Mission complete...at least in Knoxville

Sister Casper was transferred Saturday September 14th, 2013. Her new companion is her angel mother Sister Overman.  Heaven has a great team.
Mom wanted 3 things from this life...
A family...
A testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ...
And to serve a mission with Elder Casper...
She left this earth surrounded by all three.

I wish I was posting her weekly letter testifying of the amazing happenings in the Knoxville Tennessee Mission. I can only guess as to the wonderful reunion she is having with family and friends who met her when she left our side. I find peace knowing that for the first time in a long time she is pain free... Her fingers are straight, her legs are strong, and she is running with the angels.

Her companion Elder Casper (papa) will close this Knoxville mission with his children by his side.

Funeral services will be Saturday September 21st in St. George Utah. Where she will be laid to rest surrounded by the red rock and sun which she loved so much.

My mom lived and loved the Gospel. She shared her testimony of the Savior by word and deed. I will miss her, but knowing that the Savior welcomed her home bring peace to my heart.

Cars, churches, and BS'rs...(can sister Casper really say that?)

It's Saturday again and time to remember all that has happened this week.  Weather wise it has been glorious!!!!  Between 75 & 80 something and not too bad on humidity and the sun has been shinning and of course everything is sosooooooooooooooo green. Last Saturday it was about 90 & 90% humidity and for the first time I was sticky and uncomfortable.  Elder Casper has been uncomfortable before, but last week was a first for me.

 

Saturday we did spend some time at the office – Elder Casper had an accident he was dealing with and I always have LOTS to get done.  We only meant to go in for an hour and 4 hours later we wrapped it up and came home.

Elder Casper, the senior & Elder Casper, the Younger ; Elder Mills (1^st Assistant) & President Irion are dealing with a tricky situation.  The Tennessee Knoxville mission has to give 5 cars to the Tennessee Nashville Mission.  That means several of our companionships will be losing cars and will be bike or walking—no none wants to do it, but we are obedient and so they are working things out to figure who loses what and who goes where.  In addition we have transfers on the 28^th with 18 new missionaries coming in on the 27^th – 8 missionaries going home on the 29^th – and some of our visa waiters are starting to go to their assigned missions.  There is excitement and joy and consternation and frustration and every other emotion you can imagine.   The priesthood is working hard to make it happen and make it fair – glad I am not responsible.  I only have to listen to some of the weeping & wailing & gnashing of teeth at the outcome. (again sister Casper has had 5 teenagers... I'm sure she is use to all of this)

Sunday, President & Sister Irion spoke in our ward.  Great meeting – they are so good.  It was fun to watch the investigators watch and listen.  The investigators really pay attention!    Our girls, Sister Preston & Sister Malloy had 3 investigators there – Elder Christensen & Davis had 3 investigators there & Elder Lutu and Hunter had one and then a less active member they are trying to help.  Great meeting for them to be at.

A week ago Friday – Elder Casper got the Tennessee Knoxville mission blog, http://tkmcars.blogspot.com up and running. (Wow, Papa is growing up in this tech savvy world)  He also sent a blast email out to the Mission Stake Presidents and Bishop’s letting them know the cars were now ready to be sold.   On Monday he received a call from a counselor in the Rocky Face Spanish branch (we are in Tennessee remember) wanting to come see a car.  He came on Wednesday – liked what he saw – his wife liked the car too – went to his credit union and got a check and bought the first car.    He wasn’t able to get it until yesterday – check had to be sent to Salt Lake & salt Lake had to send the title to Tennessee, but yesterday he came and got the car.  They put a temporary tag on it to get it to Rocky Face so Elder Casper has the Tennessee plate off the car – I think he is going to frame it.     On Thursday he sold another car – returned missionary getting a car for school and work.  This car has repairs being taken care of and then the elder will get it.    In theory – the remaining 5 he needs to sell have been sold to one guy who is going to bring in a check this Monday.  I think the guy is a BS’er but what do I know.  By this time next week all the cars could be sold and gone and Elder Casper will feel as if he had died and gone to Heaven.   Both Elder Casper’s maybe in Nashville on Friday as the take the cars we need to give to that mission down to them.  As hard as the giving the cars up is – I think  they will both be glad when it has been done.

I spent the week getting materials ready for new missionaries and transfer day.

