August 21, 2017

Although we weren't in an area for a total eclipse, we were excited we had glasses to watch it happen here in Southern Maryland!  Here is our eclipse watching party with a couple of friends!  Glad we got our glasses ahead of time to see what was happening!
        Last night we really enjoyed attending the "Why I Believe" fireside at the Visitor's Center at the temple.  The main speakers were Thurl Bailey and his wife, Sindi.  It was so fun to hear their story, how they met and how he was converted to the church.  These inspiring firesides are for the missionaries and their investigators, and so wonderful to be able to go to - it was packed, standing room only!  And what makes it great for the Baileys is that their son is serving his mission here right now and this was where Thurl grew up.  This is one of the special experiences we have had here in the Washington D.C. North Mission.

We have been keeping busy with plenty of sisters to visit and help, while also enjoying the activities of all three wards we are a part of - keeps us hopping.

This is a very sweet sister we visited at the care center this week.  Then we loved meeting Elder Rowley's family who came out to tour his mission last week.  Sister Labtic cooked them her popular crabs and what a feast they had - so glad we were invited too!
     We helped with the Memorial Service a week ago for a sweet sister (only 42 years old), who died from a brain tumor - leaving her husband and 4 children (3 still at home!)  It was such a special service - most of the people wore purple (her favorite color), and such nice tributes were paid to her.  We were glad we could be a part of it.

We had fun at the White Plains Beach party, with a good attendance, great food and a lot of activities for the young people.  Everyone seemed to have a great time!
              

And along our travels every day we see many interesting sites, such as these.  The flowers are beautiful here in Maryland, lining the streets near Chesapeake Bay.  There has been a lot of rain lately, so the toadstools are abundant as well!

 We stopped by the Farmer's market one day for some fresh tomatoes and homemade zucchini bread (we avoid cooking ourselves!)  It is fascinating to see these people and how they provide for themselves through their farm produce and baking.  I love their horse and buggy transportation, but would rather leave it to them!  We usually travel over 100 miles a day in our visiting - it would take us a long time in a horse and buggy!

Then we met this sweet sister and her Irish Wolf hound dog - he was "sweet" too!  We  see lots of dogs - everyone has a dog - but this is the largest I've seen!!          

We went to the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. this week for our "P" day, and it was an experience I won't forget.  How sobering to think of what the Jewish people suffered during this time.  We toured through the building, saw some of the films, and took our time reflecting on the European nations involved in these atrocities, even visited with a Holocaust survivor. 

 This is a mock crematorium where the corpses were cremated after the gas chambers - such horrific sights!
       We also went into the American History Museum, enjoyed the display the church has put there in the new display of "Religions in America".  There were a lot of interesting things to see in this museum as well, but a much more positive and uplifting feeling, for sure!

 

It has been a busy, but very rewarding couple of weeks - in all aspects.  I feel so blessed that I am able to share my love of the Gospel and of the Savior with others as we serve the sisters here in Southern Maryland.  It is a wonderful opportunity and experience!  Have a great week, and remember -  our Savior loves you!

August 6, 2017

What a terrific treat a week ago to have Maurie, Christy and their family here in my mission area!  They spent most of their trip seeing some of the many historical sites in Philadelphia and Washington D.C., but I felt fortunate to be able to spend a little bit of time with them also.  They were able to do baptisms in the temple, while I enjoyed being with Brandon and Sarah.  Then we were able to get together with them on Saturday at Stacie's place for a barbeque, and Sunday for church.

Outside the temple

Brandon and Sarah at Visitor's Center

At Stacie's for barbeque

This week has been a good week also, although not like having my family here for a few days!  We enjoyed taking the sister missionaries (Calvert Ward) to dinner one night, since we can't have them come clear to Waldorf for dinner!   Sister Thompson and Sister Maybe - such terrific and hard-working sisters!  We love working with them!   We also had an awesome experience at Stake temple day on Thursday, doing several different ordinances there for names I had recently found!  Stake temple day is pretty special when we meet all together in the large Priesthood room on the top (7th) floor of the temple (most temples don't have this special Priesthood room in them) and hear our Stake President and the temple president and his wife speak to us.  It is so wonderful to feel the strong spirit that is there!!

