Sunday, April 17, 2011

Life and Death

A wonderful blessing that came to us this week...
Is... 
 Kedric Aiono Campbell...
  Parents are Jim and Shaye.

 Okay...
I think these two look so much like his daddy...

Kedric is named for his uncle Nick who's middle name was Kedric.
The Broco's hat?
Nick and Jim are both Broco's fans..
so he wears is proudly???
Go Boise Broncos!!!!!
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 Time is marching on...
Yet there is so much to do.
All the world around us is alive and beautiful...
Yet things are not normal weather wise...
As most of you are experiencing.
The rumor is this is the year for a Hurricane.
That would be a terrifying experience.
Not sure if we want that one.
But Easter is around the corner and there are signs all around.
This is the house by the East Elders that decks out for every season...
I have followed it through the year.
The little dinosaur even has a ribbon in it's hair..


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We were taking a walk around our lake...
The Eskelson's came along and the children had been picking clover...
They came running up to us with a bouquet of flowers....
'These are for you!'
Tears came to my eyes...
that hasn't happened in a very long time...
A bouquet of wild flowers...
What a blessing children are.
 The sun has finally made it back around to our patio...
it is so beautiful when it does shine in there just a little bit.
The honeysuckle on the hedge just outside our patio is so sweet!
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 Monday evening Elder Bennett and Engemann...
Prepared dinner for the Powers and us.
Shepard's pie.
It was so good.
Their apartment was clean...
We were even asked to take our shoes off...
A very pleasant hour...
Elder Engemann sang us a song as well.
Dinner and a show...
What more could we ask?
 They are our Hunter's Creek Zone Leaders.
They live in Kissimmee...
That is their area.
 Powers enjoying the music.
Stan and I took Elder Bennett and Engemann out to dinner Thursday evening...
I have a feeling Elder Bennett will be transferred. 
 They chose to eat at Chrispers...
They are such a fun pair...
We will miss Elder Bennett when he is transferred.
(PS--he wasn't transferred, he is going into his 7th transfer here, Wow)

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Thursday morning we had District Meeting.
 Elder Squires, Wood (DL) Whitworth and Jensen.
Elders Shelley and Schmile left with sandwich in hand for an appointment.
Brother Pokipola brought subs for the missionaries lunch.
No assignment...
he just did it.
Elder Capps has so many talents...
music is one of his gifts...
he is blessing us with some of his music.
( He is being transferred to Palm Bay, Cocoa Zone--He will be missed)
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Friday we got four new cars for the mission...
Actually we got them Thursday...
The assistants helped get them to the office after the bike hitches were put on at UHAUL.
 The assistants and Stan were just finishing up and were going to go for lunch.
I was home for the day for different reason...
But I made some 'Darn Good Chili' while I was cleaning out our storage closets.
I knew Stan didn't have a lunch...
so I called and told him I had the chili if he wanted to come to the apartment.
That was just as they were going for lunch.
So they came here to eat lunch.
There was a lot of gratitude for the inspiration of making and inviting.

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Saturday morning we went to the temple
THEN...
We attended the Pease Family Baptism for Maggie.
 Here she is with her friends that all sang at the baptism.

Grandpa Baker with all the little ones gathered round...
It reminded us so much of Sydney's baptism...
And the one we missed.
Olivia's.
I was in tears most of the time.
We have been to a lot of baptisms since we got here...
But this is the first family baptism.
Home sick?
Oh yah!
But we are so busy we don't have time to think about...
Home.

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We have had a wonderful Stake conference...
Last night we were encouraged to use our temples...
and to get to know the Lord and ourselves there.
Today to we were inspired to become doctrinally sound..
Know the Savior...
Believe Him...
Accept Him into our lives.
What fitting messages to help heal the heart...
This morning as we were preparing to leave for Conference...
Stan received a message from his brother Ron...
Jeanne Marie--
Stan's baby sister...
parted this earthly life.
She has gone home.
She knew the Savior.
He has walked with her these last few years...
especially the last few months.
Her life is such a testimony to us...
of the Lords great plan of happiness.
She will be greatly missed.
Good by dear Sister...
'Till We Meet Again.'

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Very Fine Week

Florida is a  beautiful place...
There are not distinct seasons...
BUT...
it is always changing...
The trees lose leaves all season and grow them back...
there are blooms all the time...
Less during the heat of the summer.
Sunset from our patio...
 But this area is beautiful...
Especially when we have so many friends and Family...
Jose brought his truck from California to Florida...
Just out of our mission...
BUT 
We went after him anyway.

 We went to Lakeland and there he was...
 Southern Wine & Spirits.
Yep...
Jose was carrying wine from Napa Valley California...
Each pallet was worth $80,000...
20 pallets...
1.6 million $$$$...
He didn't know what he had till they broke the seal on the back.
It took a couple hours to unload...
There were some problems...
He took his truck to a Love's truck stop to leave it till the next night when he would load again in Auburndale.

 Elder Campbell is ALWAYS the missionary...
We are waiting for Jose to do his paper work at Loves 
And there was a guy that was willing to visit.

I got a picture of his truck but forgot to get one of him till we got in the car.
Good to have you here Jose.

Jose was unloading his truck through the lunch hour and into the afternoon...
We went to BJ's for dinner.
I had to pinch myself...
Was he really here?
I do that anytime family is here.
 Trying out Jose's bed...
We got him all settled in for the night.
We left him early and went to the office.
Our Internet was down in the office for three day...
So I went with Jose to...
Gaterland!
 The white Alligator is a wonderful exhibit.


This guy is about twice as big as Jose.
 This big guy was quite a site...

The Great Egret's were perched all over in the trees.
 They are on Nests and under them are these little ones.