I need to tell you about the churches here.  There are not only churches on every corner – but all down the blocks.  I have never seen so many or seen so many different names.  My favorite are the civil war area churches – still active – really interesting small buildings and the all have a cemetery with them.  It is really special.    We go from that to great, huge, majestic and absolutely incredibly beautiful facilities!!!  The different denominations are side by side or across the street from each other and they  are breathtaking.  Then every once in a while you will see an LDS building and it is so comforting – it is coming home.  There is a church we pass everyday on our way to the Mission office or church or the store or wherever we are going.  It is the Fuse Church – and sports complex.  It has a sign saying come worship physically and spiritually and it is huge.  The signs are also orange – don’t know if that has meaning or not.     So lots of churches with lots of attendance.     When you go to a restaurant, you see families & individuals bow their heads for a blessing on the food.  Sometimes they pray silently and sometimes verbally and everyone is very respectful.   Then you go outside and see the sign for the South’s largest adult store – anything you want you can get.

We also have just a fun time with the squirrels – real animals.  As we lay in bed at night we can hear them drop on to the roof and run across. It is kind of fun.

90% of the time we have it together...

Another busy week in Tennessee!!!!! 

I keep thinking I am going to get enough of a handle on things that the pace will slow.  We really are doing well – for 90% of the time we both know what we are doing and get it done quickly and if not perfect at least well done.  Then that 10% slips in and throws you for a loop.  President Irion says “welcome to the club”!   just like life do you think?

 

Saturday we just did our usual stuff – laundry, grocery shopping, I had my hair done, Elder Casper bought a TV and VCR.  Just small ones – we will not get TV but can play DVD’s – so I have put in some old, old, old Sherlock Holmes.  These are from the 1^st black & white TV series of Sherlock Holmes and it is a hoot to watch.

 

Fast Sunday we have the missionaries who are assigned to our ward over for dinner – so we had Sister Preston & Sister Malloy who actually live downstairs, and Elders Lutu, Hunter, Christensen & Davis over.  We just did roast, potatoes & gravy and corn on the cob but they seemed to like it.  These guys tend to really eat so we actually bought 2 large roasts – had enough we were able to send a goody box home with them.  They each probably got a half a serving at home but they got plenty while they were here. We had ice cream Sundays for desert – Elder Christensen & Davis are the Zone leaders, and on Sunday night they have to call all the district leaders and get their reports for the week.  Elder Christensen said “boy I would like to save my Sunday and come back and make our calls from here and have our Sundays then”. So,  Elder Casper invited them over.  At 8:30pm they came and had ice cream with Elder Casper and did their reports – I was tired and so I went to bed early.  It was a great day!!!!

Friday we had a couples meeting from 9 to 11:30 at the mission home.  It was also a leadership meeting during that time at the stake center so Elder Casper, the Younger was really involved with that one. We have 7 couples – two couples, the Roner’s and Casper’s are in the office.  The other 5 couples are assigned to missionary areas – they will stay in one place their entire mission, but they have a specific area they are responsible for.   It was so fun to meet together – these couples are amazing and just fun to be around. 

 Elder Bingham shared with us an experience he had had.  A young Primary boy in their ward came up to him and got really close and looked and looked in his face and then asked “how come your face is hanging”?  it was funny for all of us – we knew what he meant.

 After the meeting we met with the Leadership missionaries at the stake center for taco salad, watermelon and brownies.  Sister Irion had called on the Relief Society in the Farragut ward to help her prepare this meal for 80 and it was delicious.

 In the afternoon 2 of our 6 zone/stake missionaries joined us for a special meeting.  Our mission takes in eastern Tennessee, the Asheville stake in North Carolina, a part of Virginia, a part of Georgia, a part of Kentucky.  The distances are just too great to bring everyone in, but 2 zones got to be included.

 In the afternoon we had a meeting with Elder Erich W. Kopischke from the 70.  What an amazing afternoon!!!!  He was there for the young missionaries but we got the opportunity of being able to be taught also.   As always he taught what we already know – but put in a way to strengthen and excite and recommit all of us to doing the things we have been called to do and that we have committed to do.

 People matter and when we concentrate on people the numbers come.  We are all sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father and He loves all of us.  He has also given all of us our agency – the ability to choose for ourselves and He will never take that agency away.  As missionaries we are not responsible for others decisions about accepting or not accepting the message and the gospel.  We are, however, responsible to share that message and offer the invitation to come to the Savior and to our Heavenly parents.   The spirit was so strong and so inviting – I spent half of my time in tears.  I haven’t changed – still handle everything in tears.

 Elder Casper, the Younger was busy making things go well and right during the meeting Elder Casper, the Senior received a call that a couple of Sister missionaries had had a car accident so he had to go out of the meeting to make phone calls and take care of that.  That makes 3 accidents in the 2 months that we have been here.

