Daily Archives: April 9, 2013

Tuesday – Part Two – A Last Last Lunch

If you have been following our blog you have read about our famous Last Lunches that we put on for the district where we are serving. Our first one here in Fort Lauderdale was held back in November 2011 and today marked our last one. The only missionary who was at both of them is Elder Smoot.

We love to have the missionaries over for a nice lunch and lots of pictures. They love the food and just being with each other. They start talking as soon as they get here and basically do not stop until we shoo the last one out the door.

We are really going to miss this opportunity to serve some of the missionaries who serve with all their heart, might, mind and strength to bring others unto Christ.

1 9 April 13 - LL - Brim Van 2 9 April 13 - LL - Turek thorne

Elders Thorne, Brimley, Turek and Van Wagenen showed up early to use our computers for their hour of e-mailing. But before we let them on line we put them to work cutting and buttering the bung for the beef dip sandwiches. Well at least elders Brimley and Van Wagenen did while their senior companions looked at the pictures on our Kodak picture frame.

3 9 April 13 - LL - Brim Believe 4 9 April 13 - LL - Turek computer

With a stack of buttered rolls in front of him and our Believe sign behind him elder Brimley tried to do his e-mail but he had a problem with the computer that kept him from getting to ‘myldsmail.’ Also much of his long letter to his family was eaten by the computer when he tried to send it. Hopefully he was able to get on line at the library later in the day and complete it. Since I know the Brimley family reads this blog, if you some of you did not hear from him, it was our computers fault, not his. This was elder Turek’s first time to a Last Lunch and he got my big computer.

5 9 April 13 - LL - Salad 6 9 April 13 - LL - Edwards

Mary made a couple of beautiful salads that were greatly enjoyed but there was a lot left to send home with the missionaries. This was elder Edwards first and last Last Lunch so he had to have his official LL picture taken.

7 9 April 13 - LL - Edwards Smoo 8 9 April 13 - LL - edwards out the door

Then there was the companionship shot but that was followed by an impromptu leaving picture. I think he was trying to say that in a couple of days he will be leaving the mission for the journey home.

9 9 April 13 - LL - eating table 1 10 9 April 13 - LL - eating table 2

8 missionaries gathered around our table while the rest ate in the living room. Elder Smoot ate most of his meal walking between the two groups, the ever vigilant zone leader.

11 9 April 13 - LL - eating table 3 12 9 April 13 - LL - Mary

Around the table were sisters Escorbores, Bean, Smith, Chavous and Fletcher. They were joined by elders Van Wagenen, Edwards and Thorne. While the missionaries were eating, Mary took a well deserved break.

13 9 April 13 - LL - Turek, Smith 14 9 April 13 - LL - Brim, Andelin

Sister Smith did a great job of cutting and serving up the brownies. I added lots of ice cream and elder Turek acted as waiter. Elders Brimley and Andelin ate their dessert on the couch.

15 9 April 13 - LL - Brimley 16 9 April 13 - LL - Brimley and Thorne

Then it was time for more official first time pictures starting with elders Brimley and Thorne.

17 9 April 13 - LL - Turek 218 9 April 13 - LL - Van Turek best

Then it was elders Turek and Van Wagenen’s turn.

19 9 April 13 - LL - Chavous 2 20 9 April 13 - LL - Chavous, Smith, Escorbores

Next up the sister trio of sisters Chavous, Smith and Escorbores. Since sister Escorbores is leaving this week it will be sister Chavous who will continue training sister Smith.

21 9 April 13 - LL - Chavous, Smith, Escorbores

22 9 April 13 - LL - Fletcher 2 23 9 April 13 - LL - Bean Fletcher

The final – and in this case really the last – companionship to stand in front of the famous door for their picture is sisters Fletcher and Bean.

24 9 April 13 - LL - District nice 1 25 9 April 13 - LL - District Crazy 1Then it was outside for the last district shot. After a very dignified picture there had to be the crazy one with elder Van Wagenen the victim of the famous hold him while elder Smoot has dessert shot.

26 9 April 13 - LL - District Crazy 3 27 9 April 13 - LL - Us Edwards Escorbore

There was actually 4 pictures taken but I only showed the best two. In the others sister Fletcher’s hair refused to cooperate as the wind blew it over her face. We then posed with the two great missionaries who will be leaving just 10 days or so before we do – elder Edwards and sister Escorbores.

28 9 April 13 - LL - Us Edwards good 30 9 April 13 - LL - Us SistersElder Edwards has only been zone leader here for one transfer but we have seen and got to know him over the last half of the mission. We then got to have a picture with all the great sister missionaries. We will miss their smiles and their spirit – not to mention sister Beans delicious birthday cakes.

31 9 April 13 - LL - APs Chowing 229 9 April 13 - LL - APs Us 2

Just as the party was breaking up – we only have them for about an hour – the assistants arrived and had their first meal of the day. We have grown very close to elders Stewart, Gust and Shipley and are glad we will have them around until we bid farewell to Florida and the mission.



