April 24, 2016 As we follow the example of the Savior, ours will be the opportunity to be a light in the lives of others

The Apostle Paul lists six attributes that will help our lights to shine:

Wednesday was Elder and Sister Hodgkin's last official day 

as full time missionaries serving in the Idaho Boise Mission for the past 22 months.  

Their love and example of enduring to the end truly made a difference and they will be sorely missed.

 
Sister and Elder Christensen, Elder and Sister Hodgkin and Sister and President Winder.
One of the attributes mentioned by Paul is charity, which has been defined as "the pure love of Christ. As we emulate His example, we will bless lives, including our own.

Dorthy Emily Holbrook Busath

Mother of seven, grandmother to 30, great grandmother to well over 60...and 

the greatest mother in law ever!

On April 20, 2016 she celebrated her 90th birthday!

This month was such a special one; 

It was birthday time for you.

We really wanted to celebrate 

your happy day with you.

Zip-a dee-ay and heigh-dee-ho,

Here's something we can do.

We'll sing a song that we all know,

Happy Birthday to you!

We must be an example of faith, which means that we trust in the Lord and in His word. My mother in law has always been a wonderful example of this attribute.  It means that we possess and we nourish the beliefs that will guide our thoughts and our actions.  Our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in our Heavenly Father will influence all that we do.

Sisters Beauchamp and Husher on moving day. 

We are to be an example in spirit, like these sister missionaries.  

To strive to have in our lives kindness, gratitude, forgiveness and goodwill. 

When you're helping you're happy...fixing a shower knob 

in one of our sister missionaries new home.

Elder Christensen, making the storage room a house of order.

Grandson,Jett, hitting it out of the ballpark!

We are to be pure, like a little child, to be clean in body, mind, and spirit.  We know that our body is a temple, to be treated with reverence and respect.

Elder Busath's office door-is often covered with kind words and praises.

Finally we must be an example in word and in conversation.  To recognize that the words we use can lift and inspire, or can harm and demean. As we prove to be examples in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, and in purity, we will qualify to be lights to the world.

We had the opportunity to make a presentation at our Stake/Community Emergency Preparedness Faire Saturday on personal and home security. 

 It was a great way to educate and let our lights so shine! 

"Life is never perfect.  It can become overwhelming, causing our light to dim.  However, with help from our Heavenly Father, coupled with support from others, we can regain that light which will illuminate our own path once again and provide the light others may need."

Thomas S. Monson

Wishing you a week filled with sunshine!

April 17, 2016 May we ever choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong.

"The choices we make determine our destiny.

When we left our premortal existence and entered mortality, we brought with us the gift of agency. Our goal is to obtain celestial glory, and the choices we make will, in large part, determine whether or not we reach our goal."

Thomas S. Monson

Sister Missionaries: Sister Davis, Sister Petersen, Sister Funaki and Sister Brown 

choosing to hasten His work.

Trainer Elder Forsyth, Elder Buckhannon-new arrival, Trainer Elder Lomax and 

President and Sister Winder.  Choosing to serve the Lord.

Parting is such sweet sorrow, but it's

  time to move to a new home.

All packed up and ready to go...

Most of you are familiar with Alice in Lewis Carroll’s classic novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. You will remember that she comes to a crossroads with two paths before her, each stretching onward but in opposite directions. As she contemplates which way to turn, she is confronted by the Cheshire Cat, of whom Alice asks, “Which path shall I follow?”

                                           

The cat answers, “That depends where you want to go. If you do not know where you want to go, it doesn’t matter which path you take.

Their new home, sweet home!

Elder Lowe and Elder Carroll are my first inductees to the 

Meticulous Missionary Hall of Fame!  

With little notice these two Elders chose to be 100% obedient and packed up ALL their belongings, cleaned the home where they were living until it shined and helped to load and unload the truck and trailer cheerfully.  

It really doesn't get much better than that!

Old model 2010-2016                                    New model 2016-2021

We had to make a quick trip to California this past weekend so that I could get fitted with a Cochlear Implant Upgrade.  

I have to admit it was a little like Christmas as I opened each box to discover more advanced technology than I could ever imagine. 

Once I swallow my pride I am sure that making use of all these advancements will improve my life considerably.

Batter up!

What's a warm sunny Saturday without a game of baseball?  

Grandson, Thomas, started the morning off...

and Grandson, Charles, finished off the afternoon with an exciting baseball game of his own!

"Unlike Alice, we know where we want to go, and it does matter which way we go, for the path we follow in this life leads to our destination in the next life."

Sunday morning.  

What Grandma can resist taking a picture of such a handsome grandson like Wade 

all ready to go to Church?

"May we choose to build up within ourselves a great and powerful faith which will be our most effective defense against the designs of the adversary—a real faith, the kind of faith which will sustain us and will bolster our desire to choose the right. Without such faith, we go nowhere. With it, we can accomplish our goals."