 Elder Casper, the Senior has another thing he is dealing with – he and Elder Casper, the younger and President Irion – they have to give 7 of the mission cars to the Tennessee Nashville Mission.  It is causing weeping and wailing and gnashing of  teeth.  I think I told you all that last week.  No one wants to give up a car so it is not a fun situation.

The Projects, baseball, and speed limits...

August already!  WOW time flies!  Here is the NEWS from KNOXVILLE:

Last Saturday Elder Casper, the Elder attended a ward priesthood breakfast and then the two of us spent 5 hours with the missionaries – Elder Lutu and Hunter, going with them to appointments.  It was an experience.

Our ward has three families who live in the “projects” and they needed to visit them.  Elder Lutu was really cute – he said ”we have to go to the projects, it will be scary, will you be ok?’   It was like going into the projects was in the movie Blindside.  In fact, the apartments look exactly the same. The missionaries can only go in if someone is there who is a member or someone they know – no tracting or contacting is allowed in that housing area.  It is really interesting.

We have had another busy week – they all seem to be busy.
We have 17 new missionaries coming in the last week of the month and to get all the supplies and their orientation books ready and all the things President & Sister Irion need so it is a lot of busy work for me.  With my great abilities – I was able to jam 3 of the machines and had to have dad’s help in getting them going again.

We have been assigned to home teach the Bishops family – cute family.  Murphy is 7 (named for Dale Murphy – the family are BIG baseball fans); Maddie is 11 going on 16; Skylar is 13 and Sterling is 17.  Bishop McKellar is an attorney and they are just really fun.  We talked about the University of Tennessee and how cool it would be to go to a Vols game (the Volunteers).  Bishop gets tickets from all kinds of clients and so they are going to take us to a game.  They are going to Virginia for the BYU game and offered to take us but that is a 5 hour drive and is a bit out of our mission area so we had to decline.

We get to see Elder Laws Casper every Monday for staff meeting.  The rest of the week is iffy.  They travel so much.  It was zone meetings this week so he has been all over the place.  President & Sister Iron took 3 zones and the assistants took the other 3.   BUSY, BUSY, BUSY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Papa has been busy with the cars – we are going to be loosing cars and there is great weeping & wailing * ganashing of teeth because of it.

 Our streets are only two lane with no shoulder, no sidewalk – nothing.  The speed limit for the most part is 55 – and that is how fast folks drive,  mostly I shut my eyes and let your dad do it.  Riding bikes and walking these street is scary.  Plus they are so hilly – up and down --- up and down.
Speed limit on freeway – 6 lane – is also 55.  Strange system.

Baptism, investigators, and primary...

Things have slowed down compared to last week, but they are not slow. We still get home usually after 7 pm, and we could stay longer.

We have really interesting weather here it rains some part of everyday so there is no need to water anything, and everything just grows and grows and grows. Papa is really glad he is not taking care of the yard, that would be all you would have time to do.  All the green makes everything lush and really neat.  I am getting a little tired of always having to go out the door and down the stairs on wet porches and stairs, they don’t get green – just wet.

Last Saturday we did our laundry and vacuuming and then were going into the office for just a few minutes.  Papa needed to find a new car that had not shown up yet and he was going to the dealers to find it, so I was just going to do a few things in the office to wait for him.  4 hours later we finally left. We drove home so we could changed and go to a baptism.  There is always something more we need to do.

Kenneth Ray Moore was baptized. He is 41 and really a very nice guy.  There were a couple of investigators at the baptism, Michael Ellis is going to be baptized in a couple of weeks and then Kenneth’s brother.  It was really interesting to see how intently the investigators listened to the talks on baptism and the Holy Ghost and how they watched the baptism. We got to the baptism and were in such a hurry we had both forgotten our missionary badges – we felt like we were not quit dressed!
Michael was thrilled, threw his arms around Kenneth and said "I will be with you in a couple of weeks brother"!

 Michael is African American and straight out of Woodstock – still has the dreadlocks and is a musician.  But he is golden!!! Sister Preston & Sister Malloy found him,  he lives like almost in a ghetto area.  He says “this whole area needs rehab” – then holds up the Book of Mormon and says “this Book is rehab”.  He has been coming to church and we sit with him so there is a priesthood holder with him.  He is a hoot and so ready to be a member.  These sisters are so good at finding people and committing them to baptism.  They are amazing!  We know that there is a really good chance one or both will be transferred the end of August and we can hardly stand it!!  We hate the thought of losing them.

