PANIC

Today is December 31, 2011

I will post this the 1st day of 2012.

Our going home day is February 8 2012

The other couple replacing us is supposed to leave the MTC January 21.

We don't want to leave before our going home day.

But...

The PANIC comes because we only have 39 more days left!

I remember when we had our first month under our belt...

The other 22 months felt so far away.

We made one big mistake...

We Blinked.  

This was our last Transfer week before we go home.

 Elder Day is now a District Leader and left...

Elder Day and Jackson

 Elder Pratter took Elder Day's place with Elder Jackson.

 Sister Miller and McClain..

Sister McClain was transferred.

Sister Ursenback from Calgary Alberta Canada... 
Sister Miller is training her.

District Meeting this week was a beautiful experience.

We roll play to help each other know how to teach or help those we are working with.

I am always amazed at how the Spirit teaches during these sessions.

I was brought to tears as two of the Elders...

Taught me.

WOW

This week

We have had some amazing moments.

We have solved a couple of mysteries..

as to why we couldn't find some people.
and traveled to Port Orange to see an investigator we were teaching who moved there...
We had a good visit with her.
We had lunch with her.
One of our goals before we go home is to find her a place where she can have missionaries...
and be independent.

The Lord is at the helm...

Oh how we will miss these spiritual experiences.

Saturday Elder Harrington and Willey had a baptism...

 The ward mission leader is...

Well lets say...

Busy doing 'things'.

SOOOOO

They came here and showed me how to do the Baptism program on my computer.

(They can't use the computer)

Elder Willey, Alex Milton, Cindy, Elder Harrington

She is the sweetest person.

They were riding their bikes and met her on the street.

She felt their spirit and trusted them.

Florida

 I have fallen in love with Sand Cranes...

 They are regal...

and...

they mate for life.

This is a family.

This is an average morning temperature

 mid 70's daytime...

that is why people want to live here.

That is why my body wants to stay here.

BECAUSE

That is December weather.

Almost every yard has oranges grapefruit and tangerines etc.

 We have more Citrus than what we can eat...

 We can get it just about anywhere free.

 Sky-diving, something Deland is famous for. 

 One day we saw dozens of planes with jumpers coming out of all of them.

It was beautiful...

I saw this a lot in the office as I processed mail...

My heart broke to find that it was from Sister Gessel...

My primary teacher...

Who had her daughter invite me to Primary.

I googled the zip code.

It is Auburn Washington.

I don't know if you can read the sign.

It is the only Christmas decoration on the lawn.

It says...

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Last year we lived in Hunter's Creek.
South Orlando.
New Years Eve we could see fire works from our patio at the parks and around Orlando.
The apartment complex was quiet.

This year we are in Deland.
We are in the SOUTH...
not south Orlando.

Starting about 9:30-10:00 we heard fire works out and around.
We went for a walk around the complex where the noise level of the parties...
was getting loud.

About 11 we heard MORE...
At midnight...
Oh my goodness.
I thought we were in a war zone.
Then Quiet!

Happy New Year from Florida...

Of course the sunsets.

 "Contemplate the next 12 months.

First we should resolve to be good listeners.

And to whom should we listen?

To the Prophets of God,

to the whisperings of our conscience,

to the whisperings of the still small voice"

(President Thomas S. Monson)