Sisters Thompson and Maybe

Stake temple day - Aug. 3rd

We have been busy visiting the sisters in the Calvert and Bayside areas these past couple of weeks - focusing more on those who have special needs.  One sister we visit has Pancreatic cancer, with very little family to help her out.  Others have had recent surgeries, or need support in their emotional or physical health.  We love visiting Sister Gordy who has Alzheimers, but seems to know who we are when we come anyway, remembers us at church each week.
          The Bayside Ward has quite a few sisters who live right by the Chesapeake Bay, so it is great getting to see such beautiful scenery as well as getting to know such very special sisters.

Chesapeake Bay

Farm equipment used by Dr. Mudd

Dr. Mudd's buggy

       So Saturday (for our P day) we finally made it back to Dr. Samuel Mudd's house, which turned out to be very interesting and a great learning experience.  He is the one who fixed John Wilkes Booth's leg as he was escaping from assassinating Pres. Lincoln - quite a story.  Some don't believe he was in on the conspiracy, others do, but after he helped so many in the prison survive malaria, he was pardoned after 4 years.  '

             DeLos would have loved seeing this farm equipment used 150 years ago - very interesting!  He was a real Civil War buff, loved reading history books on the Civil War and Pres. Lincoln, so I am glad we were able to go to these historical sites near where we live.

Desk made by Dr. Mudd

              

Bed where Booth's leg was set

We also saw the Mary Surratt house, where  Booth went on his escape route.  She was hung for her part in the conspiracy to kill Pres.Lincoln.                                                                                       

Surratt House

Well, it has been a terrific two weeks - that's about how often I get around to writing this blog.  I love being here is this area of such historical significance, but most of all I love the members of the church I am getting to know here, feeling of their love of the Gospel, and seeing the strength of the members here in Maryland.  The Gospel is true wherever you are, and it is so wonderful to feel the influence of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in members' lives and to also feel how much it means to them to be members of the Church!  I am so grateful to have this experience and opportunity, and to be able to serve the Lord.   Thank you for your love and support!  Have a great week!

July 23, 2017

 

Birthday flowers & cards

We have been very busy with the work here, meeting so many new sisters and finding out how we can best serve them.  We were able to show one sister how to listen to the scriptures and conference talks on her tablet, which helps her keep her mind on something besides her cancer!  The sister we visit in Calvert Ward who has Alzheimers seems to remember us each week as we visit her and now feels comfortable sitting with us in Relief Society.  I think her husband enjoys the visits more than she does as he tells us their many stories and recalls the good times!  Life presents so many challenges!

We met with Sister Smith this week, the new Stake Relief Society president, and she asked us to focus mostly on the Calvert and Bayside Wards, which are both on the peninsula to the east of where we live (30 to 40 mile drive), but we love it.  We have already met some wonderful sisters over there and are enthused about helping out where we can.  Five new families have just moved into the Calvert Ward, brings new excitement to the area!  We help with a few sisters in White Plains, but hope the Relief Society sisters there will continue to fellowship and work with those we have been working to activate.

Kennedy Center

So last weekend I had a wonderful time celebrating my birthday with two of my daughters (Stacie and Cori) and my companion, Sister Brown.  We went to dinner, then to see "The Sound of Music" at the beautiful Kennedy Center.  It was so great to see and enjoy - all the music we love so much.  Then I was able to go to Stacie's to celebrate with her cute children and Cori before Cori had to fly back to her own family in Colorado.                 

Birthday Dinner and celebration

Such a special time!  This is one of the great things about being on a mission as a Senior - being able to see family when the opportunity arises!  These are wonderful memories for me to have while serving here!

Opening presents with Isla and Liam

With Isla on boat

Esme - so happy!

Liam on boat

Birthday celebration with Cori and Stacie (and Esme)

 Our White Plains Ward had a Relief Society social at Sister Topper's house this week, a Pool Party.  It was fun to see the sisters getting to know each other better since the two wards merged into one a few weeks ago.

Pool Party at Sis. Topper's house

    

And we love seeing so many interesting things in our travels each day - the beautiful flowers and animals everywhere (deer, squirrels and turtles!)

Crepe myrtle

Save the Turtles!

Yes, we have seen turtles crossing the road, along with ducks and all their baby ducklings!

The Lord has blessed me in so many ways while on this mission - I recognize His hand in so many things each day, answers to prayers for the sisters we are praying for, as well as for my family.  I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve here in the Washington D.C. North Mission, for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the blessing of sharing it with others each day!  Have a great week!

July 9, 2017

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!