It is fun to see Laws , Elder Laws Casper , when he is in the office, he calls us papa and grandma.  I try to remember to call him Elder Casper, but Lawsie comes out a lot more often than it should.  He is working hard, and we see him almost every day. This week they spent Wednesday, Thursday & Friday in Chattanooga so we only saw him for a few minutes on Wednesday.

Papa & I were asked to substitute in Primary last week.  The Primary President talked to us after Sacrament meeting.  We thought we would just be siting with them during sharing time so we said yes – after Sunday School we found the Primary room and they handed us a manual and said it is lesson #whatever. We had 5 7/8 year olds – PJ, just baptized last month, Murphy, and David waiting to be baptized when they turn 8, and Drake and Rain or River (I can’t remember which name it was) she is the only girl.  Drake’s dad & Rain/rivers mom are dating and investigating the church – so it was an interesting class.  I do a lot better with a little more notice, but they are all cute kids

Papa has spent his time this week dealing with bikes/bike locks/and new tires on automobiles.  I have been getting things ready for next transfer day – hoping to be just a step ahead or at least where I should be this time.

Today papa is going to a ward Priesthood breakfast and then Elders Lutu and Hunter have asked him to go with them to some investigators. I will clean the house and get the washing done.  This afternoon we are going out to see one of our sisters and take her a copy of the ensign magazine and visit for a few minutes.  We don’t get in her house, we just visit on the porch, and that is a good start.

Volunteer Stadium from across the river.

Presidents and kings...

It has been a huge week—very, very busy for both of us.

 On Monday at staff meeting I shared Addie Loraine Casper’s picture (William and his wife Nakya had a baby girl. making Elder and Sister Casper Great Grandparents) Everyone was duly impressed.

Every 6 weeks every mission has transfers, new missionaries come in and new leadership is called. New companions and sometimes new areas or districts or zones created so it is a LOT of work.

Tuesday afternoon we received 16 new sisters and Elders to serve as missionaries in the Great Tennessee Knoxville mission and 1 Sister and 3 Elders who are visa waiters, they are going to Brazil.

 We have two Elders and one couple who have finished their mission and are leaving.
Plus we had 23 missionaries from the North Carolina mission join us on the first of July. It has been an interesting experience.  You have to have some place for these missionaries to stay and to serve and that takes time and effort.

Wednesday was transfer day .  Last Saturday, every missionary who was going to be involved in transfer changes in anyway received a notice to be on a conference call. They were told to be at the stake center for the 11:00am meeting on Wednesday with their bags and bikes and happy faces No one was told where they were going or who their companions would be, but you know how speculations begins as soon as you know you are getting a new Bishop?  Well this is the same.
Both Elder Casper & I have some pretty hefty responsibilities. We both have presentation’s to make to the new missionaries. Elder Casper gathers up the keys to the cars, the cars stay in the area, they do not move with the missionary and then has to get the right keys/car to the right companionship (he is dealing with 80 cars).  I do a small snack for the ward members who drive the missionaries to the meetings and then take the new missionaries back to their new areas.  We have missionaries as much as 3 hours away from the mission office.  That is a huge commitment on the part of the members to help out but they do and love it.

Elder Casper and I got bagels sliced and ready to serve with flavored cream cheese, an apple/orange juice drink, and some trail mix that we just put into snack size storage bags – just kind of laid it out for the members to take as they liked.
 
THERE IS AN 8:00AM FOR THE NEW MISSIONARIES. They all stay at the Presidents house the night before which is a block away and walk to the 8:00am meeting. It is so incredible to see the coming down the street, led by President Irion. I handle it like I do everything, lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. (It runs in the family)

 At 8:00am we did our presentations – Elder Casper does a little quiz on the history of Tennessee – Tennessee has produced 3 presidents and 2 kings – no one ever knows – do you?

PRESIDENTS –Andrew Jackson, John K. Pike, & Andrew Johnson (Lincoln’s VP)
KINGS – Davy Crockett King of the Wild Frontier and Elvis Presley, King of Rock & Roll. 
If anyone ever guesses – they guess Elvis.

Then he talks about safety in driving and riding their bikes and show a video with Elder Holland about safety.    I talk about mail and supplies and baptism reports and getting the forms into me so we can get people on the records.  In June we had 27 baptisms and so far in July we are up to 17.  We are going to one tonight, the sisters who live here have a baptism this week and next and have asked us to come.

