We are on a roll!

We started the week out with service at the Steinback's with Brandon Gobble, whose cute family totally reminds us of the Grahams from our Cleveland ward.  We ended the week teaching about 12 kids with Danelle who's getting baptized on Saturday.  Their parents were gone so we did it in the neighbor's driveway.  We had 2 family home evenings this week; one in English with the Gobbles, who fed us dinner and one in French with the Mavuangis. They are my favorite!  I gave 2 prayers in French this week!  I'm making progress! There's a church app TALLdrill that helps!

This is the city building that lost its spire in the tornado.

A wall done at the Steinback's.

We spent a morning helping sweet Lea Kangi get a bank account open and her social security card fixed so she could start a  job the next day.  She and her husband are getting ready to go to the temple.  I got to teach them their first temple prep class today, mostly in French.

The HUGE pile in front of the Bandera's is all cleared up!!

The mostly empty kitchen at the Jay's.

We had Zone Meeting on Tuesday.  It was great!  We loved hearing from the Badgers.  They are going to be wonderful to work with.  President said my favorite quote from the meeting.  "Every time you invite someone to come unto Christ, you are one step closer yourself." 

I love the wild flowers we see on our walk.

The Jay's empty bedroom.

How cool is this?  This quad is at the church.  Its almost as old as I am!

cool sunset from our balcony.

Lights still out downtown.

We spent most of a day in Toledo and Tama.  We made it to about 25 homes and only found about 6 people home to talk to. Everyone said we had to try the loose meat sandwiches at Maid Rite. So we stopped for lunch at the one in Tama.  No Ranch hand Café, but pretty good.

This is a buckeye tree.  They look like green walnuts.  

On the narrow streets they have signs saying which days you can park on which side. 

This is the neighborhood park in the hood.

The Roberts are an awesome couple in Tama, who invited us for dinner.  We were pleasantly surprised to find 4 other members there for dinner too!

The Roberts live in the amazing old house that is gorgeous inside and out.

Here's the Bishop's house with the huge pile of tree limbs hauled away!

Only time we've seen anything like lawns being watered here.  Apparently its very unusual to be as dry as its been.  Don't worry it rained today and will again tomorrow.  What a blessing for the people who lost their roofs and windows to have it dry for a while though!

This is Br Hoffa whose wife died the week before we got here.  He's 93.  His pocket is full of candy bars he won playing Bingo at his care center. He said that the corn on his farm is 12 feet high this year.  He's a sweet guy.

One of the people we found in Toledo was Dawn.  She was in a care center and was so excited to see us.  She'd had a bad experience and was really having a rough week. Elder Quincy gave her a blessing and she said that it made her feel so much better!  Our Heavenly Father knows and loves each of these people and he sends us to them when they need us.  What a privilege it is to be his servants!