There is a lot happening around here.

This is the week before transfers.  It was also a week for checking the reports of all the baptisms for April and that was 31, down form the fifty they were used to.  Still a daunting task.  Plus we already have 29 baptisms for this month.  Then there have been a super amount of referrals.  These come over the internet and I assign them to the different areas through text message.  We have phone in referrals as well.  Stan has had an accident to deal with, a citation, not the missionaries fault but the car dealer who hadn't issued the license plate yet, a car break in with a GPS and a Book of Mormon stolen-- everyone thinks now they should leave the GPS in the car with copies of the Book of Mormon and get referrals that way.  NOT.  We have had car troubles with the non Toyota cars, battery problems and bike problems.  Dad  has been busier then a one armed paper hanger with an itch.  BUT he did get all the month end miles recorded.  The missionaries have to send him all their fuel receipts, as well as mileage, he records that and it goes to SLC. He is doing well, and enjoys helping the missionaries.  Taking care of twelve children and their cars was just preparation for this mission.   

There has been an excitement and  feelings of anxiety around the office all week.  Elder Bracero is leaving Wednesday morning and we are all sad.  Finding a replacement has been hard on them as well as figuring out transfers.  That is harder then I thought it was.  They can't just move someone.  They have to figure in the living quarters, cars, bikes, and where they have been and haven't been.  The assistants work hard with the President.  He gives advice and lets the Assistants work it out.  It is amazing to watch.  We are also losing Elder Moyle the head office gruru is being transferred out.  I am so going to miss him, but we will see him at Zone conferences, Elder Bracero we will probably never see again.  Here are some pictures of the office and all that has been going on.  There is a picture of the rose the Assistance gave me for Mother's day last week and the Flowers Beth sent this week. 

 This is the rose the assistants gave me.  They knocked on the door left it and ran.  It stayed perky all week, Saturday morning it gave up the ghost. 

The flowers Beth sent with the flowers the sister missionaries put together for us.  This is the information desk, where Elders get messages etc.  It also has peanut M&M's and Pretzels supplied by the senior couples for the missionaries.

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 Sarah's flowers on my desk with the cards sent by my family.

 

I brought the flowers home for the weekend, so I could enjoy them here.

This is the bulliten board above my desk.  It has all the new companionships from transfer time.  The Elders always come and find themselves and see how much others have changed.  To the right are little thoughts left by previous Referral Secretaries.  This week I added one from my granddaughter Diana Jo (AKA Joie).  

I used this for a thought in our office devotional Friday.  For 10 years old that is deep.  But then she has lived a life time in those 10 years.  She is our granddaughter who lost her family 2 1/2 years ago. (I think I need an s on goodtimes)

This is Elder Lahaderne and Elder Wood, they are companions.  Pretty funny.  Elder Lahaderne is a big teddy bear.  He has a little bit of a stutter if he tries to hurry.  His heart is huge and he is an amazing Elder.  I don't know Elder Wood very well but if I were him I would not rile the teddy bear.

Elder Rice-- I just asked him if he was getting all those books for the new missionaries finished, he turned around and was answering me.  He is staying and will have two others to help him with his office duties.  Stan thinks it is because he needs an elder to help him with his computer work.  

Elder Moyle coming back to work. (cheap shot)

Elder Stienmen, assistant, always posing.  

Elder Bracero trying to be serious.  NOT

 

Letting off a little steam.  Elder Bracero was Elder Moyles trainer 'father' as they call it.  He is leaving and giving Elder Moyle a few pointers.  Of course I said "Take it outside boys".  

Back to work everyone.

Elder James is a brilliant man who completes his work quickly. He takes care of apartments and rentals etc as well as the mission finances.  He is eating homemade toffee right here.  His favorite pass time is eating.  He is never full.

Saturday afternoon our ward had a Luau.  We have many Polynesians in our ward, two of the families perform at Epcot and Sea World.  Brother Pokipala and family sing, what beautiful music comes from their mouths.  WOW  The other group are the dancers and they have friends with them that are not members but some are very impressed with the church are are investigating it.  Stan and I invited Sharie Howard and her mother Ginger and Lydia, Ginger's g granddaughter.  They live in our complex.  Sherie has had some very difficult times and has fallen into inactivity.  It is our job to bring her back.  Ginger is a member but doesn't want to come back, so she says.  I have been visiting her every week now and she came to the luau and brought her secret recipe carrot cake to be auctioned off.  He granddaughter approached me at church today and gave me a hug, and said, "I didn't think Grandma would ever come to any church function and somehow you did it.  I have fallen in love with Ginger, and she is so welcoming and wonderful. 

