Aug.16

Don't know what I did, but this is somewhat an idea of what we did a week ago.

A wonderful week getting to know all the new missionaries in Greenville – practice lessons and food! Let's just say we heard the Restoration lesson several times! The first distracting question always trips them up, but they catch on pretty quick. (It looks like a young boy seeing ghosts because they are not on the ground!) The new trainers are learning quickly, too. Not that we are trying to trip them up; you never know what some investigator will say and you need to be on your toes to bring the discussion back where you are in charge.

We were also in charge of the meal on Sunday – mix & mingle, linger longer, meet & greet. We haven't come up with a definitive name yet. Break the fast was such an easy name. We had taco bar/taco salad and everyone loved it. A nice array of desserts doesn't hurt either! Greenville 2nd meets before us and they had ward conference, so there was a lot of food in the kitchen and a little confusion about whose was what. (Ward conferences always involve food because of the distances that stake officers have to travel.) And it didn't help that the meeting went 35 minutes over! Pres. Walker likes to give his whole talk. The clean up went on longer than usual, but we had some good helpers. So glad we didn't have to do it all!

We are enjoying reading the Book of Mormon as a mission and marking doctrine and atonement. I sometimes feel like I'm playing musical pencils! I have gained a deeper love and appreciation for that book during our mission. Wish I had paid more attention to it before. And I don't want to stop reading it when we leave this mission, in just one month now.

We feel so blessed to know all you wonderful missionaries and RMs. We had a great visit with Sydney Jensen and her family – had to feed them bread and jam just so the family knew Syd was not lying about how good it was! It was a delightful visit!

Hope y'all have a blessed week! We love all of you. Elder & Sister Steffler

Sydney Jensen & family

Had a lovely visit with a former missionary & her family August 10.

Temple trip

Young singles at the Raleigh Temple to do baptisms.

August 9

What a wild week – trips to Virginia and Raleigh – all good!

Last Sunday we met a new move-in for the branch. It was a sister that Sister Glaser knew from Smithfield. Also another sister from Greenville 2nd Ward visited with a couple of her friends from Ayden. It was a hallowed Sabbath.

In preparing for a "good-bye" brunch for S. Glaser, I discovered I did not have milk. Elder Steffler came to the rescue and ran (drove) to the store to get some. Can't make crepes without milk! So we cooked link sausages and crepes, but the G2 sisters did not show up on time, so we fed the G1 sisters. G2 did finally show up – they had stopped to help a "homeless" man (who would rather have money than food!) and I cooked fresh crepes for them. Had to say good-bye to S. Glaser; kind of sad. She was in Greenville when we first arrived. She and her trainer had to find a new apartment so we could have theirs. And they helped us haul all of our "stuff" into the apt. Good memories.

Tuesday took YSA elders out for our last lunch with the elder going to Albertson. Gave them back the electric griddle we had borrowed, plus leftover crepes and package of links. They were happy! Made a batch of bread and shared some with Spanish elders and gave them the rest of the loaf. I know how to make missionaries happy!

On our walk Wednesday the temp was 75 degrees and 100% humidity. Yup, we got sweaty. Had a visit with the new move-in; she is a junior majoring in marketing and is pretty excited to be here. Got the car cleaned and the tank filled for our visit to Virginia tomorrow.

Up at 5:30 Thursday, so no exercising. Took two elders with us to the mission conference. There were 186 missionaries and 9 senior couples at the conference. I took two loaves of bread and we gave them to missionaries who had served in Greenville; they were pretty happy. From the opening song How Firm a Foundation to the closing song, what a spiritual high was felt by everyone. The rafters rang with missionary voices singing praises to their God. Sis. Baker spoke of serving with joy and optimism. Pres. Baker spoke on teaching simply and powerfully and briefly, then get out of the way and let the Spirit testify. We are made clean through keeping our covenants. Focus on why we keep the Sabbath Day holy. In the glossary of terms at the back of the pamphlets, only atonement and ordinances are listed in all three. Does that tell you of their importance? Faith and repentance are acts of agency. Without ordinances people cannot have the power of the atonement in their lives. Just a few of the thoughts I jotted down. The mission is reading the Book of Mormon together beginning Sunday and are encouraged to used different colored pencils to highlight doctrines of Christ and the Atonement. Got a new hard-covered BOM. Then to a park for a pig pickin! The temp said 85 but the real feel was 104! Sweltering! Brought back the two Kinston sisters to the church where a member picked them up to take them home. What a day! Long, hot, tiring and joyful! Loved it.

