NOCHE DE HOGAR

NOCHE DE HOGAR CON LA FAMILIA GAMEZ 

Robyn was asked by Disney to explain about the Savior's resurrection

This week we have been trying to concentrate on encouraging and helping the members of our temple preparation class stay focused on the temple by visiting each of them in their home. We also have a trip planned to do temple baptisms on Saturday with about half the class. Karol is really excited to go. Although she was baptized when she was 8 in Honduras, this will be the first time that she will be able to go to a temple and do baptisms.
We wanted to do another family home evening with her and the kids. Instead of teaching the FHE lesson ourselves, this time we brought the materials and gave assignments to Karol and the kids after we arrived. We asked Disney to conduct. He called on Zoe to say the opening prayer and then announced that we would sing 'I am a Child of God'. He did a great job and we also gave him the assignment to talk about the last few days of the Savior's life. Ashley was in charge of the activity and Karol explained what happened at the Last Supper. Kenner offered the closing prayer. It was great to see how well they all did.
We left some ideas for their next FHE and told Karol that she needs to prepare the lesson. We plan on returning in two weeks to see how she does. She was nervous about the assignment, because she has never done one by herself, but we know that this is the best way for her to learn. She will do just fine.

Ashley's activity: prepare a picture of the Savior
with the words - 'I will remember Jesus'

Zoe talking about the Savior's burial

GREG NIELSON

We were able to be with Greg as he received his endowments Saturday morning. His mom and dad are among those faithful members who have been called from other wards to serve in Kaw River for a 'season'. His dad is the 1st counselor in the YM presidency and his mom was just released 2 weeks ago as the primary president. She is now the primary activity day leader for the primary girls. We recently taught Greg the temple prep class in their home - I should say, Robyn taught the course. The previous classes we have taught have all been in Spanish, so Robyn's participation has been limited. So when it came time to teach Greg, I told Robyn that this was time it was going to be her's. She did a great job, even letting me be in charge of all the audiovisual materials. Greg was very well prepared to enter the Lord's house.

Paul, Greg and Cindy Nielson

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LACY

Lacy and Robyn really hit it off when we first met her during our hospice visits. She really looks forward to seeing us (especially Robyn) and this week invited us to her birthday party. Sharing lunch with her in the cafeteria and then giving her the little girl that Robyn had embroidered really made her day and ours.
Many of these dear individuals have far too little contact with family or friends. They have all had an amazing influence on us and continue to help us to be grateful for our own health and the love and companionship of family and friends.

REINA AND CINDY PERALTA

The Peralta family joined the church last year in Fillmore, California. They recently moved to Kansas to be closer to some of their family who had moved out here. On Saturday, we brought them to the temple so that they could do baptisms for the first time. There is no better place, than the temple, to solidify and anchor a recent convert's testimony. They loved the peace and spirit they felt.
Every time we visit with them, Sister Peralta rewards us with some delicious mangos that she loves. We are so grateful to have the opportunity to get to know so many wonderful members of the church who have opened up their homes and hearts to us.

IT'S A SMALL WORLD

VENEZUELAN CONNECTION

Nerida, Victor and Fredy Bideau

The Bideau family just moved into the ward from Venezuela. I think we will see a lot more of this since Venezuela is such a mess. Everyone that can, is trying to get out. I told them that our son, Matthew, had served in the Venezuela, Barcelona mission 2000-2002, and asked if they ever remembered seeing him. I showed them a recent photo of Matthew, and sure enough they said that he served in their ward back home. It's a small world. 

Matthew in 2002

PRESIDENT RANDY J. VEST AND SISTER KRISTINE VEST

Our mission president, Randy J. Vest, has set the bar high for all of us to try and follow. He is dedicated to this work and to all the missionaries who serve within the Missouri, Independence mission.