What a great time and place to celebrate our nation's birthday here in Washington D.C.  We were able to watch a fun firework show over the Patuxent River with friends from our White Plains ward on July 1st, then go to Washington D.C. with Stacie and David to see the firework show there from the grounds of the White House on the Fourth!  What a celebration it was, and how fun to feel a part of the excitement there - and to see the faces of Liam and Isla as the fireworks went off!

David, Stacie, Liam & Isla

Marta and myself by the White House

The White House at night

View from lawn of the White House

The week before we said "Good-bye" to Elder Rowley with a farewell dinner at the Labtic's place, yummy!  Then the following day we were able to go to the temple with the elders who were leaving the next day for home, after serving so faithfully for 2 years here in the Washington D.C. North mission.  What a special group of Elders!  I have really enjoyed getting to know Elder Rowley and working with him.

Dinner with Elders at the Labtics

At the temple with departing Elders

 After a busy week of visiting and looking for many sisters in our two areas (White Plains and Calvert), we were blessed to meet up with a dear friend and daughter who were visiting here from Utah, Susan and Whisper Saltzman.  We were able to go to dinner and a concert of the Washington D.C. Mormon Orchestra playing at the Visitor's center on the temple grounds.  Such a treat!

At Visitor's Center with Susan and Whisper

With view of temple

Whisper was one of my students way back in 2nd grade about 10 years ago, now has graduated with many awards and scholarships to get her through college - a very talented girl, and her sweet mother has been such a good friend for many years!  So fun to see them here!  And the temple is always so beautiful, but the sunset view of it is especially nice!

 I feel so blessed to be able to serve my Father in Heaven here at this time and in this place! Remember the Savior loves you, and I do too, and have a great week!  

June 26, 2017

   How great it was last weekend to have Elder Brent H. Nielson of the Seventy visit our mission for a tremendous mission conference, and he was the visiting authority for the Suitland Stake Conference as well. He and his wife were so interesting to listen to and feel of their spirit, I could have listened to them for many more hours.  It was very special to meet them individually and feel the love they have for missionaries and missionary work.

        We have had a very busy week with the two White Plains wards merged into one and trying to help our Relief Society president get to know the sisters she has not previously known, as well as locate sisters who have been lost.  What a challenging responsibility she has now with about 400 sisters in the ward (at least on the ward record!)  So along with the visiting and looking for other sisters, we have had organizational meetings, as well as meeting with the ward mission leader and missionaries to see how to be more productive with the work here.

        How fun to have Maurie and Christy be able to come for a visit this week - it has been so great to have them here for a few days.  While they were here, we were able to tour the FBI building in Washington D.C. with Stacie - the lighting made it hard to get a good picture inside, but it was very interesting learning about all the FBI does!  

With Stacie in FBI Building

Maurie & Christy

Washington D.C.Temple

       Then it was so nice going to the temple with Maurie and Christy - in the temple where Christy was sealed to her parents 37 years ago!  What a special place it is for them as well as me!  I love each time I am able to be in this beautiful and holy place, especially with family! 

        After doing apartment inspections of the elders Friday we met with the new Stake Relief Society president who assigns us our areas.  She is getting use to her own responsibilities, and she knows we are keeping plenty busy for now, so we will probably stay as we are for awhile.  I was glad Maurie and Christy were able to see part of Washington D.C. that day - sounds like they saw a lot of places Friday, without my help!

At Mount Vernon

Along the Potomac River

        Then Saturday we were able to spend the morning with them at Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, one of my favorite places to visit!   I know George Washington was divinely inspired in so many ways with the founding of America.   He was such a great leader and helped make it possible for us to enjoy the great freedoms we have in this country today!  Because of our "founding fathers" America became a fertile place for the gospel of Jesus Christ to be restored to the earth, where there was freedom to worship as we please. What a wonderful blessing this is, one I hope never to take for granted! 

         I loved having Maurie and Christy come to our White Plains Ward and meet some of the great people I have grown to love here, and to have the people here meet my kids! (well some of them!)  It was our first time with both wards meeting all together, so it was a large turnout!   After giving them some lunch in our very simple apartment, we drove to D.C. to see a few of the memorials they had not yet had time to see - the Lincoln Memorial, World War II and VietNam Memorials.  It was a very special day to spend with Maurie and Christy, and hard to say "good-bye" !   It is so good to know they are taking care of everything at home for me!  

Lincoln and Washington Memorials

       Now, back to work!  Searching for the lost, and those who are seeking for the truth!  I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ and want to share it with everyone I meet - active, inactive, members, and nonmembers!  I am so grateful for this wonderful opportunity!   Love to you all!