Transfer Day

 Transfer Days are very exciting. If an Elder or Sister in our District are being transferred to a new area we take them to Raleigh, about 1 1/2 hours from our area, where they attend a transfer meeting and meet their new companion. Then we bring back the Elder or Sister that is coming to take their place in our District. We enjoy visiting with them on the way, or coming back getting to know the new one. They are wonderful and so prepared to do the Lords work. It is always a good experience for us.

It is hard to say good by. We get to know them pretty well as we work together in the two Wards and one Branch we work in together. They always make us feel special and we have developed great friendships.

NOTHING stops the work of the LORD

We are having an INSIDE DAY.  It snowed last night.  Can you believe it !!!  Hasn't done that in years, our apt. maintanence man said. He had sprinkled salt around the handicapped parking spots yesterday when the news gave out it's warnings. Then this morning he came to shovel a path for Elder Mauerman. He is very nice.   Black ice is under the snow.  It's only a couple of inches of snow but the ice is bad underneath and it is not supposed to get above freezing today. Elder Mauerman peaked out from our breeze way and did see some cars driving by on the road but I guess most people just stay in.  Fort Bragg is closed expect for the "important" jobs so we couldn't get on base even if we wanted to. It is District Meeting day. We drive 50 minutes to get there each Wednesday.  The President had delayed the meeting by 3 hours in last nights plan but then he called all the Zone leaders just now and cancelled. Then our Zone leaders called to tell us. Weird when we are used to going about in the snow in Utah but just as well so that nothing bad happens.  As I have heard in the news before, they don't have the snowplows and sand trucks here in the south so life comes to a halt if you get snow/ice. I guess we will be doing some online searching for members today. So some type of missionary work will still go on! We can do that because we have our computer...Later...Well we did have Zone Meeting in a conference call. The Elders and Sisters taught the lessons they had planned for the meeting over the phone. We sang a Hymn and had lessons and answered questions while on the Conference call. NOTHING  stops  the  Lord's  work  from  moving  forward  : )

Our mission is going well

Wednesday we attended a great Quarterly Zone Conference. Two Zones were in attendance, the Fayetteville Zone and the Fayetteville West Zone. We are in the West Zone. We are always impressed with the teaching of the Young Elders and Sisters. Their faith and works are strong and good. President Bernhisel is a great teacher. He and his wife are loved by all.

Tonight we took dinner to a sister in our area who has been sick with bronchitis. Two of her children were also sick this week. Her husband is deployed and it was a blessing for us to serve her. She is always doing things for others.

Its been kind of cold here the past two days. Of course those of you in Utah won't think it was bad but we have had weather in the upper 40's, 50's and even a couple of 60 degree days this month so 28 was cold. But we survived the day.

We liked what our missionary Grandson (serving in Sendai Japan) said in his last email... Remember that the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. Don't let other things become more important to you than the gospel of Jesus Christ and always do the things that will lead you to eternal happiness with our Heavenly Father.

Need any help

Sometimes we help the Elders or Sisters. Such as the time they needed to pick up their bike after repairs or giving the Sisters a ride to Church. They were going to walk to church because they had just about "used up their miles" for the month. But because it was raining they called us for a ride. We were happy to help them.  Luckily we added a trailer hitch to our Dodge Journey before we left home. It has come in very handy... not only for Keith's wheelchair but the Elders need it for the bike rack sometimes : )    Inspiration we didn't even realize!!!

All the way Sergeant

From Elder Mauerman's Journal: Today as we entered the gate at Fort Bragg I handed my ID card to the MP and said good evening specialist (because that was his rank). He checked my ID as usual and then looked at my missionary name tag and said “thank you for preaching the gospel, all the way sergeant”.

When we were required to do pushups in jump school we would come to attention at the end and shout “airborne all the way”. That’s kind of the air borne motto meaning we will go all the way because we are air borne. Since Fort Bragg is an air borne base nearly everyone who passes through those gates is air borne so the MP’s often say “all the way”. The first time I went on base nearly a month ago when the MP said that to me it really made my day, because I hadn’t heard that since jump school. I wonder if he is a member since he seemed to recognized my missionary tag?  We hope to find out.

Merry Christmas to All

We have had a wonderful season sharing the message of Jesus Christ and His Gospel with members and new acquaintances. We wish everyone a Wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year.  We are very blessed to be serving our mission at this time.

Good Week

We made a Christmas Stocking for each companionship (13) in our Zone and passed them out at Zone Meeting. We included a Christmas experience from our past and bore our testimony at the end of the message. You should have heard the Ahhhhhhh and see the smiles on their faces when I walked in with the box of stockings.  They were all very kind and thanked us a ton.  It was fun to see them so happy. These young missionaries really work hard and hold amazing meetings. Their faith is evident and they build each other up all the time...both the Elders and Sisters.

We have a FHE type appointment set up for several families the next week and a half. We will be giving a Christmas message and have things for the young children to do. Some of the families are without dad...since he is deployed and some just want us to come because they are away from extended family for Christmas.  We have already been out this past week meeting new young couples in the area and offering help for anything they may need.  Some expressed interest in our next Resiliency class... starting after the New Year.

We are also volunteering at the Bishop's Storehouse once every other week.  They do it a bit differently here as no Bishop's Storehouse is near by. A truck arrives with previously ordered food for two Stakes. The volunteers set up the food on tables so it looks like a grocery store. The people who made their orders before hand come in and walk around with a cart like they are in a grocery store and get the things they ordered. Then we help them bag it etc. and they go home with what they needed. Just like clock work and everyone is happy.

Now we are off to the Ward Christmas Party. One tonight and one tomorrow night.
Merry Christmas to All.