WE LOVE TO SEE THE TEMPLE

Kansas City Temple

Our love for the temple has grown tremendously here on our mission. It has been a privilege to work with so many wonderful members of the ward as they have prepared themselves for temple blessings. We have witnessed first hand how temple covenants refine and polish those that are worthy to enter the House of the Lord. Robyn and I pray that the Lord will continue to refine and polish us that we might be able to serve Him better.

These past two weeks have been very special for us. Last week we were able to see Carlos and Perla Toraya and Medbor and Heidi Chavez and Nefi Mera receive their endowments. Then this week, on Friday, we were able to be with cousins, Moroni Toraya and Nefi Chavez, as they received their endowments. However, the highlight of this week was to witness the sealing of Carlos and Perla and their two little ones on Saturday. 

Carlos and Perla with Mia and Carlos Jr. (thumbs up)

Moroni Toraya (Carlos' twin brother)

Nefi Chavez

Medbor and Heidi Chavez

FIRE STATION #17 KC, KS

Andrew Mayfield

A while ago, we received a call from a member of the church who lives up in Leavenworth, KS. She said that her son lives in our ward and she wanted us to meet him. He is a paramedic here in Kansas City and has been working so many hours that he hasn't had time to come out to church in a long while. We felt that the best way to get to know him was to ask him to help us out with a scout activity. I spoke to the scout master and we decided to work on the Fire Safety merit badge and ask Andrew for his help.  He was happy to arrange a tour of his station and the boys had a great time. We hope to be able to see Andrew at church in the near future.

Noe preparing for the strength and agility exam
required before one can apply to the academy 

Tommy Merritt

FAMILY HOME EVENING AT THE PORRAS HOME

Pedro and Claudia Porras

Angel and Lucia Morillo and the Gamez family

LASAGNA

A while back, Melitza Toraya made us a wonderful El Salvadorian dinner. The pupusas were to die for. For some reason, I told her that Robyn had made Lasagna for me on our first date (after that first Lasagna, I was hooked). Melitiza told us that she had always wanted to learn how to make it, so Robyn bought all the ingredients and brought them over this week. She and Melitiza prepared the Lasagna and while it was cooking, we had a wonderful discussion on baptism. We hope and pray that she and her daughter will soon be members of the church. If so, Robyn's lasagna will have worked a second miracle. :-)

TEMPLE BLESSINGS

Robyn and I received this selfie and text from Carlos and Perla last week. We were introduced to them the very first day we attended the Kaw River ward almost 8 months ago. Bishop Miller met with the four of us and challenged Carlos and Perla to prepare themselves to go to the temple and to be sealed together as a family.  He asked Robyn and I to work with them to make it happen. It hasn't always been easy and there have been some ups and downs, but last night we were privileged to be with them as they received their endowments. It was all worth it. Many tears of joy were shed as friends and family greeted them in the Celestial room. They will be sealed next Saturday.

In addition to Carlos and Perla, Medbor and Heidi also received their endowments last night. The bishop also had asked us to review with them the temple preparation classes. As you can imagine, our joy was full as we shared this beautiful experience with the four of them. It was a beautiful day all around.

Carlos and Perla

Medbor and Heidi and Bella

   

YOUTH TEMPLE BAPTISMS

Getting ready to leave from the Silvan's home 

This has been a busy week at the temple for the Kaw River ward. This past Tuesday, the youth had a temple baptism assignment. There were 16 youth along with another 4 adults who brought family file names. The bishop commented to me that the home teaching in the ward is not where it should be, but about 95% of the youth were able to participate at the temple. He will take that any day! Afterwards, we went to McDonalds in Liberty for hamburgers and fries. All these kids are amazingly close and support and root for one another. Their youth leaders are amazing.

Kansas City Temple

 FAMILY HOME EVENING WITH THE GAMEZ'S

Kenner, Ashley, Karol, Disney and Zoe

Karol Gamez is a single mom with 4 little kids - Disney, Ashley, Zoe and Kenner. I keep forgetting to ask Karol if Disney was named after Walt... Karol was baptized when she was 8 years old in Honduras and came to the states about 15 years ago. We prepared a FHE lesson to help Ashley prepare for her baptismal interview with the bishop this Sunday. Karol bore her testimony to her children about how the gospel changed her life and how grateful she is that she was baptized when she was 8. Ashley is super excited to be also be baptized the first part of August.

The Porras family and Judith were invited to join with us for the FHE

NEW MISSIONARY

Sister Littell and Sister Rowley

Transfers this week. We packed up Sister Hunt who was going to a new area and picked up a brand new missionary from the MTC - Sister Littell. She and Sister Rowley will be serving with us in the Kaw River ward.

LIFE IS GOOD

After we had arrived here in the mission, I began to hear about our ward's young men's high adventure trip that was being planned for the Black Hills of South Dakota. Since it is only about 800 miles and 4 'missions' away, I figured there was little chance I could go with the young men, but it sounded like too good of a trip not to at least try to get permission to go. 

One day, we happened to see Sister Vest at transfers and asked her if she thought her husband could be 'bribed'. She said that she used to make whole wheat bread, which he loved, but she has been so busy that she hasn't had the time. I immediately called his secretary and made an appointment to see him. I also made sure to bring some of Robyn's freshly baked bread, butter and lilikoi jam to hopefully butter him up. :-) 

After pleading my case and offering weekly deliveries of home made bread, President Vest said he would do what he could. He said that he would need to run it by Elder Martino, of the Seventy who oversees this mission. Within a short time, I received the above text from President Vest. Life is good. 

