Week Ending March 21, 2009 Week # 3

This sign is posted as you enter the small town of Monroe, Oregon. We don't know the story behind it, but we like it's message. President used it in a stake conference.

Last weekend we enjoyed our time in the Redmond stake at their stake conference. We were hosted by the Wright family – Brother Wright serves as a counselor in the stake presidency - and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with them. In order to get back to Eugene from there we go over a mountain pass which was snow covered. We spent about an hour and a half parked at the top, or traveling a few feet at a time then stopping again. Tow trucks passed us and then we saw them going back without a vehicle in tow, so I assumed someone or ones went off the road and had to be pulled backed on. Anyway, although delayed slightly in returning home there were no real challenges for us. (I did go somewhat crazy because we had no cell coverage. :>)) In truth we enjoyed listening to a couple sessions of the last general conference on our drive / park back home.

The interviews continued this week with a trip along the I-5 to the North (Corvallis and Salem) and then off to Coos Bay. We interviewed another 70 missionaries this week. We continue to be impressed with how amazing these missionaries are.

I understand that March Madness is in full swing. At a district meeting in Corvallis this week one of the elders asked if as a district activity they could all fill in a bracket. I said that would be okay if they didn’t waste proselyting time on it and if there was no gambling. He then stuttered a little and said, "Well, would it be okay if we all threw in a tie and the winner got to keep the ties?" Oh the questions I get asked continue to surprise me and leave me just a little unprepared. But they are always interesting.

After we interviewed the missionaries in Coos Bay we headed north along the 101 and attended a dinner in Newport at the Bergshoeff's home. They were former senior missionaries and were kind enough to host a dinner for us and the Kirkhams, another senior missionary couple serving in Lincoln City. We had tried to have the couple who replaced the Bergshoeffs in Waldport come too, but they were not available. It was good to visit with them about the successes and some of the frustrations that senior couples experience. Their challenges and opportunities are different than the younger missionaries. We love visiting with them too. We are trying hard to figure out a time that will work for us to get out to the other outlying areas where senior couples are serving and speak in their wards.

The drive up the coast was different than we had seen it before. It was stormy and the waves were quite fierce. It was fun to see. Since we knew we would be late, we overnighted with the Bergshoeffs and after a nice walk on the beach the next morning (the weather was much nicer by then) we drove home.

My sister Leslie sent me an excerpt from her son’s letter who is serving in South America. He has just hit his six-month mark. He told his mother the time was going fast and he wrote about something President Uchtdorf had said when he was in the MTC, “The bad news is that time flies. The good news is that you’re the pilot.” I was impressed with this thought and I am sure I will use it regularly with our missionaries. We have reached the 1/4 mark of our mission as well, 9 months for us. I am grateful that the Lord has allowed us to be the pilot and given us agency to determine how we will use the time we have been given in life. I hope and pray we are using our time wisely.