In the next two weeks we need to outfit three new apartments for incoming senior missionaries. Of course, they are each located in different zones about an hour drive north, east and south. In each location we need to find furniture stores, Costco, Target and Walmart. Sister Cawley finds a great deal at Home Goods but there are none here in Santa Rosa or to the north so we have to travel a bit to get to those stores (We're sure our friends serving in Africa, Elder & Sister Day, are feeling sorry for us 😀 - whenever we feel we have it rough we think of them).
On top of everything we continue to move young missionaries while we both deal with injuries - Sister Cawley continues to slowly heal from inflammation in her rotator cuff and Elder Cawley has tennis elbow. These injuries slow us down but don't stop us. Many times we have no idea what we are doing but it always works out somehow. We receive help from the young missionaries, other senior couples and, of course, Heavenly Father. As Nephi and Sister Hinckley (love Sister Hinckley) have said....
We have said it many times that the best part of our mission is being with and taking care of the missionaries. We love them dearly!! They are so good, strong and spiritual!! They are grateful for what they have and so happy when we give things and especially when we take them out to eat. They amaze us everyday and that motivates us to do our best for them, to spoil them, to love them.
Elder Witt teasing us that he is going to bring into his apartment a chair they found at the side of the road. He was told to check his clothes for bugs and don't dare bring that thing into the apartment 😂
A nice thank-you card - In our weekly mission newsletter
we always say to "Call the Cawley's" with any need they have
Sister Dalby and Merrill excited to receive new kitchen utensils
Sisters Ashton and Beattie happy with their new whiteboard
(as you can see - it doesn't take much to make them happy 😁)
While out furniture shopping in Vacaville, Sister Cawley received a call asking her to be a judge in a contest. For their P-Day, the Woodland Zone had a cake decorating contest. Each companionship was to decorate their cake based on a chapter from Preach my Gospel. Sister Quinn (our mission leader) and Sister Cawley then judged each cake while on a video call. Super fun and super stressful!!
Sister Cawley sitting outside a furniture store judging cakes
The winner by Elder McIntyre and Shelton - The First Vision
As noted in earlier blog posts, we are "refreshing" the mission by swapping out old furniture and housewares for new. We inherited several garages filled with old stuff. In addition, we are "refreshing" apartments as we go. The old items are first offered to members and friends with anything left over donated to Deseret Industries. Those items not even worthy of DI are destroyed (which the Elders love to do). The nearest DI is in Sacrament about 2 hours away. Elder Ritchie and I drove a rented a 26 foot box truck filled it with items to DI.
Elder Ritchie driving the truck
Elders Shelton & McIntyre destroying old furniture
Elders Brost, Henrie, Woodruff and Robinson destroying old furniture
Moving out of an apartment with help from the Woodland A District - Elders Henrie and Woodruff,
Sisters Haroldsen and Austin with Elders Brost and Robinson in the background
We go to Costco A LOT!!! Every time we go we have a
slice of pizza and a double chocolate chunk cookie - delish!
Not since Christmas when the kids were young has Elder Cawley put
together so many things (note: the young missionaries are prohibited to using power tools)
Such a fun post. No wonder you both have injuries!
ReplyDelete