26 January 2015

Dear Family and Friends,

    Big news this week is that Evan was put in the Bishopric in Albany, Oregon. Chad Walker was put in Bishopric in Middleton, Idaho, and Chet Walker was put in Bishopric in Michigan the week before. What's this church coming to? putting in primary children into bishoprics. At least that is the way I remember them.

    Remember in Hoodwinked where the frog says; "We don't arrest people just because they look creepy" Well this past week the Elders traded apartment complexes with the Sisters, because they had a guy that lived above them that looked creepy and they felt threatened. It was good of the Elders to give up their two bathroom apartment for an one bathroom apartment.

    Saturday the Priesthood had a service project of cutting up a tree that had fallen into another tree in this single ladies back yard. The whole thing was kind of a comedy of errors as they tried to decide the best way to cut up the tree without it crashing onto a wooden fence, next to the trees. The best part no one was hurt, except for the fence. That was inevitable, with that crew. It was a sycamore tree (camoufloge tree as Scot would call it) about 36" in diameter at the base. I was a very sore man by the time we ended the project.

    Bought a new suit this past week. It was under $100. It looks like my old suits only it is new.

Mom here: The store that we bought it at is an expensive store, but we can also buy things very inexpensively when they have a sale.  So Amanda jeans were $10.00 and Dad's suit for less then $100.00  We couldn't resist.  Dad needed a new suit very badly I wanted him to get a new pair of shoes and a suit but he was resisting unto the end.  For Christmas I bought him new shoes at Bimart before we left for Arkansas.  I was hoping that we could find a store that had suits on sale when we go out here.  All the clothing stores had suits on sale at Christmas but he still resisted until he found a deal that even he couldn't resist any longer.

    We really wanted to be with Evan and Christi at this special time but it was nor to be.  And I can say that I am not to keen at being sick with the stomach flu so maybe it was a good thing that we were unable to be in Albany.  We are just happy for you Evan and we know that you will do just fine and when Heavenly Father is on your side you can do what is required.

     The horrible and cold winter that we were told that we would have has not happened yet.  The northeast is being hammered again but it so far has not come south.  We are not complaining either this is great weather.  We have had warm enough temps that a light jacket is all that is needed so all the heavy winter clothes that I brought are not being used.  Oh well better to be prepared then not as we were last year.  The seniors are saying to not celebrate yet we still have Feb and March to get through.  According to Farmers Almanack Feb is suppose to be stormy and cold, we are hoping not.

     There isn't a lot of news other then what has already been written about.  We just keep on doing our birthday visits and inviting the less actives to come back to church.  It is so easy to become less active but it a whole lot harder to get back into gear and start coming again.  We didn't have very many at church yesterday.  The Elders invited an older man to church but we noticed that he didn't come.  They never could commit him to attend.  He is supposedly looking for a new church after his disagreement with his minister.  But he likes to talk and the Elders are perfect to talk to.  They finally asked us to go with them but even Dad could not make him commit.  If he won't pray or read the Book of Mormon then I can't see him committing to anything.

   So my dears I need to close.  Dad is "contemplating the meaning of life" by laying down and sleeping and I am hungry and need to eat something.

                    Love to you all and know that we pray for you every day

                                Mom and Dad

19 January 2015

Dear Family and Friends,

Mom and I had a letter all written, however the Sisters came over today to use our computers, since the library is closed for civil rights day. So I saved your letter so I could address it and send it after the Sisters left. Bet you can't guess what happened? Oh, you guess it. I can't find our saved letter. so I guess we will start all over again.

    It was a very busy week. Last Monday we headed out to the Temple in Memphis. We stopped at Jonesboro and picked up Sister Hill and her companion Sister Howton. At Memphis we got to meet the other missionaries what were going home. It was good to see Sister Cooke again. and also Sister Skinner and Kalahiki. These Sisters have become very dear to us. After the Temple Session the missionaries that were going home all headed for Little Rock, where they send the night and then head for home on Tuesday. Tuesday the new missionaries arrived and were sent out to companionships on Wednesday. In Paragould no one was transferred. contrary to some speculation. When we came back from the Temple we brought back Sister Howton so she could spend the next day with the Sisters here until she was sent to Mississippi on Wednesday to be with one of her old companions until she finishes out her mission in 6 weeks. She is one of the Spanish Speaking Missionaries serving in this mission. Wednesday the mission also created a new district in our Zone, called the Jonesboro District, so now they have 6 missionaries and we have 6 missionaries in the Paragould  District.

    On Thursday Sister Hill stopped by with her parents and we had a nice visit. Her dad has been working for his copper company in Mongolia, so they flew all the way here to pick up their daughter from her mission and also visit places around the mission where she served. She will go back to Mongolia with them for a little while before going back to school. That will be a neat experience.     

