Dear Family and Friends February
10, 2014
Today was
our first time to have got to go to the Memphis Temple to do an endowment
session. We went two weeks ago with the youth in the Paragould Branch to help
them do baptisms for the dead. That was a really nice experience, we rode down
to the temple with a member family. Today was an all missionary day at the
temple. Monday’s the temple is usually closed, but every 6 weeks they open the
temple for just the missionaries that are going home that week, which also
includes their companions and sometimes their ride to the temple. Our District
leader Elder Bluth came out two years ago with a set of missionaries that are
going home this week, he got sick in the mission field and went home for six
months and then came back on his mission. He received special permission to
come to the temple to be with the missionaries he came out with, even though he
has 6 months to go. We were his ride down to Memphis so we also got signed up
to be in the temple. Since we were the only couple at the temple besides the
mission president and his wife, we were asked to be the witness couple. It was
one very full session, they brought in about eight extra chairs to accommodate
everyone. The prayer circle only had 8 people in it, us, the mission president
and his wife, a couple who where temple workers and two other members who were
rides for the missionaries. I guess they don’t let the elders or the sisters
participate in the prayer circle. Afraid the missionaries might take it as a
sign, I suppose. We got to see the second new temple film. We saw the first new
film when we were at the MTC last fall. I liked this one better.
In two days
it is transfers in the Memphis part of the mission. Out of our District Sister
Hill is being transferred out. We are so going to miss her, she came to
Paragould the day that we did. She and her companion Sister Cooke have become
very dear to us. They are kind of on the nutty side, but so delightful. I think
Sister Hill spent most of today crying. She will leave a big hole in our lives.
Yesterday,
at church Danny Van Fleet spoke in Sacrament Meeting along with Elder
Freestone. Last week Brother Van Fleet was called and set apart in the Elders
Quorum Presidency as second counselor. We are so glad we were able to get to
know him. We are still reading the Book of Mormon with Sister Judy Dunn while
we are waiting for her Baptismal day on March the Ninth. We are up to the part
where Alma just blessed his three sons.
I’m now half
way through the Book of Ezekiel. Every time I read another chapter in Isaiah,
Jeremiah, Lamentations, or Ezekiel I think how can the Lord tell Israel again
in another way that the are an unfaithful and stiffnecked people, but each
chapter I have to say: “Well he did it again” then I read the next chapter:
“Well he did it again” It is amazing to me who many different ways the Lord can
say the very same thing.
This is
Mom: It was so good to be in the temple
again. A person doesn’t realize how much
we can miss not being in the temple. We
will go again in March before we leave for home. I’m not sure if we will take anyone with us
or not. Elder Bluth had a lot friends
that he was saying good-by to and Elder Freestone just stood by as a good Elder
does waiting for his companion. Since we
didn’t stop in Memphis for lunch we were very hungry by the time we reached
Paragould. We had plenty of left-overs
so we shared with the Elders.
The weather
has not been nice and so much for warm temperatures. The mission President sent all the missionaries
straight home because of another impending storm. He has already put a ban on driving after the
last snow storm. Now that the ice has
melted and the snow is starting to disappear we are to have more snow and the
missionaries will have another ban put on them.
They don’t say anything to us so we are out and about most of the time.
We are
suppose to have a Valentine activity on Wed. night. But if we have snow then no one will come
because they are all afraid to drive on any amount of snow. We have already postponed the activity from
last Fri. because of the weather so we will see how Wed. works. I will be very glad when the activity is over
and I can think of something else.
It is so unbelievable that we only have about
six more weeks left of our mission. I
though that Oct. would never get over with and now the time is flying by so
fast. I have to start thinking about
packing up and sending lots of things home.
Well Elder
Bluth needs to use the computer to start getting ready for college. Since everything has to be in by this
month. They are playing Dad a game of
rummy while they are waiting for me to get done.
We did
laugh our heads off reading of Ryan’s driving and scaring Grant and
Reagan. We also have to laugh at
Katieisms and Porterisms . Don’t forget
to write it is a sad day when the mailbox is empty most of the time. We love emails and letters
Love
to you all
Dad
and Mom, Papa and Grammy, Elder and Sister Hansen
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