33rd Post Mon March 20 - Sun Mar 28, 2010

Another busy week in the Texas Houston Mission. This is transfer week so I have to prepare letters of congratulations to the new district and zone leaders, letters to their parents and their bishops. This was a "small" transfer week, only 27 letters in all to do. I had to go to the Katy area to take a letter of intent to vacate an apartment we rent from members. I hand carried the letter so it was more of a personal thing. The sister did not take it real well, but we talked for a while and I tried to help her realize it is just business. The amount of rent they charge is almost the highest of any of our apartments (not sure why we ever got into such an arrangement). Anyway I called the mission president to give him a heads up that he would get a call. She did call so the president had facts and was prepared to talk with her. I went to the new apartment complex and signed a new lease. It was a full day and after we left the office we went shopping for snacks for the missionaries who will be coming into the office because of being transferred tomorrow.

Tuesday we had a really wonderful day - the office was a real beehive of activity with missionaries coming and going. I rode out to the Bear Creek chapel with Elder Chesnut to take a load of Elders and then bring others back. It was fun to visit with them - we really do have some very good missionaries. This afternoon the departing missionaries went to the temple with President and Sister Hansen and the AP's. Leona and I were there later in the afternoon to make sure the caterer got dinner set up in the temple cafeteria. We then ate with them which was nice and then was able to go on a session. It was very nice to be in the temple.

Wednesday four new missionaries came in from the MTC. Three elders and one sister. It was fun to watch them as they interacted with the other missionaries in the office. I took photos of them and got the transfer board and mission board photos fixed and ready to go. Had a bunch of phone calls to get utilities scheduled to stop and others to start in various apartments we are leaving and moving to.

Thursday more apartment issues to handle, broken washing machine, utilities to set up,

and suggested moves by one of the zone leaders. That means I have to find new apartments. It was late again today when we left the office, but we enjoy our mission.

Friday we went to our office staff meeting. President Hansen is really a good person to be around. It is a real blessing to be associated with such good people. He usually shares a thought at the beginning of the meeting or "invites" someone else to. (Sister Walker always breaths a sigh of relief when her name is not called). He told of the experience that he had just last night after a correlation meeting in College Station. After the meeting he and a ward mission leader went to visit a sister that the missionaries had contacted earlier. It was late when they arrived about 8:45pm. There were no lights on and several newspapers stacked up outside. After knocking twice and waiting they turned to leave and a light came on and a woman came to the door and invited them in. She is from China and is studing at the univerisity (Texas A&M) pursuing a master's degree in education. She has her five year old son with her and her husband is in China. The only furniture in the apartment was a small card table and three chairs. She had prayed for months that Heavenly Father would visit her. President Hansen told her about faith in things that are true and we don't have to have a personal visit to know Heavenly Father is real. She had a great desire to pray like prophets of old and when they told her that she could she was surprised and said "I can!" She explained that she had a special feeling in her chest and knew the things that the missionaries had said were true. President Hansen explained to her that those feelings were the Holy Ghost. He said that the three of them just sat around that little card table and the Spirit was so strong they were silent and tears flowed as they just enjoyed the sweet Spirit in the room. She has a desire to be baptized but is concerned about the problems that will bring when she returns to China and comunism. They encouraged her to pray and promised that Heavenly Father is aware of her and her family and all will be well somehow. We are so blessed to live where we do and able to worship the way we want, we have so many blessings.

I had another BCG treatment at noon today so I spent the rest of the day at home. The 2nd treatment is always harder than the first and the third (next Friday) is harder yet. Another very beautiful day with cool temperatures and lots of sunshine.

Saturday I did not feel like doing much in the morning, but by the afternoon I got feeling a bit better. We popped some pop corn and went over to the pond and fed the ducks and the swan. We even saw some turtles and a few fish. It was warmer today but not bad.

In our Olde Oaks Ward today we had testimony meeting. The testimonies were real testimonies of faith. Our lessons in SS and Priesthood were very well done. We are so thankful for our chance to serve as missionaries.

We love you all and pray for each one of you.

Love Dad & Mom