MISSIONARY PREPARATION CLASS

One of our favorite 'assignments' here in Independence is training future missionaries. This week we had two young men who joined us for some intense training on our P-Day. We felt that they needed some real life missionary experiences and so we also scheduled a discussion with Sofia regarding the Plan of Salvation. Remembering the wonderful flannel board that I used in Argentina, we decided to create some visual aids that these two young missionaries in training could use. Robyn put together a great lesson plan for them and then they practiced and practiced until their presentation was flawless. Sofia was quite impressed with their knowledge and mastery of the subject matter. To ensure that she understood the material well, first Luke, then Josh gave the same lesson to Sofia. After hearing the lesson twice, Sofia was brave enough to try it herself. We were not disappointed. The boys promised her that they would be attending her baptism next week.

Ready for the flannel board

         
                                  Role playing

     Practice makes perfect

Lesson learned.

We also wanted the future missionaries to experience some real P-day fun. So we took them to a nearby wildlife sanctuary that had a number of huge buffaloes and elk that you could feed by hand. It seemed that carrots were the hot ticket. The boys had fun along with the training missionaries.

Helping the ZL make their favorite Monkey bread

WARD CALLINGS

We already feel a great attachment and connection to the ward. The members have been so wonderful to extend their love and fellowship to us. We have been blessed to receive two callings in the ward so far. Robyn and I were asked recently to teach the Marriage and Family Relations class during Sunday School. There are a dozen so far in the class with maybe more to come. Robyn is always good to point out to the class members all the boneheaded things I have done over the years. She said that she felt it would help the class not feel so self conscious about their own marriages and also be more willing to open up in class with questions and comments. What ever works, I guess.

And then the second counselor in the bishopric called me in for an interview today. He extended the call to serve as the assistant scout master. It took me all of a nano second to say yes. I am really looking forward to this. The fact that I told the bishop last week that I had brought my scout shirt with me from California probably had a little to do with it. 

I spoke to the scout master after the meeting.  He is a young man in his early twenties who has a great desire to serve, but little scouting experience. Hopefully I can help him figure out what he needs to do and help him get trained. He said that one of his biggest needs is help with campouts since he has to work a lot of weekends. This is going to be fun. 

Orrin is in a Spanish immersion class back home in California. It is amazing how fast these young brains soak up a new language. We also asked him to write a letter to Sofia, but this time in Spanish. He dictated the letter to his mom and mailed it off with his picture attached. Sofia was very excited to receive another letter from a pen pal, especially one that she could read without translation.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG ( fingers crossed)

CONFLUENCE OF THE MISSOURI AND KANSAS RIVERS BY DOWNTOWN KANSAS CITY ONE MONTH AGO
JANUARY 2016

I feel that I need to thank any and all who have been praying that the winter here in Missouri would be short and mild and that I would not freeze to death. The weather has truly been wonderful. Everyone that we talk to here says that can't believe how nice it has been. Yesterday, the thermometer got all the way up to 72 degrees. It was amazing. We were out without coats on. People were driving with the tops down on their convertibles. The parks were full of people. I know that I am probably going to regret saying this because the weather here can turn in an instant.  But it appears that we are 'coming out of the ice' alive and well. There has been a few cold days, but not like in years past we are told. Right before our son James left to go to the Russia, Yekaterinburg mission, my father was 'kind' enough to give him the book, Coming out of the Ice. Yekaterinburg is pretty close to Siberia and as you can imagine, more than quite chilly in the winter. The book is the autobiography of Victor Herman, an American who was falsely imprisoned in Siberia for over 40 years. James' Grandpa Brown wanted him to be prepared for life in subzero permafrost weather, so he thought that this would be a good read before he left. The author talks about birds freezing solid in mid flight and falling like rocks to the ground. It also talks about trees exploding like they were packed with dynamite without any warning, due to the sap suddenly freezing. Needless to say, it got James' attention. I think Grandpa had a sick sense of humor. 

I have to admit that I also thought about the book when we received our call to the Midwest. Fortunately we have not seen any birds falling out of the sky or witnessed any trees exploding... so far.

Valentine gift from 3 special people

Robyn's sewing skills have also helped us become closer with some of the people we are working with. This dress needed some repair work and she volunteered to fix it. I believe that the young lady, whose dress was torn, will always remember the kind service that she received from a missionary. She and her mother did not know how to mend it and they did not have the money to take it to a tailor.