April 18, 2010

18 April 2010

Hello family and loved ones,
We are saddened to hear that Julie is having troubles. We join our love and prayers with you as we pray for her and her family. We hope and pray for the best outcome for her. Please keep us posted on how she is doing.
We have come to the end of a very busy week, but we made it! There have been a lot of people in the Center this week. When someone new comes in and we take them aside to visit with them (interview) it often takes several hours. Understandably people come with great concerns – when you ask them to tell you a little bit about them – it usually spills right out. In the beginning stages of job loss there is often a lot of despair and depression, you try to help them through this and get them to the point where they can realize that they have talents and abilities, encourage them to focus on the positive and then set up some steps of positive things they can do to aid them in their job search. We worked with several such people this week. One of them is a very gifted artist, I remember seeing some of his paintings in the Ensign a few years ago.
Tuesday we worked our regular 8:00 to 5:00 hours then I left from the Center with Donna to go out to the Collyeville Stake to do a presentation in a combined Relief Society meeting. For some reason they always ask me to accompany them to these meetings and not Jack – go figure. We got home at 10:00 that night.
I had a good experience while at the RS mtg. I noticed that there was a lady about my age sitting on the other side of the room. The other ladies came in and sat down and visited with each other. However no one seemed to notice this lady. I decided to go over and talk with her. Come to find out she has been meeting with the Elders for a couple of weeks. They had invited to church on Sunday but she wasn’t ready to do that so they told her about Relief Society and she was willing to go to it. I was SO glad I had gone over. She was friendly and she told me about herself, her feelings about the church and the new things she was learning.
I led one of the activities that we did but the rest of the time I was able to be with her throughout the evening.
Wednesday another day at the Center but Jack & I left around 3:00 to go out to Weatherford for their Stake Employment Night to do some training with the Stake Employment Specialist and a couple of Ward Specialists.
Its nice when we go out to Weatherford in that we leave about 3:00. It takes about an hour and a half to 2 hours to get out there. However if we left at 4:30 or 5:00 the traffic would be soooooo slow we wouldn’t get there in time. So we have time to relax for an hour or so, eat something etc. That was another 10:00 night.
Thursday is usually our P-day. This week we had a meeting to go to over in Fort Worth (45 min). This was an Inter-Agency Meeting with Goodwill Industries. They had a breakfast, a speaker and then time to visit and network with the other people (about 15). They all represent different agencies to help the handicapped or those in extremely difficult situations.
That kept us busy until 11:00 then we went out with Dan & Elsie Banks for the rest of the day. We enjoyed going out to a wild animal park. We really enjoyed it. The animals are used to being fed so they will come right up to your car. You really get a close up view of many of them, just the window pane between you and them. We saw ostriches, rhinos, zebras, giraffes, cheetahs, and many assorted deer – looking animals. The more aggressive animals are kept further away from the road and in some type of fencing or closure as needed.
We also went to a cemetery where Davy Crockett’s wife is buried and many civil war soldiers. There were many wildflowers along the roadways, all the trees are now all leafed out and it is very beautiful here in Texas now.
Sister Lyle is a service missionary that has been coming in. She is local and is willing and wanting to serve more hours so it has been decided that she will take over more of the responsibilities of the front desk. I am greatly relieved. I enjoying doing many of the tasks there BUT it is just so hard to keep up with everything. This should really help out a lot.
Also at the end of the week we expect 2 Senior sisters to arrive. This is the first time that they will have that many missionaries in the Center at one time. We will have to make some adjustments in the space but there is plenty of work to do.
They have another revision coming up on the web site so things continue to change. It was supposed to be last week but is now to be this week. However we have seen a few things change already. People call in with questions about where the old things have gone and what the new things mean. Usually we are able to a step ahead of it all.
There is a bird that sings quite loudly! outside our bedroom window. It’s quite a piercing song that he sings too. He began at 5:30 and then each morning began a half hour earlier until he began his song at 3:30 am. We know what to do with a bird like that in the country, but what do you do when you’re in the city?? Fortunately a few days ago he found a new bush and window to serenade.
Saturday we helped with a Youth Conference in the McKinney Stake. It is an all day long affair – from 8:00 to abt 5:00. This is the first one we have helped with. I’ve helped get the materials ready a couple of times – which is a huge job in and of itself. Our manager put this game together several years ago – it ‘The Game of Life’ – life size and Mormon style. They have to make choices about education, insurance, children, cars, homes etc. etc. It is very fun and very effective in teaching some of these principles about making wise decisions, staying out of debt, paying tithing, and so forth. The kids have a great time and learn a lot. There will be several more conferences coming up in the next several months that we will helping with.
The Dallas 6th ward has been asked to sing in Stake Conference next month so we are really trying to support that. They are a bit nervous about it all.
This afternoon the Lindsey’s, who are the Dallas Regional Development Specialists, invited us over to their home for dinner. They had several families from their ward there, it was great food, great company and they have a lovely home and yard. There were several teenage kids there who we had seen at youth conference yesterday. It was fun to talk with them and hear about their experiences in playing the game.
I was thinking the other day – when we think of missionary work we have that idea of teaching and sharing the good news of the gospel. Of course for Senior couples there are many different types of missions. What a blessing for us to serve in this mission, to help members become better prepared or to help them if they are in a transition stage with their employment to become more self-reliant. We certainly share in their joy as they get that new job.
We have had several this week report on their new jobs they’ve gotten. One man who was so frustrated and down-trodden when he first came in, called Friday and shared his good news. Today at church Sister Lohr told us that she would be starting work tomorrow. We met her soon after we got here. We first met her at the center then found out she was also in the Dallas 6th Ward. She committed to returning to activity and we have seen her each week at church and she often sat by us. She also came into the Center regularly. Today she told us of her new job and we also sustained her as the new Compassionate Service Leader. What a joy to see her progress.
It is time to close, another wonderful week in Texas has come to an end. We are enjoying our time together and our time in service. We are learning so very much, often being challenged to the limit in physical strength and mental capacity but we know the Lord is blessing us and helping us to do his work.
Our love to each of you, especially Julie at this time.
Grandpa & Grandma, Dad & Mom, Jack & Gaye
Elder & Sister Nelson


Jack n Gaye