The Kaw River ward is blessed with some amazing youth leaders. Bishop Scott Miller, Mike Albrechtsen and Paul Nielson put together this great trip. They are all serving from other units in the stake, but love these boys as if they were their own. They are wonderful examples to us of Christ like love and charity. I feel honored to have been able to watch them in action this past week.

DAY 1

We left Kansas City at 4:30 am on July 4th and headed for Stockade Lake in Custer State Park in the Black Hills. After arriving and setting up our camp site we drove over to the city of Custer to watch the fireworks. 

Stockade Lake

DAY 2

Mt. Rushmore

Carlos, Jayro, Zach, Andres, Jesus and Noe

Stockade Lake

Jayro Silvan

Carlos Mera

 hay ride with chuck wagon dinner

Day 3

mountain bike riding on the Mickelson trail

the Mickelson bike trail follows the route of an abandoned 1800's railroad track
the tracks have been removed and a bike trail was constructed on the route
the old bridges and tunnels are part of the trail

 Rock Climbing

Day 4

More rock climbing, kayaking and Mt. Rushmore after dark

Day 5

Badlands, South Dakota

Andres Molina

camped Friday night at Mormon Island, Nebraska

DAY 6

Winter Quarters Temple

Pioneer Cemetery

IT'S A WRAP

Once a transfer, Robyn makes lunch for the Lenexa zone. This past week, the menu was do-it-yourself chicken/veggie wraps, chips, soda, and cookies. The elders and sisters are really spoiled by her. The lunch is usually right after our zone or district meetings. We ask the missionaries to pay a small amount to cover the cost of buying the food. It's a lot cheaper and healthier than McDonalds. This has become a fun tradition that we hope to continue as long as we are here.

Pupusas Salvadoreñas

Having a daughter-in-law whose parents are from El Salvador has been a great blessing here on the mission. We have been visiting Manuel and Melitza Toraya and their daughter Jocelyn the past few weeks. Manuel is from Mexico, but Melitza is from El Salvador and when we mentioned that Vanessa's parents were born in El Salvador, she got really excited. I think it sometimes helps to break the ice with people who maybe feel that we somehow can better relate to their culture and circumstances because of Vanessa. We told her that we loved pupusas, and she immediately offered to cook us a wonderful meal. To top it off, there were plenty of left overs to take home for mañana. 
We haven't met any Hawaiians yet , but when we do we are planning on pulling out the 'Hawaiian card'.  ;-)

MELCHIZEDEK PRIESTHOOD ASSIGNMENT

Presidencia del quorum de elderes
Julio Chavez , Pte Javier Silvan, Filiberto Vasquez, Luis Olivera

I have a firm testimony that the Lord knows the 'end from the beginning' and if we are humble and teachable, He can prepare us for service and assignments that will come our way. One of the responsibilities that President Ghent gave me in the North Torrance stake was to work with the Aaronic Priesthood and the youth. When President Hales was called, he had me continue with that assignment. I loved working with the wonderful youth leaders in our stake and especially the youth themselves. I enjoyed immensely overseeing the scouting program, youth firesides, the fathers and sons outings, youth dances, and treks to name a few. Last year, when President Carter was called to replace President Hernandez who moved to Utah, President Hales decided to make a change in responsibilities. He gave President Carter my assignments and asked that I work with the Melchizedek priesthood in the stake. I have to admit that I was not as excited as I probably should have been and inwardly murmured just a tad...

I really had to learn the MP duties and responsibilities and study the handbook as I sat in counsel with the each Elder's Quorum president and High Priest group leader every six weeks in the stake. Over time I gained a great testimony of the importance of the MP quorums and how they can really move the Lord's work forward.

A couple of weeks ago, the first counselor in the mission presidency asked to meet with me. He said that the stake president had requested that I be given the assignment to train and support the elder's quourm in the Kaw River ward. The EQ presidency all speak Spanish, but none of the stake presidency nor the high counselor assigned to the ward speak Spanish. Because of the language barrier, the EQ presidency has received little if any training or support from the stake. They are good brethren, but need a lot of training in their stewardship.

Last night I had the opportunity to sit down with them for the first time to begin the training. I was so grateful for the opportunity that President Hales had given me to work with the MP back home. Those experiences will be very valuable over the next year as we counsel together. 

I know that with the Lord's continued help, I can better serve the members here and help the work progress. The Lord knew exactly what I needed to learn and inspired President Hales to make the necessary changes so that I would be better prepared to serve here in the mission field. 

SEATING FOR SIXTEEN

A couple of months ago, we were invited to the sealing ceremony of four new additions to the Scott and Anaise Robertson family at the temple. They went from 8 kids to 12 overnight. Tonight, we enjoyed a wonderful meal at their house. The meal was delicious. Anaise is an incredible mom and the kids know exactly what to do. Scott provides backup.  :)  They have dinner time down to a science.

As you can imagine, their dinning table is huge, but not so big that you don't feel close to everyone. There was such a sweet spirit in the home. Scott and Anaise are great examples of love and devotion not only to their children but also to the Lord. 

PS - the dinning room table also serves as a class room table as Anaise home schools all her kids. I need a nap just thinking about it all.

'I hate these meeces to pieces...'

Our apartment is safer now since these 5 little rodents went to rodent heaven. Their downfall was their love of peanut butter. It has been a week now since the last one met his maker. Things have been pretty quiet around here, so I think we are OK now.