Things Not Seen

The highlights of this week are things of the Spirit and cannot be photographed.  The first part of the week I was very anxious about Joe's deployment,  He called us at the office and let us know when he was leaving....Thursday.  Such short notice wow.  When he went to Iraq I had a spiritual confirmation that he would be okay and my dad, Melvin Ward would be his 'companion'.  But this deployment to Afghanistan has been really hard.  Along with that I was concerned about Sarah and Chad and their foster kids and the courts.  I have been concerned about my family and anxious for their safety.  Thursday morning during our office devotional I felt strongly I should go to the temple that day.  Joe was being deployed and it was the court date for those beautiful little girls. 
I did get the confirmation I was looking for and I know he will be well.  I also was glad to hear the court action was in Sarah and Chads and the little sisters favor.
I was reminded of the blessing that Stan and I received when we were set apart by President Harper for our Mission.  He promised us that our family would be blessed while we were serving our mission.  That is so evident in all the experiences of this week.  I won't go into detail but my daughter Mary and children were miraculously saved in a river accident and daughter in law and children were okay after a care accident.  I am so grateful for all the Lord does for us and our family.

Yes this is yours truly.

Elder Engerman had pant that were to baggy and asked if I would take them in.
I did a new zipper in Sister Keung's skirt last week and word spreads fast on the missionary zip line.  As of tonight I have had three other requests for clothes to be mended.

A Mutant Marshmallow.
That is a peanut M&M next to it.

The Swains had family sent these to them and they gave them to the Elders who come in to email.

 This is the picture of David and Goliath from the Spanish Children's Friend Elder Jonson colored and signed for me.
I told the missionaries if they got 100 baptisms I would let them shave my head.  As of Friday July 16 I only had 16 records recorded.
They told me I had little faith.
I said I am not going to pay for a hair cut if they are going to shave my head.
I will post the shaving if it happens.  : - )

The assistants did these pictures at a Singles Family Home Evening.
Patti our mail lady commented on them.  We told her that the missionaries did that.
She nodded and thought for a moment  then said, "So that is what they do."

Yes-- that is Golden and Barbara Gardner.
Elder Beckstead heard he had an aunt that served in this mission years ago, late 90's. and he was looking through the Florida Orlando History books we have.  He was showing Stan his aunt and Stan looked across the page and there was Golden and Barbara.

Elder Schow our full time Office Elder is doing a deep cleaning in the office.  This closet is where we keep the pass along cards in a million languages and pamphlets etc.  This closet has only been 'added upon' and NEVER cleaned.  He found some pretty interesting artifacts.

The colored parts on the map is the Orlando Mission.
The different colors represent a different Zone.
We have seven physical Zone's and eight with the LA Zona mission that is the Spanish Zone.  They actually have missionaries in each Zone.

This is the map program I work with each morning.
I get referrals each morning from the Mission Training Center in Provo.
I take the addresses and log them on to the map program and press 'Search' and it finds the area the referral is to be assigned.  I then send it to the missionaries in that area and they receive a text on their phones with the referrals information.

When the Assistants and Mission President created three new areas last Transfer Elder Doxey went into the map program and drew boundary lines and labeled the new areas.  He is visiting with Zone leaders to get the exact coordinates.  With all they have to do they still take care of the little details.

When the new Mission President came these guys, our faithful Assistants to the President were his life line as to how the work on the ground level is executed.  On top of that President Hall gave them the new program he received at the MTC and told them to learn it, and teach it at the three day Training Sessions to be held every two months.  Zone leaders District Leaders, Senior Companions, and Trainers are invited.
They had to figure the logistics of getting 60 missionaries all to the Wetherbee Chapel for three days and how to feed them and house them.
They would work so hard and think they had a plan.  I would tell them to go home and pray and sleep on it.  The next day they would come back and work on it again.  By Friday they had it down and felt good about it.  (They had to learn all the information to be taught as well, plus they have their own investigators they are teaching AND they had to move this week.)

 Friday they did move and Stan and Elder Beckstead went to help them move.
I went home and prepared a meal in my tiny kitchen for them.
It felt good to feed the 'troops' again.

Saturday Stan and I left early for the temple.

Then we went to Sister Rowan's home to dedicate it.  She is a single mom who has just moved.  She had friends helping her who are not members.  They were so impressed with the spirit and the prayer they want to be taught the Gospel.

She had seven Elders in her house painting.  She fed them lunch and then they went to teach investigators.

We met up with Elders Beckstead, Wilks, and Schow who were giving the Bowles the lessons they need to have after baptism.

Then we went to help the Assistants clean their old apartment.

Elder Doxy is so cute in bear feet and grubbies. 

The pan he is standing on is really old, and antique.  I told them to take care of it. They don't know where it came from, it was in the apartment when they moved in.

Elder Stienment cleaning his bathroom.  I was impressed, he actually did a good job.

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Brother and Sister James were cleaning when we got there.

They left shortly after this picture. 

I cleaned all the cupboards microwave and fridge.  No easy task since the Elders have just moved in on each other for six years.

I tried to help but he insisted on carrying both.

The box is full of broken glass.

Our neighbors Van was broken into and all his pool cleaning supplies were stolen.

Stan quietly took a broom and dust pan out and cleaned it up.

The carrier we borrowed from the Eskelsons so that we could bring Margie Barros and her baby to church last week.  

The garbage compactor and Eskelsons were in the same area so we walked both over.

A side note.  

Margie and her significant other Hans are going to be married and baptized in a couple of weeks.

This dog lives on the second floor and is just above where Stan was walking in the above picture.

When we come home he used to bark and growl at us.  I would stop and visit with him.  

Now he barks a hello how are you today!

Sometimes I wish I had my daughter in laws equipment and talent.  Tawny could have done well by this.

It is a sunrise.  The dark clouds are very dark and there are rays of light shooting up out of them.

A glimpse into eternity.

In Sunday School Sister Guitan challenged us to try to Understand God and taught us that we must have a Purpose.  We are to read the scriptures marking scriptures that would point us to Heavenly Father and what we are to be doing.  We are to Pray about it.  We are to do as God would do and serve and love others. 

So I leave you with this:

What is your Purpose?