SUNDAY
We went to the Giving Machines this morning to help set up for the day. Sisters from the Mesa Zone were there to start the day. We love being around these good and valiant Elders and Sisters!
Sisters Thurgood, Vang, Gasperoni, Jacobsen, Abalos, Larson and Glauser
Today was the rededication of the Mesa Arizona Temple. President Dallin H. Oaks presided, Elder Gerrit W. Gong conducted and gave the dedicatory prayer. Our Stake Center became an extension of the Temple and we were able to attend via broadcast there. It is a reminder of the importance of temples to Heavenly Father's work. The saving ordinances are essential for our salvation. In the temple families are sealed together and baptisms and other ordinances are performed vicariously for those who have died without a knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. "...in the ordinances...the power of godliness is manifest." (DC 84:20)
We visited Tyra Robbins with Elders Tappen and Turley. Tyra was baptized many years ago but has not attended for a while. She wants to start coming to church again. Several of her close extended family passed away due to COVID in the past couple weeks. She also has interest in joining the RS women at their monthly quilting/sewing/crocheting meeting. Hopefully she will be able to start coming and will find friends and support. Elder Glauser asked her if she knew what a Priesthood blessing was and if she would like one. She did know and requested them to give her a blessing of comfort and peace.
We started today to visit the families in the ward and tonight visited with Tyler and Alex Palmer and their little boy, Jensen. We gave them a short lesson on the Restoration and testified of a living prophet on the earth today. We then invited them to think of some things they can do this week to help gather Israel as Pres Nelson has invited us all to do. They will deliver cookies to their neighbors and spend one hour this week in FamilySearch. As Pres Nelson has reminded us, "anytime we do anything to help anyone" come closer to Jesus Christ we are gathering Israel.
MONDAY
We had a member visit with Juanita Agee. She is a delightful woman who joined the church in the 1990's and is the most welcoming person! We met her at the first event we went to in the Tempe Ward and she ALWAYS seeks us out and welcomes at church or any activity. But she doesn't just make us feel welcome, she makes everyone feel welcome. She is a great example of inclusion!
We joined Elders Tappen and Turley for a lesson with Martin but he wasn't feeling well. He had been trying to get some medication refilled from the pharmacy but for some reason (insurance?) he has not been able to get it. We talked for a few minutes and left him with a prayer and a time to meet again on Wednesday.
Elder Glauser struck up a conversation with a man at the gas station while he was fueling the car and left him with a pass-along card. Seriously! he makes a friend everywhere!
We made cookies for the Christmas Conference that begins tonight. Each Zone prepared a skit and we'll watch a movie, The Best Two Years (!), at the Del Rio Building. The missionaries are excited to gather in one large group.
TUESDAY
The Mission Christmas Conference continued today beginning at Discovery Park in Gilbert with a 5K run (walk for me😀) with a Hot Chocolate Bar and donuts when we finished. The Elders and Sisters spent the morning playing Gator Ball, making Christmas cards, playing Corn Hole, Badminton, board games and just enjoying being with each other!
Elders Bosworth and Bell
Elder Fennemore
Board games
Badminton
making cards
Sisters Rockwood, Luck and _______
Sister Allred and Elder _______
Donuts and.....
Hot Chocolate Bar
Elders Smith, Tappen and Rasmussen
pretending to 'run' the 5K 😂
After a lunch of sub sandwiches and chips, everyone went home to shower and change.
We then met at the Gilbert Temple for a mission picture....
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| Getting ready for the Mission picture |
.....followed by dinner (made by Todd Hopkins, formerly of San Bernardino) and a devotional with President and Sister Hall, the President and Matron of the Gilbert Temple.
The Senior Couples filled 300 lighted balloons for the missionaries to release after dark, representing the 300 baptisms in the mission this year.
Todd Hopkins and his mother-in-law, Linda Birkmeyer work on dinner
Dinner for 250! Ham, potatoes, green beans, salad, rolls, pie and ice cream 😋
WEDNESDAY
Breakfast at Snooze in Gilbert with Matt and Mary. We are taking any minutes we can find with them before they leave for the Philippines (for real this time!) on Friday.
Stopped by the Giving Machines to make sure everything is in order. I wish there was photographic proof of Elder Glauser standing on the arms of a chair 😬😲 to rehang a banner that had partially fallen.
We visited with Jeremy and Dannika Harrs to give them our message and invitation to help gather Israel. They were already thinking it would be nice to take a holiday treat to their neighbors. What a wonderful way to participate in the Gathering.
