Work Will Win When Wishy Washy Won't

Did you ever have one of those days where you didn't think things could get any better?  Well Monday, May 6th, Transfer Day, was one of those days. We had the privilege to meet and greet 24 new missionaries arriving at the Orlando airport. Two flights were expected five minutes apart.  One with 15 missionaries the other with 9 "visa waiters". 19 of the 24 were sister missionaries and 8 of the missionaries were "visa waiters" called to serve in Argentina and 1 Elder in Brazil and were waiting for their visa's to be approved.

 

 The scene at the loading curb appeared much like a Charlie Chaplin movie. With few words and little introduction the missionaries were directed to this car or that car hopped in, their luggage loaded into the trailer and we were off before airport security knew what was happening.
At first the silence in the car was deafening, then little by little we were able to get them talking and eventually we were all laughing.  The most often heard question was, "Where are the mountains?" Our Mission President has advised us not to "parent" the missionaries, but Elder Busath and I have vast experience on being "cheer leaders" from the side lines ;) We loved every minute of it!

 

 

 Pictures at the Hunter's Creek Stake Center to record the arrival and then dinner was served and brief introductions made.  I wish I could remember all the details each missionary shared that evening, but I will try to mention the highlights.  Most of the new missionaries came from pioneer stock.  4th and 5th generation Mormons, whose fathers, brothers and even some of their mothers had set the example of missionary service. Many were from large families, 6-15.  The largest family consisted of 15 children, 9 biological and 5 adopted, the next largest was a family of 12 kids.  5 or 6 of the missionaries had siblings currently serving missions.  One sister had parents currently serving as Mission Presidents and another, the youngest of eight, had parents waiting to receive their call.

On a side note the one Elder called to serve in Brazil, Steven Untch, waiting for his visa just happened to be a missionary we met while driving from Utah to Florida.  We stopped to attend church in Liberty, Missouri and he was giving his farewell address-small world.

 
 Bright and early Tuesday morning we wait at the Mission Home to welcome the sleepy, new missionaries and make our way back to the Hunter's Creek Stake Center for a brief orientation and to meet their new trainers.

 

 The new missionaries are gathered together to be issued debt cards, learn the importance of official church records and to discuss cell phone use, and safe driving techniques.

 

 While the new missionaries receive instruction their new trainers and other missionaries waiting for their new companions gather in the parking lot to welcome long last friends and get acquainted with some new friends.

 

 Some members are on hand to help transport new companionships without cars.

 

 Then almost in a blink of an eye, orientation is over, the luggage is loaded up, farewells are said and the missionaries are off on their new adventure.

 

Our Senior Missionaries (the Crismon's and the Sherwood's) always ready to offer support or to lend a hand transporting missionaries to and from their area.

 

 Wednesday after transfers tend to be a little depressing.  All the preparations and the excitement are over and everything gets back to normal.  Not so for me.  The Fed Ex man arrived early that morning with a long brown box in hand. The side of the box said "Flowers" and I couldn't imagine who would be sending flowers to a missionary.  Well surprise, surprise, Katie and the kids sent me flowers for Mother's Day!

 

As you can see they were beautiful and a great pick me up!

     

 

 But wait, my week of surprises wasn't over.  On Thursday while I was trying to play catch up on all the mail (we hold the mail from the Friday before transfers until the Wednesday after) I received a package from Sam and Jake to commemorate Mother's Day and our anniversary.  I didn't tell Elder Busath about the package until that evening or he would have driven me crazy begging to open it.

 

 

 Elder Busath is like a kid at Christmas! Our package contained a "lucky bug", spring oreos, little plastic ice cubes, a hot wheels car, mini Almond Joy candy bars, a weekly reminder pad and a cute dish towel that says, "You crack me up", with an egg on it.

We put our "lucky bug" on our entertainment center hoping that he will scare off any unwelcome bugs.