    This past weekend was the Searcy Stake Conference, with Elder Thompson of the Seventy visiting. We could have attended four different meetings, driving to Searcy and Jacksonville 3 times. However we chose to only go to the Sunday Session of Conference. Even then we had to leave here at 6:45 in the morning to get to conference. We arrived early enough to be able to set three rows back in the front of the chapel.  We had no distractions.  There were many speakers but no one took very long including our Stake President.  Elder Thompson talked about family patterns, family scripture reading, family prayers,  family home evening, wholesome family activities, and family traditions.  Does that sound familar?  It should because you were all taught these very things.  What does make a great difference is you all are teaching the same things to your children.  These teachings will then be passed on to your children's children and they can be taught from generation to generation.  All that he talked about sounded so very familar.

     We ate lunch at the covered pavilion that was the back of the church.  8 hours is to long to wait to eat .Dropped the Elders off at their apartment and we went home and crashed.  We were so tired and sleepy that we both took a nap but I only slept a short time I needed to get dinner going.  I fix just about every meal this time.  Actually there are not many people here that even want to fix a meal for any set of missionaries very often.  I think that since they can't feed all three sets of missionaries at the same time they compromise and don't feed anyone.

     We did stop and visit with one of our inactive sister that had a valve in her heart fixed.  She told us that she was going to start going back to church.  I don't know if she made a promise other what she told us was that when she woke up she was here and that meant that she needed to come back to church.  Her family considers her active but we have never seen her at church.

     We have another less active that wants her children baptized in our church but takes them to the Baptist church because it is closer.  We don't know if she is married to the man that she is living with we really do hope so.  He is a very nice friendly man he is a farmer so he and Dad had a lot to talk about which was good.  Darla wanted to know if we could have a fireside (her words not mine) with all the members in Piggot, Greenway, Lafe, and Rector.  We can't see why not but we will have to visit with Pres. Milne to see if he is okay with that idea.  These families or individuals all have a long ways to travel to church.  She wants to know who the members are so there can be a support group in the (upper country) our term for the people who live a long way from Paragould.  It just becomes easier to stay home then to get a bunch of kids up and have to travel a long distance to go to church.  Most members that live a long ways away  do not have that kind of committment.

       The weather has been so warm and mild.  Who would have thought that it could be 70 or 66 degrees in the middle of January.  The Seniors keep telling us that this typical Arkansas winter weather, not what we had last year.  Bro. Lamb keeps saying that a cold bad winter was predicted and that we are only half way through winter so be prepared for the bad winter.  So far so good, this is already warmer then any time during last winter.  I now know why they said that we wouldn't need a heavy coat if this is what they normally have.  We have another week of good weather then we might cold temps again.

    The Sisters got a scare from a creepy man that lives above them.  The apartment manger doesn't want to tell the man to leave so the Sisters have decided that they are not going to stay in the apartment any longer then necessary.  The apartment above us will be empty soon but that means moving everything three stories upstairs.  We have already done that and it was not easy to move Bro. Lambs's brother upstairs.

     Well my dears we need to get this letter sent so I need to close.

                                                       Mom and Dad

12 January 2015

Dear Family,

      It's now 4:15 pm. Left at 7:00 am this morning to pick up the Jonesboro Sisters and head for the Memphis Temple. It was a full session of just missionaries, most of which are going home, tomorrow. Some of them we worked with last year when we were here. Good to see them and get to visit before and after the session. Sister Hill and her companion rode down with us. But Sister Hill is going to Little Rock for her release and her parents are picking her up there. Sister Howten rode back to Paragould with us and then joined up with the Sisters here, who will be her companions for two more days, when she will be transferred to Mississippi. None of the Paragould missionaries got transferred this week. Sunday will be stake Conference for our stake, meetings are 2 hours away, we think we will skip Saturday Meetings and just go to the Sunday Meeting. We don't want to drive all that way two days in a row.

     Last Monday we had our district P-day activity where Miss Arkansas Rice spoke to our District in jonesboro at Riceland foods. It ended up a really nice activity. Jenna Martin (Miss Rice 2013-2014) gave her presentation to us 12 missionaries. The Elders and Sisters are close to her age, so she really enjoyed being with them. We got a thank you letter from her today in the mail telling us how much she enjoyed the activity.

    Mom here: While we were at the temple waiting for our missionaries, I was visiting Sister Smith, they live in Albany.  They go to the wealthier ward in Albany.  They have 9 more weeks until they will go back home  We have 10 more weeks before we go home, so I think that we will be leaving about the same time.  Because March doesn't have any transfers, we will be about the only ones leaving from the mission.

