Week Ending February 14, 2009 Week #4

Oops! I distracted them just a little while they were being taught by their zone leaders.

Elder Kauvaka leads the singing with great gusto. It makes it fun to sing.

Even when it is stormy the scenery can be breathtaking as we drive from place to place.






For Valentines Day two of our elders had t-shirts made reminding them (and everyone who sees them) that their hearts are locked for two years.

First things first – Happy Valentines Day to my sweetheart. Tonight I am speaking at a leadership session of a stake conference and she is going to dinner with Elder and Sister Stratton and some sister missionaries here in town, so it is a little different than most of our previous Valentines Days, but the love we have for each other isn’t diminished any!

This week was very enjoyable as we drove to Klamath Falls and attended a baptism for a woman that I was able to meet a few months back. She was baptized by her husband. It was great to see the support of the ward. It is so far away I am guessing that is has been a long time since a mission president and his wife were able to attend a baptism down there. I was invited to stand in the circle when she was confirmed by the stake president. It was good to see the work in action.

After interviewing the missionaries in that area we drove up to Bend and I met with the stake presidents that night and interviewed the missionaries the next day. We look forward to seeing the missionaries and local leadership every bit as much as they seem to want to see us. I know they really want to see Sister Macdonald the most. One Elder saw me as I was going into a meeting alone with the stake presidents and said “Where is Sister Macdonald?” I assured him he would see her the next day at interviews and then he was OK. I regularly get reminded about who they really come to see. ;>)

This week we finished our interview process. We arrived home on Wednesday night in time for me to get sick with the stomach flu around 10:00 PM. Although I was feeling crummy I quickly realized how fortunate I was that the illness held off until I was home. In my weakened condition I knelt in prayer and offered a prayer of thanks. I was only down for a day or two, and I was still able to work on transfers a little, so I was truly strengthened. A blessing given by my assistants really helped. Today, although I am still a little weak, I am grateful for the good health I am usually blessed with.

Each few weeks sound about the same in my writing, but each one feels so different and the twists and turns are never the same. I am grateful for the spirit of the Lord that directs this work and gives us the strength to carry on.