Transferred

The news for this blog is that we are being transferred to the mission office. Sis. Farnsworth will be the secretary to the MP (that is missionary speak for Mission President aka the boss, the man in charge) and I am to be the financial secretary for the mission. Sis. Farnsworth's new assignment seems to be very challenging, mine not so much. I do look out my window onto a golf course so that will take some of my daydreaming time, just kidding. We are both very excited about the new assignment. In addition to the mission office, we are assigned to a ward in the Bronx. Look out for my New Yaacck accent in my next bloug. We thought we would be here for at least a year, because or lease on our apt. is for one year. The Lord thought otherwise and we are on our way to Scarsdale (of diet fame) NY. It will be great to work with the AP's and the MP on a regular basis and I am sure in the ward missionary efforts in addition to our daily assignment. We will be closer to the city so it should be fun. We have really great apartment here with a washer and dryer and 2 bedrooms and study along with about 800 sf. and basically brand new. We are going to a 25 yr. old apartment with laundry facilities in the basement. I think we are both past the time when we like a community laundry facility. We will have to see what we can figure out.

As we look back on our experience here, it has been a hard working and gratifying experience where we have seen the full mission challenges that the young elders get to have. I can't say it has been fun, but I can say we have grown from it. As a matter of fact, I can say that there have been some downright discouraging days that we wouldn't trade for anything. The MP says that after 4 months life gets better and it is working out that way. We get discouraged primarily when our appointments juke us, dog us, don't tell us they won't be there, whatever you want to call it. We set up a full day and sometimes no one keeps the appointment. Nothing new to the veteran missionary, but we get to learn those lessons too. We have had our most fulfilling experiences with new members and less activies. Sis. Farnsworth befriended 2 older sister, one 93 and one 76. The one who is 93 was the first person in New Paultz to allow missionaries from our church to rent from her. She has 93 years on her body, but her mind works better than mine. She has a 89 year old brother who she is close to and a 60 plus year old son who she is estranged from and no one cares too much about her. Now she has Sis. Farnsworth as her friend and her life will not be the same. It amazes me how many older people back here have no one to care about them or for them. We have also been working with a young family to have regular, quality family home evenings. They have a big black Lab that Joe, their son, has a special relationship with and I have put a picture in the blog for you all to see.

In the 70's when I was in High School, everyone wanted to know if you went to Woodstock. It was the height of the Hippie movement. I had not of course, but I have now. I can legitimately say that I was at Woodstock as you can see by the picture above. Just a little side light for those above 55.

It is just a whole lot of different things we are doing some wonderful and some not so much. It will be hard to tell all the stories on the blog, needless to say they are times we shall treasure when we look back on them. There is something about hard work that amplifies the memory of the experience.

Pres. Miles please encourage the senior members of our stake to serve missions, they are so needed. Just their experience and leadership can be used literally every where. I am more convinced that if the Savior is to return soon it will be because we, the church, have learned that we are here to share the gospel to the world and nothing else really matters!!

I'll get down off my soap box for now. Please know that we love you all and keep praying for us, we need it.