This weekend was the Lenexa, Kansas stake conference. President Vest attended all three sessions - priesthood leadership, Saturday adult session and Sunday morning general session. In both the priesthood leadership and Saturday evening session he gave inspiring counsel to all of us in attendance. After his remarks Saturday evening, it was the stake president's turn to speak. He told those in attendance that President Vest's mother had passed away the previous Thursday, and that her funeral was being held today, Saturday. 

In spite of his great loss, President Vest continued to lead and guide the missionary work here, setting an example of commitment and dedication. I know that everyone of the young elders and sisters in the mission would run through a brick wall for him, because they love and trust him so much. Every mission president that we have had the privilege of knowing have been amazing spiritual giants. It is another great testimony to me of the truthfulness of this work. 

Sunday evening, President Vest, in his weekly message to the mission, talked about his mother's passing. It must have been very hard for him not to be able to go to her funeral and to be with the rest of his brothers and sisters. He went on to say:

As you may know, the Brethren for a variety of reasons don’t encourage us as missionaries to return home in these situations, but to trust the Lord will care for our families as we continue to labor for the souls of men. Because of the keys I received from the hands of a living prophet, Elder Holland, to preside over this special mission, my desire to be obedient to those that preside over me and the sacred covenants I made almost 50 years ago, I did not attend the funeral.  I am grateful for the tender mercies the Brethren extended to Sister Vest to attend the funeral and represent Sister Vest and me.

LAKE POWELL PASTA SALAD, MONKEY BREAD AND BARBECUE CHICKEN 

Before the last transfers, we volunteered to feed the entire zone. We had each missionary pay $3.00 for a veggie chicken wrap lunch. Later, after totaling up the cost of the food, we realized that we should have charged a little more. So this time, when we talked to the zone leaders, we asked if they would be interested in a zone lunch again, but told them it was going to cost $5.00 per missionary. They said, "Sure," but then the next day they texted me and wanted to know what Robyn was going to prepare to see if it met with their approval before committing to a homemade meal. 

I was not in the best of moods and it rubbed me a little wrong, as you can tell from the texts that I exchanged with the zone leaders. I also think they were low balling their food budget as they get $150 per month for food and miscellaneous expenses.

I sometimes forget that these fine young elders are often still teenagers and sometimes act a little spoiled or entitled. They will figure it out someday. It is part of the refining process of a mission. 

So we decided, rather than forget it, to see if just our district would be interested in a homemade meal. As you can see from the following texts, the district leaders were more than happy to have Robyn make lunch. 

I was so irritated with the zone leaders that I told her we would also treat our district. Robyn made Lake Powell salad, barbecue chicken, monkey bread and home made cookies along with plenty of A&W root beer. She also sent them all home with a loaf of homemade whole wheat bread. I made sure to leave the door of the kitchen open so that the zone leaders, who were also in the building with their own district, could smell what they were missing. I will try and repent of my poor attitude and actions. Sometimes, I act too much like a teenager also.

We just received this text from some elders in our district.
They will be fed again. :-)

CLIMBING THE WALLS

We would like to take the young men in the Kaw River ward to a rock climbing gym. Since they had so much fun rock climbing on the high adventure trip to South Dakota, the leaders thought it would be fun to let them enjoy it some more. I decided to check out one of the local climbing gyms on our P-day and took along a few consultants to check out the facility and have them give me their opinion. Hopefully the young men will be able to try it out in a few weeks and have just as much fun as my consultants did.

HAPPY DAY !!

ANOTHER 'RED LETTER DAY'

Ashley asked me to baptize her today. It was such a sweet experience to baptize this cute little new member of the church. We have been visiting with the Gamez family for a few months to help prepare Ashley for this important step in her life. A few weeks ago, Luke and Josh came with us and shared their testimony and their experience of having been baptized recently and encouraged Ashley to do the same. They wanted to come to her baptism to support her. She was so excited to see them as were her mom and brothers and sister. 

