Letter #39

The week of crazy weather!

We had some of everything this week!

We found out how to get involved more with the missionaries… let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! It snowed a lot during the middle of the week and there were almost hourly updates on whether or not the missionaries were allowed to drive. We were scheduled to feed the Elders on Thursday night. They called and asked if we could pick them up and drive them to the rest of their appointments that evening. The missionaries were told that night that they had to have a member drive them after 6pm. It was a fun evening for us. After dinner we took the Elders to 2 different lessons. The first lesson is a 10 year old that decided on his own that he would like to listen to the missionaries. He has been going to cub scouts with an LDS group and has played baseball with some LDS kids. He lives with his Grandma, who isn’t a member but is so supportive. Elder Hardman and I visited with the grandma and the great-grandma (92) while the Elders taught Liam. They are great ladies. The Elders liked having us there so much, involving the grandma, so we’ve been invited back next week!

The second lesson was with our downtown friends, Mark and Brian. I get nervous having our car downtown at night but when the weather is bad there aren’t all of the people roaming around. I was feeling pretty good when the Elders wouldn’t get in the elevator (the one that had the urine in it) and told us a guy had been murdered in it last week. So much for feeling good. Brian has a baptismal date but he has heart problems and other health issues so they are being cautious. We care so much about these good men. You learn not to judge. When I told my kids, “life isn’t fair” I had no idea what I was talking about.

We are at the end of another transfer, we know because the offer I make at the beginning of a transfer to mend for the missionaries doesn’t sink in until the end of the transfer. I did a mountain of mending this week that had to be taken around in case they get transferred. It makes us giggle.

We went to a wonderful baptism on Saturday. Every baptism is special but sometimes you just feel like the veil is thin and you get a glimpse of heaven. I can’t remember if I told about this lady. She is in her 30’s with a job and everything and she showed up at church one Sunday because she felt the need to be there. She came to a meeting that wasn’t her “home” ward but they quickly sorted that out and she began taking the discussions. She read the Book of Mormon in no time and accepted everything she was taught. We knew she was progressing at a remarkable rate and would truly be a convert. Saturday we heard another sweet part of the story. The “friend” that was “assigned” to this lady explained how being asked to be involved in the discussions was an answer to her prayers. She just turned 31 and aged out of the young single adults and wasn’t excited to have to go to a family ward. We all laughed and she said she knew but it wasn’t funny to her and she was having a hard time and was praying for a friend. Two months ago these cute women were strangers but today they are sisters. You could feel the love in the room. It was special to be there.

And now for the weather…We had several days of snow, ice and COLD then yesterday it started to rain! It has rained non-stop for 2 days and all of that snow is melting and the floods have begun. We have already noticed that this soil does not drain. The river that runs through town is called the Truckee River, it is overflowing. The area has been in a drought for years and now, too much moisture all at once.

We went to our morning meetings, it was wet but fine. Then we went back for our afternoon meetings. It was our week to take Kathy (the blind lady). After taking the sacrament the Bishop stood and said that taking the sacrament was why we had come to church and because local church leaders and government leaders had asked, we were cancelling the rest of our meetings for the day. I don’t think Kathy was too happy about her quick outing. She loves being taken somewhere. The peak of the flooding was supposed to be this afternoon but it is still raining. When we picked Kathy up we had to pull over for emergency vehicles that were towing rafts and kayaks. The streets are full of water. School has been cancelled for tomorrow. Our missionaries get used to having a back-up plan because people constantly bail out on them but Elder Bell made us laugh when he said, “I didn’t think I’d have to have a back-up plan for church!” : ) I guess we are happy to be on the second floor tonight!

This next week is our busy week. We have transfer day meals on Tuesday and MLC on Friday. We have Elder Christofferson coming for our Mission Conference on Saturday and then we found out he will attend the Keystone Ward on Sunday, but we’re not to tell our friends because they will want to come to our meeting. We only have about 100 people in attendance, I kinda hope someone tells their friends!

We have been getting calls from President Chesnut about the service the missionaries can do with the flooding and calls from missionaries to know what they can do. We know they are filling sandbags at several sites but since we don’t have a T.V. we are kinda dumb about the situation. The Red Cross needs help serving meals but we can’t ask missionaries to help on Mondays and Tuesday is transfer day. This rain has not come at a convenient time. : )

We were grateful to be a part of Dad’s 90th birthday party on Saturday, how we wish we could have been there. It was good to catch a glimpse of everyone, surely made us homesick. We love you all so much and we are so grateful for you. Don’t show up at the Keystone ward on Sunday or they will know that I told my friends!

The gospel’s true and we love you!

Love,
Elder and Sister Hardman