 

But wait, that is not all!  On Friday afternoon a friend from LDS Employment Services escorted a gentleman with a floral arrangement.  I thought for sure that it must be for Sister Gebs and we proceeded to ooh and awe.  Well just as I was returning to my desk the gentleman approached me and asked me if I was Sister Busath.  I admitted that I was and he said, these flowers are for you.  I almost fainted.  Two beautiful flower arrangements in less than a week, no way. 

Yes, it was true, my kids and grand kids, the Esslinger's, the Bacchus', the Hudson's, the Busath's and the Peterson's sent me flowers for Mother's Day. 

 

 I couldn't have felt more loved than I did at the moment.

 

 

 

It takes a spirit of obedience if we want to qualify for blessings today. It isn't enough simply to say, "Tomorrow I am going to do better."  The Lord expects us to do better today. 

 

Saturday was our "P" Day and our Mission President had asked us to do some spring cleaning. We decided that there was no better day than today to get started.  I wish I had taken a "before" picture to help you appreciate the final results.  Let me just say that the garage was filled to capacity from floor to ceiling with discarded furniture and miscellaneous items.  Things that just might come in handy-"someday", or "someday" someone might just have time to repair.  Well someday never came and after not one but two trips to the local landfill with a truck and trailer containing 1 ton (they actually weighed it) of old, broken and obsolete equipment and furniture our job was done.

 

 

Operation Spring Cleaning#2 was the result of a landlord expressing some concern over a messy garage. How messy could it be we thought. Missionaries just don't have that much stuff.  Well again a "before" picture would have proved helpful.  But we were on a roll and before we knew it the floor was visible again and we had even packed up the old carpet and padding that had been pulled from the house a few weeks prior.

 

After a final sweep of the garage and a quick pick up of the front yard we noticed some objectionable graffiti on the fence directly opposite the house.  Well Elder Busath immediately saw a need and went to work.  He found some white spray paint in a box under all the stuff while we were cleaning the garage and quickly picked it up and carefully painted over the offending words.  Unfortunately the spray paint didn't last long enough to finish the job completely, but it made it so much better.

 

 One last load and our work would be done for the day.  The Elders were amazed at our results.  Elder Busath and I make a pretty good team. Fortunately for us we were again blessed.  It was mere minutes after unloading the last of the refuse that the heavens opened and it POURED.  It doesn't rain in Florida, it pours.  Imagine someone soaking you with a garden hose, that's how these afternoon rain storms are.  Then 10 to 15 minutes later it is over and the sun comes out again.

 

We celebrated the end of a very productive day by having dinner at the local TGI Fridays.  The waitress noticed our name tags and mentioned that she was a Christian and that her son, age 22, was a member of the LDS church and had wanted to serve a mission.  She told us she was a single mom and couldn't afford to send him on a mission, but maybe he could serve after he was married like us. She couldn't say enough good about the Church and served us as though we were royalty.  We tipped her well and even left her a pass along card of the Savior.

Maybe someday her son won't be the only member of the Church.

 

 Our first Mother's Day in the Pleasant Hill Ward was bittersweet.  Okay so I have to admit it was harder than I expected.  Everything around me reminded me of my kids.  The Bishop's opening remarks about women sometimes thinking they are invisible, and the importance of knowing our worth. Then the Sacrament Meeting speakers, a cute young couple...reminded me of Sam and Jake, married in the fall...Tracy and Chad, with three children, two boys and a girl...Katie...he is a nurse...Andi. All I could do is cry.  Then in Relief Society the Bishop shared a special story written by Sheri Dew about feeling insignificant and the reality that we are all daughter's of a Heavenly Father who knows us individually and loves us.  That we are unique, of infinite worth and that NO ONE, NO ONE can take our place.  I believe that!  And as much as I wished I had been a better mother, my Heavenly Father helped to make my children better than I could have ever hoped for or deserved and I am eternally grateful.

