Crunch Week...but Wait...
This past week we set up two new apartments for senior couples coming to the mission. One apartment is in Vacaville and the other in Larkspur. So, once again, lots of trips to Costco, Target and HomeGoods not to mention online Amazon shopping. We furnish everything from a couch to a pizza cutter. We made it (barely) - we finished Vacaville on Saturday morning and the senior couple, Elder and Sister Curdy, arrived that afternoon. The set-up went smoothly with the help of the young missionaries. They are amazing (as we all know). They helped move and set up, clean and organize, etc. We could not have done it without their help.
Sister Cawley in the mission housing garage
Finished product - Larkspur
Right as we were finishing the second apartment and looking for a break, President Quinn called us and asked if we could secure a new place for a new teaching area - oh, and transfers are in a couple of days so would be great to get this done quickly. Sure President, you bet. So much for a break. But it's all good - we love serving the missionaries and don't mind at all. We planned for this type of situation so once we secure the place we have almost everything we need to set up the apartment.
President Quinn announced that the mission has already accomplished its annual goal of 281 baptisms!!! That is simply astounding! Our missionaries are working very hard and the Lord is guiding them to those prepared to receive the gospel. We are amazed at the strength of testimony, faith and dedication of the missionaries. The members are also so wonderful in loving and fellowshipping new members and friends. We are not taking our foot off the gas - a new program was introduced which is to go back to old referrals and see if they are now ready to accept the gospel. We are already hearing of great success and experiences in doing so. One set of Sisters reported that when they knocked on the door of one old referral, the woman exclaimed, "Oh, I have been praying you would come back!" That woman now has a baptismal date set. Sometimes people, for one reason or another, are not quite ready to accept but later they are.
Our mission has a weekly newsletter with a message from the mission leaders, along with any messages from the mission nurse, the vehicle coordinators and housing. The newsletter also lists the birthdays for the month and always ends with pictures of baptisms and friends who experienced the temple for the first time. The below is an example of what we submit next week:
We would be amiss if we didn't mention the shock of the passing of Charlie Kirk. Many of the missionaries here followed him and were deeply shaken and sad. They kept asking us for updates. Our own children felt the same shock and sadness. We told our children and the missionaries the following:
"As the world grows darker and darker, the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ shines brighter and brighter. Look what’s happening in the church - record growth and temples built at a rapid pace. The tree of life shines super bright - just hold on to the iron rod and keeping pushing forward through the mist of darkness and all will be well. All that is unfair in this world will be made right through the atonement."
We would also be amiss if we didn't wish our oldest granddaughter, Kylie, a happy 12th birthday!! Hard to believe she is 12. Time passes like a dream.
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