weekly letter

Dear Family,
How y’all doin’? We are getting settled in and trying to talk the talk. We arrived in Carrollton late Thursday afternoon and got things unloaded. We went by the Employment Center Wednesday and met Sister Julie Poole. She is abt 65, short, high energy lady. She really has things going here. We stayed there for abt 3 hours, getting to know each other and touring the center and learning a little about it. The Employment Center closed at 3:00 on Wednesday for Thanksgiving and will reopen Monday. So we’ve had a few days to settle and get unpacked.
We met the Phelps, the other missionary couple at the Center, and they invited us to Thanksgiving dinner with them. It was a nice time to meet them and get to know them a little bit. They are both school teachers from Washington. While they were in the mission home their granddaughter got the swine flu. She had some difficulties from birth and for some reason the flu went to her brain and now she has reverted back and is like a 3 month old. They don’t know if she will recover or not, only time will tell. Their hearts are pretty tender about it all right now.
We have enjoyed getting to know our area a little bit, we’ve found a grocery store, a little post office inside a Chevron station, now that’s convenience!, and a nice park to walk and bike around. I think we’re pretty well settled in our apartment and ready to go to work Monday.
Today, Sunday, Sis. Poole is giving presentations in a couple of the Wards so we are going with her and watching her in action. She has been doing this for 25 years and is a down to earth, high energy lady! She will be great to work with.
We have a lot to learn!! But I think we will just be given portions to work on at a time then more as we are ready.
The weather has been nice, a sweater or jacket feels good, needed in the evenings. It’s raining today, so a little cooler.
Tomorrow the real training will begin and we’ll really start learning what it’s all about.
There is a lot of city around here – it all flows into one, we use the GPS every time we go out. Wednesday we should have our phone/internet hook-up, the holidays have gotten in our way of that. We have to go down to the main apt office building to get service now.
It seems like a long time ago now but we enjoyed visiting Donna & Dennis while in Provo. We also enjoyed seeing the sites and towns of New Mexico while passing thru. It was great to see the places that we heard Mom & Dad speak of so much while they were there serving. Carlsbad Caverns was a great place to visit also. I had sore muscles for a few days after however. You can take an elevator or hike down in. We hiked in but it is so steep, down, down and more down that my legs complained about it -- we took the elevator up. The caverns were incredible to see. If we had to hike out I would probably still be working on that, it’s quite a descent into the many caves and tunnels.
We just returned from another mtg where Sister Poole taught the 5th Sunday combined RS/Pr mtg. She is a great teacher!! Guess who was a member of this ward?!? Kim Marshall – Sandee Marshall’s daughter, its was sooo good to see her. She invited us over for Christmas Eve and gave us her phone number etc. It’s good to see a familiar face.
Tomorrow begins our on the job training, we are ready to go to work and see if we can figure this all out.
We appreciate and love all of you so much. I know that sounds trite, but it’s really true. We appreciate being a member of Christ’s true church and being able to serve in this way at this time. Thanks for your love and support.
It would be great to hear from you all, is the sun still coming up over Bunkerville Mt? Do people still go to church there?
Love and miss all y’all, Grandpa/ma, Mom & Dad, Jack & Gaye


Jack n Gaye

bike ride near the LDS employment center

Sister Nelson at the Josey Springs Park Elder & Sister Nelson Riding at the Josey Springs Park

Sister Gaye riding for good jobs for one and all.

Elder and Sister Nelson walking along the Nature Preserve

Man these bikes are a hassle to deal with!! Good thing Corey made us a good rack to carry them

The Bishop Storehouse in the Church Complex where we work

The Employment Service office where we work

Hiking along the board walk

Sister Nelson posing for a quick shot as we were hiking along

Jack n Gaye

Stop at the Carlsbad Caverns

A hike down into the Caverns Sister Nelson leading the way down into the Grand Room.

Lots of Bats fly out every night

Lots and lots of Columns

The hike down

Hope We get hooked up online soon. We are in the DARK!

Jack n Gaye

Moab to Bernalillo N.M.

