Gods Children

While we have been in Deland we have learned so much.

The life of a missionary is so rewarding...

Humbling...

We could never have imagined what was in store for us.

The people we meet are so inspiring.

So many come from such humble circumstances...

with such sad stories.

We can meet with them...

Encourage them...

Pray with them...

But in the end...

It is their choice.

Will they join the church?

Will they come back into the fold?

We wish we could 'give' them our perspective.

Let them see what we see...

Know what we know...

But in the end...

It seems to be to hard for some.

Monday was Preparation Day and the Sisters joined me and Carole

in  Historic Down Town Deland.

We are teaching Carole and she wanted to meet the 'Sister' missionaries.

Main Street Grill

 Carole

 Sister Barlow Carole Sister McClain

 Yours truly

 We had fun going into all the little stores.

the chocolate store...

Tuesday the most amazing missionary of all...

Sarah invited her Neighbor Dan to dinner...

She also invited friends and MISSIONARIES.

 Sarah is the Lords disciple. 

District meeting.

 We took the Spanish missionaries to the temple and found a bunch of missionaries....

 Elder Cook Reneer Bennett (Beth Jone's grandson) Campbell Doyle Day Corbridge Potter Major.

 Elder Reneer took our picture

dinner at Bob Evans

 Elder Day and Cook

We took Elder Day and Cook home...

Elder Haack and Harrington live with them...
and we had an appointment with them to teach a sister.

 We are teaching a lady that is very interested in the church.

Elder Cooper and Squires came over to plan

how we were going to teach another investigator that we have. 

 Since it was lunch time...I fed them.

This week we have done a lot of work with Elder Haack and Harrington...

It has been extremely fruitful.

They got a baptism commitment and a new investigator.

The work in this District is on the rise.

A bit of Florida

There was a lot of rain this week...

This is a downpour with the sun shinning...

 The missionaries are getting pretty wet...

 They bike most of the time.

At one point coming home from the temple it was like driving through a lake.

We have never been in a storm that bad.

This looks like a root ball with the plant growing out of it.

It is a hanging plant.

Fall shows in some of the trees that know what season it is.

Deland has the best road signs

A menu....

The salad was not that great.  

It was minus half the stuff and the tomatoes were fermented.

Probably won't go back there.

Saturday we had an appointment with Elders Haack and Harrington...
then Stan and the missionaries did a service project.

They were here on their  bikes and no way to get dinner.
So I fed them food...

Then they fed us spiritually.

Sunday we had two investigators at church.
One in Deland 2 and One in Deland 1
We felt really humble.
The Lord is at work.

This evening we had to divide and conquer.
We were invited to a sister's home who's family is active but her husband is not.
She invites the missionaries to dinner all the time.
BUT...
We had another investigator ask us if we would support her husband at his AA meeting.
He is a recovered Alcoholic of six years.
Tonight he was in charge and was reporting his 'annual' speech to the group.
He was nervous.
He loves Stan and when he showed up at this meeting the guy was surprised and pleased.
He really appreciated the support. 
A wonderful evening for both of us.
We feel unworthy of these people we are asked to work with.
They are the Lord's children and He loves them.

They'er back.........

This is the last season of Love-bugs we will have to endure!

 We talk about having a purpose here on earth.

Their purpose besides making other love-bugs is to mess up our cars and be a huge pain.

 They cover the wall of our patio and door and our main entrance way.

 We have to keep our mouths closed or they will fly in.

We check our clothing before we walk into the apartment.

 Our cars are covered with them alive, and squished.

This week the apartment management had our parking lot resurfaced.

 They did it in segments so when they were working by our apartment we had to park clear around the other side and walk in. Not complaining walking is good for us, but it always caught us because we would forget to plan the time to walk out.

District Meeting brings so much learning.

Elder Haack our District leader teaches a principle and then we discuss it and roll play.

I can't believe how powerful the roll play is.

Then they have to have their lunch break and I bring soup, they can eat then quickly be off to...

Work work work....

 Above Elder Day Cooper Harrington Cook and Haack

Below Sister McClain and Sister Barlow.

 We did some exchange work with Elder Harrington and Haack.

We also helped Elder Haack with his bike.

He had a bad tire so while they ate a meal donated by a ward member...

Elder Campbell repaired the bike tire.

That way they could make their appointment on time and still have dinner.

