Week 72...Fall is in the Air

October 20, 2014

I can't believe another week has gone by and it is Monday again.  Things have been pretty much the same here.  That is crazy that you ran into Elder M at the Bountiful temple.  Yep, he was the AP and he did pick me up from the airport when I arrived in Pittsburgh.  I am glad you liked Meet the Mormons, what’s there not to like…we’re likeable people J  I envision you as the coach’s wife as she is sitting on the sideline at the game having a nervous breakdown for her husband.  In reality, that is you as you freak out watching the game when our Cougs are not doing so hot.  Also, you made mention that Penn State’s next 2 games are home games. This weekend is going to be a nightmare because they are playing Ohio State.  Ohio State is their big rival.  Unfortunately, Penn State is not very good this year so it is going to be a rough game for them.  Luckily, the game starts at 8 pm so we will be at our apartment for the bulk of the game.  The downside is everyone starts getting drunk in the early afternoon for the night games so it will be interesting to see how it goes. 

 

You had quite the find in my snowboard boot J  I bet Boris got a good laugh out of watching you open the box and finding a mouse.  Sounds like you’ve had quite a busy week again…fall cleaning, the garage and UEA.  Wow, I am in for lots of changes.   The house is going to be a new sight when I get home.  I swear people do odd things when their children are on missions.  You are not the first that I have heard doing lots of random things while their kids are on missions.  Impressive that Gladys almost has a parking spot in the garage.  Well I guess I better answer your questions. 

1. How are things with you and Elder R?  Is he still with you?  Things are going well.  We are still together but we are both thinking it will only a few more weeks before he leaves.  No official word yet though.   He is hoping to hear something this week.  We will see what happens.  Other than that we are doing good.  We are still getting along great and he is progressing nicely with his Chinese and doing great in teaching lessons. 
2. Any mission business going on this week?  Nope, pretty boring until December when we have zone conference again. 
3. How's the weather?  I bet the fall colors are beautiful, get some pics if you can.  Well, it has been kind of rainy and cold the past few days.  On top of that the wind has been blowing and so it makes it that much colder.  I will get some pictures of stuff and email some to you next week. 
4. Did you get the package?  Yes and of course I loved the package.  We are going to use the Five Guys & Coldstone gift cards for lunch after we’re finished emailing.  Elder R really appreciated you including a Halloween treat box for him J Thanks again. 
5. How was your week?  What were the highs/lows?  Well this week was kind of slow week.  However, we are at least staying steady and keeping busy as much as we can.  We had exchanges this past week on Tuesday.  Exchanges were good and I stayed here in our area.  Unfortunately, we didn’t really have any lessons to teach but we kept ourselves busy so that was good.  We have another exchange tomorrow so that will be good.  Another high was that we had some members bring their neighbor across the hall from them to church yesterday.  She really liked it and I think she is planning on coming back again.  The low has probably been the weather.  Like I said, it has been kind of rainy and cold, but that is PA for you.  At least there is no snow yet. 
6. Were the pictures & info I sent on family history helpful?  Yes, I loved the family history stuff you sent.  I loved reading the 2 stories you included on your gma Ivie and dad’s gpa Lindsay.  Boy, those two stories certainly emphasize the fact that our families come from two completely different walks of life.  I knew that your gma Ivie lived a simple life, but I had no idea the extent of the humble circumstances that she grew up with and the life that gpa Lewy grew up with.  It’s easier for me to now understand why she was so frugal and re-used everything she had.  I think it would be kind of cool to be the fly on the wall and go back and see how she lived on the farm in Alton, UT.  Her story reminds me of Pres. Uchtdorf’s talk Grateful in Any Circumstances https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/grateful-in-any-circumstances?lang=eng  It reminded me that I have much to be grateful for and how blessed we are.  Even though she endured much and her afflictions were great she chose to focus on the positive.  Not once did I ever read complaints about her life nor did she focus on the hardships.  She focused on the positive, her family and served other like no one I’ve ever known and that’s how she was remembered.  I really liked what she would always tell her boys about her work at the state mental hospital.  She said, "work a month at the state hospital and you will be grateful for the life that you live and have."  That is a good philosophy to live by.  She was an amazing woman and I wish I could have had the chance to get to know her more and hear more of her stories.  I was almost 7 when she died yet I still remember her garden and collecting cornstalks, gourds and mini pumpkins and selling them for spending money.  Family history is the link to our roots.  Keep the info coming, please!
7. Did you get new shoes?  How are they?  Yes, I got them last week.  Hopefully this will be the last pair that I have to buy.  They are good, it’s just   a bummer trying to break them in and having to walk everywhere while breaking them in. I have some blisters again on the back of my foot. 
8. How are things with the members?  Any fun stories?  On Saturday we had dinner at a member’s house with a lot of missionaries.  It was us and 3 other companionships.  It was a good time.  I can now say that I have had gumbo, which is actually pretty good.  Also, on Thursday night at our dinner appointment some members invited people over from a class at school that are from Taiwan.  Elder r was able to get some good practice with his Chinese. 
9. How are things with your investigators?

