Live in Thanksgiving Daily

Celebrate

Celebrate life for it is a precious gift,

Rejoice in the simple things such as the rising and setting of the sun.

Experience the beauty and wonder of a field of flowers,

in Him we are called to be one.

Reach out and touch others with your life,

run with your face to the wind and your head held high,

Share your gifts wherever you can,

tell our Lord you will try.

Dance in glory, sing of your joy,

spread His Good News to all you meet,

Give Him praise and share His love daily,

until face to face we shall meet.

Raise your voices in prayer,

shout loudly or quietly praise,

Celebrate your existence in His beautiful tapestry of life,

until the end of your earthly days.

Celebrate your life, your love, with God.

-Jeanne Maack-

It's been a very busy two weeks and we have to confess that we felt that last weeks blog posting was so important and timely that we had to put everything else on hold.

So hold on to your seats because this post is a compilation of a few very crazy days.

 

 

We were advised that the College Park North Sisters were now going to be a trio so we needed to deliver a bed, a desk, and lamp ASAP and Elder and Sister Johnson agreed to assist us on our way to District Meeting. 

Peek a boo we can see you! 

 

We got mail!  All the way from the Pollmann's in icy Idaho 

Tuesday, November 18th was Zone Conference at the Lake Mary Stake Center for the DeLand, Leesburg and Orlando Zones and they were well fed

both physically and spiritually

 

Sister Berry spoke about reading and studying the General Conference talks

and following the guidance given.

President Berry spoke about our purpose as missionaries to teach faith, repentance, baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. 

We learned about "My Family" a family history pamphlet and were given the assignment to complete one for ourselves and then get others to complete one and were promised that the spirit of Elijah would fill our hearts.

We were challenged to read the New Testament in 70 days!
In the Florida Orlando Mission we can do hard things!

  That's 43 degrees at  6:13 am in Florida!

 Just distributing a few cleaning supplies to the missionaries to help stretch their dollar

Next?

 

Elder Gale and Elder Bailey after their successful vehicle inspection!

Walgreen's offered to administer flu shots at our Zone Conferences again this year and

Elder Busath and Elder Western took them up on their offer!

 

 The DeLand Zone 

The Leesburg Zone 

 The Orlando Zone

 

  Got dirt?

Sister Harthun hoeing to the end of the row. 

While three of the Zones, DeLand, Leesburg and Orlando, met together to receive instruction at Zone Conference the missionaries in the Orlando South Zone participated in a weekly service project on the temple grounds.


 Wednesday's Zone Conference on November 19th at the Orlando South Stake Center was much like Tuesdays, beginning with a vehicle inspection, shot clinic, wonderful musical numbers and special presentations but the Cocoa, Hunter's Creek and Orlando South Zones were now represented.

                                                               Ok so it wasn't that cold!
 

 

Elder Flood and Elder Peacock taking one for the team!

 

 

A Zone Conference is very much like a musical symphony composed of many important parts to help create harmony

Tables and chairs needed to be set up for the luncheon to feed 140 today at noon hosted by one of the Ward Relief Societies

                                                              

And that is how it is done!

 

Special musical numbers needed be practiced

Audio visual equipment had to be tested

                              New friends were waiting to be made and old friends to be reunited

Special presentations, like Elder Waller posing as Joseph Smith and powerfully testifying of the truthfulness of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ was the grand finale!

                                

      The Cocoa Zone

 The Hunter's Creek Zone

 The Orlando South Zone

 

 Double trouble?
Elder Earnshaw and Elder Clement
taking care of business in the Mission Office.

 

 Our daughter,Tracy, had an Audiology Conference scheduled in Orlando for a few days this past week so in the evenings we were able to show her around a little.

Our first stop, was of course, the Orlando Temple, our second stop, Downtown Disney.

 The Raglan Irish Pub at Downtown Disney for fish and chips
and a little Irish entertainment

 On Saturday, all she wanted to do was to visit the Harry Potter exhibits at Universal Studio and Universal's Island of Adventure. 
Fortunately for us, a friend in our Branch offered us three free tickets so we were there when it opened and we helped to close it down for the night.

 

 

 Hopping on board the triple decker Knight bus

                                                               Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringott's

 

Diagon Alley

 

Having a little fun with our recent purchases at Ollivander's Wand Shop. 

 Now boarding Hogwarts Express on route from King's Cross Station to Hogsmead Station.

A weary tourist :)

 

 Cheers!   

Optimus Prime and the Autobots calling to us to join them! 

 

Sunday, November 23rd...73 more days...but who is counting???

 

 Birthday boy, Elder Dale Johnson, at our recent Senior Missionary District Meeting

 

 

 

 The Metro West Elders requested a new whiteboard for planning. Neither rain nor a torrential storm will keep up from our appointed duties...

 

We got mail!!!

 A Thanksgiving card from Wade and his Mommy and Daddy along with a gift card to one of our favorite places, Chipotle's.

Well we didn't want to seem ungrateful so we immediately put the gift card to good use and were blessed to find the restaurant without a single person in line!!!

  On Tuesday, November 25th, we had the privilege to escort Yachira and Miguel Jordan, our special friends from the Poinciana Branch, through the Orlando Temple to receive their own endowment.

 

 

More friends from the Poinciana Branch at the temple to offer support to the Jordan's

 "The grateful man sees so much in the world to be thankful for, and with him the good outweighs the evil.  Love overpowers jealousy, and light drives darkness out of his life.  Pride destroys our gratitude and sets up selfishness in its place.  How much happier we are in the presence of a grateful and loving soul, and how careful we should be to cultivate, through the medium of a prayerful life, a thankful attitude toward God and man!"  President Joseph F. Smith

 

 

 

 

We hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving, we know that we did!

 

See you later...