Sunday, December 13, 2009

18 th Post Mon. Dec 7 - Sunday Dec. 13, 2009

Monday Dec 7 th - Pearl Harbor Day and our day to travel to the Hafer Road Office. It is also the day for our "welfare complex" Christmas dinner. The LDS Social Services, Employment office, Bishop Storehouse, and peanut factory folks all brought food for the dinner. It was great. We had fried turkey, ham, TurDukIn, all kinds of salads, veggies, rolls, pies and all the trimmings. Never heard of TurDukIn? It is boneless chicken stuffed in a boneless duck, stuffed in a boneless turkey. We had a great time visiting with many folks we have not met before, many are volunteers at the bishops storehouse or spouses of the employees. I just felt like having a big nap after such a big lunch. Diane Bromley (Dobson) was in town and called us. She came over to the center for a quick visit. Still the same old Diane, just goes a mile a minute. It was good to see her. We sure have great friends throughout the world who have blessed our lives.
Tuesday we got up early and ran as normal, but also fixed breakfast for the two sets of Spanish speaking Elders in the apartment complex. Leona really fixed a nice breakfast casserole, pull-apart-bread, fresh fruit salad, etc. I think the Elders were full by the time they left. We sure enjoy them. They even sang a Christmas hymn in Spanish for us before they left. As we were eating we said, "have some more casserole Elders". Well, one Elder wanted to know what a casserole was. In the explanation we made a comment "I'm sure your mother has made casseroles before" to which he commented that his mother does not cook. Poor kid. We had a fellow come into the center this afternoon who was born in Peru and is a returned missionary. He has lived in this country since he was about four. Real nice brother, with a big family. Hopefully we will be able to help him.

We had invited several to our Career Workshop today, but only one showed up. It's too bad, people who could use the help do avail themselves of what the church has to offer.
Tobiaus seemed to enjoy the class and the information. I also enjoyed my time with him. His English was not bad and he is a very intelligent person so I am sure it will not take long for him to find something.

Thursday and our day at the Broadway building. Another returned missionary came in today. He is not married and is looking for anything right now, especially at a hospital as he has worked at a hospital before. We started the registration process online and told him about the career workshop next week. I hope he will attend. We had to travel back to the Hafer Road office this afternoon for monthly Ward and Stake Employment training. It was really good training but not very many attended. The drive home was long as the traffic was real heavy even though it was late. Very cool and windy today.

Friday and back to the Bering building. We had just one at the final session of the career workshop today. He had lots of questions and comments so our time was well spent. We were just ready to sit down and have a bite of lunch when a sister came in for resume help. She is a graduate of our career workshop some months ago and has been to the special resume writing class. She has had writers block and just can not get her resume done. She told me she was disappointed in the resume class as she did not get what she needed. Well over 2 hours later she left with an outline and with a greatly increased sense that she could "do this". She could not thank us enough. While I was helping her with the resume a young couple and a fellow from Africa came in. Leona was really hopping to keep them all going. The young couple apparently were living with parents and did not have much of a clue on job search skills. Not sure they came into the center on their own (probably had some encouragement from parents!!). I got a chance to talk with the fellow from Africa before he left. He has been living in France, has a very good education and is very smart. I am sure he will get a job soon.

We completed our normal p-day activities in the morning and early afternoon. It was then off to the Houston South Mission Home for a dinner with the South Senior Missionaries and their mission president. President and Sister Saylin are new to the mission, they are young and have their 6 children with them (ages 15 to 4). What a challenge that would be! We have became acquainted with some of the South senior missionaries (as we live in the South Mission) so anyway we were invited by them (not sure the mission pres and his wife knew we were coming or a least that we were not part of their mission). Anyway they made us feel very welcome and it really was a great dinner. We all then went over to the Williams Trace Baptist Church to hear the Fort Bend Boys Choir and their Christmas program. The music was very good and we really enjoyed the evening.

We attended church in the Katy 3rd ward today. Leona met a lady sitting next to her in RS who was at the Uof Delaware with her husband years ago. She knew the Tabors, Ridges, and Bushmans. I got to spend a few minutes with the Bishop, but I do not think they have many that need employment help. The one candidate we have on our files is now in the Katy 4th ward after a very recent ward division. No one came up to us and shook our hand or welcomed us today. We made the first move in every case. The ward did seem more affluent than what we normally see. The talks and the special music were wonderful. The special music in sacrament meeting was provided by two young men, one on the cello and the other on the piano. They played "O Holy Night" it was really good. I was reminded of Charlie, he was such a good person and I have missed him. We had Elder and Sister Greenwood over for dinner today. They live in the apartment complex, work at the Clayton Library downtown and leave to go home this Wednesday. It has been good to have them close and to get to know them.

We sure love and appreciate all the good folks we have met since we arrived in Houston. Our mission experience has been such a blessing to us.
May Heavenly Father bless and watch over you all.
Love Dad and Mom

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