Winter Blah

I haven't posted for awhile, so thought I'd better do a little blogging. This is the slow wintertime here in western NY and we'd like to hibernate like everyone else does, but we keep going to the Sites and we still go teaching with the Sister missionaries -- even if it's a slow & stormy day.


The weather has warmed up some from the zero temperatures we had for a few weeks, now it's rainy and windy. With all the snow we have it could make things pretty soggy.

We have transfers this week and Zone Conf. next week, so we will be doubly busy. We worked at the Visitor's Center at the Hill Cumorah today and had about 35 visitors, so it was fun to see some people coming again. There were lots of the Sister missionaries who were hanging around too, so that's always interesting and full of fun. Last week we had a cute couple from Brazil visit at the Grandin Bldg. Elder Hamblin and I took them on the tour and they really loved it. During the tour they confided in us that they had not been active in the Church for several years, but that he had just taken a new job and had been sent to Geneva, NY for some training. When they saw that it was only about 15 miles to Palmyra, they decided to come and see the Church History Sites -- the Grandin bldg. was their first stop. He was quite emotional and really sincere when he told me he thought this must have been the reason he was sent here for training and she was in tears by the time we had shared our testimonies. They could hardly wait to get to the Smith Farm and the Sacred Grove. She hugged and hugged me when they were ready to leave and I'm sure the Spirit had touched their hearts. It felt so good to have someone respond so tenderly like that!!

There's not much new going on here. Oh, we do have a new piece of furniture -- this sweet companion I live with bought me a new rocker/recliner. The old chair here in the apt. was killing my back, so we splurged and bought an inexpensive (but nice) one that we can leave for someone else to enjoy when we go home. It's a great improvement!

A WinTer DaY at the SMitH FaRm!!

A quick follow-up on our Saturday:

We worked our shift at the Temple in the morning, then had the afternoon shift at the Joseph Smith Farm. We had 31 visitors from 1:00 to 5:00 pm. I think nearly all of them also visited the Sacred Grove after their tour of the Welcome Center and the Log Home and the Frame Home (our 1/2 mi. walking tour). The Sacred Grove walk meant "breaking trail" thru the snow -- and they'd come back nearly frozen. Then they'd thaw out a little and say how they loved the tour and the Grove.

It was the beginning of the 3-day holiday weekend I guess that brought more people than usual. Some of them were Dental students from Buffalo and their little families, and some were from Utah and around that were taking advantage of Southwest Airlines half-price special "if you fly to or thru Buffalo, NY."

All is well, we too "thawed out" after our busy afternoon!!!

SNOWY and COLD!

January -- New York Winter

We enjoyed the beautiful Christmas decorations at the Visitor's Center. This was about the last day before they came down.



It's time to begin a New Year and this one seems to be a COLD one!! The HIGH temperature today (Jan. 16) was 10 degrees -- breaking a record of 11 degrees that has stood since 1893 (according to news reports). The wind chill makes it much colder, but (from inside) the brief sunshine made it appear much warmer! We are grateful for a warm, cozy apartment where the furnace works well.

Tours at the Sites have slowed down quite a bit with the COLD weather and storms, but we still "man the posts" and greet those who do come. Some of our missionary couples are completing their missions soon and will be returning home. One couple left this week and we have two more couples leaving in March. We will have a new couple arriving the end of this month, then one more the end of Feb. and another one coming the end of March (these last ones are the Hamblin's from Ivins, UT). We may find some distant cousins serving with us, we are excited to discover just who they are.

We love our mission and enjoy having people visit these Sacred and wonderful sites. It's a joy to bear our testimonies of the truthfulness of the gospel and of the events that happened here. We feel thankful every day for the opportunity we have to serve here. We pray always that you children, grandchildren and great grandchildren will feel of the blessings of the restoration of the gospel, and that you will each be an example to others of righteous living and service to our Father in Heaven. We pray always for these blessings for each of you.

All is well with us -- despite my "stumble bumming" fall on New Year's Eve which left me with a well "tatooed" black and blue elbow and arm, but it is getting better. I'm grateful for no broken bones and a good LDS chiropractor and his good care.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Happy New Year to all of our family and friends!!

We can hardly believe 2009 is beginning -- seems like the time is really flying by. We are so thankful for all the wonderful blessings that has come to us as we serve here at the Birthplace of the Restoration. We truly have felt the Spirit of the Lord in our lives and we love bearing testimony to the truthfulness of the restoration and the truths of the gospel. We are also grateful for the blessings of health and strength and the ability to serve. We thank all of you who support and sustain us -- and in all you do for us. It is with grateful hearts that we acknowledge the birth of our Savior, the example He set for us, and His atoning sacrifice for all of us.

