Hi Everybody,
This
month is almost gone and the other day I saw Christmas decorations in
Hobby Lobby! Oh no. Actually we're looking forward to the Christmas
break for a big reason....NMC!! No More Cooking!! Cornell's break is
nearly a full month and it all shuts down....the branch (we combine with
the ward during the holiday season because nearly everybody goes "home"
somewhere), institute, friday forum, and just about everything else we
cook for on a regular basis. We think we will make Christmas treats for
all the missionaries and anybody else we can find and we think we'll go
out and find places in the community to volunteer at, and we'll just do
about anything we can do to keep busy. But why are we talking about
Christmas? First is Halloween and then Thanksgiving (we're gearing up
our courage to go to NYC....the big city). And everyday there are all
the great things to do that missionaries get to do.
So here some of those great things we did this week....and you have to qualify the word great:
We
learned a new game called "Signs." It consists of sitting in a circle
and doing weird things and not getting caught. It was a blast!
Zone
Conference. There is strength in numbers! We learned all about Faith
and the awesome-ness of sharing the Gospel through social media. We
actually participated in a real live "lesson" on facebook and what was
amazing was the ability to feel the Spirit when all that's going back
and forth is typing. You Got Mail!!
Also that night we went to Rhoda's birthday party. She turned 7.
Rhoda's family gives the missionaries dinner once a week and since it's
far away to drive for missionaries with limited miles on their car, we
take the missionaries and are part of the dinner "party" as well. Eliza
(the Mom) is a gourmet cook and grows everything she cooks. Daniel's
(the Dad) sister was one of Dad's students at BYU before she went on her
mission. The family is rounded out with Dacia who is 4 and is a
fireball who loves missionaries. They live in the country and raise
beautiful chickens (never thought we'd find a beautiful chicken) and
last week a bear came through their property and made his way in the hen
house and dragged two 50 pound bags of chicken feed out into the yard!
We
went teaching with the Sisters last week. Can we tell you there is no
better experience than hearing someone pray for the first time in his
life! That's something we take for granted because we've grown up with
prayer as a part of our lives but when someone discovers personal prayer
for the first time, it's an amazing experience for them and for us as
participators.
We're
learning more about the power of the Book of Mormon than at any other
time in our lives.....particularly the things there that apply to us and
our day but especially all you kids (because obviously "our day" will
be shorter than yours:)). The war chapters of Alma are so important in
understanding how to prepare ourselves for this last great conflict
between good and evil. Stay true to the faith that your parents have
cherished! We feel a song coming on!!
We
have "discovered" the dreaded New York upper respiratory congestion (ie
a very uncommon cold) that everybody here says you have to get at least
once and then you'll never get it again because it doesn't dare hit you
twice. YUKKY!!!! I got it last week. Feel great one minute and awful
the next....sticks around for about 3 days and then goes as fast as it
comes. So unfortunately I shared it with Dad and it hit him yesterday
morning. Also unfortunately, we have to push through it and hope we
don't give it to anyone else...which meant Dad wasn't able to help with a
baby blessing today. Many of these students are so far away from
family and when things like this happen they always want to have a
grandpa figure to help out so he was sorry to not help. We did drive to
a fireside tonight in Owego where one of our adult institute members
talked about the Indians of New York and their relationships to the
Lamanites and he had tons of arrowheads and other artifacts. Was very
interesting.
Loved,
loved, loved the Women's Conference though I missed going with all of
you. Went with the branch though and our 2 brand new members and 1
investigator. All the missionaries are so excited for General
Conference to come. Will go to the Branch Presidents house on Sunday
first session and the rest will probably be at our house. So the time
zone difference means we have conference at 12:00 and 4:00 both days.
This is our 2nd General Conference in New York!
And
last of all, don't flood away there in Utah!! It sounds like you're
having upstate New York rain....we're not getting it. In fact our fall
has been gorgeous...temps in the low 70's, bright blue sky, amazing
colors of every tree imaginable. My favorite is the sumac bush. We
need to plant one of those when we get home!
So
on a weather note, we'll end! We feel settled here even though we
still miss all of you there and all of the things you're doing. We feel
your love and prayers and know that your goodness blesses our lives
even though we're far far away. Every chance you get, help out the
young missionaries....they're the real heroes in all this work. Find
them people to teach....not just nonmembers but also less actives and
actives as well. Your lives will be blessed for it. And feed them
every chance you get! Most of them aren't very good cooks:)!
Love you again and again and again!!
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