Sunday, June 7, 2015

To say we have had a very busy week would probably be an understatement.  I will try to recap as briefly as possible:

We have been to the Hospital in Atlanta every single day this past week checking on our critically injured sister missionary from the Atlanta North Mission, Sister Beckstrom.  Her family has been there most days as well.  President and Sister Bennion have had a LOT to endure with this challenge in their mission.  We are trying to be there as much as humanely possible to help them out.  They, obviously, rely on Elder/Dr. Allgaier as the AMA (Area Medical Advisor) to help them understand what is going on.  

Wayne reports daily the progress, or lack thereof, of Sister Beckstrom to Salt Lake City, specifically Elder Schwitzer and President Bennion.  We have come to know this part of Atlanta very, very well.  It has been amazing to us that we are actually 'in town' this week while all of this is going on.  That is about to change for the coming week when we take off for the South Carolina Columbia Mission.  Don't worry.....there will be daily progress reports that Wayne will be getting from the nurses at the hospital.  IF we were needed to come back to Atlanta, we would be back ASAP.

In the middle of all of this I had to take time out to go get another shot in my eye!!!  I know I have to do this to preserve my eyesight so I try not to complain.  It would make life easier if I didn't have to do that, but.....it is what it is!!

 This mural painted on the side of the building is one we pass every single day going back and forth to the hospital.  It is actually much prettier than the foto shows.

After my eye appointment on Tuesday, we headed down to the Georgia Macon Mission to attend a Zone Conference at the request of President and Sister Cottle.  We love them!  They are so good and have turned into great friends of ours.  After Zone Conference they wanted to take us to this carry-out Japanese Restaurant in Tifton, where the Zone Conference was held.  It was REALLY good.  I would definitely go back there again if I could find it.

 Sister Cottle and I had a little 'Project Life' time during the evening once we arrived at the mission home.  They had invited us to stay there and we were so delighted to be able to do that.  She is really into the PL App and physical book.

And come to find out.....we have the exact same binders!!!  How fun was that when we discovered our tastes were so much alike!!

And while we were sitting there talking we even discovered we have almost identical diamond rings as well!!!  What a hoot that was!

The next morning before we left to head back up to Atlanta to the hospital, Elder/Dr. Allgaier and President Cottle needed to visit with a sister missionary.  She and her companion came to the home where they could meet.  What sweethearts they are.  They were fascinated with my apple watch and we decided we wanted to take a little selfie with my watch!  Hence....the foto below.

And my Heavens....in the middle of so much going on it was GRADUATION DAY for Tim-A-Do and Emsley.....opposite sides of the country at the exact same time.  If only I could have been a 'fly in the sky' maybe I could have seen both of them walk down their respective aisles at probably the same time!!  

CONGRATULATIONS to our High School Graduates......I know there were several other grandchildren who graduated this past week from either elementary school or middle school!!  We want to CONGRATULATE each of them as well.  I think I might be getting old but I am not completely sure who did what and when or where.  I think I possibly knew something was going on.  Trying to keep up with 'things' hopping in the mission for us right now and 'goings on at home fronts' has been a challenge for us this week.  Sorry family....but we love all of you!!

Meanwhile, back in the Georgia Atlanta North Mission we were attending a Zone interview meetings with several districts.  President Bennion was doing things a little different this go-round.  Which turned out to be absolutely perfect because the tragic death of one of his missionaries and the critical state of the companion.......they were actually able to spend one-on-one time with each of the missionaries instead of being in a larger group.  Amazing how 'things' work out just exactly the way they are suppose to work out.  Poor Elder/Dr. could only find ONE ROOM to set up the 'Doctor's office' and that was in the ward library.  It worked out well though!

 On Saturday evening, after a daily visit to the Hospital and a quick stop at the Atlanta Temple,  we dropped in on the wedding reception of President and Sister Harding's son, Brit, who returned from his mission back in November 2014.  He got married int he Atlanta Temple on Saturday and we were invited to the reception.  It was a beautiful reception at a country club north of Atlanta.

And to round Saturday out, we got to watch most of the Payson Temple Cultural Event held at the BYU Football Stadium!  Somewhere in the 13,000 youth participating we had Ele, Thomas and Jake as a part of that group!!  So excited they got to participate in this once-in-a-lifetime event.

The Payson Temple Dedication was held on Sunday, June 7th.  Kevin and Lauren had tickets and were able to attend.  That is always a great opportunity anything any of us have a chance to attend a temple dedication.

And now......NOW, this week we are headed to the South Carolina Columbia Mission for Zone Conferences.  Wayne will be doing a presentation as well as seeing missionaries for some follow-up things he has been talking with them about.  We love our mission.  We never seem to have a dull moment.  But we are happy and loving it!!  Love everyone....have a great, safe week!