We went back to the office after the 8:00 meeting – got the mail and then back to the stake center with mail so the kids can pick it up and it doesn’t get lost in the transfers. 

For the 11:00am meeting, we meet in the chapel. All the missionaries are sitting on the sides with the center section totally empty. Ward members who have driven are along the back, those missionaries  who are going home are seated on the stand.  We are on one side on the front row as office staff.

At 11:00 one of the AP’s conducts the meeting, announces we will sing CALLED TO SERVE and who will give the opening prayer. We all stand and sing CALLED TO SERVE and the other AP brings the new missionaries in and has them sit in the center section. Really big lump in the throat and I only get about 3 words out and then I am totally in tears.

This time was a REALLY, REALLY big lump and lots of tears as Elder Laws Casper, new AP in the Tennessee Knoxville mission led the missionaries into the meeting. That was one of the really big speculations – Elder Robinson will be going home and so everyone knew we would get a new AP. Elder Casper looks and acts the part.  It is amazing!

Of course now we have two Elder Casper’s and we are having fun. Papa called Elder Hales, a Missionary Elder Laws Casper had trained, about a car issue and said “this is Elder Casper”.
Elder Hales said “no its not – I know Elder Casper and you are not him”. Papa said this is Elder Casper the Car guy and Elder Hales started to laugh. They laughed all through the telephone conversation,don’t know how much they were able to get done.

One more thing about the transfer meeting. The mission theme is Hope of Israel and so we always stand and sing that as a closing song. President has a sword the he raises overhead and swings every time we sing sword of truth and might, it is kind of cool.

We have been assigned 5 sisters to find, we have to see if they are still in the ward area. We have found another one! She has moved but the note I sent to her was forwarded on and I had our phone numbers in it and she called! This is going to be a long process but we are working on it.  Now we just need to start with the young adults – all 34 of them.

Now onto laundry and the rest of our Pday.

Happy Birthday President... Irion that is!

We had the missionaries over for dinner on Sunday – we had Hawaiian Haystacks & seemed to have enough food for all.  We had Elders Garbringer, Davis, Hunter & Lutu and Sisters Preston & Malloy. 

sister missionaries with Sister and Elder Casper

 

We had a great gospel discussion on the temple. It was fun to be with these kids, they helped clean up and then left for appointments with investigators. 

We will do it next fast Sunday,

We had 3 zone conferences this week – papa has had 80 cars to inspect over the last two weeks.  The have put 15 ½ gallons of washer fluid in cars along with oil (when needed), transmission fluid, and anything else they could help with.  He has also filled out forms letting these kids know what needs to be repaired on the cars and then followed up on Friday – some have great follow through, ours not so much. (I'm thinking Elder Casper should be use to this... he did raise 5 teenagers).

He also has to match up gas receipts and mileage and all kinds of things to be able to keep the cars in the mission.  He is busy.

I ended up not taking a turn at the Zone Conferences – we have 16 new missionaries coming this week that I was pretty much on top of things for – then got the information that we have 4 visa waiters ( missionaries assigned to Brazil who can’t get a visa yet) who will be coming so had to get their materials ready .  We also have leadership changes on Wednesday, transfer day, and so I have had paperwork up to my eyeballs – just trying to get ready.

This will be our second transfer day since we have been in the field – we had been here one week last time.  This time we should be a little more prepared but don’t hold your breath.  Papa has to do a presentation on cars and safety and I have one on mail, Ordering Supplies, and Baptism.  Really messed it up last time – hope to do better this time.

We are still having rain everyday – not the torrential down pour, but still rain.  Then the sun comes out and shines on all the green and it is amazing.

Still looking for our wandering sheep – not much luck yet but haven’t had a lot of time either.  I met the Young Single Adult Branch President last week and we will work with him to get some things also.  Seems like a really nice man.

Dad taught Sunday School last week and will teach again this week.  Our Sunday School teacher is taking his mom back to Georgia and so needed help – Ron is a really good teacher and I think everyone enjoyed his class.

President Irion’s birthday is on Thursday and Sister Irion has asked me to help put together a book of birthday wishes from the missionaries – so in addition to transfer – I get birthday,  that is ok.  That is the fun stuff to do.

4th of July and Elder Casper arrives...

We hope everyone had a grand 4^th of July and that you all celebrated in style.  We took the AP’s (Assistants to the President ) to breakfast at IHOP and then went into the office – later than usual but we still were there doing the mission thing.  It was kind of neat.  The missionaries don’t get the day off – and neither did we.  We may do things a little differently, but we are still doing what we were sent here to do.

