When our family was together for a family reunion...
I asked that they get family pictures for our one blank wall.
So being the silly kids that they are they went around taking goofy pictures of everyone.
Well they hang on the wall just as everyone comes into our apartment.
It is a huge conversation piece.
A rose.
One of the Gollihugh girls picked her moms rose and gave it to me..
It was beautiful all week.
Family Home Evening at the Marks
Sister Marks is on the very left of the picture. Brother Marks is standing in the back on the left.
Their daughter Tracy is standing in the back right. Her son Hunter is in front of her Sister Gollihugh and her children are up front. They have three girls and a little boy.
Jessie Gollihuge
He is one of the many 'chefs' in Florida that is looking for a job.
Gollihughs
Tracy's daughter Shawna has a birthday so we celebrated that.
Sister Marks in the back and Elder Moultrie and Shawna
Brother Marks...
Brother Marks has been adopted as a grandpa to the Gollihuge children.
The game Celestial Heir
If you haven't played this game with your family...
We would suggest you get one and play it.
We had a lot of fun.
Sister Campbell getting her baby fix...
His name is 'Jimmy'
He is a very happy little guy.
Yum...
Cake and ice cream are the best!
Through the week we traveled all over looking for less active people who haven't been contacted by the missionaries. In our travels we saw a lot of beautiful farm land.
There are beef operations...
'dirt' roads lined with Cedar Trees...
Citrus orchards...
Dairy operations....
With the Sand Crane and Egrets grazing along with them.
There are so many different cattle and calf set ups.
I love the shelters. These are also used for carports, boat shelters and smaller ones in grocery store parking lots to protect the grocery carts
There were fields and fields of this beautiful grass...
Some they rotate grazing, and others they cut and bale.
These country roads are plentiful and beautiful.
We also ran into these...
Hogs? That I wouldn't want to see.
Challenger Tractor...
No it wasn't on the farm and it doesn't have rubber tracks.
It is pulling the mower in the median.
Bob and Carole Keane
Bob and Carole Keane
Senior couple....
What a great friend she has become.
Bob is a wonderful man!
We have meet a couple famlies we are working with right now.
We are finding the few who show a desire to come back.
The Lord is really blessing us.
One evening we had two sets of missionaries drop in on us.
Elder Moultrie and Squires drop in all the time.
We love it.
Elder Haack and Bingham stop in off and on as well. He is the District Leader and always makes sure we are working hard.
But this was the first time the Spanish Elders came to our door.
Elder Love and Cook...
They wondered if there were any Spanish people in our apartment complex.
Unlike Hunters Creek, or the Olando Metro area, there are very few Spanish people in Deland.
We did tell them we would be on the look out for them.
And told them to call Elder Moultrie and Squires because they have been here longer.
District Meeting.
Sister Higginson and Barlow...
It is so nice to have sisters...
They are wonderful.
It was Elder Bingham and Moultrie's year mark and Elders Squires birthday.
I brought a casserole and fresh fruit salad...
The sister brought the hit of the day...
Eclair bars.
Elder Love Cook Moultrie Haack Squires and Bingham.
This is the most hands on district I have ever seen...
But who wouldn't love Elder Cook...
Our resident Hawaiian--who speaks Spanish.
(He is also our son Steve's clone)
It was also 'crazy suit' day...
You need an up close and personal look at some of these.
Elder Squires Campbell Cook Moultrie Love.
Elder Haack and Bingham on chairs.
There is a lot of fun after the meeting
BUT...
Elder Haack does a wonderful job of teaching and directing the Deland District.
He brings a good spirit into our meetings...
He truly does care.
The drain was plugged once again.
This is a mess.
Elder Moultrie and Squires live just on the other side of that lake...
our car is the other direction on higher ground thank goodness.
We didn't have to wade in water to get to our car this day.
Only in Florida can you eat exotic fruit from California.
Black Velvet Apricots
The label says...
Experience the sweet, sensual Flavor of the Black Velvet Apricot.
They are grown on the Kingsburg Farms in California...
I googled it and these people have to be LDS.
For real.
Friday evening we ventured back into the Metro area...
There is no love loss for this area and the stress that went with it...
BUT...
Ivonne Gutian and Steve Jones wedding reception...
Their wedding was the next day, Saturday, in the temple and we weren't able to go so we took in the reception that was an oriental theme, thus the clothes.
It was fun visiting with the members of Hunters Creek and surrounding area again and catch up on all the news.
When the missionaries came and sat down next to us.
It was almost like we had never left.
Good ol' Elder Shelley and Valgardson.
don't know where Elder Brandenburg is...
he is always MIA.
It was hard to leave but we had to because morning comes all to quickly.
Saturday morning the Elders came over so Elder Moultrie could type up his talk for Sunday.
Elder and Sister Campbell are giving the fifth week combined lesson on finding investigators and fellow shipping once they are members.
Stan and I will be married 44 years August 1 2011.
We usually attend the temple but the 1st is Monday and it was a bust for today.
So we will hopefully visit a few of the beautiful parks in this area on Monday our preparation day.
Main Street Grill has by far the best food we have tasted.
I really wanted the Prime Rib but they just serve that on Friday and Saturdays after 4pm.
So for dinner Saturday night that is what we did...
My pick for dinner.
I had the 9 oz and that is a lot of yum!!!!!
The restaurant features a lot of Delands history.
This is a poster depicting the Deland Festival of the Arts.
I had to take a picture because it is a teapot..and if I could I would like this one. It is unique.
(for those who are not in the know...I love teapots)
After dinner we went to Alvin's baptism.
Alvin and his children Brother Herzog who gives the temple tours.
On the back Elder Haack Bingham and Hyde. Elder Hyde taught Alvin when he was here.
What happens when you get a Montana farmer and an Idaho farmer together?
Need I say more. Elder Squires is waiting patiently as was I.
Sunday we did our presentation. It was a good experience. It always is because when the spirit teaches that is the best experience of all.
After meetings 2nd and 1st wards we went over to the Probst home.
The Lewis family, a well established family, are moving to St Louis. They are trying to clean out their freezer. Brother Lewis fishes in the warm waters off Miami. He caught a lot of tropical warm water fish and had the fillets to get rid of. Probst offered their home and invited a lot of people. There were friends but also part member families and those who are investigating as well as the 2nd ward missionaries. It was just what we taught today in church. This is a happening ward. It is always a good experience to rub shoulders with the saints, especially those who are trying hard to do missionary work.
In our situation it is very difficult to imagine what is going on in Idaho.
We were just visiting about the fact that it was the end of July and we have no point of reference.
It is always warm and we personally don't go through planting weeding harvesting...
SO...
When we got home Steve had sent us videos of the beginning of harvest and some pictures.
As we get into the work here, the Lord's harvest, we are so grateful for His love and the privilege of working in His vineyard.
As we get into the work here, the Lord's harvest, we are so grateful for His love and the privilege of working in His vineyard.
President Monson has not just left the door open for people to return to activity and fellowship in the Church--he has actively gone out and found them. If there were a theme to his ministry perhaps it would be, "Reach out to rescue". He has been doing it all his life.
"There are so many out there who plead and pray for help...There are those who are discouraged, those who long to return but who don't know how to begin...
Let us have ready hands, clean heands, and willing hearts, that we may participate in providing what our Heavenly Father would have others receive from Him.
(President Monson's Biography, To the Rescue)