This past week has been a busy time -- lots of fun activities with all our wonderful Senior missionary friends, and many of the young Sister missionaries. We had a brunch together on both Christmas and New Year's Day, also some fun programs and talents to go along with the good food. We also attended a live Nativity program and had a Family Home Evening program to celebrate the birth of the Prophet Joseph Smith. This evening we went to dinner at Elder and Sister Pinegar's (an old Page Elementary School reunion, he called it) -- the Pinegar's, the Bennett's and us, we all attended that old school together in our youth (at least Linda and I and Ed Pinegar). It was fun to remember all those old teachers we had and friends we'd almost forgotten. The Pinegars will finish their mission and be leaving soon, they will be sorely missed.

This greeted us for the last day of 2008, this was following a mid-winter thaw a few days earlier. This is looking toward Linda and Gary's house and the Sacred Grove parking area.






This week was transfers for some missionaries. Elder McKee and Elder Wilson came by the Grandin bldg. to let us know Elder McKee was being transferred from Palmyra. They are both really good missionaries and they have seemed to "adopt" us.





Here they were hugging us goodbye. Note: Elder McKee's long distance hug for me. HA!!





They came for dinner with us, afterwards when they went into the bedroom to change to their missionary suits they "spied" Elder Hamblin's boots. So out they came with each of them wearing a pair of his boots. What a "hoot" these two are!!!





This is all of our Site Sister missionaries at the Hill Cumorah Visitor's Center following our Site mtg. last week. They are wonderful, dedicated young women. Hoorah! for Sister Missionaries!!!!

Christmas Festivities

This is the set up for our Christmas brunch at the Stake Center. Everything was so pretty! We had the Senior missionaries, the young Sister missionaries, the Facility Management missionaries, the Temple missionaries, and a few other guests -- there was about 70 in attendance. We had a nice brunch and a FUN program afterward. A nice Christmas morning.





This was the food table.








And this was the drinks table, with Elder Hamblin, Sister Bennett, Elder Bennett, and Elder Huffaker.





This is Sister Halladay -- the "kiwi thief"!! She is the Sister they had to send home with some heart problems. They checked it out and found that it was due to an automobile accident she had shortly before she came on her mission. Some depression on her heart. They cleared her to come back, so she returned the first of Dec. She is quite a character, but she is without doubt the top missionary in getting referral cards. We were happy to have her back.




This is Sister Stanger and Sister Huff. These are the two that have been in the Pittsford Ward with us -- and we go teaching with them. They are adorable! And excellent missionaries. They were the ones to teach and baptize Kong. Sister Huff just got transferred this week -- we will miss her! Though she is one of our "training Sisters" here at the sites, so we will see her often.

Christmas Aftermath

This is our little Christmas tree with our Santa gift and some pretty pink roses Ray gave me.





This is a close up of the "Face to Face" First Vision Sculpture that is a replica of the BIG one we had at the Sacred Grove in the Welcome Center. We really wanted this one as a remembrance of our mission here.



This is my very favorite Christmas Card! It's from Jacob and Brooke and contains a personal recording of a Christmas message
from each of them. It was so fun to hear their voices! Glenn said Jacob found the card -- THANKS, Jacob! Inside the card it said, "Love You Bunches" and plays "Jingle Bell Rock." What a treat!








This is our Christmas card wall. Lots of fun cards, photos, and wonderful greetings from family and friends! Thank you all for your thoughtfulness in remembering us at this holiday time. We loved the pictures and letters we received.

Thanks!

Dear family,

Well, Christmas is over for another year. We just wanted to thank each of you for your phone calls and gifts -- it really brightened up our day to hear from all of you. Holidays (& especially Christmas) can be a lonely time without your family. We do love all of you and appreciate all you do for us. Thank You, Thank You!!!

It sounds like the weather has been really crazy -- actually everywhere! Kevin's family even getting some snow and hail. And Krist & Brent getting snowed and drifted in!! Snow also at Glenn's and we read in the newspaper that many roads had been closed in Utah because of the storms.

We had snow and BITTER cold about a week ago and now this morning they are predicting a high of 60 degrees tomorrow. CRAZY!!!! This morning I can even see some "green grass" showing thru the snow across the street.

All is well with us and we did have a really NICE Christmas -- activities seemed to keep us busy yesterday and now we're tired to start the weekend. HA!!

We hope all of you will post some Christmas pictures on your blogs, so we can enjoy some of your Christmas. (Glenn, remember you were going to post some pictures of you new truck???)

Love you all, Mom (& Dad, too)