March 27, 2016

Happy Easter!  The weather today is beautiful and reminds me that things are going to be renewed.  We can see buds on the trees and a green hue beginning throughout the brush, shrubs, and trees.  This is a ‘type’ for the resurrection.  Things are dormant, sleeping and then—awake, come back to life and be beautiful again.  I can hardly wait for the resurrection!

This week was busy and at the same time slow.  We went over to Henrietta on Monday night after work and met the Dieu’s.  We had dinner with them and got to visit.  They will be leaving the mission near the first part of July and they will really be missed.  They have family issues at home that they need to help with. 

The ‘Chill and Grill’ in Palmyra opened up last Sunday (we didn’t go on Sunday) and we wanted to show the Spencer’s how good it was so we drove over there on Wednesday night and had a burger and ice cream.  They have the best ice cream and the burger was good too. 

We went to the Temple on Thursday night and this week the Spencer’s were asked to be the witness couple.  Last week we were asked and it was really nice to have that opportunity.  I have slippers that don’t stay on my feet very well and I had to keep tugging at them so they didn’t come off at the altar.  (Just something to keep me awake and alert)

I made sausage waffles and the Spencer’s came over and we watched the presentation of the Messiah on Friday night.  It didn’t start here until 9:30 p.m. so when it was 2/3 done at 11:30 we gave up and called it a night.  It really was beautiful.  We can watch the last 1/3 on www.lds.org until April 6^th.  (I believe that is the last day)  Handel was certainly inspired to write so many beautiful songs that depicted the Savior’s life.  He stated that whether he was in the body or out when he wrote the music, he wasn’t sure, but he was definitely inspired to write that much music in 22 (or 24 days).  That’s a miracle!

Elder Merrill is getting 9 new cars and he received 2 of them last week.  He has learned how to change out the TIWI’s and so he can get them out where needed quicker.  On Saturday morning we got up and took a new car over to the Sister’s in Buffalo.  We took packages to several different stops and had a nice lunch.  

Easter Packages for Elder Stokes and Elder Peters with Elder Spencer

Delivering Books of Mormon to Elder Hunt and LaBar

We drove over by Darien Lake Amusement Park on the way home.  It is between Buffalo and Batavia (probably closer to Batavia).  We stopped there to see what they had and look for the pavilion that will hold Josh Groban on July 27^th.  We didn’t see the pavilion, but it looks like there are wild rides plus a water park.   We felt like the Griswold’s and had pulled up to Wally World when it was closed.

 

We were very tired of riding when we returned home and we made some popcorn and got ready for the Women’s Conference.  It is so nice to be to view these special things via the internet.  I was too tired to pull on dress clothes. 

We had fast and testimony meeting this morning in Batavia.  I had taken the book and CD of Gethsemane in Primary last week and the children had loved it.  They were so reverent and the spirit was so strong.  The Relief Society asked me to do that for them today and I told them I was needed to play the music for the Primary.  Elder Merrill volunteered to do that for me.  He didn’t realize how hard the song and talking about sweet Halle would be.  He and all the women in the room were crying their eyes out.  Thank Heavens we know about the Savior, His atonement, and the resurrection.  The GPS for this life really works! (the Great Plan of Salvation)  He can take upon Himself our sorrows and grief.

We went to Warsaw after church and had Easter dinner at the Dieu’s.  We had a great time there and they invited a couple of men from the Warsaw Branch.  We had a nice visit with all there. 

We have lots of things planned for next week and the week after.  We have 4 days of meals for next week.  We are sending home 5 missionaries and receiving 5.  It’s the way of life in the mission; they come and then, before you know it, their time to leave arrives.

Funny:  Yesterday after we had lunch in Buffalo Elder Merrill stopped to get gas.  He has the habit of getting out of the car and leaving the door open.  The Spencer’s were with us and it was getting a little cold.  I started to open my door to get out and shut the door, but it didn’t want to open.  Elder Spencer was really quick and said, “I’ll get it”.  He jumped out of the car and ran over to shut Elder Merrill’s door.  He stayed and talked to Elder Merrill a few minutes.  We began laughing because he had left his door wide open also.  OK, is this a man thing?? 

Elder Nielsen is leaving Tuesday. His grandpa is Harold Nielsen who served with Chris in Jamaica

Elder Peters, Elder Gibby, Elder Nielsen, Elder Stokes--the Batavia Elders