Sunday, May 14, 2023

Facebook Posts (Weeks One through Four in Arkansas)

As a quick way to update my family and friends about our mission (since I was still back in early March on the blog), I decided to post some text and pictures on Facebook.  Most of the pictures I have already posted within the blog but I wanted to capture the text--(if you have seen the Facebook, no reason to reread--it is better with the pictures!)

Week One:  (April 18)

What is life like for us as missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Arkansas Bentonville Mission? We have been here one week and it feels like it has been non-stop since we arrived--with meeting people, learning our assignments and responsibilities, attending meetings, preparing scripture study classes, planning meals...the list goes on! The best is meeting the young single adults in our area both in Ft. Smith and in Clarksville and interacting with the young missionaries-elders and sisters- in the Ft. Smith Zone. They have all made us feel so welcomed and loved! Thanks to them.

And did you know how beautiful northwest Arkansas---we are loving the scenic byways, the trees, and the Ozarks mountains!
Some pictures of the past week.....

Week Two:  (April 26)

Week Two in the Arkansas Bentonville Mission--Ft. Smith, Arkansas
This past week, we did our first round of apartment inspections which for us was spread over three days and about 500 miles. It also meant that we got to explore some of the scenic byways and small towns in western Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma.
The best part was meeting and interacting with the amazing elders and sisters assigned to serve in our zone of the mission. They are all awesome. For those who don't know, elders can be between 18-24 years old and usually serve for 2 years. Sister are between 19-24 and serve for 18 months. They all pay their own way or have help from family and friends. They sacrifice the typical stuff of early adulthood to serve our Savior and to bring others the fullness of His gospel and all of the ordinances He has for us on this earth.
It is a privilege to be with them and to be taught by them.

Week Three: (May 3)

I am not sure that I am really going to post weekly about senior mission life in Arkansas Bentonville Mission, but it is a fast way to keep family and friends updated...who don't want to read my blog...so here is Week Three in Ft. Smith, AR.
We had a zone meeting together prior to transfers on last Friday...already saying goodbye to missionaries we just met. We will miss them.
We had a Stake YSA Easter Egg Hunt, BBQ and fireside in Eastern Oklahoma. That was awesome.
We did the usual things with dinners and Institute classes in Ft. Smith and Clarksville.
Monday, we headed out to a nearby cemetery to take pictures of recent gravestones to add to Find a grave and family search.
And right now we are in southern Missouri on winding roads to go to Branson for a senior missionary district meeting for two days. We are so blessed!

And Week Four: (May 12)

Week four: a week with Institute classes and awesome missionary meetings.
We even had a two day trip to Branson, MO to meet with three other senior missionary couples who are serving with young adults as well. We had meetings together but also saw Queen Esther play on the huge Sights and Sounds theatre, the Haygoods in concert, and Rick Thomas, illusionist.
On our way home we drove through Springfield, MO, where we spent the first 10 months of our marriage and also visited one of our missionaries from the Collections Zone.
Despite a migraine 🙁 on Monday, it has been a great week. (Yes, migraines still happen to missionaries. Keeping it real!)

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