#3 ZONE CONFERENCE

We had our third Zone Conference and it was a pleasant experience.

First the weather cooperated.  We didn't have the heat we had last time.

Our new President set a completely different spirit -- it was relaxed and comfortable. 

He is strong in obedience but he calls it 'willing' obedience.  

I didn't take a lot of pictures but I will share the few I did take

Our first day, Tuesday, we saw the sun for the first time in a week. We leave early to make the long trip south to Palm Bay.

Yes this is where I received my battle scars six weeks ago.  I would have put my hand up against it to show it's size but I am a quick learner.  This 'little' guy is about 3/4 of an inch.  The ant hill is gone, they spray regularly for critters in the lawn but there were many out looking for somebody to eat.

Most of the flowers around do not have a strong fragrance.  BUT this one is exotic, wonderful. But like the others with a strong fragrance it wilts quickly.

A palm tree the color of sage.  Magnificent.  Sorry about the post. I am still learning.

On the way home Stan took a detour.  He has been patient long enough.  There is a regular tour of the ranch we will take in a couple of months but that was to far off.  This ranch is 350,000 acres.

Those high fences are to keep the wild life out of the orchards. The fences were minimum eight feet.

The second night we were in Florida we came to the rodeo grounds for the rodeo with the other senior couples.  We had no idea where on earth we were at the time.  It was good to go back and see it from different eyes.

Remember I made mention of the palms that grew like sage brush?  

Palm brush in the fence line.

In Palm Bay we had mostly cloud cover and a breeze.

Lake Mary started out with clear blue skies.  BUT as the missionaries headed in for their meetings I looked up and out of nowhere these clouds appeared.  It happens that way here.  It proved to be a real blessing.

Elder Feilding wanted a picture again.  (Amy Heaton's son)  What a good kid

He and his companion won the prize for cleanest car.

Windermere the skies were clear and we got out our hats for shade.

Got me a baggy jumper for working in the parking lots and around the cars.

These ants are small -- but any food and they are on it, like the missionaries when the food is brought out.  

Ginger Jacobson and the dog her grandson gave her.

She is the inactive sister around the corner from us in our apartment complex.  She loves the visits and will call me if I miss a visit.

Sister James is multi-talented.  Talking on two phones at once.  Right now she is having to relearn her job all over again.  A new president and wife and they do things a lot differently.  She is taking it in stride and doing a fantastic job.  

Elder Doxy is going a little loopy.  Yes that is his thumb drive hanging by his ears.  These assistance are literally running the mission and getting President Hall up to speed.

What I get with the baptism records in the mail.

The top one says "Office Heroes"  The second one says' Them people at... 'then our address.

The drawing is of an office super hero.  The sticky notes are put in the envelopes with the records.

Elder Jonson colored the picture of David and Goliath in the Childrens Friend and put it on my desk. (not shown)  I am David, because I took on the gigantic task of how missionaries send in their records and accomplished it.

Yes Dylan, you have a candy bar in the Florida Central Mall.  It has every kind of candy imaginable.


Do you remember me talking about Elder Bracero?  He visited us last week.  This evening we went to his cousins baptism.  Becky and her children Gillian and Jacob Bracero.  Her husband has been less active till now.  I love baptisms.  There is such a wonderful spirit there.  These are good people and will be an asset to the Lords kingdom. 

What a privilege it is to be a very small part of the HUGE work that goes on in the Lord's kingdom.  It is humbling to know that our tiny piece is important and what we do makes a difference. 
There is no doubt in my mind of the truthfulness of this gospel.  I love the Lord Jesus Christ and know that nothing will stop His work from moving forward and covering the earth with its truth.

New Beginnings

Meet the Halls.  

This is Garth and Sharon Hall

President of the Florida Orlando Mission

The Halls and Darringtons

As soon as the Darringtons drove away President Hall stepped inside the door and said:

"Now what do we do?"

He has a twinkle in his eye and the assistants spoke up and said:

PARTY!

What a change! There couldn't be two people and Presidents so different.

President Darrington was a City Planner and Coordinator, executive all the way. That is just how he ran the mission.  It was a tight ship and things went smoothly. They stayed at the mission home a lot- there is an office there. He only came into the Mission Office to meet with the assistance and staff and with the doors closed.  He did a lot for the mission and he and his wonderful wife will be missed.