• W?  She is doing well.  She is kind of a hard person to teach.  She is learning a lot from an academic stand point but it is kind of hard to get her to do anything and help her have a belief in God. We may have to drop her here soon
• YL?  We had a lesson with her and husband.  They are awesome and they seem to have great potential.  We’ll continue to work with them.  The hardest thing is their English. It isn’t great so we need someone that speaks Chinese to come with us because Elder R can’t communicate completely with them.  We are hoping to see them again this week as well.
• B? Not really sure what’s up with him.   We have not seen or heard from him in a few weeks.  So hopefully this week we can see him.

10. Any new leads?  No not really.  A bunch of people in the ward are trying to get friends to meet with us but it is all still in the process of being worked out.  Hopefully some things will come from it. 
11. Whatever happened with the guy that you met on the bus that lives in your complex?  Nothing really.  We just stop by occasionally to see how his BOM reading is going.  We haven’t really pursued much with him and he is with the University sisters if he takes the lessons. 
12. What are 5 positive things from your week?  1)  I was working online with family search and I was able to accomplish something.  I added a husband to someone down the Ivie line I think.  It was kind of fun.  Hopefully everything was done right.  You’re not kidding when you say it is a full time job.  Now that I have kind of figured things out maybe I can find another person to add in.  2) Some members invited their neighbor across the hall to come to church and she actually came.  Hopefully we will start teaching her soon.  
13. Any other news or stories you'd like to share?  In Pres. Johnson’s  email today official word came that we are supposedly getting iPads in January or February!!!  The wait is finally over and the unknown is finally over.  Also I was emailing Pres. W (Ridgway branch Pres.) and he said that a bunch of less actives just went to the temple to receive their endowments a few weeks ago.  I was so impressed and very happy.  The biggest news in his email was about Sis B (a less active) that lives with S & N.  I love her dearly and we were able to help her become reactivated.  The great news is she’s going to the temple to receive her endowment in November on their stake temple day.  You have no idea how excited that news makes me.    Unfortunately, her husband has got some work to do, but I know at some point he can make it and eventually they can be sealed!!!!!!  :)  That news makes one happy missionary.
14. Tell me about the ward?  Who's the bishop...young or old?  His name is Bro. F.  He is probably about your age or a little older.  I think his oldest child is at BYU.  Hmm…about the ward.  Well, like I said most of them are super young families that are at Penn State for grad programs.  I can tell you that if you were in this ward you would be a busy woman making blankets.  The compassionate service lady has a full time job, especially in the next few weeks. There are 2 babies due in about 3 weeks.  So there are lots of babies and lots of kids.  There are 30 kids in the nursery and they have 3 nurseries.  Yeah, lots of little kids, what more can I say. 
15. What are you studying right now?   Christ just came to the Americas.  I am at the point where he is giving the new and improved Sermon on the Mount.      

Well, another week in the books.  Thanks for all of your love and support and everything that you do for me.  Love you tons!!!

Elder Muir