Everyone lining up to eat the TONS of food prepared.

Pokipala's singing group.  Oh how I wish we could have captured the sound.

The youth of our ward are very talented, and sang and danced while the Pokipalas rested.

The the following pictures are the amazing dancers.  I didn't get a picture of the Huka (sp) I was greeting Sherie and her family at that time.  But it was IMPRESSIVE!!!

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 The Young Women demonstrating their talents, after all this was for their camp funds.

 They are joined by one of the members of the dance group from our ward.

The male dancers were strong and well awesome.   I didn't get many good pictures of them because they just moved to fast.  

Brother Pokipala teaching members who to move their hips.  When he sings it is like an angel singing. He is also a member of our bishopric

This is Brother Henderson also from the bishopric auctioning off cakes and this Lego Nauvo temple made by a member of our ward who works at the Lego shop at Disney. Brother Henderson is a pro golfer.  My pineapple upside down cake went for $65 

This is Sherie Howard and Lydia.  The man who did the Lego work is Lydia's daddy. Sherie also works at Disney.   Lydia's mom does plays at Animal Kingdom.  Right now she is playing the part of Nemo.  

Elder Berhold with two pineapples in his back pack, they were center pieces and three cakes purchased by us and others to feed the Elders. Stan also purchased three other cakes to take to the office for the missionaries that come in to use the computers on Preparation day and on Tuesday for the new missionaries coming into the mission.  

All the people in the church complex went up on the roof to watch the launch of the space shuttle.  What a sight--1300 miles an hour.  I forgot to take my camera up on the roof.  I think you would have had a better view on the TV.  But to be there and watch was very interesting and exciting. It was very humbling in a way to stand there watching this monster of a machine blast off into space and become just a spec so quickly. All that fuel and power it takes to thrust it into space blows my mind.  We felt very small.

There is never a dull moment in our lives.  So much is going on.  It is a wonderful place to be.  Stan and I are strengthened and blessed every day.  We enjoy being with the missionaries and love them so much.  The contact we have with them fills the void of missing our family.  

We love the Lord and recognize his hand in all we do.  There isn't any way we could do this work without his strength and power in our lives.    

Florida is a Beautiful Place

This mission thing has been quite a ride.  All that we do everyday is unbelievable.  Won't bore you with details -- but we are really loving our association on a daily basis with the missionaries.  Stan and I both are in contact with many of them every day in different ways.  To see them function and do this work and watch them as they bare testimony is awe inspiring.  I wouldn't trade what we are doing right now for anything in the world. ( A knock on the door....there is an envelope with a small rose from the Assistants and a card with written notes to me for Mother's day.) Today just before church I received a 'Smile Box' from my daughter Becky for Mother's day. I looked at it just before we left for church and well I had a difficult time in church today.  I kept my emotions under control  because I reminded myself that what we are doing right now is what we are supposed to be doing and we wouldn't want to be anywhere else.  So children and grandchildren as much as we love you and miss you -- we are proud of you and what you are accomplishing while we are here.  Thank you everyone for your mother's day wishes.  Here is one that came to my office Friday morning from Sarah with a card that said, "See what I can do when you aren't in Juniper. 

Everyone in the office teased me about making a haul for mothers day.  I am grateful that I received calls and 'smile box' and cards and flowers, a variety of things.  I think of my family and I am so blessed -- I made a haul when the Lord blessed me with such wonderful children spouses and grandchildren.

I drove out to a Chevy dealership with Stan -- it is next to the airport.  This plane was landing and it felt like it was going to land on us.  There were fields with cows and industrial areas just a variety of things to see and look at.  The way they plant Palm trees in a new area is very interesting and I got a picture of it on our drive.

They look like toy rocket ships.

The Magnolia trees are starting to bloom.  I just can't believe how beautiful they are.

We brought one into the office and put it in water and it shared its fragrance with the whole space.  I kept a petal in my hand most of the day, it is like rubber/felt and so fragrant.

