Hi Everybody,
I
think the subject line of this is a Primary song or something. "Oh
what do we do in the summertime when all the world is green." We will
miss the green when we leave upstate NY! But we've forgotten what
mountains look like too so it will be a trade of beauty for beauty.
We've had a glorious weather week here and at the risk of having the
weather be a topic of this email, this past week has made up for all the
winter and rain and cloudy skies of the past 16 months. How about low
70 degree weather and brilliant blue skies and white fluffy clouds and
NO humidity! It was tempting to just go play this week but we didn't
except that the little patio was a great place to read and study for
Institute lessons. And night was in the 50's so it was perfect for
sleeping (if only we weren't old and could actually sleep all night!).
This is also high season for many of the literally fields of
wildflowers.
OK.....Last
Friday we walked out of a house with the missionaries about 8:00 at
night and their was a hint of fall in the air and we realized that you
all will be getting ready to go back to school. Time is passing us by
and we need to stop and take time to smell all those flowers.
But....starting our week's reporting backwards.....Saturday was a branch
social on Senaca Lake (we've written about being there before) and we
did take the time to just sit on the dock or on the deck and watch the
sailboats on the Lake and the ducks and the paddle boats and the branch
"kids" swim and jump off the peak of the boat house into the water and
be pulled around behind the boat on a New York version of Big Bertha
(that one made us a bit homesick). And we did really good at not
telling the young parents there to put life jackets on their kids....had
to sit on that one!
This
has been a week with CES assignments.....trying to finish up our
on-line summer classes and the the Church had a Church wide CES
broadcast training that was absolutely the best 2 hours ever. This
Seminary and Institute program of the Church is so inspired and it's
absolutely crucial for the kids to go to Seminary (and Institute). One
of the wonderful talks centered around how the Seminary and Institute
will support the Church's initiative on Sabbath Day observance. Then
Elder Clark, CES Commisioner of Education and newly called Quorum of the
70 concluded. One thing that he said just completely stood out:
"Whatever goodness we now have, it will not be sufficient for what is
ahead. What does God want me to do? Put on the WHOLE armor of God,"
and he challenged us to ask the following, very, very simple questions:
What am I doing today that I need to stop doing and What am I not doing
that I need to start doing?
And
still going backwards to the beginning of the week. We had an inspired
Mission Conference....supposedly the first one that they've had in this
mission for 3 years. It's so fun to watch all the missionaries get
together with their companions and friends they haven't seen for months
and "catch up" on areas and wards and branches loved and left. They
give each other strength and President Rogers challenged them to renew
their faith and commitment and work harder and more efficient and
receive the miracles that come from exact obedience. When he was
talking about commitments, it reminded us of all of you....people often
ask us why our kids are so good (notice we didn't say perfect) and we
think that is in part because of your willingness to made and keep
commitments. Thanks for making us proud of you all!!
We
began the week with a district activity that culminated with a district
lunch at the local pizza place and wouldn't you know it, some of the
misssionaries "forgot" their wallets. Does that sound familiar???
We're pretty soft touch. So all in all this was another busy and good
week that also included more moving of members from one apartment to
another (luckily no third floors this week) and paperwork necessary to
turn over our assignment to another senior couple....who we don't know
if they've been called yet...and other ticky tack things like doing a
new foyer bulletin board for the Church that someone said hasn't been
changed for around 10 years. That meant a trip to Hobby
Lobby----yay!!!! A shopping trip that wasn't to a grocery store!
Y'all
have a great week....make the most of these last few days of summer
vacation (depending on whether you're the parent or the child). Stay
close to each other and help each other and love each other. The
unexpected passing of Bishop Oliver has sobered us to the importance of
loving and serving each other all the days of our lives so there are no
regrets. Let's make our time on this earth count for goodness.
HUGS AND MORE HUGS and we love you all!!!!!!
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