 After Gatorland we went to the Office...
There were a lot of missionaries there...
All Zone Leaders just out of Zone Leader Conference.

Elder Campbell asked Jose if he was willing to listen to the missionaries.
He said 'Sure'.
So we had Elder Brown and Vilorio over for dinner.
They gave him the Plan of Salvation after dinner...
Elder Campbell gave him a Spanish Book of Mormon...
to keep in his truck.

Checking the maps to see how to get from the truck stop to Auburndale.

Walking out to the car to take him back to his truck.
We drove out to Auburndale to see where he was going to go to load the truck.
It was a beautiful drive past two big lakes deep enough for boats and fishing.
Lakes Ariana and Mariana...
Sunset on Lake Ariana
 The road wound around the lakes and old beautiful homes.
We took him back to the truck and said goodbye.

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Life as a missionary goes on...
We were part of a party for Elder Wood.
Jennifer Z. gave him a surprise party.
Being a new member she didn't know she was suppose to schedule the building.
We were competing with the Stake...
They were setting up for the 'Mormon' Prom for Saturday Night.
The stakes here get together and offer the High school kids an alternative to the actual Prom.

She also didn't know the missionaries were not suppose to gather like that for parties.
Elder Wood is the District leader...
So maybe they were okay.
 Surprise Elder Wood...
 Can't light candles in the church...
So this is a mock blow out.
 Jennifer Zebacacas and other singles from the singles branch.
Elder Capps and Elder Jensen giving Elder Whitworth and Wood some extra height.
Elder Shelley on the right.


Elder Shelley and Wood came to dinner Sunday evening...
Stan's #66
 Elder Shelley gave him a scripture...
 Elder Wood gave him a song...
Happy Birthday.
 They GAVE him a tie...
Elders never Give ties...
They trade ties.


So this very fine week comes to a close...
I have had an opportunity to reflect on life and our purpose here on earth this week.
Conference last week left me with so much to contemplate.
The older I get the more there is to learn and improve...
I am so grateful for a very loving Heavenly Father who knows who we are...
He knows what we need...
He knows our hearts.
To walk in the steps of the Savior will take us all back to Him.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Wetness would discribe the week and Green all around.

Tuesday and Friday were our only dry days.
If we didn't need the water so desperately..
I might have felt sorry for all the people on spring break
visiting parks beaches and other glorious Florida attractions.
Well I did feel sorry for them...
That is a lot of money to come and sit in a motel room
There were tornado watches AND
Warnings...
It was exciting yet very scary knowing our missionaries were out in it.

Just over night from Wednesday to Thursday morning there were over 48,000 lighting strikes.
I think I have mentioned Florida is the Lighting Capitol of the world.

The world is so green, and colorful here in Florida.


Stan sold another car...
I cut hair...
and it is the end of the month so lots of reports...
The missionaries are always part of what we do.
They are always needing something.
Then when you help them they say...
"Is there something I can do for you?"
We just say...
'Get to work!'
  They love it...


okay, I am teaching the missionaries the...
Juniper Salute.
Although I don't think anyone needs to teach guys how to do this.
We took them out the night before to the Cracker Barrel for dinner and I forgot a picture
Elder Brown and Vilorio (Spanish West side Zone Leaders)

We were required to visit the Social Security Office and we saw...
A couple Juniper trees with berries.
Not quite the strong smell I hoped for...
but what can I expect for Florida?



I do have a couple videos with the East side Elders riding in one of the big storms that came through this week.
It was so good.  But I can't get it to down load.  Sorry.
(of course the not any good videos would down load...)

They (West side Elders) look pretty good for riding in a huge storm just an hour before.
 Elder Shelley and Wood.
Azteca is where we are eating.
 Elder Wood is our District Leader.
The Office District was dissolved and...
each couple was assigned to a already existing mission district 
We got the Hunters Creek District.

After dinner we shared a fried ice cream...
Elder Shelley looks green..
not really he is just getting started.
He has longer legs and can get more in then the rest....
Go Elder Shelley.
Jared Buys...
His family is in our ward and they chose to eat at the Azteca as well...
Eleven year old boys are wonderful...
They worship the Elders....

At the Azteca they have guys that serenade us...
This guy was actually good.
He is working all kinds of jobs because construction is down.


Watching conference on our computer.

Wow what a wonderful Conference.
We sat down Saturday to watch and when we were done this evening we looked at each other...
and wondered...
is it really over?
Christ should be the Center Piece of our lives
We should walk in the light of Christ
Pain brings Christ like virtues
Womanhood
Service
Service
Service
Forgiveness
Teach our children
Family
Desires
Simple things bring happiness
Affliction and Tribulation
Spirit of Revelation
Temples
Plan of Happiness
Tithing
Fast offerings
Missionary Fund
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Atonment
Repentance
Conference talks
Oh did I say Service
AND
Member missionary work
DO IT

Dinner with the Missionaries after Conference

Elder Rydalch Elder Moore (Assistants)
Elders Whitworth Jensen Capps (East side office Elders, Actually Elder Capps is the 'office' Elder)
They always leave us with a spiritual message and prayer...
They are wonderful guys.
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This week has been a difficult one for us.
Stan's sister is very ill...
We got a call at the office about her condition and it wasn't good.
To finish work was difficult.
Our prayers have been in her behalf for so long.
We are praying she has yet another miracle waiting for her.
I thought how hard it is being here not being able to help.
BUT...
Stan with his ever eternal optimistic vision said,
"I feel that if we work hard here and do our best...
Then she will feel our spirit love and support"
I felt peace with that.
He is giving me strength when it should be the other way around.
Don't know if you are reading these anymore Jeanne...
But we love you.