If you are going to kill time, try working it to death

Happy New Year!!!

Somewhere between sunrise and sunset

Two golden hours set with

Six diamond minutes.

No reward is offered for they are

Gone forever. 

 Take time to think "positive"--it's the source of power.

 We have come full circle. 

When we first arrived in the Florida Orlando Mission our Senior Missionary District meetings were all held in our own homes and we rotated every week.  Now our district has grown too large for anyone's  apartment to accommodate us all so we meet at a centrally located church building.  But on Monday night we were the host couple and as it turned out many of our district members were entertaining out of town family members for the holidays so our numbers were few and our apartment was a perfect fit. 

 

 

Take time to read--it's the source of knowledge.

 

 Take time to play--it's the secret of perpetual youth.

 

 On New Year's Eve many of our Senior Missionary District joined President and Sister Berry at the Mission Home to play games and usher in the new year.

Take time to be friendly--it's the road to happiness.

 Take time to--laugh--it's the mirror of the soul.

On New Year's Eve many of the Senior Missionary District joined President and Sister Berry at their home to bring in the new year. 

For you Boise State fans!!!

 It seems that someone thought we needed a new hood ornament.

  Two Senior Sister Missionaries are due to arrive the 17th of January and have been assigned to serve in the LDS Employment Resource Center. Unfortunately their apartment will not be available until the 23rd of January so what can we do?  Well we improvise and have them stay for a week in a vacant young missionary apartment. 

But first we had to check out the apartment to confirm that the young sister missionaries (Sister Marsh and Sister Webb) who were transferred the 15th of December did what we asked them to do CLEAN!

Well the sisters exceeded our expectations.  Not only did they clean, but they left a warm, welcoming message on their white board for the senior sisters and included two Wendy's frosty coupons to be enjoyed on a hot January afternoon.  (Only in Florida)

Take time to give--it's ungodly to be selfish.  

  Florida Orlando Missionaries are 100% obedient!!!

 The Tuskawilla Elders, Elder Lefholz and Elder Hansen, were given specific instructions to pack up their apartment because they would be moving all of their furnishings into a new apartment more centrally located in their area bright and early Saturday morning.

 

 Take time to--work, it's the price of success.  

Elder Oxborrow, Elder Hansen,  Elder Vaifanua and Elder Lefholz.

To be fair there were actually eight Lake Mary Zone Elders ready and willing to help, they were just camera shy. So we would be remiss if we didn't extend a bit THANK YOU to Elders Vailea, Lauritzen, Stokes, and Anderson.  

 

 

The "after" pictures of the now clean and vacant Tuskawilla apartment.

  Jessica Sheffield and family

 

 Alexander Burton and family

 

 K'Loni Lowry

Take time to love and be loved--it's God's given privilege. 

Three recently returned missionaries took time to stop by the Mission Office during the holidays to introduce their families and to share some hugs while vacationing in the area.

 

 The new Tuskawilla apartment, ready for occupancy! 

We asked the Waterford Lakes South Elders, whose names will remain anonymous, to pack up their apartment before transfers on the 15th of December because we would be closing down their apartment.  As you can clearly see, their idea of "packing up" is definitely very different from ours :(

 So we rolled up our sleeves and got busy

 

 

On Saturday, after a very productive morning of moving and cleaning the Tuskawilla apartment, in record time I might add, we decided to make use of our extra time and meet Elder Scott and Elder Whitaker at the Waterford Lakes South apartment and get started cleaning and closing it down.

 

 

Many hands make light work,

thanks to the efforts of Elders Scott and Whitaker

and Elder and Sister Clare.

The "Wave" of new missionaries coming out is over. 

As a result many of the apartments we were required to open a year and a half ago, must now be closed down due to the decrease in numbers.

 With so many apartments being closed down recently and a shortage of storage space we have had to become very selective as to what we can keep and what we have to discard. Our first preference always is to reassign furnishings in good condition to another missionary apartment.  Our second choice is to donate the surplus furnishings in fair condition to our friends at the second hand store.  Our last choice is to discard the furnishings that are determined to be obsolete or in poor condition to a local landfill. We hate to throw away anything, especially if there is a cost involved, but the sofa, the two desks and the dresser were in pretty bad shape so out they went at a total cost of $6.00.

 The remaining items were carefully secured at our recently acquired second storage unit at Uncle Bob's.  The goal is to eventually downsize in order to fit everything into the small storage unit. Two apartments done, at least two more apartment to close down and a Senior Sister Missionary apartment to furnish, all in January...it's possible.

 

Take time to pray--it's the greatest power on earth.

Take time--it's yours!

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. 

He only is rich who owns the day, and no one owns the day who allows it to be invaded by worry, fret and anxiety.  Finish every day and be done with it.  This day is all that is good and fair.  It is too dear to waste a moment on yesterdays.

 

Time flies when you are having fun and our time serving as full time missionaries in the Florida Orlando Mission is quickly coming to an end.

If you are one of those people, still sitting on the fence, thinking about serving a full time mission, if not now, when?  There is no better time than today!

 Take a leap of faith-you and your family will be glad you did!

 Make it a great year.  See you later, alligator...