President Hall has been a Collegiate Football Coach most of his life.  His last Coaching job was Ricks College.  David Bednar was the President as you remember.  When they dissolved the athletic program and they created BYU Idano activities program he went to President Bednar and said. I don't want to leave Rexburg do you have a job for me.  So he became a College Administrator. 

He will always be a coach at heart and that is how he started this mission.

He gathered key figures around him and made a game plan. He has moved his Mission Home Office to the Mission Office and the door is open and he is accessible to all. 

At the MTC the Halls were taught to keep using the "Preach My Gospel" and how to really work it.  There are many changes taking place with the six week rotation of the mission routine.  It is amazing all the things they are doing.  

What an exciting time to be apart of the mission when all of these changes are happening.

Those of you who are planning to go on missions start studying "Preach My Gospel".  Know it inside and out.  It is a magnificent book and will be used for many years to come.

The Lord is stepping up the work and expecting all the missionaries to step up another notch or two.

The Senior Couples were invited to attend the Zone Leader Conference where the new program was introduced.  Those Zone Leaders all but stood up and cheered.

The 13 new missionaries.   

They came in Tuesday night and came to the Mission Office for Orientation and their companions Wednesday.  This group is on fire!

The office was full of  six foot plus missionaries.  I tread lightly when navigating through the maze. They are here to get new assignments or a new missionaries.

Elder Shawn Rice is being transferred and wanted a picture.  He is also a big guy.

Keep up the letters he loves them. I will forward them to him.

Elder Conant or David Little the second.  

He could be David's clone. A great missionary, good sense of humor and all around great guy.

Office Elders replacing Rice and Hansen.

On the left is Elder Beckstead, he is still with us.

Middle is Elder Schow or lovingly referred to as 'Elder Geek'.  He is a genius, and he admits to it.

On the right is Elder Wilks.  Quiet and reserved but a powerful missionary.

ALSO NEW THIS WEEK

I took out the old rug and table that were rotting and cleaned the cement with soda and vinegar (Disinfects deodorizes and cleans without water.)

New plant stands.  Of course my 'sticks' are growing.  I have a grapefruit tree growing from a seed I planted it is to the right on the middle stand.

A new resident.

He is a double-crested Cormorant.

They lack oil glands that keeps the feathers from becoming waterlogged.  To dry off it strikes an erect pose with wings outstretched, facing the sun.

No it isn't a lake monster.  It is the Cormorant.  He comes up for air and then dives back down  underwater to eat small fish and aquatic insects.

I discovered at least three different kinds of Palm trees.  Palms are not all the same, did you know that?

Then at the temple today I saw this:

It is about my height.

There is also a scrub type palm that grows wild and is more like sage brush. 

The last part of this week, our skies looked like this most of the time.  The clouds become striking when the sun is rising and setting.  New this week, clouds in the morning and all day long.  Maybe we are finally in the 'rainy' season. 

There are have been a lot of changes this week.  BUT the work continues forward without a hitch.  A Testimony that this is the Lords work and nothing will stop the Gospel from going forth and filling the earth.

Celebrate Everyday

One of the fun things we sometimes get to do as a senior couple is escort departing missionaries while they play at Disney World.  I had not hope of ever doing this because...well Elder Campbell would  just rather not go to theme parks.  BUT Elder Hansen came up short an escort at the end and asked Elder Campbell.  Elder Hansen is one he could not turn down.  SOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Friday we went to Disney World with Elder Hansen and Elder Urry.

Elder Hansen and Elder Urry.

It was kind of a sad deal in a way.  The man who was had the tickets was held up with personal business and couldn't get away till almost noon.  We brought the Elders  to the apartment and fed them breakfast and then they watched the DVD Emma, their choice.  They loved the movie.  About that time things came together for them and we headed to Disney world.

The card at the first of this blog with Micky Mouse on it was our ticket and it was good for any of the theme parks and there are a ton.  Because of time we only went to Magic Kingdom and Epcot, and that was just to walk through it a little bit.  I believe you could go to Disney World every day of the year and  never see it all.  BUT if you want to see just certain things then pick an choose because there is way to much to see in a few days. 