Sister Swain was asked to be the 'activities director' for the Seniors.  When Pres and Sister Darrington got here the Seniors were going out to dinner several times a week.  We really need to be helping the missionaries and supporting them by fellowshipping and making visits etc. So they asked the Swain's to organize activities once a month along with one Family Home Evening.  So this month our activity was to go to Winter Park.  This is an area that was started about the late 1800's early 1900's by affluent New Yorkers who would spend their Winters in Florida (May-Oct). 

We had to park some distance away from the Farmer's market. A lot of the roads are still made of brick.  

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  First we went to the farmers Market.  This is a huge affair in Winter Park.  It is an every day affair. 

Sister Swain in the picture on the right and then just a view of all the people. We were in the flower 'district' here.  There was food, crafts, stores, just amazing.

There are six big lakes in that area that are all connected under ground and eventually lead to the St John's river and out to the Ocean flowing northward all the way.  We took a boat ride through three of those lakes.  Lake Osceola, Lake Virgina and Lake Maitland being the largest of all of them (450 acres).  There are canals between the lakes made by hand by loggers in the 1800's.  They would cut down the oak and float them to where they needed them by using these canals.  There used to be orange orchards built on this land.  Now there are these big estates and University that cover the area.

Rollin's University is an old established University but small.  It competes academically with many of the larger more prestigious Universities.  All Professors have a Doctorate and there are on average 11 students per class.  'Mr. Rogers' went to school here.  His parents were very affluent and rented one of these big homes for him to stay in while he went to school.  We saw so many homes I wish I could give you the history of all of them.  If you Google Winter Park you can find there a history and some of the things we saw on this boat tour.

While walking to the boat docks we walked through town.  The shops were wonderful.  I had to go into the Chocolate store for no other reason then to 'smell'.  

It was a beautiful walk--That is the Swain's in front of us.

The water and docks ahead -- once again brick roads.

View of Lake Osceola from the dock.

Looking straight over the edge of the dock down into the water.  They said fishing in these lake is really good.  Big mouth Bass is what they fish for.

Elder James on the right, and Elder Swain on the left.  He has very limited use of his right arm, but it never seems to stop him from doing very thing he wants to. By trade he is a lawyer of sorts, he does all the legal work for Malls.  He did Gateway.  Elder James is an army/engineer.  He has a fantastic mind. Both men are amazing.

Sister James with her friend Gloria.  We are waiting for a boat.

Stan contemplating a ride on a boat, looking over the mass of water before him.

Leaving the dock.

Some of the houses...they are all big and beautiful.  Price ranging from 1-10 million.  Architecture ranging from early 1900's to as late as last year.  Some of the homes are all windows, and others very traditional.  All amazing.  

My personal favorite.  Smaller cottage style.  There are spill ways set up to drain the lake if it raises to high.  A lot of them are right on the water like this one is.

A sculpture lived here.  It is now a museum and is open to the public daily.  That would be a fun place to visit.

Entering one of the man made canals, yes that is a speed sign.

The canals looked like this now,  they have been rebuild and reinforced so they can be used to travel between the lakes.  There are boat garages along these canals as well.  

Branch of an old oak across the canal.

Rollins University.  It has an Olympic sized pool, and all the amenities of any larger University.  It costs $48000 a year but that includes tuition, books room and board.  They have an impressive dormitory.  

A 250 year old Oak.  That is older then our country.

Other traffic, they moved over for our four boats.  

I would settle to live in the boat house : ).

Cypress trees are trees that once lived on land but because of the erosion of the land have adapted to water.  There are groves of these trees in and around little islands and peninsulas. 

This is the home 'Mr. Rogers' lived in while he went to school at Rollins. Puts a little different light to his phrase "It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood".

This is a boat of people we had to kind of push aside, he is hanging on to stabilize the boat. Behind him is one of the boat garages.  

I have so many pictures, it would be impossible to show and tell of them here.  I would really encourage you to go on line and see for yourselves.  The history of this place is amazing.  People live here year round now.  Some estates that were huge have sold and more home have been built through the years.  Names like Sinclare, Kyser, and on and on.  Yes it was a fun place to visit but as for me and my house, we will stay in Idaho on our little farm in Juniper.  There is no place like home.