April 19

Elder Steffler was sick today and stayed home from church. This is the first time I have had to go to church alone – and I didn't like it one bit. I am so use to him being with me day and night, this seemed really strange. It was Meat & Greet to boot and I had to carry all the food, etc. to the car, then into the church. I really needed him! He had just gotten up when I got home at 3:45; I don't know how one person can sleep so long. But, when you don't feel good, that is what your body needs. He was not feeling badly – just runny nose and sneezing all the time. Sounds like allergies, but not that much has changed since yesterday.

Had some warm days and cool days last week. You would think it was spring or something. Not as bad as back west with snow one day and sunshine and no snow the next. Monday while I did some laundry, E. Steffler actually sewed on a belt loop – by hand! He was really missing his daughters. One of "our" missionaries who has moved to another area told us of a couple of ducks who live in the pond near where they live. She has named them Dan and Kaye! So we are remembered. Kaye is sitting on eggs right now so she does not get around as much. Our daughter Eliza's husband Bill was one of 30 employees who got laid off last week – unexpected but not surprising is how Eliza stated it. So, wonder what the Lord has in mind for them. Keeping them in our prayers. We took a bag of salad to FHE; one of the members made enough chicken alfredo to feed the members and I brought the salad. Then we played human Clue! Never had played it before and didn't really catch on until the game was almost finished. E. Steffler and I also got hair cuts. Mine looks really short because the perm really tightened up.

Tuesday washed dirty towel and dish clothes from the church. Don't know how many times they had been used, but it was time for a wash! Finished Pearl of Great Price with the member we read with and started on Joseph Smith History. I don't think she had ever read it before. E. Steffler took his sleeping cap and had her machine stitch the Velcro onto the cap and around the chin strap. The sticky was already starting to come off the cap that holds the Velcro on. So that really helped. It was rainy off and on all day. Met Iryna, a nonmember, who is living at a member's house with her boyfriend. He was not home, but we made an appointment for the 25th. Here's hoping he will be interested; he is an inactive member. She is from Ukraine and they met while she was on a work visa a few years ago.

Chilly Wednesday morning, but did a water workout anyway. E. Steffler did not enjoy it as much as I did. Cool water just gives you more incentive to work harder! Had G2 sisters over for lunch, then went over their ward roster to update the YSA roster that we got. They had lost their gas card so were using their food card to buy gas, so they were very grateful for the food – and we sent home the leftovers, too. Decided to make rice crispy treats for institute and thought one batch was insufficient, so E. Steffler had to run to the new neighborhood Walmart (one block away!) to buy another bag. Started with only 10 members at institute, but ended up with 15.

Thursday we enjoyed a nice walk at the senior center. Several people were there walking. Made raspberry cake for a member's birthday and pineapple coleslaw. While I was cooking, E. Steffler hand sewed the nose piece of his CPAP with Velcro so it will stick to the chin strap. And it works beautifully! Had the G1 sisters to supper and went over their ward roster. They had a few move ins that were not on our roster, also. Took a cupcake to a member whose birthday is tomorrow. The frosting is a container of whipped topping and bag of raspberries. Tastes pretty good. I still like the pistachio better – more moist.

Friday was district meeting, on hope this week. Read scriptures, had a discussion then role played giving out Because He Lives pass-along cards. Shopped Sam's for potatoes (we cooked a lot of potatoes this week!) and strawberries. Had to stop for a frosty on the way home; I have a hard time passing up Wendy's frosties! Made a batch of bread because the YSA elders and Tyrei were coming to supper. Had fried pork, fried Yukon gold potatoes, steamed carrots and coleslaw. Good thing we had lots of pork and potatoes, because Tyrei would not eat carrots or coleslaw. He made up for it with the pork! He liked the cake; I made it for his birthday on Saturday; sent home the remainder for his family to enjoy. Elders taught him the 10 Commandments; made sure he understood every one.

Saturday was another pool day, and it was a bit chilly – again. Cloudy and misty rain off and on all day. Still got up to 80 degrees, however. Realized Bill had a birthday on Monday, so got a card ready to mail and drove to the post office so it would go out today. Then made sure we knew where stake conference would be held on ECU campus. The church is renting Minges Coliseum for the Sunday meeting and the Saturday evening will be in Kinston. So we found that, then decided to drive out to North Crossing Complex where FHE will be held Monday. It is on the road to Little Washington – on the opposite side of the road that our GPS said it was! But we drove around it and it is a nice area – pond with boats and kayaks and grass to play games and an area for a BBQ. Went to the musical Women at the Well at 2. Had two YSA sisters with solos; they did a nice job and the whole production was amazing. Spent the rest of the afternoon and evening cutting up fruit for a salad – pineapple, strawberries, mangoes, mandarin oranges, kiwis and putting together a lasagna for Sunday's Meat & Greet. The salad dressing was citrus fruit juice (orange, lemon and lime) with ginger and poppy seeds. Very different; rather tart, but good. Got rave reviews today. The fruit is sweet so it goes good with the tart dressing. The lasagna turned out good. The other lasagnas were bought at the store and not as meaty or good as the one I slaved over! The YSA members ate all four that were brought! Plus all the fruit salad and green salad. A few cookies were sent home with the YSA elders.

So another week under our belt. Hope to do more inactive contacting this week – hopefully E. Steffler gets feeling better! I wrote on page 400 in my journal yesterday, so that tells you how long we have been out – I do a page a day. This has been a great experience; would not change it for anything. Elder Steffler and I feel like our marriage is stronger because we have a common goal of doing the Lord's work. Things at home have been a little bumpy, but they will work out – in the Lord's time. Hang in there kids and grandkids! We love you and pray for you. Thanks to those who pray for us – we need blessings, too. God bless all y'all! Elder and Sister Steffler