September 22, 2013

We had another great week.  The only difference was this week I turned 65. Its good to make it to this age but now I not only look old but I am old.  Oh well, it beats the alternative. 
Sisters Aeschbacher and Burton made me the best ice cream pie ever.  They are such wonderful Sisters and work so hard.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I heard from all our children and grandchildren too.  It makes a birthday pretty special. 
Then on Saturday, our P day I went golfing with Elder and Sister Pettingill.  He is a pro golfer and she could be.  It was so beautiful and fun.  You can feel fall in the air.  The leaves are starting to turn and it feels wonderful.
The work of the Lord continues to roll forward.  We are getting more and more missionary's which requires more and more of everything we do.  But it is all good.
We are opening more and more areas and I am trying to find more and more apartments.  The church has finally stopped supplying more cars so now we have more missionary's walk and get bikes.  We have 6 now in our ward and with us it is 8.  I think President Stoker is going to assign 2 more Sisters at this next transfer.  Wow, lots of missionary's.  They are all to special.  It sure keeps President and Sister Stoker busy.  They were on the road 4 days last week. 
Well I better start getting ready for church.  We are going to the mission office to pick up the van (moose) as we are picking up an investigator and her 5 children.  We just got a call from another set of Elders and we need to pick up 2 more investigators.  Wow, moose will be full.  Love the Lords work!

September 15, 2013

We had another great week.  It started last Sunday when we had a 9 year old convert baptism.  After the baptism, Miriam and I went to members home for dinner with a senior sister investigator.  It was a great evening.  We had a nice dinner, showed the new video of the temples and a wonderful conversation with Kathy the investigator. 
Monday and Tuesday were transfer days.  They are always very, very busy.  We received 13 new missionaries and the 4 to the left finished their missions and went home. Elders Blad, Jones, Rohleder and Shelby. We took them to the Boston Temple Tuesday afternoon.  It was beautiful and we always have a special time with them.   Our picture is at the Temple in front of the most beautiful trumpet flowers.
Then Wednesday we inspected apartments up at Concord through Plymouth.  It was a beautiful day.  I am glad we did them then because it rained straight through the next two days.
Thursday we assisted the missionaries in teaching a family after work.  It was fun to be involved with them. We taught the plan of salvation. They live under the humblest of circumstances.  It sure makes you appreciate what we have.
It is starting to feel like fall.  The temperature has dropped, especially in the mornings.  The leaves will be turning soon.
The work is long but is becoming easier.  Still we have a lot to learn.  We continue to study, serve the Ward where we are assigned, and work hard in the mission office.  We hope to be able to get to a point where we don't have to work on Saturday's (our P day) soon. It all builds our testimonies and for that we are grateful.  We love serving and pray our service is acceptable to the Lord.

September 9, 2013

We had another great week.  Miriam and I spent last Wednesday doing apartment checks in the Concord district.  It is a beautiful  area.  We visited 8 apartments and drove a few hundred miles to get to them all.  We love the missionary's and the opportunity to help them.  It is amazing the things we find, but we get them fixed and make sure they are safe.
The picture to the left is up in Vermont. We are closing the S. Royalton area.  Elder Pettingill and I picked up their furniture and moved it to a new area we are opening in Waldoboro Maine.  We drove about 550 miles Friday.  The Sister's Fratcher and Lundhal are being reassigned.

It was long but great day.  I am so thankful that Elder Pettingill agreed to go with me and help.  I couldn't of done it without him.
The picture to the right is of Elders Hill and Woodruff.  They are assistants to President Stoker.  What great young men they are.  Here they are helping themselves to some peanut M&M's from the jar Brianne, Casey, and family gave us as we left on our mission.  Each color of M&M represents a God like attribute you may be in need of.  All the missionaries that come into the office love it.  It is on Miriam's desk and we have found it is very hard to keep full.
The mission is wonderful.  I think we had our best baptism week this past week.  We had 11 baptisms, 10 were from member referrals.  It really shows the importance of Ward Members involvement in missionary work.
Miriam and I are picking up 3 investigators for church today. We are also having dinner tonight with a Ward member who has an older investigator that they would like us to help with.  We love the work.
Our testimonies continue to grow.  We are studying the Book of Mormon together every morning and loving it.  We have transfers this next week which will be very busy.  It is wonderful to see missionaries go home after 2 years of such dedicated service.  Then it is just as wonderful to see the new missionaries come enthusiastic and ready to work.  We will take the returning missionaries to the Boston Temple this Tuesday night.  That is certainly a treat.  We love the Lord and the opportunity He is giving us to serve here in New Hampshire.  This church is true, the work is wonderful, and those that accept it receive such wonderful blessing. 

Sepemter 1, 2013

 We thought we would take a few pictures of the apartment where we are living.  The picture to the left is a picture of our building.  It is one of 8 in the complex.  We live on the 2nd floor in the back right corner.  The next is of our kitchen and living room.  Miriam has made it very comfortable.  We don't get to spend much time here but when we do, it is comfortable.  The bathroom is major tiny and we use the 2nd bedroom as a office, my closet, Miriam's make up area etc.  Its a catch all room.
The other office couple lives 4 rooms down the hall and we get together with them on occasion for dinners and get togethers.  That makes it fun.

This past week we were busy as usual.  I am trying to find time to get around the mission to inspect apartments.  This past Wednesday I took part of the day to inspect the Manchester Zone.  I take Miriam with me if I am inspecting a Sisters apartment.  Our first inspection was Sister's Aeschbacher and Hoffman apartment.  As usual the Sisters apartments are neat and tidy.  However Sister Aeschbacher was sick.  She asked for a blessing.  There was another Priesthood holder in the building up stairs and Sister Hoffman went up and ask him if he would come down and assist.  He agreed but hadn't given a blessing in a long time and didn't know what to do. 
After a short teaching moment he anointed and I sealed.  It was a very spiritual experience.  The brother that assisted expressed sincere gratitude at the opportunity to use his priesthood.   Sister Aeschbacher was healed and was working hard the next day.  She was so grateful.  Oh how we love working with the missionaries. 
I had to move some Elders out of their apartment as they had a gas leak in their stove and was turning the gas on for cooking then off. Their landlord is now getting a new stove for them.  Safety, safety, safety!!!
We are doing lots of work preparing for transfers next week.  We are learning our duties and things are running smoother.  Miriam and I study our scriptures daily together and it is wonderful.  Our testimonies continue to grow.