13 March 2011

13 March 2011

Weekly news from the Big ‘D’.

We are encouraged by the news reports that the economy has started to improve, even if somewhat slowly. This has been our week of no workshops so it has been a bit slower as far as candidates coming in personally. The Phelps’ will be leaving in 2 1/2 weeks with the new couple to follow about 10 day later. Word has it that the new couple is not very happy about being assigned to an Employment Center. I’m sure once they get here and get involved they will come to love and appreciate the work. They have some Spanish speaking skills so this will be a great asset to the many Spanish Branches in this region. I think I mentioned before that this is their fourth mission, their third time to the Dallas, Texas mission.

Sister Burgess and Sister Phelps have made some great contacts with candidates this past week through phone calls and emails. Contacting candidates individually is about the only way we can find the 130+ job placements per month. A few come from the Wards, Stakes or individuals themselves, but not too many.

Elder Nelson and I have continued to work on job postings, it’s difficult to stay up with all of them but we do our best. We have had several volunteers in this past week that have been able to help with this effort, we sure appreciate them. Julie had me work with the new Sisters, training them how to post jobs and working with the companies we have on the site so they will be able to continue this forward when we leave. Much of our efforts now evolve around helping the new ones get trained to take over what we do. We feel for Julie and Donna to have to go through the training process yet another time. Along with their work with candidates a very large part of what they do is training missionaries, over and over again. We feel a little bit bad for them, but not that bad. Julie took Elder Nelson aside and told him that if we ever wanted to return she could most likely make it happen. That is too much to think of right now however.

With six missionaries in the Center right now we are able to work on the computer work we need to be doing. However, we still have the opportunity to work with individuals as they come in. I am still concerned that I can give them the help they need but we do the best we can.

In the Spanish Branch piano class this week, in the teenage/adult session, I made a comment about the organ and the pedals. They had a blank look on their faces and then one said oh yes, like the pedals on a piano! None of them had any experience with organ pedals and didn’t even know what they looked liked. So I said, ‘Okay, let’s go on a field trip to the chapel.’ We had a brief session about the organ, the different stops, manuals and the pedals. I demonstrated by playing a few hymns and prelude pieces. They were all very impressed with the organ and even with my playing. It’s all relative isn’t it? If someone knows nothing about the organ I’m really quite good.

We have had some interesting evenings this week. I attended the Dallas Recorder Society mtg, we did some English Renaissance music, including some Madrigals – my favorite so far. We had about eight people in attendance and some of the music had 7 and 8 parts so it was a lot of fun. I was given the top melody part on several of the pieces so it was a good fun challenge.

We had a playing session with the Bryners and Charlie, Jack was our tech guy and we recorded our pieces that we have performed before. Of course we all played our worst yet but it will be nice to have it for future reference of good times. Don’t tell anyone yet but the Bryner’s are preparing to submit their mission papers. They are planning on taking their musical instruments; our mission has given them hope that there will be opportunities to play even in the mission field. Charlie is starting to feel some withdrawal pains of his fellow musicians leaving him. He plays one morning with just Dwayne, cello and every other Saturday with a small string group with Dwayne, Alaina and a few others. He’s looking for available homes in his neighborhood and job opportunities. We’ve given him a map on how to get to Logandale!

We had a fun dinner appointment Friday evening. The Jensen’s, who serve in the Fort Worth mission office called Elder Nelson earlier in the day. We first met the Jensen’s when Kim Marshall Heaton invited us to watch General Conference with them at their home; they also invited the Jensen’s. The Jensen’s and the William’s, who serve in the Dallas Mission office, were getting together for dinner; realizing that they both knew us, they called and invited us to come along too. They wanted a suggestion of a restaurant so Elder Nelson suggested Posado’s Mexican Food, right on the border of the two missions. We had a very enjoyable evening visiting and sharing experiences. They are both great couples and we really enjoy our friendship with them. They give out pass along cards like we do employment cards. Before the evening was over they had the waitress’s address and an appointment to deliver a Book of Mormon; and we wanted to help her get a better job.

Sister Jensen mentioned that they were expecting an Elder from Overton in their mission next month, sure enough Elder Empey. She said he would be arriving on April 20^th, our release date. It’s nice to know that there will be some good Nevada folk here to carry on the work when we leave.

On our P-day this week we were headed out to Mineola out in East Texas. East Texas has become one of our favorite places. The grasses are turning green and many trees are in bloom; there is more agriculture and open spaces out there. We made it to Grand Saline and really enjoyed looking around there. They have a huge Salt mine there, operated by Morton Salt Company. They say there is enough salt (underground) to supply the world for 20 thousand years – that’s a lot of salt! We learned that the shaft going down in to the mine is comparatively small so they have to disassemble all the equipment, trucks, loaders etc. Then put them all back together once down in the mine. They use them for several years then disassemble them to bring them back up again. They don’t usually put them back together because once they reach the surface air, after being exposed to all of that salt for those many years, they totally rust out in 2 to 3 weeks.

