a very busy 3rd week of the mission

We love relaxing in our cozy little apartment at the end of a long day.

Here are a fewof  the things we've been up to this week ...

On Monday evening, we attended an orientation meeting in the mission home for missionaries who arrived from the MTC that afternoon, and were introduced to them as the new missionary housing co-ordinators. Tuesday was transfer day, where new companionships are formed, and the new missionaries are teamed up with their trainers.  The missionaries who are being transferred bring us the stuff they don't need anymore -- a lot of which we donated to the Goodwill store.

After checking out a new missionary apartment in Geneva and meeting with the landlord, we met at Elder and Sister Jensen's apartment (which will be our apartment in 2 weeks) in Brockport for our district meeting.

Elder Hulse had us do a little activity, making a tall building out of toothpicks and marshmellows,and seeing whose structure would stay standing the longest. The object lesson went along with this scripture:"And now, my sons, remember, that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation..." (Helaman 5:12)

Our pathetic looking marshmellow building toppled over after a few minutes.

We were very busy for the remainder of the week, including Saturday, involved in moving two sets of missionaries and a new senior couple into their new apartments.  It was work, but fun at the same time.

Of course, we couldn't do it without the help of these wonderful Elders.  Here they are relaxing after moving the furniture into the apartment for the new senior couple.

On the drive home to Palmyra on Saturday, the snow showers got heavier.

Don't know what we'd do without our Garmin. There's no way we could get around without it.

Here's what we woke up to this morning!  This is the view from our back window -- the Sacred Grove. Our mssionary apartment is on the site of the  Joseph Smith farm.

We got what looked like a foot of snow.

Speaking of the Sacred Grove -- our mission president, Jack Christianson, took us on a wonderful tour of it, along with a recent convert, Steve, who is from my home state of Rhode Island. We were the only ones in the Grove, and deeply felt the special spirit of this sacred place, where the Father and the Son appeared to Joseph Smith.

There are two types of trees in the grove, "witness trees", and in President C.'s opinion, "character trees".  The tree pictured above, is very old and was in the grove at the time of the FirstVision -- therefore, it is called a "witness" tree.

The following trees are just a few of many "character trees"-- trees which teach life lessons.

This huge tree toppled over because its roots were too shallow, due to the water logged ground it stood in.  As it went down, it took many other smaller trees down with it. President C. says we must sink our roots deep into Gospel soil, through daily prayer and scripture study.

This tree's main trunk suffered some sort of stress that made it grow  crooked. A supporting branch grew to strenghen it, so it could continue to grow. We likewise support and sustain each other in times of trial.

The Sacred Grove is such a beautiful place, even in the dead of winter. We look forward to seeing it in all the seasons.