Thursday

Whew!  Transfer week is almost over!  I enjoy what I am doing, but it is slow going when you have to learn everything as you do it.  I am so grateful that I had such a great trainer.  Sister McKibben took a lot of patient time and always made me feel that I was doing a great job. 

This Saturday we have to be at the Stake Center by 8:30 so that we can take some furniture to an apartment in Hagerstown, which is about an hour away.  It will be a nice drive and it will also be nice to visit with the sister missionaries.  The apartment set up will be for them. 

I decided to start a “home” wall in our kitchen.  Everytime we get a card from home, we are going to put it on the wall.  I got the cutest cards from Jennifer’s family for my birthday.  Yes, I opened my package early because I couldn’t wait.  My gift was peanut M&Ms and a huge chocolate Hershey bar!  Yup, I’m in heaven.  The best part of the gift was the thoughtfulness of sending me a package and the homemade cards.  They are so fun to look at and enjoy. 

We have on our table a video frame which we look at every morning and evening when we are sitting down eating.  We absolutely love to just sit and look at the pictures of our grandkids and children. I am hoping that my nieces will send text Elder Boehrer and I some photos of their families, so that we can watch and enjoy them also. 

The weather is PERFECT!  I am not sure how long it will last.  I have found that wearing a skirt is the best way to beat the heat.  I put on a cotton top and a skirt and I am cool and comfortable.  It’s my new mode of summer dress .

   

My “home” wall.  I figure by the time we leave our mission, the wall will be full of cards and notes – that would be nice.  We plan on buying a bigger video frame that will hold more pictures.

We got 24 text pictures from Dan and Tomica.  Wow!  Love it!

Departing Missionaries / David’s Birthday

 

One of David’s favorite pass times, BARBEQUEING

Today is David, our third son’s birthday.  We so enjoy him and his family.  David has always tried very hard to keep his family included in his life.  Not only his wife and our grandchildren, but his brothers, sister and Roy and I.  We appreciate and love that about him.  Our family always calls each other on our birthdays, and sure enough today, when we called David he was at lunch with his brother Dan, our 2nd son.  Dan is helping David set up payroll for his law firm.  We love that our children stay close to each other.  That is so important.

Today was transfer day, again.  We met at 9:00 and the new missionaries got some training and instruction about what goes on the mission.  Then we met in the chapel and had an opening prayer, talks and each of the new missionaries bore their testimony and then the outgoing missionaries bore their testimony.  Even though Elder Boehrer and I have only been in the mission for a month, we have grown close to some of the outgoing missionaries and it is hard to see them go, but we know that they have grown so much on their mission and it has prepared them for life and they are excited to be back with their family and friends.  I so appreciate a quote that President Henry D. Moyle, of the Northern California Mission stated.  It was the fact that missionary standards remain for life.  He said that “No matter how good you are, in every mission there are young men who take their callings as missionaries altogether too lightly.  For every act of indifference – and this is pretty severe doctrine, but none of the less true – for every degree of laziness, for every failure to live up to the highest capacity which is ours in the performance of our missionary duties – there is a penalty.  That penalty is that when you leave the mission field, you take with you the standard that is going to be yours all of your life.  If any Elders feel that they can rise above the standard you fix for yourselves while you are laboring in the mission field after you get home, I am sure you are in for a very, very sad disappointment.  I have had the privilege of watching returned missionaries come home from the field for over fifty years, and I have yet to see the first case within my experience where a missionary ever did anything better than he did he missionary work.  It is very popular throughout the world to seek to get something for nothing.  As far as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is concerned, or the Gospel of Jesus Christ, there is no room for such philosophy therein.”  I see these young missionaries come out to serve and it is so gratifying to see what most of them  make of their missions, but, yes, there are those who don’t use their mission time wisely and it is hard to watch.  I pray that when our grandson’s go on missions that they will use their time wisely and learn and grow and teach the gospel to the best of their ability.  It will affect them the rest of their lives.  I am so grateful our children served missions.  Both Elder Boehrer and I know it set the standard for their lives.  It, of course, is up to them to use what they have learned in their lives, but we know it gave them tools to do so.

After our meeting this morning, we went back to the mission office and then over to the President’s home for dinner and a meeting afterwards with President and Sister Belliston and the departing missionaries.  Wow, that was so inspiring to hear about the experiences the missionaries had out in the field and it affected them.  They are excited to go home, but they already miss the experiences they have had the past 18 to two years in the field.  I am sure it will be an adjustment for Elder Boehrer and I also.