We received a chocolate truffle and a special ring as a Mother's Day gift from the ward.  Lambie was curious about the ring and so am I.

  

 Being a mother has never been an easy role.  The scriptures often remind us how important a role being a mother truly is.  That what we learn from our mothers compromises our very core values, as with the 2,000 stripling sons and warriors of Helaman, in the Book of Mormon, who "had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them" (Alma 56:47). And He did.

 

Never let it be said of us that we didn't have sufficient time. Time is precious, but life is priceless.
I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day and spent some time counting your blessings as I did! 

Until next time...........

 

PS Another small world alert for those of you in Fair Oaks, California.  On our last post I mentioned setting up new missionary apartments and it just so happened that we met a member who was donating furniture for one of our new apartments. He took one look at our name badges, pronounced it correctly, and asked that often heard question, "Do you know...?  Actually this time we did know.  He spoke of his fond memories of baking cookies at Aunt Dorothy's home and hanging out with her kids.  He said he was Patti's age and had spent 24 years after his mission looking for the "One".  Well seven years ago he found her right after she found the church.  They have three kids, one disabled child from his wife's previous marriage who recently passed away and two others.  His name is Wayne Robert Little.  He went by Wayne back then, but now goes by Bob and he wanted to be sure that we sent his love!

Be of Good Cheer

 

To reach, teach, to touch the precious souls whom our Father has prepared for His message is a monumental task.  Success is rarely simple.  Generally it is preceded by tears, trial, trust and testimony ("Tears, Trials, Trust, Testimony," Ensign May 1987)

 

It has been a very busy week for us as we prepare for "Transfers" and for the arrival of new missionaries from the Missionary training Center in Provo, Utah.  We knew that we would be expecting 15 (2 elders and 13 sisters) but were recently informed that we would be receiving 9 additional missionaries currently waiting for their Visa's to be approved. What that means is that we had to race out, purchase more beds and have them delivered and set up in less than a week.  I am happy to report that we did it! Now we anxiously await their arrival.

 

 

 

Last Sunday afternoon we decided to check out the famous Peabody Hotel ducks in Orlando.  Just to give you a brief history.  The Peabody Hotel is a HUGE hotel near Disney World that specializes in conferences.  Back in 1933 someone came up with the idea to train Mallard ducks to walk (waddle)down a red carpet as a gimmick. The ideas was that these ducks would be well cared for and would march down a red carpet every morning (11:00 am) and up the red carpet every evening (5:00 pm). The event was such a hit that the tradition has continued to this day.  We were told by the Duck Master, Donald, (yes that is his real name) that the ducks (3 girls and a boy) are kept in service for only five years and then they are released in the wild.  These specially trained ducks are raised nearby and they have a huge facility in the hotel upstairs where they sleep. It was fun to see and a great opportunity for us to meet others and tell them a little about why we are here.

 

All is quiet until exactly 5:00 pm and then lights, camera, action.........

 

 

The carpet is carefully rolled out, steps are secured next to the fountain, music begins to play, the ducks awake from their sleep, get  a quick drink from the fountain for the long walk ahead.

 

Five minutes later, after all the fanfare is over, the ducks are gone, the carpet is rolled up and everyone goes about doing what they were doing before all the excitement began.

 

 

While our Sacramento kids were celebrating my son in law, Nick's, recent graduation from Respiratory Therapy school with a barbecue (with all the fixings I might add :() and my San Diego and Meridian Idaho daughters were enjoying Old Towne San Diego cuisine we were trying out Marianne's crock pot lasagna recipe and it was delicious. It's seems odd to use a crock pot when it's 90 degrees outside, but it keeps the house cool, doesn't require constant watching, and we can multitask.

 

Some of you may remember the October 2012 conference talk that inspired this saying.  Well I just couldn't resist letting our neighbors know who we are. We haven't had any complaints and have hopes that it might actually strike up a conversation or two.

 

We got mail!!!  This time from GG.

