LOVING NORTHERN VIRGINIA

It is Monday evening, the 27th of July. It is 11:15.  We just finished shopping for fruit and bagels for the "Return and Report" meeting that is here at the mission home tomorrow morning at 8:30.  The Assistants and office Elders will be here around 7:00 to get set up.(And they just left an hour ago) This is a meeting for the new Missionaries that arrived 3 weeks ago to for some training and to report on how they are doing.  

We were with our four Elders this evening to plan the meeting. Putting together videos and ideas for the meeting.  They are so fun to be around and so creative and excited to put together inspirational and uplifting materials.  It is a joy just to feel the spirit of these 4 young men and the love they have for the work.  We spent the morning at the Centrevile Zone Conference.  Got home around 6:00.  Worked on mission medical making calls and appointments and updating records.  

This evening, our new Stake President Erickson, dropped by see us and brought some yummy peaches.  Everyone is so kind and welcoming and we really feel very loved and accepted already. 

Our neighbors, Robert and JoAnn Bollig are exceptionally nice.  They left a flower arrangement for us the first day we arrived and we have visited with them many times since then.  They are such a good couple and we look forward to a friendship with them during the next 3 years.  We share a driveway and they are a wealth of information when we have questions about anything from directions to how to take care of poison ivy. So far we've had 2 cases of poison ivy. (We also have had jiggers and ticks.  Part of the culture down here in the south)

  It has been another long, tiring and wonderful day.  Hopefully I'll be in bed by midnight.  Pres. tries to be, but usually gets phone calls  late in the evening.  He spends hours on the computer reading missionary letters and responding to each of them.  It is a constant job, but one he really enjoys and which helps him get to know the missionaries personally.  He really loves them all and cares about everything they all write or say to him.  He has them sharing miracles or tender mercies with him whenever they want and usually hears many wonderful and touching stories every single day.  

The missionaries love the work and try so hard.  They are really devoted to the Lord and the Gospel and are examples to me each and everyday of how our lives should be centered on the Lord.  What a great opportunity and blessing it is to be here in the mission working with this Helaman's army right here in Northern Virginia.