 The sister who supplied the dinner asked for a Priesthood blessing.

She is a wonderful person...

In hearing her story we came to KNOW we are so blessed.

We had a few minutes to visit with Rosemarie...

She likes to talk about WWII days...

And her life in Germany when she was growing up.

We sat on her porch and visited for some time...

Then her daughter, who we have heard so much about came home and we were able to visit with her as well.

We had lunch out Friday...
while we were there we had the opportunity to meet a very sweet couple.

It was his birthday. 
Elder Campbell went up to them as we left...
gave them a pass along card...
wished him a happy birthday.

That led into a conversation.

We were able to visit with them a little bit about the gospel.

They do want more.

We had some wonderful experiences this week in teaching...

non members and less active members.

We certainly feel the Lord's blessing with us and know that this is His work.

It is wonderful to be actively engaged in his work.

We went a week without rain...
That means drought.
This morning Volusia County received rain...
It continued through the day off and on.
The temperature was cooler.

We have had the privilege of working with people with 'real' pain and hardship.
People who really want a change in their lives.
They love what the gospel has to offer.
We feel so humble...
We have so much.
Our grateful hearts are full...
We are so blessed to be given the ability to be here...
to teach and experience the Lord in action.  

The Lord calls us in our weakness but He qualifies us in His work

We have felt the hand of the Lord in His work.

We had several disappointments last week.

But he has opened new doors this week.

The doors were not completely closed last week...

We still have hope for those who are seeking for truth.

Monday we went to find a sister that was referred to us...

She was out of town at her son's wedding.

(We did meet with her later in the week. She is interested.)

But we did find some interesting country in our search.

The home of the land lord to the sister we visited.

 She lives in an apartment next to the house...

It is very nice small apartment...

she will be moving the end of this month.

Cassadaga is a Spiritualist community built on 50 acres purchased for just that cause.

 It is such a beautiful little community.

They do have a Book of Mormon in their book store.

There could be some interest there.

Tuesday...

The missionaries email home at the Libraries and they are closed on holidays.
Monday was a holiday so...
 We had District Preparation Day on .

 It is nice once a month to have the missionaries around our table.

The spiritual message they give us leaves us in awe of their greatness and closeness to the Lord.

 Left. Sister Barlow, Elders Cook Harrington Day Haack Campbell and Sister McClain.

 Elder Cooper and Squires got there later...

Friday Elder Haack and Harrington needed a ride to the temple.

It was our honor and pleasure to take them.

 After a very long day of cereal bars...

 Finally Food...

Chili's

Monday we felt the affects of Tropical storm Lee...

 Patio...

 The rain pours from the upper floor through the slats.

 A very interesting bush.

 Doing a service project for a sister with hordes of animals...

 She even feeds the Sand Cranes.

 They are not afraid of her.

We had several appointments and no time for lunch.

I packed a snack and we parked under this tree to eat...

I really think we can be grateful for our morning glory.

Saturday night and Sunday morning was our Stake Conference.
What a spiritual feast.
The leaders are so inspired and the people who spoke to us were perfect for the topic assigned.

  Our zone leaders said missionaries couldn't go to the Saturday evening adult meeting
unless they had investigators.
We had invited several, even offered to pick them up...
So we disobediently snuck in the back and were filled.
Then we left quietly.
Sunday morning our zone leaders sat behind us and asked if the evening meeting was good.
We looked at each other smiled and said yes it was very good.
We said we didn't have investigators there...
He said in the handbook for missionaries it says that senior couples didn't have to live by all the rules.
We try hard to set a good example.
For the most part they are independent...
They work hard and love the work.

Sunday we reflected on 9-11.
This morning I turned on the TV to see some of the memorial.
It was touching and very emotional.
Everything was done nicely.
It was just ending when we returned home from Stake Conference.
What I saw in the eyes of most of the people was hopelessness.
or maybe some desire to have hope once again.
Then we watched The Spoken Word also commemorating 9-11.
The feeling in that was one of hope, family, God and love of country.
Such a difference.
The gospel makes so much difference in the lives of people.

Stan and I know that Christ lives.
He is our Savior and Redeemer
This is the true church...
anyone who reads the Book of Mormon...
praying for the Spirit to testify...
will also know that the Book is of God...
and that we do have Prophets to lead and direct us.
This is where hope is found.
May the Lord bless us all.