 

Special bug repellent bandanna's, a fan, flashlights, heart candy, pens that won't get lost...thanks GG!

 

In many respects, a mission is a family calling. The letters and packages we receive are packed with power-spiritual power.  They are filled with faith and love and help us to know that all is well at home so that we can focus on what is important-inviting others to come unto Christ.

 

For those of you who think I may be exaggerating just a little about the frequent cloud bursts.  A picture is worth a thousand words, right? Well the day started off warm and sunny like most days here then suddenly the skies opened (without warning I might add) and the rain came tumbling down...it was over in less than an hour and then the sun peeked out as though nothing had happened. It wouldn't be so bad, but you can and do get soaked to the bone just walking to your car.  Of course you don't want to look like a "tourist" and actually use an umbrella or even worse wear a raincoat so you walk nonchalant without a care in the world. The problem comes when you are traveling from your car to a store or from a store to a store. Then you wander in casually literally dripping from head to toe and the store is air conditioned like a freezer to keep it cool when you aren't experiencing torrential rain storms. Brrrr!

                                                   

 

Below are pictures of the Atlantic Ocean near the town of Melbourne Florida, one of our stops to set up an apartment. It looks very much like the Pacific Ocean to me, but what do I know? Another strange fact about Florida, they have big black "love bugs" everywhere. I am not sure if they are just a seasonal nuisance, but you have to be really careful because they fly right in your face and cover your windshield and the front grill of your car-yucky!

 

This weekend we had the opportunity to set up three new apartments for our incoming missionaries, due to arrive on Monday. Of course the three locations were almost in the shape of a triangle showing the farthest points of the mission. It was truly a labor of love and a valuable lesson on faith for Elder Busath and myself as we worried, fretted and wondered if the members would actually come through and be able to furnish the three apartments.

 

In Florida when a new mission area and resulting apartment are opened the members in the area are asked for donations. The works; a couch, desks, twin beds, dishes, silverware, bake ware you name it they are asked to donate it.  But it was late Saturday afternoon, the missionaries were due to arrive on Monday afternoon, time was running out and we were still in need of many critical items. Elder Busath and I were ready to run down to the local Wal-Mart on a moments notice and spend our own money on the essentials just so we could sleep better knowing that the missionaries were well taken care of. But our Mission President assured us not to worry, that the members had never let the mission down yet.  So we said a prayer, emptied the trailer carrying the meager belongings that the Mission Office had collected and set off for home just in time to make it to a double baptism. It's Sunday afternoon as I write this and the telephone has not rung once telling us that the apartments still have a need for this or that, so I have to believe that the members did it again and I am sorry that we ever doubted them.

 

 

Missionaries go forward in faith. They know their duty. These are just two of our faithful missionaries, Elder Sanford and Elder Ames. They currently serve in our Young Adult Branch and were the first companionship that we really got close to. Elder Ames departs to his home in the state of Washington on Wednesday after serving honorably for the past two years.  Elder Sanford will find out who his new companion will be when he checks his e-mail from the Mission President on Monday.

 

This little guy lives at our apartment complex. He greets us every morning when we go out for our walk around the pond. The last time we went to 5 Guys we decided to take some peanuts home to share.  Unfortunately every time we had a chance to visit our furry friends it was either raining by the bucketful or it was dark and the squirrels were already in bed. But not today!  It is sunny and warm and we made a mad dash for the pond after church so we could share our treat. 

As you can see it was well received.

 

As many of you know service is contagious........

Elder Busath cut his finger while loading up the trailer on Saturday.  The elders were immediately on top of it by pulling out the last of their band aids and administering first aid. Well Elder Busath couldn't let a good turn go unnoticed so he baked some chocolate cookies this afternoon and we delivered the cookies and a new box of band aids to the elders with our thanks.