Dear Family and friends, I hope this finds you well and happy. Jack and I finished our last class at the MTC Thursday evening. It was another great week. Monday all Welfare Missionaries, which was about 12 couples, separated from the other couple missionaries in our group. We loaded upon a bus to Salt Lake City for a tour of Welfare Square and the Humanitarian sort center. I am always so amazed when I learn of or participate in anything that has to do with the Welfare system of the Church, and this day was no exception. We saw them baking bread, several thousand loaves a day, making cheese, milk, incl. chocolate milk, and bottling applesauce, and 'ATMIT', to name a few. 'ATMIT' is a porridge that they have developed at BYU that is given to starving children. It is made so they can digest it and gives them the nutrients needed. We saw pictures of starving children, where their ribs and bones are protruding from their skin and then we saw pictures just 6 weeks later -- they look like normal healthy children. We also the boxes that lay waiting to be sent to areas where disaster relief may be needed, such as earthquakes, floods etc. The Humanitarian Sort Center is where clothing, blankets, quilts, toys, wheel chairs, eye glasses, school supplies and those kinds of things go and then is sorted to send to poor countries, including orphanages and the like. These programs are funded by donations and fast offerings funds.
They also have an employment center there too.
It is such a testimony to me that this is the true church of Jesus Christ, that it is lead by inspiration and is guided by true, living prophets. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ in action.
For lunch we had dinner on the top floor of the Joseph Smith Bldg and we sat at a table with and met and visited with the two brothers who at the top of the ladder in Employment Services. We also heard Glenn Rudd speak, he has known and worked with many general authorities and prophets, it was fun and interesting.
Oh, I must mention that after I wrote last week we went to the MTC fireside and heard Sheri Dew speak, she was wonderful. She spoke about all of us being sent at this particular time was no accident but we were all held to come now to do the work of the last days. Bishop Edgely was the speaker on Tuesday night devotional, which was also very good.
Tuesday we were separated again, now we were a group of 3 couples. We received instruction and an overview of the Employment Center services, workshops and trainings that they provide. It is a great program, helping people to know how to go about finding a job and seeking job training that they may need. When we get to Dallas we will find out exactly what area they need us to serve in and we'll go to work studying more about it.
Just so you know, the Smith name is doing well in the church. The President of the MTC is Pres. Smith, one of the couples in our group were Elder and Sister Smith, The couple we are replacing in Dallas is Elder and Sister Smith and the Mission President's name is Smith.
Friday morning we cleaned up, packed up and checked out and went over to Donna and Dennis'. We enjoyed the morning visiting and doing laundry. It has been so nice to have them there! They have been so good to us and we always feel so welcome there.
We made it to Moab the first night. Then Saturday we continued on, stopping to see some Indian writings, newspaper rock, looking glass arch along the way. Jack and I had both recently read 'Undaunted' by Gerald Lund about the Hole-in-the-Rock expedition. We had hoped to go to hole in the rock before leaving, but time ran out on us. So we stopped by Bluff on our way through Utah and visited the place where they stopped and built their settlement. What courage and perseverance! We may need some of that in the weeks and months ahead - stick-a-too-dee, as the Danish immigrant used to say.
We have enjoyed our time going thru New Mexico, seeing and visiting some of the towns and cities that we heard Mom and Dad tell of as they served as mission president here some 25+ years ago. We stayed in Bernalillo last night and went to church there, we felt very much at home. Then we traveled on to Rosewell and are spending the night here tonight. There are pictures of little green aliens on every corner. We really like it here regardless. There is quite a bit of open country, alot of pecan trees, it seems like a big little town.
Well a couple of more days and we'll be there......... Jack has called the center and the mission president and let them know we're on our way so our work will begin soon. We will definitely need the Lords help as we serve people but we know he will bless us as we seek his guidance.
You are in our thoughts and prayers daily. We hope that Jill is starting to do better and appreciate all who have been able to help her.
Our love, Dad/Mom, Grandpa/ma, Jack/Gaye, Elder/Sis. Nelson

Which way to go in New Mexico, Encino I believe??
Watch for Rattlesnakes, They even have Rattlesnake Roundup!

Newspaper Rock in Canyonlands.

The Monticello Temple with the Blue Mountain in the Background.

Between I-40 Cline's Corner's and Roswell, just alot of this!

John Taylor at the Bluff fort when the Hole-in-the-Rock expedition ended.

Sister Nelson Waving from the Looking Glass Arch.

Wagons like the Expedition used, They were Undaunted.

A visit to the Bernalillo Ward for Sacrament Meeting.

The Shiprock in New Mexico. This is close to Farmington. Sitting in the back of the Church in Bluff, Utah. This is where the Settler ended up after the Hole in the Rock expedition.

A visit to Bishop Jens Neilsen House. He coined Stick-a-tootie-ness

The Barton House in Bluff, Utah. Part of the Hole in the Rock Expedition The original fort When the settlers arrived in Bluff

Look close and you can see the Sleigh and the Reindeer pulling it

We stopped at the Looking Glass Arch near Moab

Rock Art near 5 mile canyon in Moab, Utah

Jack n Gaye

Random Shots of the MTC

The Flags of all the Countries where the Humanitarian Efforts has made a difference Brigham Young all decorated up for the Holidays

Some Volunteers working the Humanitarian center

Sister Nelson on an early morning walk before class.

The Parking lot of the MTC in early morning

Our Classroom where the Employment Couples met. Sister Nelson and I gave the Lesson on Friday dealing with good introduction and resumes.

The Entrance to the MTC

Early morning sunrise above the "Y"

Jack n Gaye

Welfare Square visit

The visit to Employment Center with Elder and Sister Beecher. Much good is accomplished here to assist others. A familiar face and remembering our visit to St. Thomas site.

The gain storage at Welfare Square.

Sister Nelson pointing out where we will be serving our mission.

The beautiful Salt Lake Temple on a brisk fall afternoon.

The Bell Tower on the BYU campus.
Jack n Gaye

Sunday afternoon ride

The Clouds in South Fork canyon Following the Snow storm

Even the horses were cold

Sister Nelson and I were scoping out our Thanksgiving day meal.

We need to dress warmer!

A Holiday scene

Bridal Veil Falls

A quick cold shot in front of the Falls

Jack n Gaye