Apple tree or pear tree?  We chose both!

"Although it is imperative that we choose wisely, there are times when we will make foolish choices. The gift of repentance, provided by our Savior, enables us to correct our course settings, that we might return to the path which will lead us to that celestial glory we seek.

As we contemplate the decisions we make in our lives each day—whether to make this choice or that choice—if we choose Christ, we will have made the correct choice."

President Thomas S. Monson

May we ever choose the harder right 

instead of the easier wrong!

Make it a great week!

April 10, 2016 Senior Missionary Moments

            "One of the best ways for senior couples to make magnificent memories 
                                             is to serve a mission together!" 

I never get tired of seeing these inspiring symbols 

as I enter the Mission Office each morning. 

It helps to remind me that I too can do hard things-with the Lord's help!

Two men came to the office one day, one to ask for help, the other to offer help.

How blessed we are to appreciate our ability to give and to receive.

The Missionary Leadership Council luncheon-comprised of the Assistants to the President, Zone Leaders and Sister Trainer Leaders. Hawaiian haystacks and smoothies...it doesn't get much better than that on a warm spring day.

President and Sister Winder welcoming Elder Cortez, an Assistant to the President in January, who dropped by unexpectedly to share what life is really like as a returned missionary. 

The Family History Center, located in Boise, Idaho, where we stopped by to get acquainted with Elder and Sister Pyrah and learn a little more about the record preservation project.

Elder Busath test driving a mattress to determine if it is comfortable 

enough to deliver to a missionary complaining of a lumpy mattress.

A senior moment? No, it is actually one of those moments when we as senior missionaries realize that we are doing exactly what the Lord would have us do.

Patton Palace-home sweet home to four of our missionaries. 

Where we picked up a bike and delivered a "less lumpy" mattress.

On the look out for an apartment to house a senior missionary couple from Michigan, called to serve in Family Record Preservation due to arrive in August.

We are so excited to welcoming them, but recognize that no senior missionary finds it convenient to leave home, family and friends.But they love the Lord and want to serve Him and we can testify that they will be blessed for their sacrifice.

With a few improvements; a coat of paint, two beds, a dresser and two desks this will be a wonderful new home for the sister missionaries.

Just finishing up after the quick removal of missionaries, 

due to the homeowners recent job promotion, transfer 

and the need to sell their home ASAP.

Picked up a bike and dropped off a new smoke and CO 2 detector at the "Dog House," aptly named because it is located next door to a dog grooming business.

Seniors-if you think that you are not needed President Russell M. Nelson assures you, in the April Ensign, that you are. "There is not a mission president in the Church who would not love to have additional couples serving in his mission." Seniors provide support that helps others to serve better in their own responsibilities.

We got mail! The Gordon's were kind enough to send us a sweet letter updating us on the recent FOM Reunion and forward us a collection of pictures of Florida Orlando Mission friends taken by Elder Spencer. Thank you for the sweet trip down memory lane.

Long story short, we unloaded the miscellaneous items retrieved from the recently closed basement home and stopped by Deseret Industries to donate one nice couch. 

We then dropped off a dresser to an apartment with four Elders per their request.

Next we picked up a well worn couch from the Elders and replaced it with a newer model.

Then made a quick trip to the transfer station to dump 

the well worn couch and lumpy mattress.

(Definitely missing Elder Gordon, Elder Bevans and Elder Clare)

   

Elder Busath was invited to serve as a Boy Scout Merit Badge Councilor for the 

Citizenship in the Community merit badge.  

As a result we needed to stop by the Meridian City Hall 

to gather information for his presentation.

The word on the street is that it has been unseasonably warm in Idaho, 75-80 degrees in fact!  We are definitely not complaining and became anxious to get started on finishing up the landscaping in our new backyard.   After checking out Lowe's and Home Depot with many questions and few answers (Idaho is not California-we have seasons to consider) we discovered Zamzow's. They actually suggested taking pictures of the yard and bringing them in so we could discuss our options. What a novel idea!

Dirt in the raised garden, check, plans to plant a few fruit trees and a few more shrubs, check check,  we are just waiting until after Mother's Day to plant our garden, per their advice.

Grandson, Cale, team goalie and ready for action!

If you are still on the fence about serving a mission far away check out the service mission opportunities in your area, then you can have the best of both worlds.

(Although we love where we are currently serving we wouldn't have changed our decision to serve in the Florida Orlando Mission for anything.  

The memories and the friends we made we will cherish forever)

 "Senior couples, no matter who you are or where you are, please pray about this opportunity to create great senior missionary moments together.  

Heavenly Father will help you know what you can do."

President Russell M. Nelson

Don't worry if you feel somewhat inadequate, 

of all the qualifications, a desire to serve may be the most important.

See Doctrine and Covenants 4:3

Sending positive thoughts your way!

Make it a great week!