Dear Family,
We have just read Doug's and Evan's letters. Oh the joys of parenthood just remember this to shall pass faster then you think. I can remember thinking that we would be stuck with all eight of you for the rest of our lives as when you were all small. We are stuck with you all even now but I don't regret at any time that we have a wonderful family. It isn't easy to know all the answers and to know all the things that need or have to be done right now but hang in there, Be Brave Stout Hearts You Can Do This.
We have been visiting lots of people, getting reacquainted with those who we knew from before. One of those passed away early this morning. He was very sick and was on oxygen all the time and had been for a very long time. This time we are hearing a lot of sad stories, I guess they figure that we are one of them. Or maybe it is because we are missionaries and we represent Christ Today I was asked three times if we were going to stay here. Brother Lewis the high councilor wanted to know what it would take to get us to stay . I acted all innocently and said that by the end of March the farm would be calling our name to come back and that we would have to leave. The Stake is looking for a new Branch President but Dad is not the one that will be chosen. What is so not so funny is that the wife of a member of the Stake Presidency asked the same question. We will just do what we do best and that is visit all or at least most of the inactives and invite them to come back to church.
We have had so much rain that I am really ready for some sunshine which is suppose to happen this week. We woke up to fog that then turned into more rain. Sometimes it feels like we are breathing in water all the time.
Dad had been looking for an office chair that reclines but with all the smoking and everyone has a dog or several and a cat the recliners would stink up the apartment and I am not interested in doing that One of the members brought an office chair without casters so it sits really close to the ground and it was very dirty so he washed it with a pressure washer, then he brought to church today in the back of his pickup and since it rained so hard during church it is now on our balcony drying out. Hopefully it won't take the rest of the 6 months to be dry. The Mission Office said that we could buy two recliners but of course money would be an issue We are thinking that we will buy a dining set cheap if possible and use the table that we have now for a desk so I can get all the birthday cards made and keep everything in one place instead of all over the office.
We have not been given any assignments yet, other then to be supportive. It was nice to actually go to the Sunday Class and then to Relief Society. We saw Meet the Mormons at our last Zone meeting but it was hard to hear all that was being said. There has been a big push here to go and see it so we will be going with the Kirksey's to watch it tomorrow night, we should be able to hear it this time.
We love to hear all the funny stories that happen in your families. Just tell us all that is going on in your life so we will at least know.
I need to unload the dishwasher and put Sunday's dishes in and then do some reading of the Book Of Mormon. We are suppose to be done by the end of Nov. Dad only wants to read as far as the missionaries are but I would like just read until we are done and on no schedule other then to be done by the end of November. We are reading Jacob 5 you know that very long chapter.
Dad here, We went out and visited a non member family named the Smothers, we got to know last time we were here. The husband had Alzhimers Most every one that came to their house he would tell them they would have to leave. We were one of the only ones he never told to leave. Anyway he passed away this summer while we were in Idaho. She is very lonely. We had a nice visit and it was good for her to talk. There was an older gentleman down at the Seniors center we would visit with last year. He wasn't at the center when we came back. I asked about him and they told us he was at a care center. So we went to the care center and they told us he has gotten really sick and they had to take him to the hospital. We went and visited him at the hospital, he is in very bad shape I don't think he will make it much longer. We need to go again this week. Last week we went to a zone meeting in Searcy, that is over two hours away. We took the Elders with us. Elder Wahl is from Hillsboro, Oregon and Elder Cook is from Utah. We have a specialized training in Searcy this week. We are suppose to take our extra firm mattress that is in our apartment and trade it for the mattress we had last year. The elders here have a Toyota Tacoma pickup as their car. so hopefully all arrangements are made so we can get our old mattress back, there is also two cushions for our couch that got left in Little Rock. Hopefully we can get them to. But since most things don't happen as planned, I'm sure we will still have and extra firm mattress and a couch without cushions. I found a Office chair on Craigslist here in paragould for $20 I called and left my number but they never called back and the ad isn't there anymore so it must be sold. Love Dad and Mom
