special March visitors

Wendy R., our Bishop's wife and her sweet daughter Bailey flew in from Texas, for a very quick visit to celebrate Bailey's 12th birthday. We had so much fun spending the morning with them touring some of the historical Church sites in Palmyra. We were so happy to be with some of our Friendswood 2nd Ward family. (Miss y'all!)

We were also treated to a visit with our sweet daughter Jessica, who also flew in from Texas. It does the heart good to be with family. After seeing Niagara Falls, we spent the next two days touring the wonderful Church sites in the "Cradle of the Restoration". Here we are in front of the Joseph Smith Log Home, before we took a little hike through the Sacred Grove.

The last stop on our second day was the Hill Cumorah Visitor's Center.

These two wonderful visits were the only breaks we've had (besides Sundays), in an extremely busy month of March (as well as Jan. and Feb.,--during which 6 other apartments had to be found), involving many set-ups of new missionary apartments (total of 8 if you include the last week of February and the first week of April). We've had to really scramble to find new apartments to accommodate the huge influx of missionaries, due to the recent change in the ages at which the young men and women can serve (18,now for men, and 19 for women).

So after Jessica left, it was back to work. Here I am packing kitchen stuff for one of the missionary  apartments while Carl (Elder Ellis) is loading the car with all the small household stuff.  Meanwhile, the two Assistants to the President, Elder Harris and Elder Olsson are loading the mission moving van with the furniture, which is in the mission storage sheds or in our temporary storage, the mission president's garage. We've had so much bedding and furniture to get that President Christianson barely has room for his car in the 3 car garage. Boy, will he be glad when all these moves are done.

Now, we're not in this for any payment or reward. We do this because we volunteered to serve the Lord in any way He needed us. But there are sweet rewards -- one of which happened just last Sunday, when our Rochester Stake was treated to a special visit by an Apostle of the Lord, Elder David Bednar.  One of my pre-mission wishes was that I would get to shake the hand of an Apostle while out here serving a mission. That wish came true, as he shook my hand, looked into my eyes and told me "thank-you" for my missionary service.

Next weekend, we get to hear him, and other General Authorities bear their special witness of the Lord Jesus Christ and give us very timely and inspired counsel that will bring peace and happiness as we heed their words and apply them to our lives. Tomorrow is Easter Sunday, and how grateful Carl and I are for our Savior and His Gospel that has been restored upon the earth.  He is risen and He lives and loves us more than we can comprehend!