A little girl full of anticipation of seeing Magic Kingdom and Small World.

A little girl who had had it and was done.  You could see the frowns on people driven to see everything and there wasn't happiness or joy anywhere.  People were hot and tired and seeking something they could never find at a theme park.

This is the closest we got to Micky. This is at the gates of Magic Kingdom.

Magic Kingdom. 
There were bands playing and singers and all kinds of street acts.
All the stores are magical.  With fun things in each one to do and discover.

The main rides at Magic Kingdom are Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain.  BUT our guys rode them both and it took over four hours for a couple rides that took a few minutes.  The trick is to get there early as the Park opens and get fast passes.  That will get you through quickly.  There are only so many and if you don't get one early they will be gone.

Because of Elder Hansen's knee injury it was hard for him to get around.  So we got him a chair for the day.

To get from theme park to theme park you travel on buses monorail or paddle boat.  We did all of them.  They are very efficient in shuttling people around so you don't have to drive.  You park at one of the parks and they shuttle you from there. 

Epcot.
Once Elder Hansen got here he was tired and wished he would have come here first.  He felt Magic Kingdom was a waste.  From here he went with Elder James to a Luau and Elder Urry with with the Wellington priesthood leader and we went home.

While we were walking to the exit this is who we found!!!!

Donald Duck.
He is waving to you Reigan!!!!

Stan found these old trucks at Hollywood and wanted me to take pictures.

That all happened Friday.
The week has been a buz with transfers and the President leaving and the New President coming in.  Of course the Elders going home, it is always hard to say good by.  I just really got to know Elder Urry and after we watched Emma we were talking about the church and history and he mentioned that he was related to Elijah Fordham, who was raised from the dead by Joseph Smith.  His mother is a Fordham.  So I met a cousin just as he was going home.  Now I will need to visit with his mom about family history.

Some things never change.
Yes Stan is at Disney World and on the phone. 
Of course it is the phone he has to carry with him 24/7 so the missionaries can contact him.

I couldn't pass this up.  As we left the car in front of us in the parking lot had this on it.  What an appropriate name for a politician.

I had a couple of visitors on our patio this week.  The top picture is of a small dragon fly.  They really get big out here.
The bottom picture is of two gecko's who found their way into our patio and into some empty flower pots I had in the corner.

Wednesday Stan and I took the ALS sisters to dinner at our favorite eating place. Crispers.  A couple of weeks ago we took the assistants here with the James'.  When ever we eat out this is were we go and we always leave a pass along card on the table.  When we were there with the assistants the server came to us and asked if we were 'Mormons'.  She was baptized as a little girl and wanted to come back.  The assistants got her name and are following up with her.  Well when we took the Sister missionaries, Sister Homer and Ellsworth, one of the servers we see all the time came up to us with a pass along card and asked if he could have more to give his friends.  Immediately the sisters and Stan and I whipped out our cards.  He was like a little boy at Christmas.  He was so excited.  The sisters  talked to him a little bit and he was excited to know more.

Last night the Assistants, Elder Steinman and Elder Doxy brought an investigator and her member friends to the apartment to teach her.  What a treat.  She wants to be baptized and can't learn fast enough. We feel it a privilege to have had her in our home.  I served some fruit and crackers after and we visited.  I love the experiences we are having while on our mission.

Thursday the assistants came to our door.  Elder Doxy had a shirt he wanted ironed, their iron makes brown spots on their white shirts.  They sat down and had some salad with us and were gone again to a teaching assignment.  They are so fun and we are so blessed to have them just come and feel comfortably in our humble home.

Today the Bowels were confirmed. 
They are a wonderful family. I know I have said this before, but they are so willing to do anything that is needed to keep the Covenants they have made.

I hope that someday you can meet them.
Little Makalah asked today if she could call me Grandma. 
What an honor. 

Once again the Orlando sky. 

As I look back on this week and all we experienced we had some very contrasting experiences.  Disney and all its glitz and glamor and then we had the work we are doing and the spiritual experiences we have had with people just learning and just making covenants.

Elder Hansen commented that all of that he experienced at Disney was so shallow compared to his two years of service.  

Wise words from one so young.

Just a note. 
Today is Ruth's birthday.
We miss you kiddo.