Donna and Darrell Toups also live out in this area. We stopped and asked for directions, we couldn’t make heads or tails of the address 2224 VZCR (Van Zandt County Road – we even learned that FM stand for Farm to Market Road – we’ve seen that around the Dallas area, I thought it had to do with a radio station J). We wandered around on some country roads, enjoying every minute of it until we finally found the Toups residence. Darrell was home and we enjoyed visiting with him; took us on a little tour of their property and his workshop. He loves to build bows and arrows; I kept thinking how much Corey and Dennis would love to be in on the conversation. By this time we hurried on to Mineola so we could say we had been there, grab a late lunch, then headed back to the city life in Dallas.

It was pretty funny when Jack signed the guest register book at the Salt Palace, the signature right above his was the Phelps’. They had visited there the day before on their P-Day, neither of us realized what our P-day plans were until after the fact.

Today we attended the Dallas 6^th Ward, well at least part of the meetings held there. In our efforts to live IN the world but not to be part OF the world, not listening to the news or watching TV very often, we somehow missed that the time changed this morning! We can at least say the last part of Sacrament meeting was very good.

We are trying to keep our mind focused in the work that we are doing here, not thinking about leaving too much; however, at the same time we are given assignments to train others and prepare our work to be taken over by others.

It has been a great blessing to be involved in this service – helping in the rescue of those in need. We are grateful for our many blessings. We are concerned about the challenges and trials that our family is going through to be sure. We continue to put our trust in the Lord that he will continue to bless each one. Today I realize that I can and also need to trust our children, I am grateful for their testimonies, for their diligence to live so they can have the spirit of the Holy Ghost to guide them in their decisions; and their love for one another, they know they can and do rely on each other for help as needed. We are grateful for so many family members and Ward members who support and love them also.

From Texas to Nevada, Utah and beyond,

With Love,

Grandpa & Grandma, Mom & Dad, Jack n Gaye

Elder & Sister Nelson Jack n Gaye

East Texas Grand Saline-Mineola

A Thursday P-day trip out to Grand Saline Texas where Morton Salt company is located.This Museum was constructed out of Salt blocks. They had an interesting film on how the salt is mined 700 feet under the ground.

Sister Nelson commented, "lets stop and take a lick around"

These early pots were used to distill out the salt from the early mine.
An early cotton mill.
There is logging in East Texas Piney Woods.

Beautiful Red Bud trees in full bloom.
A stop at the Toups Ranch in Grand Saline. A beautiful location out in the countryside of East Texas.
Here Brother Darrell makes quality arrows. What an interesting process to watch.

A very interesting afternoon at the toups ranch.

Jack n Gaye

The mission office

The Texas Dallas Mission Office is located in Downtown Dallas in an office building.

This trailer is used to move missionaries furniture about the mission. Wed evening someone needed the tires worse than the missionaries. Elder Williams who takes care of the mission moves and the apartments was not a happy man!
Good thing we took him out to dinner and bought him an Ice Cream to drown his distress over the whole incident. He is usually the happiest Elder in the entire mission. Sister Williams is the mission secretary and mission mom to all the elders and sisters.
A fun bike ride Saturday afternoon after the employment office closed. This is the location where my daughter Jill and I ran across an armadillo lumbering down this trail! This was the only live one I have seen in Dallas.

The trail bikes have been such a great part of our lives here in the mission field.

Jack n Gaye

March 6th 2011

Our favorite bike ride along Lewisville Lake

6 March 2011

This has been a special weekend for our family in Logandale, NV. Yesterday Caleb Dalley was baptized, we are so proud of him and happy that he wanted to become an official member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and receive the Holy Ghost.

Today, about the time I am typing this, possibly at these moments, Luke Stanley Nelson is receiving his baby blessing. What wonderful blessings in our lives are these two wonderful grandchildren and blessings they have received this weekend. We, of course would have loved to have been there to be with the family but very grateful that these things are happening.

There have been several days of beautiful nice weather this week and as a result there are many trees in blossom in the area. I love the spring time when the flowers and blossoms begin to pop out.

By the end of the week the news was saying that the economy was showing signs of growth and improvement. However we were able to see that first thing Monday morning; All morning Elder Nelson and I were busy talking with employers who wanted to post jobs with us and Elder Nelson was busy helping them sign on their companies so they could look through the candidates who have signed on AND completed their profile. We had several people get emails while they were in the Center from companies who wanted to meet with them.

Monday night there was a revision in the ldsjobs website. There were some very significant changes that we had need of learning about. Some of them we knew about and then there were 80 other changes; many of which have crept up on us as we use the site. Several things became broken while fixing or redoing other sections. Se have to try all sorts of things to try to figure out if things have changed or if they are actually non-working. We have found both. Elder Nelson and I worked for 2 days trying to figure out what had happened to the companies, finally by double teaming it we were able to get it figured out – I think. A couple of days later we got a message from headquarters explaining the problem and that in a revision in late April they will make some changes for it to run more smoothly. I guess someone else will get to see that. In the mean time we have figured out how to work around it – I hope!

The monthly web-i-nar held Wednesday evening was getting the Stake Employment Specialists up to speed on the new changes.

