Missionaries "For" Or Is That "To" Dinner???

Either way, we lucked out and got six instead of four missionaries for dinner since the Zone leaders were on splits on Monday with the Van Buren Elders.  It was fun to have all of them with us for dinner.

Elder Eilanger, Elder Robison, Elder Keller, Elder Miller, Jena
Sister Cherrington and Sister Witt

 

"He Will Direct Thy Paths"

Last Saturday afternoon, the STLs (Sister Training Leaders) invited us to take 3-5 minutes at the upcoming MLC Review Meeting.  The topic was open to our choice---These were my remarks.  Gary added some amazing ones at the end, but I didn't take notes on his, but it was on the same topic. He used the scripture in Joshua: For me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

He Will Direct Thy Paths

"During our interviews last week, President Hathaway told us that he wanted to make sure that the senior missionaries contributed in zone and district meetings to “share our life experience and wisdom.” I guess he was serious about that and here we are.  I am not sure we have much life wisdom to share, but here it goes….

When you are growing up in the Church, there is lots of talk about going on a mission and how elders and sisters are sent to the places that God wants them to serve.  I know I have felt the reality of that in our two missions and I hope that you feel that about your call to Arkansas—and if not yet, that at some point in your mission, you will learn that truth—you were meant for this time and for this place.

But I want to let you know that being in the right place at the right time doesn’t stop when you are released from the mission field.  It should be a goal for your entire lives—to be where God wants you to be. And the same way that I know that we are supposed to be serving in Arkansas at this time—I feel that way about every place we have lived throughout our lives.

Let me share an example.

I grew up in eastern Washington and then in Amarillo, Texas; Gary grew up in Syracuse UT.  When Gary and I got married, I was an “anywhere but Utah” person—"the mission field.”  We settled into Springfield, MO where Elder Hall was working at the time and we both assumed that we would live there and raise our family there.  As we drove around, we would talk about buying some acres near Marshfield or other small towns in our ward boundaries.

In the fall, we had bought a small house and were preparing to move there.  However, one of my brothers was getting married in the Manti Temple at the first of November, so we made a quick trip to Utah for the wedding and then down to Texas for the reception and then headed back to Springfield to close on our first home and move in.  Literally our apartment was already mostly packed.

However, the whole time we were in Utah, I kept feeling like we were supposed to move to Utah—not my plan, of course, but the feeling was consistent and returning over and over.  Finally in the car ride from Amarillo back to Springfield, I told Elder Hall—I had the weirdest thought while we were in Utah—that we were supposed to move there.  The relief on Elder Hall’s face was obvious. He told me that he had felt the same thing but told Heavenly Father that He had to tell me, because I didn’t want to live in Utah.  So we closed on our house and sold it the next day to a buyer our real estate agent found.  Our stuff was loaded on to a moving truck and we headed to Provo—thinking that perhaps the reason was for us to go back to BYU. Two days after finding an apartment there, Gary got a job for a computer company on Hill Airforce Base in Layton, UT which is north of Salt Lake. We diverted our moving truck to Sunset, Utah, where we had find an apartment—a miracle for another day. The first Sunday we walked into our Sunset Ward—the bishop called us into his office and told us that the ward council had prayed us there.  That they had a great need for more adults with current temple recommends.

I don’t know how God makes that all work—why we as a newly married couple couldn’t stay in Springfield, MO, like we planned? And how we could be moved from there to a struggling ward in Sunset, UT—but I know it happened.  And it happened over and over to us as we moved throughout our lives—even moving back to Utah once again 28 years ago.  Being where the Lord wants us to be has made all the difference and brought a richness and joy to our lives in ways that staying in Springfield could never have done.

One of our life scriptures:

Trust in the Lord with all thy hearts

And lean not to thine own understanding.

In every way acknowledge Him,

And He will direct thy path.

A scripture with our invitation—

Trust the Lord----

With advice—lean not to thine own understanding and with gratitude

And the promised blessings—and we testify He will direct thy paths."

MLS Review

 Using the "prop the phone on the windshield of a car" method, we took this picture on the rock by the stake center.  I am the one that suggested that we put the girls on the rock this time--just to mix it up, but it didn't really work out.  Back to the sisters in front next time.....

But the camera snapped this photo as it was falling which made for a fun reflection shot!

We love these cute missionaries!

Bentonville With Beckstrands

July 5th-July 7th, our friends from Utah, Hal and Jolynn Beckstrand, were in town to visit us.  Hal had retired on June 30th so they planned a trip to visit us and then spend some time in Branson before heading back home. 

After having our first interviews with our new mission president, we headed up to Bentonville and met them just as they were arriving from Kansas City.  We went to dinner at Smokin Joes and then played games in the hotel dining room for a bit.  (Take Five)

Saturday morning, we did sealings at the Bentonville Temple together which was awesome.

While taking pictures, Sister Debra Dixon walked by so we grabbed this photo.  She is moving back to California this weekend--driving herself and a 26" U-haul with her stuff in it.  Big life change for her.

We changed clothes and headed out to the Pea Ridge Military Park which we enjoy although their narration of the park was not working so we had to share what we remembered along the way.

Overview of one of the major Civil War battlefields here.

We then headed back to Bentonville and shared some of the murals and the Wal-Mart Heritage Lab with them.

