Sunday, October 2, 2016

A birthday party, a ward social, conference, collecting churches and the end of the first transfer

Time flies by so quickly!  I can't believe its been another week!  A couple of new firsts for this week were going to our granddaughter's 1st birthday party, experiencing General Conference here, our first ward social, and cooking breakfast for those at the church for Sunday's sessions. 
It was awesome to eat Nicole's great dinner and to play with the grandkids Wednesday!  Avery is so cute!  Its amazing that in the short time we've been here she's changed so much in her motor skills! 
Watching General Conference at the church is interesting.  Apparently, usually its just the missionaries.  We, the sisters actually, had the brilliant idea of having a Chili Cook Off after the Saturday afternoon session and before Priesthood meeting, so we had about 20 watching with us.  We had about 45 people come to the cook off including 7 investigators!!  Apparently making chili is serious business in Texas.  So I made my usual easy chili with canned beans and canned tomato sauce and a package of mild chili seasoning, which I was embarrassed to enter in the contest.  I was shocked to be the winner of the contest! 
Richard and I decided that its too far for most of the members to go back and forth to eat between sessions, so we made pancakes, bacon, omelets, and smoothies after the first session Sunday morning.  It was lots of fun and timely to get the missionaries all fed because of the fact that we're losing three of them!  We are at the end of our first transfer!  Sister White, Elder Sanchez and Elder Johnson are all leaving us!  The good news is that they are all allowed to come back for baptisms of their investigators so we should see them all in the not to distant future; this Saturday for Elder Johnson and next Saturday for Sister White.  I feel like I'm sending my kids off to college or something!  So now we've been here as long or longer than all the missionaries in Cleveland!
Now for some culture.  There are so many churches down here!  Some streets will have one every block and they have some very unusual and obscure names.  I've started trying to get pictures of them, which is difficult because its from the car as we zoom along.  I'm especially partial to the Cowboy Churches, but only managed to get one of those this week.  So I'm adding the pictures I've managed so far.  This is a drop in the bucket! 
It actually got down to 55 degrees one morning for our walk at 7:15.  And that day it only got up to 79 degrees!  We haven't been into the 90's all week, so I think its getting cooler and less humid.  We hear that October is the biggest rainfall month.  So far we've only had a few sprinkles.


We got to stop at the Houston Temple on our way to Jason's, but not for a session yet.  Just to get garments for someone.

Avery is such a good walker!

Cute sisters.

Syd and I played lots of tensies.  Then she decided to make people out of the dice.  Here she is;

And here's Logan;

One handsome guy!

Avery loves her daddy!

One year old!





She loved her gifts!
Monday we got a private tour of the Cleveland historical museum.


I left my phone at the church and the missionaries played with it a little.

Our cute Cleveland missionaries.


This beautiful church has pretty stained glass.

Off the freeway there are always several churches.




The local Catholic church.
This one is called High Tower.






One of the Cowboy ones. 





 This one is just a block from our apartment.





My prize for my chili.

Richard cooking the bacon before we head to conference.

Sunday, September 25, 2016

First Baptism!

Every week is another adventure!  We keep having firsts.  Richard has been helping to fix a rotten patio roof for a member family for many hours this week.  Its great because he's working with some members and getting to know them and an investigator came and helped on Friday morning.  So I've been on my own a lot this week.  One of the sister's investigators owns a Preschool.  She invited me to come give them a message Thursday morning.  Apparently the JWs have been coming every Tuesday for a year or 2, so I did that while Richard was busy.  It was so fun, I am going to give them the Nursery lessons.  Tammy, the investigator, preschool owner invited me back, so I think this will be ongoing!  The kids loved it!  I also visited the 3 sisters in the nursing home on my own and left some invitations to the Sister's Session of Conference.  I made cookies for FHEs.  I made handouts for the Preschool's next lesson, figured out a new FHE lesson on Family History in English and Spanish, and made flyers for the Chili Cook-off we're having before Priesthood meeting on Saturday.  Oh and I called a bunch of people and texted a bunch of people and gave the sisters rides.  It was great to have my companion back the last 2 days!  We got 3 new FHE's scheduled and met a couple of less actives we've tried to catch for the last month. We helped a family from California move into the ward!  An active family is like gold here, no more precious than gold! Today I was asked after Sacrament Meeting to take over Primary sharing time and to get the kids settled which was a blast, and after church I measured someone for garments.  This in on the job training! We made it to the Kendalls  to return James' saw and plan to make it to Avery's 1st birthday party Wednesday!  Its great to be able to use my experience with church service and Richard's with framing and roofing to serve!  Next week I get to teach the kids "Follow the Prophet" in Spanish for the Primary Sacrament Program! 
Last, but most important James Farmer, Brigham Young look alike, was baptized yesterday!! His parents came to sacrament meeting to see him confirmed today!!
the patio roof.



The preschool.
Mary has turned over, but wouldn't quite do it for us.
Grandpa entertaining the girls.
Another beautiful sunset.
Another storm coming in.
James "Br Brigham" Farmer the newest member in the Cleveland ward!
Life is good in Cleveland, Texas!!