 

 

This week we got to see Elder Laws Casper on Monday and Tuesday,  Monday afternoon was Leadership Council and Elder Casper is the Asheville Zone, Zone Leader so he was in Knoxville for Leadership Council.  President Irion is so neat!!!!  He invited Elder Casper & me over to the end of the meeting so we could see him. Laws also came into the mission office on Tuesday to pick up supplies- have a tour of the office – meet with President Irion and with the AP’s.  He and Elder Ary, his companion spent Monday night at President Irion’s home.  HE LOOKS GOOD.  He is about 3 inches taller than papa now.  Has a really rich, deep voice and has really grown into an outstanding young man with great leadership and potential.

We also been Zone Conferences.  We did the Knoxville Conference on Tuesday – Papa has to inspect all the mission cars and he does a presentation on vehicle safety at lunch.  I have a presentation on some housing and baptisms and referrals and things like that, but Sister Roner and I share that presentation. She did Knoxville and Asheville and will do Cumberlund.  I will do Chattanooga and Kingsport.  Papa gets to do all of them.

 The bain of Papa’s life since we got here are mission vehicles that are no longer in service that need to be sold.  When we got here there were 3 that should have been sold a couple of months earlier and just hadn’t been.  So every week on the agenda for staff meeting that is an item and papa hates it.  He has been working hard to get them sold – got that done and has spent 3 weeks trying to get them picked up.  They were picked up yesterday and he is thrilled.  I left it on the agenda just to tease him a bit.

 Friday was Zone Conference in Asheville so EVERYONE went to Asheville but me.  I was the lone missionary at the office.  Boy it is amazing how much you can accomplish when you don’t have interruptions and can just do your work.  It was nice to be interrupted and get the cars gone and I was glad when everyone came back.  Papa says Asheville is beautiful!!!  We think Tennessee is too, but he says North Carolina is even more so.  So Papa got to see Elder Casper 3 times this week.  We are trying to be low key and not embarrass him, but it is fun to see him.

 Papa and I have a new calling in the ward – we have been called as the Young Single Adult Representatives.  We have a YSA ward in the stake and our bishop has asked us to find these young adults and see what they want to do – stay in our ward – we will teach a Sunday School lesson and do activities or go to the YSA ward.  The big thing is we have to find them first.  We are going to go meet with the institute director and see what is going on there before we get started.  We want to coordinate not compete.  I keep thinking someone needs to explain to our Bishops what Young is – somehow we don’t seem to fit into the description of young.

It has rained every day this week --  sometimes just a sprinkle and then the sun shines, but a couple of days it has been monsoons all day long.  Coming from St. George where we have so little rain – to this is really a change.

For some reason I have lost my mind... we are now going to be feeding the missionaries in our ward – only on fast Sunday – but still you know how I love to cook.  Tomorrow we are doing Hawaiian Haystacks.  I think I can handle that.  My one concern is Elder Lutu – a Polynesian missionary.  Ken he is from Boise and he does like to eat.  So we are making extra and hope it will work.  We have 2 sets of Elders and a set of Sisters assigned to our ward so we will have 8 for dinner tomorrow.

Asheville mission is coming!!!!!

 

The weeks just seem to fly by – it seems like only a minuet ago I was writing to you and here it is another entire week gone by.  We have been way, way busy – things just keep happening and we are learning more and more and (more importantly) we are remembering so we don’t need help to do our jobs.  Dad has had special training this week so that he can do his monthly vehicle reports and he is really glad for that.  I have had training on the monthly baptism reports and so now I can do that on my own.  It is a good feeling.

 

 So far this month we have had 24 baptisms – several more are scheduled for this week end so it has been a good month.  Last week we had a young woman baptized and confirmed in our ward.  She is from Thailand and so the brother doing the confirmation gave the blessings in Thai – it was neat to hear – only understood Jesus Christ and amen but it was a neat blessing – the feeling in the meeting was awesome.

Today the sun is shining and it is absolutely beautiful!!!  We have had rain every day this week – severe thunderstorm warnings, and torrential rain.  They mean it when they say bring an umbrella – you are in deep doo –doo without one.

We didn’t speak in church last week – the ward mission leader got excited and was a week early in his schedule.  You are speaking this week so that gave us an extra week—talks are already ready so we are good to go.

Tuesday is the Leadership Council meeting for our mission – Elder Laws Casper is probably coming over for the meeting so we may get to see him!  Two of us are really excited.  I don’t know how he feels about it.