And of course, I had to get the rooster--actually a new painting in the mural walled parking lot.

They loved the big fish mural that shimmers and changes with the wind that is on the side of a parking garage.  I have posted pictures of that before.

We then headed home to Ft. Smith....then on Sunday, they came down to Ft. Smith and went to the YSA branch with us and joined us for the Break the Fast.  Then they spent time with us at our apartment and then headed up to Bentonville--taking the scenic 71 route instead of the interstate (we are bad influences on people. :) 

We have known Hal and Jolynn since our first house in West Jordan on Banquet Road.  She and I served in the YW presidency together.  We figured that we have been friends since 1981 which means for a very very long time (42 years and counting).  We are so blessed to count them and their children as friends.  They are the best kind of people.

Happy Birthday, America! July 4th in Arkansas

The Mena elders had invited us to come to the branch BBQ at the Church on the 4th, so mid-morning we headed down there, following somewhat a new way that Gary had mapped out.

And of course, I got more pictures of hay bails--although it is not just the hay bales--it is the yellows and greens with the trees/hills in the background and the blue skies with fluffy white clouds that make it so appealing. 

Gary had found Frog Town on the map and was hoping that it was somewhere interesting to see, but all we could find in that location was this street sign.  We think perhaps the town renamed itself at one point.

Like I saind........

So Gary and I decided I needed a picture WITH an hay bale since I am just an admirer of them.  However, there was a ditch so I decided not to step into it in my dress and white dress shoes.  Sometimes you need to make the smart decision even if the photo suffers.....

So after leaving Frog Town and the hay bales, Gary saw a sign for Poteau Mountain Road and decided to leave his plan route and take that road instead...which was fine for the first 3 miles on paved roads, then turned into a nice gravel road....which went up the mountainside and around the mountain, and then became a dirt road....and then a dirt road with severe ruts in it from water flowing down....and then it turned into a dirt road with small mud puddles, and then the more we came down the mountain the bigger the puddles became until we had to drive through them to continue down the road.  No way to turn around so forward we went until finally we reached a paved road again.  Unfortunately, that took a bit more time than we planned, so we were about 30 minutes late for the BBQ...but they were happy to see us and there was plenty of food.

And our car....

Us with the Mena elders--Elder Neese and Elder Keyes...

While we were cleaning up, Elder Hall enjoyed some balloon volleyball with some of the kids.

The Mena Chapel is located by a lake.  This is what you see from the parking lot.

On the road again and heading back through Oklahoma on the way to Ft. Smith.....

And before getting to the border, another chicken...

All three of these are from the same yard.  How do you like the mail box?

Someone should write a book at the fun things to see in NW Arkansas.  People are so creative and have fun sense of humor (s?)......

We had thought we might go to Paris, AR, to see the fireworks, but that would have been another drive 50 miles east and I was too tired...we had more driving set for Friday (the next day) so opted for a fairly quiet night at home...with a few fireworks in the neighborhoods around us.

 

July 3 Ft. Smith Zone Temple Trip

First time with President and Sister Hathaway and also their daughter, Dasia, who joined us.

Being in the temple is always a sweet experience.  Being there with these awesome young missionaries in a dedicated missionary only session is so powerful...and having President Beutler in our session made it even more so.  (He serves in the temple on Wednesday mornings and was able to lead our session.)

The elders with the Hathaways and President Beutler
and the APs- Elder Shields and Elder Cebollero

The Zone plus the Stephensons and Hathaways and President Beutler

Sisters Cherrington, Gray, Beagley, Witt, and Jena

With Dasia and President Beutler

And while taking yet another different road from Bentonville to Ft. Smith.....

We sent this photo to Scarlett--
She loved that we shared it with her.

Just down the street from Scarlett's street was the fun display of bird houses.  This yard was so beautiful and covered mostly in flowers and bushes.

To "justify" my chicken purchase recently, I like to continue to get photos of chickens that we see around the area.  It is truly an Arkansas THING!

And it is always great to learn a little history along the way....

And can't miss the opportunity for a good hay bale field.....and with a fence as well--double bonus points.

And our route headed a bit too far west...

and slipped into Oklahoma for a bit.

Tree tunnels are always a great feature on a road trip.

And fields and fields of hay bales....almost as good as a painting!

And we are back......almost missed the sign.

Fun day, nice road trip, glad to be home and get ready for another day of road tripping to Mena for July 4th!
 

Happy Birthday to me!!

At the first of the month--like every July for the past 69 years, I celebrated my birthday.  It was "fun" to have the missionaries sing to me at District Meeting and the YSA the next day at Institute if you like that type of thing...but really it is great to get messages and treats from friends near and far.  What a blessing to have family and friends to share life with.

One unexpected part of my birthday was my sister, Valerie and her husband, Austin, joining us for a birthday dinner at Pad Thai and games and conversation (and of course pie) for the evening.  They were nearing the end of their four week road trip from New York City back to Mesa with many stops in-between.  It was perfect that their stop in Ft Smith happened on my birthday.  Loved being with them.

Disregard my hair--having it cut soon..probably to a short style.

I had thought about some ideas to honor my 69th birthday in the blog, but I am behind because of some busy Sundays, so will have to see if I have time to do that later.

It was a great birthday from start to finish.  And also, Happy birthday to Tosha who has her birthday the day before mine.