Missionary Moments #74--Jan 31, 2016

 It is hard to believe that today I am writing the 74th missionary moment.  This has been a great experience for us and one that I am grateful that we could enjoy together.  Today would have been Grandad Lambert's 92nd birthday and I have lately wondered what he would have thought about the politics that we are experiencing right now.  I suspect it would have been painful on his ego to see that the democratic party he loved so much has become unrecognizable.  I had promised myself that I wouldn't start packing up until February and beginning tomorrow I will begin the sifting and sorting.  The young missionaries send much of the things they have accumulated home in the mail and I will probably send a few things that way as well but mostly I have to figure out how to get the accumulation of STUFF we have gotten since we got here back into the back of our Edge.  When you see us you will know rather it worked or not.  The young Elders and Sisters said they would help us load everything up and I will be especially glad about that.  

Yesterday we took our last trip enjoying the beauties of New England.  We drove down to Hartford, Connecticut and checked on the progress of the temple.  We had gone earlier when it was just beginning to be wrapped on the outside but yesterday the walls were all up although they were wrapped in big sheets of plastic and the beautiful symbol on most of our temples stood proudly on the top--the Angel Moroni.  The have put in all of the parking lots and sidewalks and I am sure that as soon as the weather begins to warm there will be flowers and grass added.  There seems to be a hundred trees planted all around it and most were very young.  I am sure it will be stunning when it is done.  We had dinner on Monday night with our friends the LaDieu's who work in the Boston temple every Friday.  Dan was telling us that when the Hartford CT temple opens half of their temple workers will be gone.  I am impressed that they come all the way to the Boston temple every week to serve.  

The work at the archives is going great!  We had 20 boxes when we finally got back to work and we are already down to eight left.  I suspect that when we finish those we will close everything up and then spend our remaining time helping the Mayvilles prep their documents until our release date comes.  I was thinking at work this week how amazing it is that we are working as fast as we can getting documents ready for picture taking and still barely stay ahead of the newly prepared folders.  I love that we have those little reminders that we aren't alone in our efforts.  We owe much to our young missionaries who come in each week and help us get the documents opened up and ready or we wouldn't be able to keep the camera going all day.  

A little side note is that Janie sent us Flat Stanley who will be spending the rest of our mission with us and will be traveling back with us as well.  He is having a good time so far and really enjoyed our little journey yesterday!  Have a great week everyone. 

Elder Duncan

We got an email from Perry.  It brought back fond memories of our time at the MTC.  He sent some pictures and Angela forwarded them to us.  I wanted to include a couple of them.

Missionary Moments #73--Jan 23, 2016

We had a great week appreciating all the blessings that come when you are serving the Lord. Although we didn't get to hear Perry speak in Church for his farewell we heard that it went well. He flew out of Ontario on Wednesday morning and then caught a shuttle to the MTC once he arrived in Salt Lake.  The best news came when he emailed his mom "I'm Alive!"  It sounds like he is already enjoying the wonderful experience that you have once you walk into the world of daily feasting on the Word.  We are proud of Perry and don't doubt he will be a great missionary.  

We have been busy in the archives and although we are continually prepping documents we are moving the documents through the camera so fast that it is hard to stay ahead.  We love each week when the missionaries come in and serve because they always get us about two boxes ahead.  I mentioned to Scott that I have started seeing a lot of guardianships for people who have been declared insane.  I'm not sure why we hadn't seen any before since we are already into the N's in the alphabet.  We have 16 boxes and have already opened and prepped five of those.  It will make me feel much better if we leave with all of those boxes emptied and the images of each document done.  As of yesterday we have one month before we start driving home so we are working hard to make that happen.  

It has been interesting to see the weather reports.  Compared to last year it has been a lovely winter for us.  I don't mind the snow but all the other things that go with snow can be a bit daunting.  I am sure this summer we will be absolutely dying from the heat and won't need a coat again when winter hits California.  It is amazing to me how our bodies adapt to our circumstances.  We all know what storm is coming long before it hits in relation to the weather.  It makes me admire our ancestors who had to say "come what may and love it!"  

As you can tell we are staying really close to home.  We want to go to Connecticut but each weekend we have had something going on or the weather was a little iffy.  At this point our big weekend trip is to go to Nashua to enjoy our Chick-fil-a.  I have started separating what stays and what goes and I am feeling a little panicked because I know more is going home than came with us and I just hope the back of our Edge can hold everything.   It is similar to our mission experience because believe me we are taking home so much more than we came with as far as our testimony and faith goes.  It has been a truly joyful journey.  Have a great week. 

One Last Time--Lego Challenge!!!

Thanks Ava for the Reminder!

Ava made this at the beginning of the month.  It made me remember what a great job you all did when we did our Lego contests.  How about one more contest before Grandpa and Grandma come home?  This month's challenge is a Lego design of one of your favorite things--the skies the limit.  The deadline for this is January 30th.  Can't wait to see what you make!

All Because...

Married January 4, 1997

Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children...

The Family: A Proclamation to the World

Missionary Moments #72--Jan 17, 2016

This has been an interesting week because in spite of having folders now we weren't able to work for three days.  We had to wait for our archive director to have time to go in and get us more probate files to work on.  They came on Thursday and we went down that afternoon and got busy.  He brought in 16 boxes and if my calculations are right we will finish all sixteen before we leave for home.  While we have been at the apartment I have started sorting through what needs to go and what needs to stay.  One of the things we have done since we started teaching our Sunday School class is celebrate their birthdays and our last of the original group turns 18 this week.  Yesterday I did some baking and made a Twix Cupcake which I am sure is worth 1,000 calories per bite!  I gave some to the Elders last night so they could tell me if they were okay and they came over later and assured me that they were great.  Now that the cupcakes are made I will pack up all of my baking necessities and will begin packing up things in the kitchen that we won't use (some of it we never used) and have it ready for when the mission office sends some missionaries to pick up our furniture and other household items.  

Yesterday we got a call from President Stoker.  He set up a time for us to come in and meet with him before we leave.  This is typical for the young missionaries and we are excited to get to spend some time with him.  He and his wife are amazing people and have both inspired not only the young missionaries but us as well.  The Elders told us last night that a typical exit interview for young missionaries was to talk about their mission experiences and then a reminder to continue to serve, get married, get an education, and continue to do things that will strengthen their testimonies. It is pretty nice to know we have accomplished some of that already!  I was thinking this morning how amazing it is that we have been out for 17 months.  As I look back it seems like just yesterday I was wondering what we had gotten ourselves into. What a blessing to be able to accomplish a significant experience that will truly change our lives forever.

Today Perry will speak in Church to give his farewell address before he leaves for the Missionary Training Center on Wednesday.  Although we won't be there I am so grateful for being able to know that whatever Perry sets his mind to it will be done with amazing grace.  I so appreciate the example he has always set for his brothers and sister and all of his cousins.  I am so excited for the wonderful people of Kentucky to have him in their mist.  His capacity to serve will be enhanced because of his wonderful parents, teachers, and leaders.  As Perry begins his mission we will be ending ours and although he will be doing a different type of mission we know that both his life and our lives will be changed forever because we were able to serve the Lord.  One of the greatest things I have learned since being here is that our young Elders and Sisters are amazing and I have had the opportunity to see first hand how the Lord qualifies whom he calls!  Have a great week.

The Journey Begins

Perry received his endowments last night at the Redlands Temple.  Next Wednesday he will enter the Missionary Training Center for three weeks and then on to the Louisville Kentucky Mission.