update

Hope you enjoyed looking at the photos. I am hoping this email will go on the blog. We are still getting our apartment furnished; bought black-out drapes for a west-facing window – one was 63" long and the other was 84". So back to Target we went. We also bought place mats, floor mats for kitchen and both bathrooms (yes, two bathrooms!), kitchen towels to match the place mats, and lots of food. Bare cupboards just don't seem right! Or an empty frig. That has been taken care of.

On a more spiritual note: Family Home Evening every Monday night with the Young Single Adult branch; Institute every Wednesday night (food included with both of those), District Meeting Fridays with Zone meeting the first Friday of every month. These are training meetings and to see which investigators need what and where the teaching is taking place. I'm learning that the young elders and sisters are being trained very well (maybe I'll learn something, too).

Wednesday we visited city hall and chamber of commerce, where we learned about a Biz Expo the next day. That night was Institute. It covered 3 Nephi 11-12; went through the beattitudes like I had never contemplated before; very interesting. Revelation is God's answer to our prayers.

The Biz Expo was held at the Convention Center – a cross between the Civic Center and Idaho Center, kind of in the middle. Businesses were set up in booths with cards, plastic cups and candy to give away and sign up for all kinds of freebies. I hope to win the helicopter ride for 1 1/2 hours along the Outer Banks. We met lots of people and gave out a few passalong cards. Then Dan and I went to the movie "Noah." Thought it would be more scripture based, but no, it was Hollywood based – they made up whatever suited them!

At zone leadership we learned to pray for discernment and follow our impressions. We went with the sister missionaries to the campus of Eastern Carolina University. We had passalong cards that we gave out and visited with a few people. Not many on campus because it was 4 p.m. on a Friday. Then we went to a discussion with them to an investigator named Tyrei. He is still in high school and hopes to graduate in June. He is black and about 6'4" and 150 lbs. We sat on a bench in front of the elementary school near where he lives and talked about Faith and Repentance. Interesting, but he did say the closing prayer and agreed to a baptism date!

Enjoyed general conference – all day at the church. District had pizza at 11 and Dan and I prepared a fruit salad. Conference is from noon-2 p.m. and 4-6 p.m.; priesthood was a 8. I got to go with my companion and enjoy pie and ice cream at 7. Today we are watching conference at the Walkers in Kinston; he is high councilman over the single adults. He said he started his smoker about 11, so the food should be interesting!

Really enjoyed Elder Holland's talk and the way that he testifies of the truth. But all the talks were good and we are looking forward to another day of feasting on the word.

We really love our family and their support. Got a package with notes from Lena and family; thanks. Ed helped us get our email fixed so we can send messages (what a fiasco). Enjoy talking with you, just remember there is a 2 hour time difference! Hopefully we can hang-out with y'all tonight.