At the Sunbeck Spanish Branch Piano Classes I had a classic foreign language mission experience. It was during the teenage/adult session – Sister Hernandez only speaks Spanish and we were going to play some music all together. I had the young girls teach me how to say something like ‘let’s begin’ in Spanish. I practiced and used the term several times in getting us started together. Then I tried it another time but after saying the words all of their smiling faces fell to this astonished look and no one started playing. I finally asked if I had said the word right; they all very grimly said that I had just told them that they had all done very horrible. I apologized and we all went on with smiles on our faces. I went back to saying 1-2-3-4 in Spanish, then beginning.

I told them that I would be leaving in April so we needed to practice and learn as much as we could before that date. They were all very gracious and pleaded for us to stay, it didn’t work however. I will miss my new friends here in the Branch.

Tuesday evening Jack went to a meeting held by Jim Russell of the Dallas 6^th Ward. It was held at the Farmer’s Branch Library and was a community meeting, even though most of those in attendance were from the Dallas 6^th Ward. It is a series of lectures, ‘Make America Stronger’, by Kleon Skousen. Of course Elder Nelson loves this topic and the people of the Dallas 6^th Ward so he very much enjoyed the evening.

There has been some sickness among our staff this week; Julie P. was out most of the week with a swollen jaw, with infection in the bone. Elder Nelson stayed at the apartment sick all day Friday and half of Saturday – we are happy to report that he is feeling much, much better now. It seemed to be something in his lungs, possibly bronchitis. It may have been brought on by all the pollen in the air. Sister Burgess was out 3 days sick also with bronchitis and asthma brought on by allergies. Fortunately all were there on Tuesday for it was such a busy day. We had people backed up waiting for help as it was. Not enough computers to go around on that day.

Our P-days of late find us staying closer to Carrollton, with gas prices so high we think twice before venturing out too far. With the longer daylight hours we have enjoyed going out to Lewisville Lake for some fresh air and a bit of exercise. It is only about 10 miles away and is so peaceful and beautiful.

We have also enjoyed our weekly evening with the Morells. Carla continues to fix a delicious meal, some visiting and then music. The past couple of weeks we have had another violinist join us, Katie. I have several pieces of music for three solo instruments, cello and harpsichord. This always revives and refreshes my spirit, what a blessing being able to participate in some music making has been while serving here.

The cannery at the Bishop’s Storehouse has been very busy this past couple of weeks. They can hardly keep up with the people who are wanting to come in to can and buy bulk food items. They are running out of some items, (deliveries expected soon) and having to limit how much they can sell to individual costumers so they don’t run out of everything. The world news always affects this. News of trouble is always a grim reminder of the need to keep our food supplies up to date.

Today we went to the Fort Worth 8^th Ward. The Ward Employment Specialist there needed to get 4 people registered on the site, some of them needed to set up email accounts first, some have very limited reading and computer skills. We volunteered to go out and help her. She willing accepted the invitation. We originally thought we would meet on Wednesday but Julie P. was concerned about us being gone from the Center and leaving them short handed so we were able to set it up for after Sacrament Meeting today. It’s about 40 miles out to their ward building. We picked up Andy and he went out with us also. With both Elder Nelson and I helping someone on different computer we were able to get it all done rather quickly (2 hours). Andy went to Sunday School class and Priesthood Mtg during that time.

This has been the week of broken arms for family. Elise broke her arm Wednesday, I think the hardest thing for her was that they were out of pink casts, but Dad to the rescue with some spray paint. Thursday Grandma Bonnie broke her arm. We hope both have speedy recoveries. Our prayers are with you.

We are both doing well, keeping busy in the work. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve. It is amazing that we can now say that we will be home ‘next month.’ Our love and prayers are with you. We pray the Lord to continue to bless us all, to make us equal to the tasks at hand. With His help we know we can all go forward with faith and trust in the Lord.

And that’s the news from the Big ‘D’, Grandpa & Grandma, Mom & Dad, Jack & Gaye

Elder & Sister Nelson

Bike trail along Lake Lewisville, Dallas Tx.

Jack n Gaye

Kayaking the Elm Fork of the Trinity River

On a beautiful Thursday Morning of our P-day, Charlie and I launched the Kayaks at the South Fork of the Trinity River.

The Trinity River runs from lake Lewisville down toward Irving Tx

There are 3 dams along the River about 8 miles apart that you have to portage to continue your journey
Brother Charlie is an excellent Kayaker and has experience along the coastline of Alaska.

He is doing his best to coach me along the path

The life jacket is a must in my case.
Charlie is excellent at maneuvering the craft quickly
I loved the peace of the river and the wildlife along the way
Many turtles along the banks of the River
It was a picture perfect day. The section between Lake Lewisville Dam and McInnish Park is home to Dallas Down River Club's annual Trinity River Challenge, and 11.8 mile marathon canoe race that continues to grow in popularity every year. The section of the Elm Fork most frequently used for recreational paddling is from below the Lake Lewisville Dam to California Crossing, a distance of about 22.2 miles,
The Spillway wasn't something old guys wanted to tackle.

Sister Nelson was still practicing the Harpsichord and enjoying the quiet morning.

I'm not sure she knew I had taken a journey up the river!What a great morning in Texas!

Jack n Gaye