     We got a stern talking to from our Branch President.  We have to make appointments to any one that we visit.  The missionaries have to decide which families they will be visiting and they are to visit only the ones that they have agreed to work with. This makes it hard for us because we visit any one who has a birthday or a 6 month birthday.  We don't always get inside but no one wants to go with out the cookies either.  The Sisters thought that he was talking to them, the Elders thought the same as we did .  I would almost rather be told straight out then the round about way.   So we are making more appointments.  One lady ran us all around Paragould before we finally caught up with her.  Someone complained to Pres Milne so he decided to fix the problem, if it really is a problem.

     We have been having typical Arkansas winter weather, at least that is what they tell us at the senior center.   Last year was not typical.  We did have a little freezing rain but by the time that church was out there was no ice any where and we just had rain.  We had rain most of the way to and from Memphis today.  It is warmer tho' hard to believe.  We have grey skies and rain it warms up but then it clears up and it is freezing cold.

     I am so tired that I can hardly even think of what to write.  Mostly we are doing our job delivering cookies for the birthdays and we have several people that we visit on a regular basis.  As far as going out with the Sisters or Elders that still hasn't really changed.  We did have a media referral but as soon as we deliver the Bible and Book of Mormon and leave our card, we are afraid that will be all we can do other then call back once in awhile. Love Mom and Dad

4 January 2015

Dear Family,

     We have to write tonight since tomorrow is already very full.  We work our shift at the Seniors, then come home and do a little housework and laundry then get ready for our adventure in Jonesboro.  All the missionaries in our District are excited that there something new planned for them.  Our fear is that someone will do something stupid and become offensive but we are hoping that they will be on their best behavior.  They are going to learn about rice.  Now that doesn't sound very exciting but I think that they are just happy to do something different.

     Dad lost his bet, gas in Jonesboro is now $1.94. Since that is under the $2.04 that gas was last week, he had to pay up.  He decided that the bet was off for the new year but on the last day of Dec. the price dropped.  It makes filling the tank full of gas a lot more enjoyable meaning the price of gas of course.

     We had a wonderful holiday season.  For New Years we were invited by the manager of Farm Credit to his home for a traditional southern New Years dinner.  We had the blackeyed peas, hog jawl, ham, turnip greens, sweet potatoes, cabbage cooked with bacon, butternut squash, corn bread, cornbread stuffing,and dill pickles that had chili peppers in it.  The dill pickles did not taste like dill they were so hot from the pepper that my tongue was burning.  I seemed to be the only one that was having a hard time.  The food was very good and most of it I could eat,  Dad of course could eat all of the dishes and enjoyed it all.  Mr. Holifield introduced us to everyone that was there.  There were two ladies that would not talk to us or have anything to do with us.  I got the feeling that they wondered what the Holifieds were thinking about to invite Mormon missionaries into their home.  Grandma tried to engage me in a religious discussion about baptism but since we were guests in the home I didn't feel that it would be proper thing to do.  Now if she were to invite us to her home that would be another matter.  We would take one set of missionaries with us.  She is a Nazarine they do not smoke, drink, or even serve coffee.  But they like sweet tea.  They are a very nice family and we enjoyed our time there.   They invited us to stay longer but we felt that we had stayed long enough and truth to be told I did not want to face a bunch of people talking about what they thought about the church.

     I didn't realize how many non-member friends that we have.  I am hoping that we have been able to influence them so that they will listen when they are approached by the missionaries.  All of them know that we are Mormon missionaries and they accept us without any problem.  During the Christmas holidays we spent a lot of time with our less active couple and the nonmembers.

     We are sending you a card in the mail that President Howard W. Hunter said at the Christmas Devotional.  We want you to read it and ponder what he said.  This will help you to become a better person if you will do what he has outlined.  When I first heard him say that in his talk I was so impressed and have never forgotten what he said.  So when I found it in the Ensign I wanted to share it with all of you.    

    Dad Here: Sunday was long here, I woke at 4:30 and listened to a session of conference then went back to bed. Got up got ready for meetings starting a 8:00. We had meetings after church and then went and helped a sister of the branch move to another apartment, we got home about 4:40 pm. As mom said tomorrow is going to be a big day so since we have a little time tonight we thought we had better get a letter off tonight. As I have mentioned to some of you already we have invited Miss Arkansas Rice 2014-2014 to speak to our Paragould Missionary District. There are 6 Elders, 4 Sisters and mom and me. We will meet at the Riceland Facility in Jonesboro which is the largest rice facility in the world(I think). Riceland has given to us their conference room for the meeting. Miss Arkansas Rice is a Senior in high school and her family has agreed to come from Hickory Ridge, Arkansas to speak to us. Her name is Jenna Martin. She spoke last year at the Annual Meeting of Farm Credit Midsouth in Jonesboro, which Mom and I attended. This could be a great experience or a bad experience. Tomorrow night we will know.

Love Mom and Dad