Tuesday – Part One – At the Office

 

4 9 April 13 - office - Single Mar

The day starts with the Singletons and ourselves being in the office working on a number of projects. Sister Singleton and Sister Pier have about 100 or so letters to write, 180 board cards to up date, 21 board cards to create and the Zones with Pictures to reorganize. Now unless you have worked in a mission office most of these tasks will mean nothing to you but I can assure you that it is a lot to do over the next 3 days.

5 9 April 13 - office - E Single

Elder Singleton got most of the transfer board moved around yesterday so today was pretty quiet for us. However a couple of problems popped up – don’t they always – which caused some head scratching and some creative work arounds. But everything worked out.

1 9 April 13 - office - Shipley 2 9 April 13 - office - Gust 3 9 April 13 - office - Stewart

 

About 9 the APs came in to start a day that will stretch from 9 in the morning until about 9:30 or so tonight. First on their list of things to do is not to eat breakfast! They all munched on apples while they made the accountability calls to the Zone Leaders. The Zone Leaders basically are prepared to talk about how their Zones performed during the past week, why any baptisms that had been scheduled did not occur, problems they see in areas and districts, and how they think they can solve them. The APs encourage the ZLs, do some training and ask some very pointed questions but everything is done with lots of love. They keep careful notes that are assembled and passed on as a report to President Anderson. It is a special experience to listen to them and to feel the spirit that they convey in their conversations and training. It is truly the kind of teaching that D&C 50 suggests as both the APs and the ZLs are edified.



Monday – The Start of A Very Busy Week

This is the start of Transfer week and it happens that it is also the 2 Monday which means we have a Senior staff meeting and a Senior FHE. So pretty much from Monday through Thursday is busy, busy, busy with some of it moving on through Friday!

1 8april13 - SM - McCormicks, Collins, Pres 2 8april13 - SM - Ellis, Boice, Mc

Staff meeting is where all the couples meet with the president and talk about their stewardships. The first picture has E/S McCormick on the left who serve as MLS missionaries down in Marathon Key and who we recently visited. They are doing a great job with teaching English and Naturalization lessons. They are really excited to have missionaries coming to Marathon this transfer. E/S Collins are in charge of housing. With all the new areas opening up they have been super busy finding new housing and getting all the things an apartment needs for missionaries to move in.

The right hand picture from left to right – that is confusing isn’t it – shows E/S Ellis, E/S Boice and again the McCormicks. E/S Ellis are the Family History couple but they also take care of the mail and help out wherever they are needed. The young missionaries think of Elder Ellis as their grandfather. The Boices are called as the Employment missionaries and they put many, many hours in at the Center, putting on seminars, and training local leaders. Sister Boice is like me and takes lots of pictures.

3 8april13 - SM - Single, Bare, Ellis 4 8april13 - SM - Collins, Andersons

The picture on the left shows E/S Singleton, Bares and again the E/S Ellis. The Singletons will be taking over our callings as Finance and Mission secretary. We are trying to train them in the time that we have left. I feel that they are doing a great job already and will be great for the mission. Sister Bare takes care of recording of baptisms and confirmations as well as spoiling the missionaries with treats. She has learned Spanish very well and loves to hold FHE with the members of the Spanish branch. Elder Bare is in the Car and Bike Czar and is probably along with the Collins the hardest working of the senior couples. He sleeps with his phone near his bed in case he gets a call of help from missionaries who have managed to lock their keys in their car or have had an accident. He is also becoming an expert on having cars that will not start towed. Bikes and bike racks also manage to take up a good portion of his time. They just extended for another 6 months – much to the relief of President Anderson.

1 8april13 - FHE - Single, Barry 1a 8april13 - FHE - DeGraf, Bare, Ellis

On the evening of Staff meetings we usually gather again at the mission home to have FHE. Two other couples are invited to join the meeting. Brother Barry is in charge of over seeing the construction of the Fort Lauderdale temple. He is a Church employee but puts in many more hours than most employees. We have a running joke about me sneaking in and taking pictures of the insides of unfinished temple. The left hand picture has the Singletons and brother Barry talking before dinner. The other couple are E/S DeGraffenried who are called as full time service missionaries helping brother Barry with the temple construction. Elder De is in the red tie is talking to E/S Ellis with sisters Bare and McCormick in the background.

1b 8april13 - FHE - Bare, Collins, Mc 2 8april13 - FHE - Collins, Pres

Sisters Bare, Collins, and McCormick in the Kitchen with all the food before them. Elder Collins talking to President Anderson about housing – at least that is what I am guessing.

3 8april13 - FHE - Food  5 8april13 - FHE - Food Line

Everything is ready and waiting for the blessing. It does not take long for the couples to file down both sides and fill their plates. President Anderson is making sure that everyone takes enough.

6 8april13 - FHE - Food Line 2 7 8april13 - FHE - Barrys

E/S Barry

8 8april13 - FHE - Mac, Collins 9 8april13 - FHE - North side