We have the pictures of the missionaries from the Asheville Stake/Zone up in the office and so when the missionaries come in, they all want to look and see the new missionaries.  Someone always says hey there is an Elder Casper here, did you know that?  When they find out he is our grandson they are excited for us.

We are still trying to make contact with the sisters from our ward that we are home teaching.  Some things are harder than others.  We were out Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday nights trying to find them.  One we have gotten in to see and will be going to see her on a regular basis.  One we think she was there, thought we could hear the TV, but she didn’t answer the door.  One we have been by 4 times and she has not been home.  Her phone does not have an answering machine so we haven’t been able to leave a message.  So I have just written notes to each of them to see if we get some kind of response.  We let them know that we want to do what they want – we will be back if they want a visit – if they don’t we won’t bother them.  We just need to know.

Dad thinks we will get some additional names this week to keep trying to locate those who have slipped between the cracks.

We have two of the missionary couples who are finishing up their time on their missions in July so on Monday we have a couples lunch.  I only have to do fruit and dip – I am good with fruit and dip.  It should be fun.


Friday is Zone Conference in Asheville –Papa will be going over to inspect the cars in that Zone, so he will get to see Elder Laws Casper twice next week LUCKY DOG.  In fact everyone will be out of the office for the Zone Conferences except for the mission secretary (me).  I will have the whole place to myself – just think of the damage I could do!!

  

The beauty of knoxville

 

I can hardly believe another week has gone by – they seem to fly!!!  We are really busy and so that is nice.  Learning more each  day and able to do more on our own without having to interrupt others to help us out.  Important and not so important stuff:

 

      Told you we have had a lot of rain – more water than we have seen in ten years total.  Thursday evening we were taking a car to some elders – dad was driving the elder’s car & I was driving ours, when a thunder storm – a deluge – hit.  The water was coming down in sheets – we couldn’t see the road, the car in head of you, the side of the road.  It was horrendous!  We pulled into a parking lot to wait it out – we were there with several other vehicles – all just waiting.  The rain came and came and came – it was 20 minutes before it was just normal rain and you could safely travel.  If that rain had come in St. George, our house would now be in Vegas!
      We took Elder Mann home to Maryville on Wednesday.  Their home is in the Smokey Mountains and for here, is fairly high on the mountain side.  It was like driving in a storybook adventure.  We went through canopies of trees – one place reminded me of the Igabod Crane, where he starts down the lane through the tunnel of trees and meets the headless horseman.  It was breath takingly beautiful but if it had been dark it could have been very scary.
      We are getting ready for the Asheville, North Carolina missionaries to come into our mission – happens on Monday, July 1^st.  So I am doing LOTS   of paperwork so we will be ready and it is so neat to see Elder Laws Casper’s picture and name.
      There is to be a Zone Conference in Asheville on Friday, July 5^th.  Papa will be there – I probably won’t—with everyone gone someone has to run the office and since that is my job that is most likely where I will be.
      We have been watching the fireflies at night – what a fun sight.  The kids around here really do catch them in bottles to watch the light up.
      I have seen a real cardinal.  I know I am not big on birds – but this is the first time I have seen an actually cardinal.  They are tiny birds and the males are bright red – it was kind of fun to see them.  I was in the car and they couldn’t get me so it worked out great.
      Papa and I spent last night and this morning cleaning out kitchen drawers and cupboards and cleaning them up so we can use them for the next months.  This is a darling house but Pam Dosch just left everything and said use what you want and do what you need to make it work for you.  We are doing that.
  Last week for Father’s day, I did a roast/potatoes & gravy and orange Jell-O for dad.  We had the sister missionaries from down stairs up and it was almost like a family – but we missed all of you.

Orange orange everywhere...

Greetings again from the Tennessee Knoxville Mission.  Saturday is our “p” day and so now that we have the shopping done and the laundry done and we have spent two hours trying to find some sisters we are trying to rescue for the ward, I have time to sit and do this email. 

 

     We see UT all over the place – I always think Utah and then remember it is the University of Tennessee – UT.  I will get use to it I am sure.

      Everything is VOLS or Volunteers – know now that is the name of the UT team, so ever body, every business, every doctors clinic have VOLS or Volunteers in their name.
      I have never seen so much orange in my entire life – the bright, bright orange of the UT VOLS.  Makes what BYU and Utah do look like nothing.
      We have had sever torrential rain storms this week and tornado warnings but all we have gotten is rain.  When it comes – it really comes.     We are getting use to using umbrella’s – you have to or you drown.    We are apparently about 13 inches ahead of the average yearly rainfall and we have only been here 3 weeks.