The Departing Missionaries with President and Sister Belliston

You cannot imagine all of the ‘stuff’ that had to be packed up, shoved into cars, sorted out, including bikes, suitcases, bats, balls, weight lifting items, food, etc.  Oh my gosh!  I tried to give a sense in my pictures of just what a transfer of missionaries and getting the departing missionaries all set to go.  NOTE: Transfer is when missionaries are changed from one area to another.  This entails moving them and also, it means a change for the missionary as far as who their new companion will be.

		The Mad House VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

 

The dinner was awesome.  It is nice to see the missionaries enjoying themselves just visiting, eating and relaxing.

		Ribs, potatoes, corn and french bread. VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

New Missionary Arrivals / Bryan and Joshua’s Birthdays

Joshua Boehrer Age 13

                 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bryan Boehrer

Our oldest grandson, Joshua, was born thirteen years ago today.  I remember when he was just a little guy.  We just adored him, still do.  He would run around and loved to help his Grandpa Boehrer in the yard and loved to ride in his Grandpa Andrews helicopters. 

Bryan is our youngest son.  Love that boy.  I still remember when he was just a little guy and we would go on field trips together.  I knew he was my last boy and I wanted to share my time with him as much as possible.  None of it was wasted. 

Today we arrived at the office at 8:30 and got home at 7:30.  A long day, but an exciting one also.  We had seven new Elders arrive and one new Sister. 

 

Elder Boehrer and Elder Gibbons went to the airport with President Belliston to pick up the new missionaries.  Elder Gibbons drove the big van and picked up the luggage.  Whew.  Tons of it.

Earlier in the day Elder White’s Mom called to say that she had sent a package with the Elder’s blankets and pillow. She asked me to call her let her know if the package had arrived and all was well.  When I let Elder White know that his Mom had called and she had sent his bedding, he sure got teased for that.  Guess, the Elders don’t want others to know how much their Mom’s worry about their well being.  Hey, that’s what being a Mom is all about.  Bryan’s boss’ wife, Terry Hilburn, called to say that a friend that she had known in high school asked if I would meet and greet her son, Elder Oats.  She wanted to know how he was doing.  I was happy to let his Mom know that he made the trip safely and had a big smile on his face. He was also asked by President Belliston to give the blessing on the food.  He did it perfectly.  I sent his Mom a text with his picture.  I remember hoping that our sons and daughter arrived in the mission field, healthy and happy.  I’m sure it meant a lot to Elder Oats Mom to know that all is well.   I felt like his stand-in Mom.  I guess, once a Mom, always a Mom.

Sister Gibbons and I went to President Belliston’s home and set up the dinner.  It was already catered, but we made sure it was set it out for everyone.  After dinner we did the clean up, which was not much at all.  We used paper plates and cups – good idea.

After arriving the missionaries were greeted by all of us; had their picture taken by Elder Gibbons; and then sat down to a dinner of roast beef, potatoes, carrots and french bread.  At first the missionaries didn’t say too much, but after they got some food in their stomachs, there was a lot of talking and laughing.

 

		New Arrivals VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

The Elder standing with his hands in his pockets is Elder Oats.  He looks happy.  In the picture of all of the arrivals and President and Sister Belliston, Elder White is the second Elder from the left.  I already feel closer to this group of missionaries because I am starting from scratch with them.  We are so grateful for the opportunity to be on this mission.

Memorial Day

Today was a fun and a Patriotic Day!

The day started out with a trip to Fort McHenry which located on the Chesapeake Bay. The repulse of a British naval attack against this fort in 1814 prevented the capture of Baltimore and inspired Francis Scott Key to write “The Star-Spangled Banner”.  I have included some pictures of our tour. 

		Fort McHenry VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

		More of the Fort VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

After our tour, we went to Wendy’s for lunch.  This is the Wendy’s that is right behind our ward in Baltimore.  It is so weird to me that we have a ward that is connected to a fast food restaurant.  Usually our church has buildings that are surrounded by green grass and a parking lot.  I guess the church is using what is available and needed for the members.  I don’t think Wendy’s gets any member customers on Sunday, but not sure about that

      

When we got done with lunch we went back to the Mission Office and were greeted by about fifteen missionaries.  It was so great to see all of them.  They needed supplies and they all just wanted to say hi.  Sister Gibbons asked them to sing again.  She likes that . . . oh well.  I have included a picture of the cupcakes we had with ‘flag’ frosting.  Yum, good.

		Mission Office VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

We then went to President and Sister Belliston’s home for a barbeque.  It was nice to visit with everyone, including the President’s grandchildren.  One of his grandchildren reminded us of our grandson Sam, Bryan and Monica’s oldest son.  Made me really miss our grandchildren!!!!

		Barbeque VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

A fun day, now tomorrow back to the reason we are here – to fulfill our MISSION!!!