News from CAM March 27, 2017
Dear Loved Ones All,
Well, the hectic rush to get all the signatures and thoughts and pages from the Missionaries culminated in the presentation of a Memory Book for the Jamesons who have served in the Mission Office for 30 months. We had a Senior Couple FHE at the Mission Home on Monday evening. I was in charge of food assignments (Sister Jameson has done that in the past but she was frantically trying to get the new secretary, Sister Tomlinson, up to speed before departing for good on Wednesday. Thank goodness I had Elder Macbeth to man the computer sending out emails to everyone so that I didn’t have to continue making tons of phone calls. The Jamesons were delighted and I only had to go into the office on Tuesday to add a couple of photos when I took Sister Jameson’s favorite cookies for the last time. Even after all my checking there were a few missionaries who also had to go in on Tuesday to sign their names because somehow their zone leaders didn’t notice they hadn’t done it.
I went to the Family History Center Tuesday evening while Elder Macbeth worked with some of the bishopric. I am sad to say that every time I go Sister Carlsberg finds something that doesn’t add up on my ancestral lines. By the time we go home to Washington some of it can be straightened out.
We have done the usual phone calls, texts, and attempted visits this week. We are so excited when we are successful. One of our less active is a caretaker of a private school. We stopped by to see him and since he was working on a project that had a time crunch we scheduled to see him the next week. The school has a giant tree like the one that the missionaries have dubbed “The Tree of Life” because it is so enormous. The roots above the ground are almost as tall as I am. Brad and Becky’s children had fun playing hide and seek in them.
Wednesday after we served the homeless lunch at Mary’s Kitchen, we got to go to the Temple with the youth to do baptisms. Since there were more than enough sisters there to assist I went and did initiatory ordinances. Those are such beautiful blessings. Afterwards we went to Panera with Bother Bodily and he treated us to supper. It was a delightful interlude. When we got back I baked Devil’s Food cake mix cookies. Man is that an easy cookie to make. I made 60 cookies in about an hour start to finish. Well, that didn’t count sprinkling powdered sugar on them.
After a wonderful district meeting we handed out the cookies. They disappeared PDQ. Good thing I saved some out to take to the Mission Office for them to share. We didn’t have time to stop for lunch, but that was okay because our Hungarian Maria wanted to serve the elders and us dinner after we did our service for her. So we went early to take her to the store since she can’t drive anymore because she can hardly see. She wanted Kielbasa sausage with Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce and fresh sliced tomatoes served on rolls, chips and salsa, and cake. She also invited her neighbor to come since he doesn’t visit her if someone else isn’t there since she is a single woman. That is why we have to be there so the Elders can go do her yard. I cooked it and got it on the table and we had a short discussion about some questions she had concerning the Bible. Unfortunately she didn’t let the Elders know ahead of time so they had already had a huge lunch, and they had an appointment that they had to rush off too as soon as they had wolfed down their food. We and the neighbor stayed a little longer, but we too had to leave so we could get ready for the Book of Mormon class. There was a larger group than normal with 2 investigators there.
On Friday Elder Macbeth worked on our taxes and finances, something the young missionaries don’t have to do…well not taxes anyway. I also had to get Elder Macbeth’s help to fix the zipper on one of the missionary’s pants. The young elder was one of the Samoan missionaries and he was so funny when he was asking me if I could fix his pants. He held them all wadded up so that the zipper barely was visible and kept tucking them almost under his coat. I had to try really hard to keep from chuckling because he was embarrassed as it was. Several of the teeth were damaged so when Elder Macbeth finally got the zipper to close I had to stitched it about an inch up from the bottom so hopefully he can still get his pants on.
There is this little Mexican restaurant that the young missionaries introduced us to which has a $1.25 taco special on Fridays. I have wanted to go back and get their fish tacos again, so that’s where we went for lunch. Some of the Sister missionaries were there ordering tacos too, so we had a lovely quick lunch with them. When Elder Macbeth found out that they hadn’t paid for their tacos he picked up the tab for all of us…we need “feeding the missionaries” blessings too.
Saturday was our last turn to clean the church until it comes around again. I didn’t feel the greatest so it didn’t take too much convincing to stay in bed a little longer while Elder Macbeth went by himself. That is something that for sure the young missionaries can’t do. He also had the oil changed on the car since it has been flashing at us all week. When he got back we were able to actually catch a few people home before going to the church to watch the Women’s General Broadcast. It was definitely a spiritual feast and the music was outstanding. I am for sure going to watch it again. There was a light supper afterwards. While I was enjoying myself Elder Macbeth was in the clerk’s office working. When we got home the Samoan Sisters who live in our same complex came down to get the cookies which I saved for them since they no longer are in our zone. After scriptures and prayers I remembered I had promised the sister giving the R.S. Lesson I would make a handout for her, so Elder Macbeth helped me put one together to go with Elder Bednar’s conference talk, “If Ye Had Known Me.”
After last Sunday’s fiasco of trying to get ready in a hurry I had Elder Macbeth set the clock for 5:00 am. That really seemed early, but at least I was totally ready before I went out the door. Brother Ferriera asked if I could run off the bulletin and the itinerary for Ward Council since I was already going to the library to cut the handouts. Brother Pruitt had to wait for Bishopric meeting to get over to go to PEC so he came and helped fold the bulletins. He is the Ward Mission Leader, and he just had surgery on his throat so he hasn’t been able to speak above a whisper so he asked if I would give the lesson for Gospel Principles. It was on prayer, which was fantastic because that is what my R.S. lesson was on last week. So mostly I just had to read the lesson to make sure I knew what bases I needed to cover. Such a tender mercy. In ward council I was given the assignment to teach a dance for the stake International Dance Night coming up in April and to arrange for a food to go along with our dance. They/the Bishop mostly, decided that we will do the chicken dance (music is originally from Switzerland I guess but the dance was popularized in the U.S.) and to have a fondue as the food. I am searching for a way to make that show worthy. ??????? We got out of ward council in time to go to choir practice since the choir sang in sacrament meeting. The talks were very good and we didn’t sound too bad. My lesson went well and the time went by really fast. The teacher in R.S. did much better this month. She is just learning how to give a lesson and since English is her second language that is a major hurdle. People who learn another language are amazing.
Sunday evening we attended the Temple Preparation Class. The very first bishop of the Anaheim 4th Ward over 50 years ago was the teacher for the class. He had some very good insights even though he was following the course outline. I enjoyed being there very much.
Well, that is enough for one letter. Here’s wishing you all a fabulous week filled with lots of great experiences topped off with General Conference this coming weekend.
Love, Sister and Elder Macbeth. Go! Fight!! WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! J
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