Elders VanLeeuwen and Davis returned for a baptism and visit in Central Point. It was great to see them and visit for a bit. We made a trip to Lillebelles for a piece of chocolate.
A view of Crater Lake. The clouds were beautiful.
Tom and the Strattons at Salt Creek Falls on the way to Crater Lake.
The top part of Salt Creek Falls.
The first bit of news is not happy. A nephew of ours, BJ Gardner, the youngest son of my dear sister Lynn, passed away in his sleep this week. He had pneumonia and it took him at the age of 25. Of course, I wanted to be able to be at home with my family to try and comfort those who stood in need of comfort and mourn with those who were mourning, but I knew I was needed here. At first brush that may seem a bit unfair, as it did to me, but I have become aware of the “economy of God” which allows transfer payments if you will. When we are engaged in “paying” others, someone else can be “paying” our loved ones for us in our absence. I feel sustained by a loving God and pray that Lynn, Russ and all those involved will feel the same. I love you all.
Some friends of ours from Orem, the Allen’s, came to see Oregon and we we able to see them too. He was called to be a bishop in our stake while I was a counselor in the stake presidency and still served for a few years while I was the stake president. After he was released he was called to be my executive secretary, a calling he still holds with the new stake president. She was the stake YW president and we have been friends as couples for years.
They came with their daughter and son-in-law. He had lived in Oregon until he was 18 years old so I think they all had an enjoyable trip down his memory lane. We had them and the Strattons over for dinner on Friday night, 7-24-09. Then we met with them again over in Waldport, a small coastal town just outside of Yachats on Saturday evening. We were scheduled to speak there on Sunday, 7-26-09 and some generous members put the two Allen families and us up at their nice home. After sacrament meeting the Allens headed for the airport, and I had some mission business to do so I attended to that.
The branch out there typically has about 50 members attend, but during the summer months they have a lot more. I think there were almost 150 there that week. That means well over half of the congregation were visitors.
The weather in Oregon is unseasonablely hot right now. Normal for this time of year is the lower 80s and the last few days have beaten old records by six degrees or so. It has been 105 /106. The hottest it has ever been in Eugene is 108. While we were on the coast the high was in the mid 60s and quite foggy. I think I learned why people like having a summer home over that way. The missionaries on the coast are very happy with their assignments right now. We are encouraging all of our missionaries to drink plenty of water and not get exhausted or dehydrated.
This week we interviewed the elders in Klamath Falls and in route there we stopped and saw Crater Lake. That is a place the Strattons wanted to see before they left (they only have a few weeks left) so they came with us and overnighted in Klamath Falls. They then went back to Eugene with several stops on the way. We stayed in Klamath Falls and visited with the wonderful missionaries there on Friday, 7-31-09 and then went over to Medford for our meeting with the area seventy, Elder Brinkerhoff and the local stake presidents. On Sunday, 8-2-09 I had a similar meeting in Eugene with the stake presidents in this area.
During the week we also worked on transfers. As my assistants and I knelt in prayer I felt the influence of the Lord in the decisions we were making. The next morning as I was working out I felt a strong impression that a certain elder needed to be in a certain area and with a certain companion. As soon as I was done working out I went to the transfer board and was pleased to see he was already assigned to go there. It was another confirmation that the Lord is in charge of this work and that there are certain people who are called to go to certain areas with certain companions and reach certain individuals. I am grateful again to feel His influence in the work we are doing.
This week we interviewed the elders in Klamath Falls and in route there we stopped and saw Crater Lake. That is a place the Strattons wanted to see before they left (they only have a few weeks left) so they came with us and overnighted in Klamath Falls. They then went back to Eugene with several stops on the way. We stayed in Klamath Falls and visited with the wonderful missionaries there on Friday, 7-31-09 and then went over to Medford for our meeting with the area seventy, Elder Brinkerhoff and the local stake presidents. On Sunday, 8-2-09 I had a similar meeting in Eugene with the stake presidents in this area.
During the week we also worked on transfers. As my assistants and I knelt in prayer I felt the influence of the Lord in the decisions we were making. The next morning as I was working out I felt a strong impression that a certain elder needed to be in a certain area and with a certain companion. As soon as I was done working out I went to the transfer board and was pleased to see he was already assigned to go there. It was another confirmation that the Lord is in charge of this work and that there are certain people who are called to go to certain areas with certain companions and reach certain individuals. I am grateful again to feel His influence in the work we are doing.
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