Monday, July 25, 2016

Something fun and exciting about our mission, is that every single day is different.   Every week brings new adventures!!   It keeps mission life fascinating and sometimes challenging.   But I've always said I'm up to a challenge!!!  It keeps you on your toes....it builds character!!!  This past week started with a visit from Elder Anderson of the Quorum of the 12.  He spoke to all the missionaries in the Missouri Independence Mission!    And we Seniors were invited.   There were over 200 missionaries in attendance.   We Seniors were asked to sit on the back row.   I tell you, we older generation ain't got no respect!    But we gladly obeyed.  Elder Anderson's wife told everyone when she spoke that we Senior Missionaries are her heroes!  That was worth sitting in the back!!   What an amazing feeling to be in the same room as an Apostle of the Lord, Jesus Christ.   But what an incredibly down to earth man he is.  He spoke for 2 1/2 hours and I loved every minute of it!!   A spiritual feast indeed!
We made our usual visits to less active in the Independence 3rd Ward.  No two visits are the same.   We don't know if we will get a warm, friendly reception, or someone who you know DOES NOT want us there.  I'm just very grateful that Glenn is my companion, especially when we run into not so nice people.  Why can't everyone just be nice.   Even if you're not interested and don't want any further contact.....just be nice about it!!!  And for the very first time, I had someone refuse my cookies!
Not only am I in charge of FHE's....but it seems I have become the Social Guide as well.   Last Saturday,  11 of us went to downtown Kansas City, MO, to take a tour of the Arabian Steamboat Museum.   Amazing.   Apparently back in the 1800's there were a lot of Ferry boats travelling up and down the Missouri River with not only passengers, but tons of cargo to sell to towns along the river.   In 1856 a boat called the Arabian, sank.   All passengers aboard survived, but the ship sank along with 200 tons of cargo...the museum looks like a store with everything you need to buy from dishes to shoes,,,,hats.....fabric....coffee....everything you can imagine.  And they still haven't put out the remaining 60 ton of merchandise they found.

 A few of us that went....Sister Ross....Elders Tefteller and Ross....Sister Christensen...Sister and Elder Treasure....

Sister Christensen and I waiting for the others to catch up!!  It was a very hot day!!
These are all the pictures I took.  We highly recommend the museum if you ever plan on visiting the Kansas City, Missouri area.   One of our next adventures is going to the Missouri State Fair.  It is in Sedalia, MO which is about 87 miles from Independence.   Then we are going to tour the WWI Museum in Kansas City the end of August.    As I was sending out the information to all the other Senior Missionaries, I told them that we were planning a trip to Branson, Missouri and Nauvoo.  (Both of these places are out of our mission!)   At the end of my email I put a PS.  President Vest
(the mission President), I was just kidding about Branson and Nauvoo.  He is on the Senior email address list.  He emailed me back and told me he thought he was going to have to call Elder Tefteller to help with his Blood Pressure and heart!!!  Did I mention that President Vest is an amazing Mission President and human being.   I know he loves his missionaries, and he runs a tight ship, but he is so down to earth and loving and kind to everyone!!  Sad to say, they will be leaving next July.   So we will have a new mission president 2 months before we leave.
We have seen some miracles since serving here in Independence, and witness how the Gospel changes lives.  I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ!   It has changed my life!  And continues to change my life.
Until next time....be happy and read your scriptures!!!