There was only one small tiny little problem with the baptism. I was ready to enter the font as they opened up the curtains and suddenly realized that it was empty. No agua. The drain had not been properly closed and so all the water had emptied out without anyone noticing it during the first part of the program. We all quickly went back into the primary room and listened to the talk on the Holy Ghost which was supposed to be given after the baptism and sang a few songs. It all worked out in the end, but the poor brand new ward mission leader was stressing out because this was his first time to fill the font and no one had told him how to close the drain. 

Sister Gamez had previously asked Robyn to offer the closing prayer in the baptismal service. So she practiced all week and gave a beautiful prayer, all in Spanish. Many of the members of the ward came up and hugged and congratulated her on how fluent she is becoming. She has been trying so hard to be able to communicate with everyone. 

We have come to love the Gamez family and all the other families here in the Great Kaw River ward. I told Sister Gamez that now we have 8 grandchildren in Kansas. ;-)

TEMPLE BAPTISMS

Jessica Andrade, Judith Henriquez, Robyn, Claudia and Pedro Porras

We are trying to go to the temple with as many new and returning members as often as we can. This past Friday evening, we accompanied 3 sisters to do baptisms. It was the first time for Claudia and Jessica. Judith had done temple baptisms in Honduras. They all loved it. We know that when new members go to the temple soon after being baptized, the chances of them staying active increases ten fold.
After we arrived at the temple and they got dressed in white, Judith suddenly remembered a pot of beans she had left cooking on the stove back home. Leaving everyone in the temple, I quickly drove back and found all was well. Her room mate was stirring the pot and the beans were just fine. By the time I returned to the temple they were all finished and we headed for home happy that her house did not burn down or smell like burnt beans.

Claudia and Pedro Porras

Judith Henriquez

Jessica Andrade

Elder Call, Edwin Lopez and Elder Mayo

We brought Edwin to the temple Saturday morning with the elders in our ward that taught and baptized him two weeks ago. Normally missionaries in this mission can only attend the temple once a quarter. The mission president makes an exception and allows elders or sisters to accompany a new convert to the temple if the convert brings family file names. Robyn and I were able to help Edwin find the name of his grandfather and so his 'missionaries' were able to come with us. Elder Call was able to baptize Edwin for his grandfather and then the two elders were able to take turns baptizing each other as proxies for individuals that needed the work done. It was a beautiful morning inside the temple and outside.

BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS

From what I have been able to gather, we are near the end of a 17 year cicada cycle. Every 17 years, the cicadas emerge from their burrows and make an enormous racket before mating and laying their eggs. And then all is quiet for another 17 years. The noise around here in Independence can be deafening at times. I found a couple of great recipes for 'chocolate covered cicadas' or 'cicada pizza' and sent them to Luke and Josh along with a few of the tasty critters we had gathered. Kaui and James sent the following picture and text shortly thereafter.

I received this note from Josh the next week

As you can tell from his expression, Orrin was also not very excited
about the cicada ice creme gift certificate that I sent him 

ZONE CONFERENCE

A TREE GROWS IN MISSOURI

Sister Vest, our mission president's wife, asked one of the sister missionaries to paint this picture that she had been 'dreaming' about for a while. The sister missionary is an accomplished artist and painted this beautiful tree to represent all the missionaries that had served with the Vests during their time here in the Missouri, Independence mission. Each leaf represents an elder or sister or senior couple. Additional details were added to the painting - the temple, visitors center and Liberty Jail. She even added two tiny insects in the grass that all of us will never forget and have grown to despise - a tick and a chigger. :)

Kansas City, Missouri temple

Liberty Jail

END OF SUMMER YM ACTIVITY

HILLSDALE LAKE, KANSAS

Derrick Dube, scoutmaster

Brian Beck, the stake clerk, was kind enough to take all the YM in our ward to Hillsdale Lake for some aquatic fun. Most of these kids had never been in a boat, much less water skied or even been pulled on a tube. They had a fantastic time and once again their youth leaders and generous members in the stake have come through for them.

Yael and Carlos Mera

Carlos, Yael and Andres

Jayro Silvan

Gabriel Munoz
his fear of water is diminishing... ever so slightly

Noe Chavez