January 2, 2011

Rose Bowl Champions 2011

2 January 2011

We welcome in a New Year ~ 2011. What a blessing to have spent the entire year of 2010 in full-time service of our Heavenly Father in the Dallas Texas Mission. It seems like we really should say the Dallas – Fort Worth Texas Mission, since we have spent so much time involved with the people, Wards and Stakes in that area. A very unique mission indeed. It definitely took some getting used to when we first arrived to come to an understanding of our responsibilities and our role as we serve here. We truly love our assignment that we have been given.
This year we have something to compare our experiences to, we are definitely not as busy this year as we were this time last year. I remember last year one day having to take a break from the phones and greeting people at the front door. I had one person after another either call in or come in who reported that they just lost their job that day. It was so heart wrenching to hear their stories. This year we have visited with people who are in the same circumstances but not nearly as many. I hope that this is due to an improvement in the economy. It does seem that many employers are moving forward, even if cautiously. There seems to be quite a few jobs posted for part time or temporary work, with an added note that it could possibly turn into a full time position.
The Employment Center was only open Monday through Thursday this week. It has been so quiet that the Phelps and we were still given our regular P-days off. So we had Thursday through Monday off. Yes, for some unknown reason the Welfare facilities are all closed this Monday also. If the Bishop’s Storehouse is closed, we are closed too. We keep pretty much the same schedule.
We have gotten a lot accomplished this past week adding companies on the web site and posting jobs within those new companies and the existing companies. A lot of work done sitting at the computer, that can get a little tedious and I have to remember to get up and walk around a little too.
I’ve also made quite a few contacts with candidates as they sign on to the website for the first time. I send them an email welcoming them to the site and offering assistance. Several have sent in their resumes to be reviewed. It just hasn’t seemed like a good time to call and talk to people about their job search in the middle of the holidays so I’ve been working on other things.
Jack has been working with a young man who has recently come to the country after fleeing from Iran where he has been in the royal guard/army. He has had to flee for his life. He is now trying to build a new life here in the States. He is a member of the Church and after working with Elder Nelson for a couple of hours and before leaving he requested a blessing at his hand.
There has been a lot of sickness this past week in the area too. Many people who had signed up an appointment or workshop have had to call in and cancel due to illness.
There has been a lot of sickness within our ranks at the center also. There have been some colds and flu but also some more serious problems going on. Elder Dahl hasn’t been able to come in for his usual Monday day of service for a month or more now; he is having a lot of trouble with his blood pressure and they are having great difficulty in getting it stabilized. Sister Lyle has had recent surgery on her foot and is steadily improving, she has a hard time keeping off of it I’m afraid. Sister Vivian Page has just found out that she has breast cancer and will have surgery and treatments beginning in the next week or so. Also Sister Pat MacPhearson has had surgery last month and it doesn’t look like they will be able to return before their mission assignment is over. Today as missionaries and staff we joined together in remembering all of these wonderful people in our fasting and prayers today.
Even though we have had many days off we have stayed pretty close to the apartment this long weekend. I think Jack is ready for a break in all of the driving, lots of traffic to fight around here, however I’m not sure that is the right term to use, we feel people here are really very courteous drivers. But there are just a lot of them! President and Sister Vee & Peggy Wilson also went on a mission to an Employment Center; in visiting with them before we left they advised us to use our P-days to travel about and see the area. As you have noticed we have taken their advice and have really enjoyed seeing this part of the world.
Wednesday evening we were able to attend the Dallas temple. Where as last year when we went to the temple and didn’t know anyone, now we run into quite a few people that we know each time we attend. We even saw Art there this past week. We were surprised to see him, he works at the storehouse everyday and he has become a good friend, especially to Jack. He is the keeper of the grain elevators.
Thursday evening Charlie Morell, Duane and Alaina Bryner and I played at a wedding reception in the Plano Ward building. It still amazes me that I am having these opportunities here. We played a combination of Christmas carols and classical music. We played about 4 Christmas songs then a Sonata, repeating. We played for 2 hours but we played for an hour and a half before having to repeat any music. The parents of the wedding couple seemed very pleased with the music. Afterwards the father of the bride asked how much we had agreed to play for, Charlie replied that we were doing it as a service but he insisted on paying. However, I told them they would have to divide the $100 between the three of them, as a missionary I don’t feel right about getting paid for services.
We saw many people we knew at the reception, which really helped pass the time for Elder Nelson. The grandparents of the bride are serving as local full time missionaries in the mission home. So we visited them (well mostly Jack since I was already busy), also Elder and Sister Williams, another local full time missionary couple serving in the office were there. We have gotten to know them and spent a lot of time visiting them at our last couple’s conference in December. He is a past BYU football player, a big interesting fellow. We really enjoy his wife too.
AND President and Sister Smith, President of the Dallas Mission, also attended. When they passed by, after the piece was over, (which was the Vivaldi where I have multiple solo passages, no stress there, ha, ha.) we had to take a little break, say hi and introduce them to Charlie and the Bryner’s. What gracious, kind people they are. They have some music background and have a daughter majoring in music at BYU so they were quite interested in it all. They thought it had been a great idea for me to bring along my instrument and were pleased that I had opportunities to play. (I’m sure glad!)
Friday morning we went to downtown Fort Worth to a western art museum. I must say that it has been my favorite so far. I thought I was pretty open minded but there is just a lot of this modern art that I don’t get. Cowboys and Indians I can understand a lot better. We were planning a quiet evening at the apartment for New Year’s Eve until the Morell’s called that afternoon and invited over for dinner and Hallmark movie. We all stayed up much later than usual, not leaving until nearly 10:30 pm. I quickly retreated to bed but as usual Jack stayed on and celebrated the New Year with the New Yorkers, the Dallas folks and I believe he even made it to join in with the Las Vegas bunch. Personally I’m looking forward to next year when we can welcome in the New Year with Chandler in New Zealand in the morning hours of December 31st.
Saturday we read and did some family search indexing. Jack watched the Rose Bowl football game with TCU (Texas Christian University) – everyone found out those Horned Frogs are fierce! Their first bowl game and came away as champions.
Another difference in our mission is staying in touch with the outside world. Where young proselyting missionaries are not to watch TV, read newspapers and such, we are not only encouraged to stay in touch with the world but it helps us be better at what we do. Scanning and reading the daily newspapers is a regular part of our morning at the Center, it goes right along with our morning thought and prayer.
We enjoyed a nice Sunday services in the Dallas 6th Ward this morning. It is the only ward meeting there so we stayed at the 10:00 time schedule. I was needed to play for Relief Society today. This afternoon we enjoyed a nice visit with our neighbor Naomi, what a special lady she is.
This week the 2 new piano keyboards arrived for the two ladies in the Spanish Branch. They will be so excited to receive them this week at class.
We are grateful for this time of service and missionary work, even though it’s in a different sense than what one normally thinks of as missionary work. It is a wonderful opportunity to serve Heavenly Father’s children.
Our heart is divided between Texas and our family, but there is enough room for all. Sometimes we are able to strengthen our testimonies through study, church attendance and service. Other times those things we have learned are actually put to the test, where we learn at a deeper level what the gospel of Jesus Christ means to us in our lives. It is during these times that the atonement becomes so personal to us. I’m grateful for the belief that I have in gospel principles but even more grateful for them when those principles are put into action and we see the results of those ideals. I’m so grateful for the healing power of the atonement.
We pray for the Lord’s blessings to be with us all this week, that we may all be within his loving and protective care. Thank you for your continued support and love.
Our love,
Mom & Dad, Grandpa & Grandma, Jack & Gaye
Elder & Sister Nelson


Jack n Gaye