Friday was zone meeting with rain off and on all day. Four new missionaries were introduced; three in Greenville and one in Kinston. Practiced the BOM lesson and signed up for the new carpet cleaner that each zone now has. Went shopping and managed to haul all our groceries in during a lull in the rain – nice. Fed the YSA elders supper and got to know our new YSA elder. Then they role played the Restoration. I only tripped them up a couple of times! E. Steffler says I do it on purpose, but these questions just kind of pop out of my head, like the Catholic church claims it gets its priesthood authority from Peter and also the three main apostles that Christ chose, was the James Christ's brother?

Saturday we tried out the carpet cleaner and E. Steffler really worked hard on some of the stubborn spots. Then we met at the church to take YSA members to the Raleigh Temple for baptisms. Had three stuffed in our back seat and listened to the chatter all the way there. What's said in the car, stays in the car! Wonderful time with the spirit so strong. Two of our members had family names and that made it even more special. Afterwards had the ritual picture taking and Korean BBQ chicken. Still made it home by 8 and yes, we were exhausted.

Good Sabbath at church; good talks and lessons. Now to get the blog and emails all sent out! Hope this finds y'all happy, healthy and enjoying the summer. School starts soon (spoiler)! Love all y'all. Elder & Sister Steffler

Death cake

Sister Glaser going home Aug. 3.

Dancing

We dance only when shamed into it by a YSA member!

Aug. 2

A nonmember read The Bishop's Wife and said she had learned something about the church and wanted a Book of Mormon to learn more, so we bought her a large print one. So Monday we went to Barnes & Noble and bought a copy so I could see what she had learned from it. It was an interesting mystery and there were tidbits included in the story for those who did not know about Mormons. I still want to take Our Search for Happiness to her; M. Russell Ballard does a much more thorough job of explaining what Mormons are all about! Not a lot showed up for FHE, but we picked up a member who did not have a car. I hadn't noticed that we had a cooling trend until it started to warm up again: nights in the upper 70s and highs in the lower 90s.

Tuesday we had to read our new books (E. Steffler found a Cussler he had not yet read). So that took most of our day. We did try to visit some potentials and an inactive but struck out on both accounts.

Wednesday we had our final lesson with G1 sisters then went to eat at Cheddar's. Good times and good food! Sister Blackburn is well on her way to becoming a bold missionary. Spent all afternoon preparing for the meal for the YSA before institute: creamy chicken enchiladas. We made four pans and had a large salad. Most of the salad was gone and all of the enchilidas! If we had made six pans, they probably would have been eaten them, too! Another good lesson of how to incorporate the conference talks into our scripture study. Sister Walker does a good job. I have been copying each talk and making a binder by subject heading – thanks for the idea Sister Jasperson (Jamie).

Met with a new branch member Thursday who had just graduated from high school in Michigan and is living with her sister and brother-in-law in Winterville. She plans to attend BYU-I in January and is an active member. Nice to find a new member who wants to come to church and not hide out! E. Steffler and I switched books and read most of the day.

Friday at district meeting I took a death cake for Sister Glaser who goes home Monday. I don't know why she was surprised; I kept asking her what her favorite cake was. I ended up making a chocolate banana applesauce cake. Course we had to take pictures! Took the district leaders, Elders Pugsley and Funk, to Cheddars for lunch. That evening we drove to Woodington for the Moody reception – and it wasn't until Saturday! The sealing was Friday with the reception the next day. So Saturday we went to the yard sale that Heidi and family were having, then to visit an inactive member down the street – not home, at least, no one came to the door. Then looked up two inactive members who said they had not been members since they were little. But we left them a flyer inviting them to our activities. Then, drove back to Woodington to attend the reception and it was very nice. It is hard to make a gym look decorated, but they did an excellent job. Elder Steffler even asked me to dance after Amanda Keating said he should. I guess he was shamed into it! Got a photo to prove it. Can't remember the last time we danced, it has been that long!

So today we had a spiritual experience at fast and testimony meeting. Good testimonies. And good lessons, too. Our 24-hour fast is going longer than usual because of the reception last night. With transfer calls Saturday, I realized this is our last transfer! Only 6 more weeks. There will be three missionaries training in Greenville! With 31 new missionaries coming into the mission, they have to go somewhere, and three will be in Greenville. That is awesome.

Hope this finds everyone well. Congrats on the new car, Wickards! We love all y'all! Elder & Sister Steffler