Cedar Tree Companions: Just when you think you have it all it gets better.....

We have had a wonderful week...

Sad good by's and new friends.

Always missionaries...

Spring keeps coming and coming and coming...

despite the worst drought in 80 years.

Then to make our experience here even better

Elder Bednar spent three hours with all the missionaries...

which of course includes..

me and Stan.

Hedges and trees everywhere have blooms just bursting and weighing the branches down.

Why there a marigolds at this door out of all the doors in this apartment complex is perplexing...

How do we get some?

The Swains are some of the best people we have ever met.

Wonderful people who will be missed

a whole bunch.

The Powers got here Wednesday from Mapleton UT

They are fun people. We took them around Wednesday night..

then to dinner.

They were with us as we met with Elder Bednar.

Thursday Creevans were sealed in the temple.

When I got there the Spanish and Haitian missionaries were cleaning up the temple grounds...

Could it be an apostle was coming the next day?

Peggy was baptized just before we got here a year ago.

Tarrance became active again and

now they are one of the most active missionaries in our ward.

Terrance Cleste and Peggy Creevan

It never gets old witnessing little ones being sealed to their parents.

Elder Lewis was transferred because another missionary went home

This transfer Elder Whitworth took his place.

The Hunters Creek Office Elders Eastside

Elder Jensen and Whitworth and then Elder Capps our office guru

Elder Capps has a lot of similarities to Mike.

Both dad and I will look up and see Mike and it will take our breath away.

Elder Whitworth and Jensen

Sweat rolling down their faces..

But these guys don't complain...

They just work hard.

Elders Haager Owens Peterson Brandenburg Da Rosa Tolman Moultrie Parsons

(Elder Straton ran off)

We left early in the mission van and picked them up from Goldenrod and Winter Park N. then took them to the gathering at the Windermere Chapel with Elder Benar.

Going home we had 10.

Elder Capps who joined us and Stratton in the back were not in the first picture.

Back row: Elder Campbell Elder Rydalch Elder Moore Dr and Sister Hoffman Elder and Sister James Elder and Sister Powers President Wood

Front Row: Sister Campbell Sister Hall President Hall Elder Bednar President Hauber and Sister Hauber and Sister Wood.

President Hauber and Wood are President Halls counselors. President Wood just took President Halloday's place who became the Stake president of Orlando South Stake. He will be set apart this Sunday and become official.

All missionaries were supposed to be there by 9:30 and in their seats.

BUT...

the assistants had all the chairs set up in the Cultural Hall for Zone pictures with Elder Bednar.

They had all the zones plus the Office district which included the Assistants.

While we were waiting for the VIP's to get there I quickly took a picture of the Hunters Creek Zone.

That is the Zone we are associated with and know really well.

No Pres and Sister Hall and Elder Bednar are not there yet.

We were told we couldn't take our own pictures

They are suppose to send the pictures to us by email.

The three empty seats are for Pres and Sister Hall and Elder Bednar.

All eight zones and office district were set up like this waiting for them so they didn't have to wait on us. Makes sense.

The time spent with Elder Bednar was what he called a 'Revelatory Experience'.

It was not a meeting.

We were not to take detailed notes.

Just write what impressed us.

We are also not to talk about what we were taught.

It was between him and us.

One it was just for us.

Two when things are taken out of text and sent home...

rumors start.

Three it was a sacred experience.

He gave us two talks before hand
that he had given on Faith and Prayer to read...

They were sent out by email Sunday Night.

We were to read and study them.

The first two hours were spent with this question.

What were impressions after reading these talks?

Missionaries would express what their impressions and learning was...

He would comment or ask more questions.

The last hour he opened it up to questions they could ask him.

They asked him some very powerful insightful questions.

These questions he answered with power and authority and humor.

There were maybe 190 people in the chapel total.

It was a very intimate meeting with a one on one conversation with Elder Bednar.

He said that if there was one thing he would what us to know was...

The strengthening power of the Atonement.

At the end he bore his testimony...

Then he bestowed an Apostolic Blessing upon us.

...faith in Christ leads to righteous action, which increases our spiritual capacity and power. Understanding that faith is a principle of action and of power inspires us to exercise our moral agency in compliance with gospel truth, invites the redeeming and strengthening powers of the Savior's Atonement into our lives, and enlarges the power within us were by we are agents unto our selves.

(From Elder Bednar's talk 'Ask in Faith' May 2008 conference)

***An interesting note***
At ward Conference Pres Pratt spoke...
was with Elder Bednar while he spoke to the single adults Friday evening just after he spoke with us.
Pres Pratt said that Elder Bednar said

that if there was one thing he would what them to know was...

to develop their doctrinal knowledge.

That was amazing to me...

He told us it was to strengthen our understanding of the atonement.

Pure revelation given to two separate groups as to what they needed.

Words cannot and never will be adequate in expressing these kinds of things.