Feb. 15

What a difference a week makes! Last week Sunday was in the 60s; this week it made it to 31! Let's see what happened.

Had a good block of meetings on Feb. 8. We had prepared enough food for a member and 4 of her friends, but it didn't happen. Things came up and then changed again.... Anyway we had made crockpot chicken and needed to feed it to someone. We were suppose to teach 3 others that day, so instead we invited them to come help eat some of this food. It was not the best; chicken was dry; bread was stale, but they ate it and told me it was good. (White lies work, sometimes!) Talked about the sermon preached by Neil L. Anderson on the Prophet Joseph Smith in the last conference. Decided next time I will invite them to participate instead of asking questions of them directly. They all answered rightly enough, just that I put some pressure on them to answer a certain way. Live and learn. There was a good spirit there anyway. Kate Luedtke had her baby boy Mitchell this morning; congrats to her and Brett!

Monday a beautiful calm day; walked the senior center walkway. Shopped and prepared to leave for Virginia Beach that afternoon. Kinston sisters road with us. They stayed overnight with sister missionaries and we stayed with a senior couple in the same apartment complex. Let me say this: Greenville traffic is awful but Virginia Beach traffic is horrendous! Especially at rush hour (6 p.m.) and dark and rainy. Not fun. But we had an enjoyable time with the DeBows, talking about families, missionary work, what we did back home, etc.

Sisters conference started at 9:30 but we were to be there at 9 for clothing exchange and to help get the food set up. We took a green salad and Sister DeBow cooked extra rice for us, too. Sister Baker's theme was engraving Christ's name on our heart. Experience the miracle of Christ's atonement. Conversion is acting on your testimony. You can't have joy without work. The sorrow we feel for others is evidence that we are doing our work. Joy is not the absence of sorrow. Pres. Baker showed family photos and then told the sisters he thought of them like he did his family: he loved them and desired good things for them. He promised all of us that we would receive the celestial kingdom because of the choice to go on a mission would influence them to continue to make good choices all their lives. We are on the path – facing the right direction – desiring to bring people to Christ. He left us with good feelings and a desire to continue to do good works. Found a long cut on the way home – through Elizabeth City! Don't ask how that happened. But it did! Anyway, took about 20 minutes longer to get home.

Wednesday was a busy day with the missionaries. Had the YSA elders (who usually come Tues.); they taught the Gospel lesson and we fed them french toast to use up the rest of the stale bread. Then later the G2 sisters came for a lesson and supper. Had a short lesson and tacos and banana yogurt splits – yummy. Tyrei needed a ride so E. Steffler left to get him and the sisters helped me clean up the kitchen then took me to church for correlation meeting. We had cereal and milk for a snack before institute. We want to get the members there earlier so we can start on time.

Had a nice walk with just a breeze. I read Elder Klindagat's talk again from general conference and decided that was what we would covered with a member that evening for Plus 1. She couldn't stay and the member we were to feed canceled so we had a day of a lot of cancellations. Printed off next New Testament lesson and it does not line up with our Sunday course of study, Oh, well.

Friday had an early workout and clean up and off to district meeting. YSA elders didn't make it; one of the elders ate something that didn't agree with him. After the meeting we had lunch with all the sister missionaries at Noodles & Co. The YSA elders came by the apt. and we gave them some meat, potatoes, carrots and onion so they could fix a good meal. Also a half loaf of bread and jam to go with it. They were awfully thankful! For supper a sister and brother came, both active. Still showed them the Book of Mormon pictures of how to introduce nonmembers to the BOM. They brought us chocolates in a heart-shaped box! Also got a Valentine's Day card from my sister, who I love very much. She is enjoying her stay with her new grandson.

Saturday we picked up Tyrei and took him to an elders quorum activity: touch football. It was chilly, but only a slight breeze. E. Steffler and I walked the path behind the park then went home to eat breakfast. We had left the brownies that I had made, and it was a good thing! Instead of playing until 1 p.m., they were finished at 11:30 a.m.! And the brownies were about gone by the time we got back to take Tyrei home. Went to a baptism at 2 p.m. An 8 year old girl, and two boys, 9 and 11. Transfer calls came; a sister and elder are being transferred next Wednesday. Took the G2 elders to dinner at Logan's Steakhouse (full to the gills; waited 45 minutes) because they both wanted steak and the one is leaving next Wed. Neither ordered steaks! Can't figure that one out.

Had a wonderful branch conference today, but will talk more about that next week. It was 18 this morning and only got to 31. Expecting frigid temps all week. May have to wear my coat with the liner yet! Hope this find all well and warm. I hear spring fever has hit! I told Lena it was too early to start tomato seeds and I think she about cried! Pray that all is going well with y'all and that you are trying to live God's commandments each and every day – especially reading BOM and prayer. So important. We love all y'all and so does God. Elder & Sister Steffler