Dear Family and Friends,
Monday we went out to Greensboro and met with Brother White to fill out another application for a different apartment complex here in Demopolis and a request for a primary care physician to fax to Tuscaloosa. We got the doctor request faxed over and found out Thursday that Brother White broke his phone so we don't know if they called him or not to set up an appointment. We will have to check on that this week. We had another discussion with Otis in the evening. He is looking forward to baptism but hasn't quite kicked his word of wisdom habits yet. I'm not sure what he will do if they put off his baptism again, but I guess that will be up to him whether it has to be postponed or not.
Tuesday we had a great district council. One of the sisters shared some training from the Book of Mormon on repentance and our Sisters gave some training on what to do to help our people when they don't think they are getting answers to their prayers about the things they are being taught. As always, we are quite impressed with the maturity and ability of these young missionaries.
Wednesday we spent quite some time with Ollie working on her finances. When I went over her bank statement I noticed a check she had in her register made out to her husband for twenty-five dollars was cashed for one hundred dollars. There was no question. The bank sends copies of all the processed checks. Needless to say, she felt betrayed. We spent quite some time again talking about how she had to cut back on her spending because she is running out of money. We are spinning our wheels here. About three hours later Beth called us and said she just got back from going to Thomasville with Ollie for Chinese food. Of course she said Ollie told her not to tell Sister Owens because she would probably be mad. So Ollie paid Ross at least twenty dollars to drive her car to take them an hours drive from Demopolis and then bought dinner for her and Beth. It seems like all we are doing with a lot of things here is beating our head against the wall.
Thursday we had Book of Mormon class. The sisters were on exchange with the Camden sisters. So Sister Noble from Nampa, Idaho attended with Sister Allen. She has been out on her mission for four and a half weeks. Brother White was not there. We were going to get his documents that needed to be submitted with his rental application. That was when we found out that he lost his phone. We couldn't get him on his cell and he didn't answer the door when we went to his apartment. He had been to dialysis earlier so we figured he was probably sleeping. Sunday we found out from him that he actually broke his phone and got a new one Friday. We had an appointment with Otis in the evening, but when we got there he was waiting for us to tell us he had to spend the night with his mother and had to leave right then. We rescheduled for Friday night.
Friday we went back to Greensboro to try to find Brother White but he wasn't home. We still couldn't get him on the phone so we had to wait until we could see him at church Sunday. We met with Otis in the evening and the sisters reviewed the baptismal interview questions with him. He seemed to understand them and said he was looking forward to being baptized. He will probably have an interview this next week and I guess we'll see how he is doing with the word of wisdom.
Saturday was Conference😊😊. We have been looking forward to it for a while. The only difference between this conference (our last one for our mission) and the first one in April of last year is that we were there at the branch building alone this year when it started and the first time the sisters were there with us. After it started though, the Smiths showed up (with all the kids). Sorry to say it but it actually felt more like we were trying to watch the broadcast in the nursery. Otis told us Friday that he would try to come Saturday, but he called me in the morning and said he wouldn't make it but he would be coming on Sunday. Don't get the wrong idea. Most of the valiant members here have BYU TV at home and that is where they watch conference. We set up at the branch for those who don't have that channel but they don't seem to be that anxious to listen to the brethren. Saturday night Sister Owens and Sister Smith and her daughters were there for the women's broadcast along with the missionaries and one of their investigators.
Sunday Otis called to tell me he didn't need a ride. He was going to be driving his sister's car. I found out why when he leaned over half way through the session and told me he wasn't staying for the whole meeting and would be leaving now. I was a little disappointed. The sisters had another lady show up for the morning session. She was still there when we had to leave to take Ollie home during Elder Uchtdorf's address (she wasn't feeling well). As we were entering the parking lot on the way back we saw the lady that was there with the sisters leaving. Then we made it in to hear the last of President Nelson's address. I couldn't help but remember the talk yesterday telling us that we couldn't build someone else's faith nor can we expect someone else to bolster our own. People came to the meeting but I guess it is up to them how they respond. We were just glad we were there and we got to hear the brethren. The afternoon session was just us and the Sisters and the Smiths with some non-member primary children that the Smiths brought. Another session in the nursery, but it was great. You all got to hear Elder Peter M. Johnson, our former Stake President here. He is a great man. We hope you enjoyed conference as much as we did.
Keep the commandments and read your Book of Mormon every day, every day, every day.
And study Joseph Smith's account of the first vision.
We love y'all,
Elder and Sister Owens
PS: 101 degree Octobers do make some pretty unique things. The attachments are pictures of some flowers that sprang up in the middle of our lawn that they had just mowed four days before.
No comments:
Post a Comment