart Silva and her husband, Denny. 

What a great reunion that was to be with them 

in their beautiful home and meet some of their family.

 After spending the night in Mt. Vernon, Illinois we were delighted when we arrived in Tennessee!

We took a little drive around Nashville and then made our way to the Nashville Temple.

Our last night on the road, we stayed in Knoxville, Tennessee anticipating an easy drive to Charlotte on Friday morning. However, Tom had a recurring episode of vertigo 

in the middle of the night, which left him unable to even get out of bed. Yikers! 

I sort of panicked and posted my angst on Facebook. 

In just a short time I had many family and friends posting encouragement, 

suggestions and prayers in our behalf! I was amazed and knew that everything would be OK. 

About 2 hours later, Tom was able to make it to the car and I drove the 4 hours to Charlotte, 

through the beautiful Great Smokey Mountains. 

I wish that I had been able to stop every few minutes and take pictures!

Friday, January 17, we arrived at the North Carolina Charlotte Mission Office.

Now our real adventure begins!

PS. We haven't had internet in our new apartment so this is being posted almost a week later. I've got lots more to share since we arrived but I'll save that for next week. We send our love to our family and friends. Thank you for all the love and support you so generously give us. 

We are richly blessed!

Goodbye to the MTC

The next 2 group photos are the wonderful missionaries 

we shared our 1st week with at the MTC

(Hint) We're in this photo. It's sort of like Where's Waldo. Good luck finding us!

 Our 2nd week at the MTC learning Office Computer Programs

                The Ransoms          The Burris          The Poulsons      The Urbans        The Hursts

(Lisbon Portugal) (Carlsbad, California)(Can't remember)(Charlotte, NC)(New Delhi, India)

Trainers kneeling   Sister Fairbanks    Brother Bennett     Brother Free   Brother Tyler

This is "Where in the World" we are going.

We're busy packing for the next couple of days, loading every inch of our car with our stuff

 and then driving to North Carolina. We're excited!

Ella's Baptism

We are so grateful that we could attend Ella's baptism today!
 It was a very special day for a special little 8 year old girl.
Ella is our 20th grandchild to be baptized. 

Only one left....James (Jimmy). He'll turn 8 just in time for us to return home in 2015.

Ella, Dad Ryan and Mom Vilayphone

Anticipation

Ella, Grandma Justus, GrampaTom and GramaCindy

Our First Week at the MTC

When we first arrived Monday morning December 30, 2013 we met this darling couple, 

Marc and Mimi Lauper. Out of curiosity, I mentioned that I had a long time friend who's maiden name is Lauper living in California and did they happen to have any relatives there. No coincidence that my friend, Rica and Marc are cousins! Everywhere we go we find connections that bind our hearts. 

It just feels so good!

These young Returned Missionaries, Brother Taylor Kenndrick and Brother Hawkes 

were our morning trainers all week. They took us out of our comfort zone,
taught us well and were patient and kind and funny too!

This is our district and the missionaries we grew to love.

 Elder and Sister Terry (going to Fiji), Elder and Sister Crapo 

(going to Des Moines, Iowa) and Elder and Sister Vassel (going to Frankfurt Germany)

   Brother Pearson was our Awesome Afternoon Trainer

Tom and I learned how to plan and teach together as a team. I've always thought that we made a great team but this experience has been a blessing and confidence builder. We began the week a little tentative (SCARED)! We were stretched way out of our comfort zone right from the beginning but we were given great tools to listen, rely on scriptures, life experiences, and our testimonies to teach and love more completely. And most importantly we learned that the 3rd member of our team is the Holy Ghost. It was truly an inspirational week (AWESOME)!