      Papa has 3 of the 7 cars he needs to sell – sold.  The guy hasn’t picked them up yet but that should be sometime this week.  He will be really glad when they are off his hands.


      I do have all the missionary files and am in the processes of making them like our files – President Irion keeps bring me information about Elder Laws Casper.  President is funny.  I think you will get a kick out of him.

   Today we found one of our lost souls over by the UT football stadium.  WHAT A STADIUM!!!!  I asked her if her house rattled with the noise from the crowd – she said only when the cannon goes off.  She thinks it is aimed right over her house.
It is a lot of hard work and we are loving it.  Sister Irion said it is the hardest fun she has ever had.

   We are learning to get around – thanks to our Garmin/GPS.  I still have no idea what direction is what.  For me the sun is coming up in the north.

   Papas least favorite thing is the humidity – it doesn’t seem to bother me.


   I was worried that the humidity would be awful for my hair but just the opposite – it has more body than it has had for a long, long time – so I love that.  I just need to find someone who can trim it and help me get it back to its natural color.  Ron found a barber & it cost him $14 for the cut – he nearly passed out at the price.  I said we are not in Utah any more.

   Because tomorrow is Father’s Day, I am fixing a roast & we have invited the cute sister missionaries who live downstairs to eat with us unless they get an invitation from someone interested in the gospel.  I haven’t cook a roast for a long time.  Heck I haven’t cooked for a long time.
18.   We leave the house by 7:30am each morning and one night we were actually home by 7 but usually it is later.

   We don’t breaks – I do go out and stand in the sun every once in a while – I need the sun.  usually we do ½ for lunch and other than that we are busy with mission stuff.

   Most important of all – we have stronger testimonies of the Savior and His atoning sacrifice and what that means in each of our lives.  This missionary work is an incredible experience.  I am soooooooooooooo  glad we can do it.

Greetings from Tennessee...

We finally have our computer up and running so I can really do an email and let you know how things are going.

 

It is beautiful here – green and lush and really clean.  At least in the areas we have been in.  haven’t been downtown Knoxville yet.  We have squirrels & bunny’s and all kinds of creatures in the yard.
The house we live in is fun.  Really nice remodeled kitchen’s & bathroom. The sister missionaries live in the basement, Sister Preston & Sister Young live down stairs and they are darling.
      President & Sister Irion!!!!!  Can’t even explain how I feel about them.  They are wonderful and amazing.  President is a doctor – a gynecologist – on his Utah plates is says RUPG – used to mean are you pregnant – now it means are you preaching the gospel.

     Wednesday was our first transfer day and we have spent all of our time here getting ready for the day.  At 8:15am we had a meeting with the GOLDENS – the new missionaries, they arrived late Tuesday – had dinner with and stayed at the Mission home – all 22 of them.  Papa & I each had to talk and explain our responsibilities in the office.  Since we don’t know and are still learning our presentations were short.

      The second meeting with all those being transferred was in the chapel – all the missionaries sit on the sides of the chapel and leave the middle open.  Ward/branch members drive the missionaries in who are being transferred and so they sit along the back row and are a part of the meeting, 

      We stood and started singing Called To Serve and all the new missionaries come in and sit in the middle on the first two rows – cried then at the marvelous site & am crying now just remembering.  Each of the new missionaries was introduced and asked to bear their testimony --  papa & I included.

     We had 4 elders and two couples who have finished their service and have now left to go home.  They also boar their testimonies.  Then the new companionships were announced and as they were announced, they came together and sat in the center section of the chapel – an incredible site!!!!

   Papa is the car czar – since we have been here, there have been two accidents – some running red light tickets (they have a camera at each intersection, and if you go through a red light it catches you.  One sister was 1.54 seconds too fast.   He has lots to deal with.  Today he is in the office with the AP’s figuring out which missionaries have which car.


   The other office couple we are serving with are Elder & Sister Roner – they are from Atlanta and are wonderful!  Thank heavens because Sister Roner is saving my bacon.

   I guess I could let you know what I do – I am the Presidents secretary – I do all letters that go out; forward the mail each day; baptism data; arriving missionaries – anything to do with them, and any and all things the President needs.  This is a better fit for me – I don’t have to walk
 We are in the office before 8 each morning and so far we are leaving between 6:30 & 7:00pm. Usually it is closer to 7.