 

Also we feel that our Mission President was truly inspired when he established our Senior Missionary District.  We had the privilege to meet together on Thursday night at the Orlando Temple.  The storm was relentless and had it not been for the dedication of our district the session would have been canceled.  Then if that wasn't enough we made a phone call to two of the senior couples in our district at the last minute asking for assistance as we unloaded furniture and set up the new apartments.  Not one of them complained or gave an excuse, they responded immediately. It wasn't known to us until after the last item was unloaded from the trailer that one of the senior elders, 75 years of age, and the one who had helped carry in the couch, had recently recovered from a serious heart attack.  He never said a word!

 

One more thing I just have to share, sorry.  As I have mentioned before in the Florida Orlando Mission area we are all trying very hard to become "one" unified people. Although there is still a language barrier people are really reaching out to each other.  We still have interpreters to translate the talks, lessons and testimonies, but today all the sisters in Relief Society sang the Church hymn "Love One Another" in Spanish.  We tripped over the words, as you would image, but no one thought to point out that many of us couldn't read Spanish, we were obedient and the Spirit was so strong there was not a dry eye in the room! I felt humbled to have been there to share in the moment and will forever cherish the experience.

In closing just some food for thought for you and me......

 

There are millions of people yet to hear the message of the Restoration, and we must not say no in their behalf.  We cannot judge who the Lord may prepare to hear His message.  Some we may least expect are the ones who are best prepared to accept the gospel.  What is needed by you and me? A vision of our opportunity.  And then a desire to really be a neighbor. ("Who Is My Neighbor?" August 7, 1976)

 

We love you and wish you could be here to experience for yourself the blessings that come from missionary service. In Moroni, Chapter 7 in the Book of Mormon is tells us that if we have enough faith we can cause miracles to happen. We are seeing some of those miracles!

 

Until next time.................

 

Finding Joy in the Journey April 22nd through April 26, 2013

First a little mission history to get us started...

On November 1, 1960 the Florida Mission was created out of the Southern States Mission, with Elder Karl R. Lyman as the first mission president. The original Florida Mission was divided into the Florida South Mission (July 1, 1971), then later into the Ft. Lauderdale Mission (June 1974). The Tampa Mission was created in 1976; and the Jacksonville Mission was created in July 1987.  Then almost 40 years after the original mission was created in Florida, the  Florida Orlando Mission was created from the Florida Jacksonville, Tampa and Ft. Lauderdale Missions on July 1998.
Which brings us up to date. 

On Tuesday we received new computers in the office today in preparation of our new Mission President, Michael Berry, due July 1, 2013. I don’t know about you, but I have a love hate relationship with computers.  I admit that sometimes I can’t live without them, but when they don’t obey my commands (or read my mind) then I am absolutely convinced that I can live without them.  My old computer had some issues I won’t lie and was more than ready to be relieved of its duties.  But my new computer is like a small child, anxious to be of service but with so many safety measures installed it takes me FOREVER to maneuver from here to there because I am constantly being required to tell it what I need it to do. Yet it has questions and more questions and then to top it off there are a few reports that I no longer have access to.  So long story short some of my work is speeding along quite nicely for a change, while other work is getting backlogged until I can locate the right person with the proper authority to re-install the programs that I need.

 

 

This little fellow appeared out of nowhere on our office doorstep.  He actually did poke his head out eventually and scooted away, but he kept tucked in fearful of the unknown for hours, which reminds me of our recent Relief Society Meeting.