THURSDAY
We stopped by the office to say goodbye to Elder Turley, one of the Assistants and also one of the Elders in our ward. We have developed a great relationship with him. It is such a pleasure to get to know these wonderful young Elders and Sisters!
Our RS President, Shauna Mortensen asked us to stop by and try to visit a sister in our ward, Regina Robertson. Regina will be 90 years old in a few weeks and lives in a gated community. We had an address but no phone number. The guard at the gate attempted to call her but no answer, so we were not allowed to go in. But Elder Glauser started talking with the guard about the tattoo on his forearm. He said it was a blue moon and orange sun. With a little more prodding, he explain the significance of the blue moon. He said his mom always used that phrase when he asked for something, like ice cream. "You can have that when there is a Blue Moon." As we were driving away, Doug said, "Let's go get him some ice cream and tell him it was probably a blue moon last night!" So we went to the store, bought two individual containers of ice cream, one for the guard and one for the other person in the guard house. We returned and gave it to them. We got a big smile and a big Thank You! What a fun exchange we had just doing something kind for someone.
Our apartment is nice but seems a little empty. So we decided to decorate for Christmas. The Dollar Store trees were tiny, the bigger trees at Fry's were too expensive, so we decided on a nice Poinsettia
We received word that our VISAS ARE APPROVED AND READY! We have mixed emotions. We have really loved being in Tempe! We have some wonderful relationships with the other Senior Couples and many of the young Elders and Sisters. But at the same time are very excited to be going to Holland.
We had dinner with Matt, Mary and family and had a little Christmas celebration since they are actually leaving Friday for the Philippines. It has been so good living close to them and being able to see them often these past two months.
FRIDAY
We stopped by the Office to tell the Bell's and Thorson's our visa news but they had already received an email from Church Travel. President Goaslind received the same email but is in Yuma today so we'll see him in a few days. And we have January 17 as our departure date to The Netherlands. It's exciting but we feel like we have so much we want to do before we leave here.
Sister Bell told us there are several missionaries that have not received any packages for Christmas. There are still a few days left, but right now there are 44 with no packages. So we 'adopted' one of our favorite Elders and went Christmas shopping. It's just generic gifts that all would like since we really don't know his likes and preferences. But it will be gifts to unwrap 😀🎄
We met Elders Tappen and Anderson (no new companion/AP for Elder Tappen yet) for a lesson with Chris. We had stopped by last week with cookies and an invitation to church. He is a nice man and is doing some of the things he committed to do but is just lukewarm. We left a little early because we already had an appointment with Jacob and Camille Holtom for a member lesson. We had a good visit with Jacob but Camille, just home from work was sleeping. She works early hours and we didn't want Jacob to wake her. Camille's family is from Granite Bay, so we texted Elizabeth and Tyler and sure enough! they know her family. I love making these connections with people!
We wanted to go to the Giving Machines in the evening to see if there were more people. There were not long lines, but each machine had someone purchasing something all the time we were there. And we love to associate with the Elders and Sisters from the ATM. This gives us a great reason to meet with them and get to know them a little bit.
Elders Pugmire, Allred and Harris
We dropped by to visit Raul and Noemi. She was not home, but we talked with Raul for a few minutes and left them with the January issues of the Liahona, For Strength of Youth, and The Friend. Hopefully after the holidays they will have time for the Elders to continue to teach them.
We contacted Christa, the girl we met last week and invited to church. She is visiting her mom in Peoria this weekend and will go to church with her. But she says she will 'keep us in mind'. We also texted Melony and Wendy to keep in touch.
SATURDAY
We met Elders Tappen and Stone (still no new companion for Elder Tappen) at the church to meet Dalia and Martin hoping to give them a tour of the church. They didn't show so we drove to their place. Still no connection. So Elder Tappen called and found out they were stuck at the pharmacy trying to get medications refilled. Another day we will catch up with them.
Elders Thaxton, Tano and Blackburn came for dinner tonight. They are in social media right now so they don't have a ward to sign up and feed them. And it was good for us to get some more tips on how to better use Facebook in missionary work. They invited us to do three things to have more of a presence on FB. I joined a community group in Redlands, messaged a friend and sent the LightTheWorld with Love video about the Nativity and requested a Friend (Doug's friend from his mission in Holland in 1971) Judith De Wilde. Doug messaged Josie his former secretary and she responded. He also messaged Judith and let her know we would like to connect when we get to Holland.
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