91st Post Monday May 2 - Sunday May 8, 2011

Yet another week goes by at a "break neck speed". Lots of missionaries in and out of the office today (Monday). I was able to get a few things done. I worked on the interview schedule, that will be held in the missionary's apartments for the new mission president and put together a map to help him and the new apartment coordinator. We picked up Sister Sulski at her home this evening after work and she rode with us to the mission home for FHE. Her husband could not come because of work. The Hansen's shared with us there experience of being visited by Pres. Uchtdorf in Arizona and later with Pres. Monson via teleconference as President Hansen was called as mission president. It was a wonderful evening as the Hansens bore strong testimony of the Book of Mormon and of Joseph Smith. Just a great evening - we will miss our association with the Hansens.

Tuesday I was on on the go running errands to the post office, office supply store, picture frame store (we had the picture of the new mission president and his wife framed). Most of the day was spent dealing with apartment issues, like leases, finding new apartments, and reviewing lease/contract terms, etc. One of the sister missionary's apartment has a mouse so they were all wound up. "This is not a mouse, Elder Walker it is a rat!"they said. Well I got them a different kind of trap and told them to call their apartment manager. The manager sent the maintenance guy over right away and he pulled the dishwasher out, plugged the hole in the wall, and yes they did see the "rat" - just a poor little mouse. The maintenance guy put out some traps and sticky pads - so far no other rat problems. This evening we went over to the pond to feed the ducks. There are no more baby duck to be found. Something is getting them. The weather is so nice, lows in the 50s and highs in the 70s.

Wednesday I drove back down to the Katy area to check out apartments. Spent most all day looking at apartments and talking with apt managers. I found a couple that should work so I called the elders and they were at their apartment just about ready to fix some lunch. I invited them to go to lunch with me and to talk about the apartment options. They enjoyed lunch and having some input into the decision on where to move. I also went by a brake shop in the Bear Creek area and paid the bill for a missionary car repair (Elder Stringfellow was at ZL council serving lunch). Another beautiful day to be a missionary.

Thursday I mounted a bulletin board in my office and put up the apartment map I have been working on. The map shows the 55 apartments all over the mission. We got word of 5 more missionaries coming over the next several months so I worked on getting their photos ready.

Friday we had staff meeting with the Hansens. The opening hymn was "Hark All Ye Nations". The Hansens are good singers so the group sounded good, but more importantly the hymn "felt" really good. A wonderful spirit in our meeting.

We had a young man come into the office this afternoon. What an interesting story. The young man had been searching on the Internet for information about Jesus. He found a reference that said the book that has the most references to Jesus was the Book of Mormon, so he started to read the BofM on line. He became convinced of its truth and wanted to know more. He went to the temple, walked inside and told them what he had come for, they sent him to the distribution center at the temple ??. Anyway, he wanted information but he did not want the missionaries to come to where he lived. The sister at the distribution office called the mission office and we told him that he could come to the mission office and we could give him things to read and study. He got to what he thought was the mission office but it was really the church building next door and of course it was locked. He then walked over to the LDS employment center and they walked with him to the mission office-finally he got to the right place. Elder Harris and Vehers (ZL's) were in the office when this young man arrived, so they began to teach him. Elder Harris told me later, "the man is just golden". He wanted to know why the church was "not out there", why were we not doing more to let people know about the truth, etc. He said he was going to go the Baptist church near his home and tell them they were all wrong - the missionaries cautioned him about that approach. The missionaries asked him where he lived - they thought "such a golden contact" and he probably lives out of our mission. Well it turns out he not only lives in our mission, he lives in Elders Harris & Vehrs area - how great was that!!! The missionaries were so excited as they were telling me about this whole experience - they hope he comes to church Sunday.

Elder & Sister Christenson from Huntsville spent the night with us. They have a nephew who is getting his temple work done and he and his wife and young daughter will be sealed tomorrow morning.

Saturday we got up and fixed a nice breakfast and enjoyed a long visit with the Christenson's before they had to depart for the temple. What great people they are. Elder Christenson served his mission in PA/DE area and remembers Bishop Ted Johnson in Wilmington - small world.

We cleaned up the apartment, washed the car and did some shopping. This afternoon the Stringfellows, and Sisters Nance & Young and us all went up to Conroe for dinner - Mother's Day celebration. After the "all you can eat" at Ryan's we drove up to Lake Conroe to walk along the marina area and enjoy the very warm evening.

Sunday, and we had a leasurely morning; we thought, in January, that having a church start time of 12:30pm would not be so good but we have discovered that we like it alot! There were many talks today on the blessing of "mothers". I am thankful for my mother and the lessons I learned from her and for her love for me. At the end of sacrament meeting they gave each mother a homemade blueberry muffin that the young women had made. Then after church the other ward was just leaving the chapel and a young man was handing small bags of candy to the mothers and he gave one to me and wished me "happy Mother's Day". Two treats, phone calls from each of our children, and dinner with my sweetheart-I couldn't ask for anything better! It has been another wonderful day and week in Texas!

We love you and our prayers are always with you. Have a great week.

Love,

Dad and Mom