On Tuesday at Relief Society we gathered together to watch the movie, “The Other Side of Heaven.”  It is the story of Elder Groberg and his experiences as a missionary on the island of Tonga.  Well watching the movie and getting better acquainted with the sisters in the ward would have been a good enough reason to attend, but what made it so special was that the movie was in English with Spanish subtitles! If you recall in one of our previous blogs our stake recently closed all the Spanish speaking branches and now we are all one big happy family ward. Everything and I mean everything is in English and in Spanish.  The programs, the hymns, even the lessons.  It does take some getting used to, but one nice benefit is that Sacrament talks and lessons have to be much shorter to allow time for the material presented to be translated.  Another benefit is that it causes you to truly become humble and to really appreciate the effort of the one conducting or teaching the lesson. No more spoon fed lessons.  You really have to seek the spirit if you want to receive the message the way that was meant to be received.  I for one absolutely love it!  But maybe it’s because I have always had to rely on my heart instead of my head (or ears depending on who you ask) to receive instruction and inspiration. Life truly is a series of decisions and our challenge is to endure the consequences of our decisions-come what may. Unfortunately many English speaking sisters appeared to have had other plans that night so Relief Society was attended mainly by the Spanish speaking sisters.  I can only say that it was their loss.

Thursday-We had the privilege to attend a mission wide conference presided by our new Area General Authority, Elder Ulisses Soares, one of the seven Presidents of the Seventy and currently assigned to the North America Southeast area and over 17 missions.

 

Our new Senior Missionary District!

From left to right Sister Grant from Mesquite, Nevada, her companion Sister Stewart from Payson, Utah, Elder and Sister Gebs from Evanston, Wyoming, Elder and Sister Moline from Greenbriar, Arkansas, Elder Busath and me, Elder and Sister Sherwood from Kirtland, New Mexico, Elder and Sister Crismon from Orem, Utah, Elder and Sister Marble from Clearfield, Utah and Elder and Sister Bevans from South Western Alberta Canada.

 

 

We got mail!!!

The Gibson family sent us a care package today and to say that we were surprised would be an understatement.  I have to say it was almost like Christmas because Elder Busath drove me crazy begging to open it before we got home!

 

 

Once we stepped through the door there was no stopping him and when all was said and done we really couldn't decide what items we liked the best.  The letters from our Grand kids, Lucas, Mason and Jill, the cookie mix, the little 3 Musketeer candy bars and Hot Tamales (thanks Lucas), the battery operated fans or the little white board and sticky notes. I can say that every one of the items will be put to great use and I can't wait to decorate my desk with the sticky notes.

I don't think the little 3 Musketeer bars are going to last until tomorrow though :)

 

Thanks Gibson family we loved the package and for you thinking of us!

 

In closing I just wanted to share a few things that we learned at our recent mission conference with Elder Soares:

Our Mission President, President Hall, began the conference on a powerful note with inspiring counsel, “As a mission we are all doing a good job, but we are still not living up to our full potential. We all have the faith to do the work, but we need to recognize the power that we have been given and to get on our knees, ask for miracles and then make them happen.”

One of the first things that Elder Soares mentioned that immediately touched my heart is how great a calling it is to be a missionary!  He testified that every one of us in the chapel that morning had been called to this mission by a prophet of God.  That we needed to strive to fulfill what is expected of us.  We are a trusted representative of Jesus Christ-do not fail! 

Since October 2012 30,000 missionaries have been called to serve.

Elder Soares also admonished us not to be disappointed at having been called on a stateside mission rather than to a mission in far away country.  He made it clear that the church in the United States supports the world! That the gospel needs to grow and flourish here in the United States first so that it and we can support the whole world.

Other words of wisdom from his inspired counsel:

• D&C 39:13-“Thou art called to labor in my vineyard, and to build up my church, and to bring forth Zion, that it may rejoice upon the hills and flourish”. (Labor and flourish-build and edify)

• Moses 3:5- And every plant in the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew.  The Lord planned before he acted and we must follow His example.

 

• If you do not plan, you plan to fail!

 

• By His grace we can do anything, after we have shown our commitment!

• Success is measured by your commitment and your commitment is where your heart is. We must be willing to be humble, and willing to do the hard things that are asked of us.

• Missionary work is happiness.

 

• We need to find joy in the journey (President Thomas S. Monson)

We are truly loving this journey we are on and enjoy you being along for the ride!

 

Until next time.........