Did you all get the message that we are looking for the beautiful signs of fall? I heard back from one of you and so here are my first signs of Autumn here in Missoura! Whoops! Looks like I lost the four other pics. Next time.

These are some lovely little trees in the parking lot that are losing all their leaves, but these little red berries remain. I love them.

This is a quilt block of the month kit that I am going to purchase and make when I return home.

And guess what? Another block of the month that I will purchase and make at home. Sister Bouy is a real quilter and she has me stop in Emporia each time I go thru an pick up her packet of the month. Well, the bug bit me!

Some PIXY STIX that I have on my desk for the missionaries and Dad has given me a bad time for giving them a pure shot of sugar. I have told him they need it. Well, the other day the President came over and picked up a PIXY STIX or two and tore the top off and dumped it in his mouth. They are OK now!

Some missionary shoes that would be acceptable in our mission for a little girl!

Tomorrow is Monday and a new day in the mission. I will tell you about it tomorrow.

Miss you everyday. Mom

No pics tonight. Just some thoughts that I want to write down because it was such a lesson for me. For years I have been wanting to recognize and acknowledge how the Lord is in my life. Am I making the decision on my own or am I receiving promptings in my decisions and choices. Did I decide to carry out that act of service or did I receive a gentle nudge or was I led there.

Well, out here on the mission I have learned just how much the Lord is in my life and I have learned to acknowledge that and give thanks to Him and then what happens is that it seems to make those promptings come even more. or am I just more aware now and finally giving thanks. There are things that happen all the time with missionaries that make you aware of how the Lord is blessing them and helping them.

So I have to share a sweet experience that really solidified my questioning.

I had stayed late at the office one night and in printing out referrals, I had a referral for the AP's who have a desk in Elder Bouy's office. I should have taken the referral and put it on their desk that night. But I didn't.

We had a missionary who was not able to fly out with the group because his parents were in the service and he was flying to Bahrain. There are only a few flights to Bahrain so he had to wait until a flight came up. He spent the night with some missionaries and they dropped him off at the office about 9 or 9:30.

The Bouy's were taking him to the airport at 10:30 and he just hung around the office for awhile. At one point he came out and shredded his medical insurance card and his food/incidentals card.

When I came in that morning my desk was still a mess with all the referral papers there from the night before. I had a few minutes before we started our scripture study to clean up my desk. But still didn't clean anything up. And after scripture study I just started into my work for the day and left my desk a mess.

It was time to go to the airport and goodbye's were said and off they went to the airport. About ten minutes later I suddenly just stopped what I was doing and decided that it was time for me to clear my desk. I picked up the paper for the AP's and walked into Elder Bouy's office.

On the floor by the chair that Elder Curtis had been in, was a red credit card. I picked it up and on it was ____ Curtis. Don't even know what his name was.

I immediately went to my phone and called the Bouy's. Where were they? I told them that I had found a credit card with Elder Curtis's name on it and I was sure he needed it. They were not too far away and turned around and came back and got it. Elder Curtis was very grateful.

Can you imagine that missionary all alone, flying to Bahrain, making a couple of stops along the way and losing his card and not even knowing it was lost until he went to his wallet to use it.

Oh my, I just sat at my desk with tears rolling down my cheeks and thanked the Lord for the order of events that day.

Yes, He is in our lives and wants to help us. We just need to live as we should, keep the commandments and the blessings will come. We don't even have to ask in most situations. He is just blessing us.

We have just returned from a wonderful President's Fireside at Liberty Jail. We have them once a month there and once a month at the Visitor's Center. Tonight's was super. Five newly baptized members bore their testimonies. One sweet sister from the Dominican Republic who couldn't speak English, so one of the Elders translated for her. All of them were 30 and up. They bore sweet testimonies about how the church has changed their lives and how happy they are. It is so great to hear from the new converts.

The Church is true. The Lord loves us and wants us to return to Him. We are blessed.

Surprise!
Just a pic of some of the country around here. It really is quite lovely and very green and enjoyable when the temp is in the 70's or even 80's.

This is a view driving along Lee's Summit, which is on the way to the Stutz's place. We have come to know this road quite well. But just beyond their place is this pond. You pass it on the right and cannot stop and so on the way back I had Dad stop on the other side of the street so I could run across and see the geese. There might have been 100 out there. I counted to 40 and quit and just estimated the rest. All facing in the same direction. You would have thought it was a line up drill for geese! Quite impressive.

A couple with their neck out of shape, but maybe that is like having your nose out of joint for us.

We picked up Sister Jacobs at the airport on Friday and drove past the KC Temple lot. We have decided that this is probably an elevator shaft. They are above ground. We are told it is supposed to be done next November.

This are the "in the mountain" offices, storage units, etc., etc. There are two places like this right close to us. You drive in and there are rows and rows of semi trucks lined up.

Drive right into one of these openings and . . . . .

. . . . you drive for miles through the mountain. They are limestone. and as you look down here you see the huge columns that are standing to hold the roof up I guess. They must have figured how big they had to remain and how close together they had to be, because they are tall enough that semi trucks drive right down these nicely finished cement floors and offices and storage and stores are all along the way. Semis backed into places to load and unload. The pillars are marked about every two or you would get lost. The road turns right and left and back and around. It is kind of a wierd feeling being in there. You would have to get used to it. We got a little claustrophobic in there and wanted out! But it was very interesting to see. In some places there was huge machinery that was digging more mountain out.

A semi parked and loading dock to the left of it.

Love you every day!

Today is 10/10/10. Fun day to have a baby! And soon it will be Megan who will have 12/12/12. We will have to plan something special. What do you do when your birthday is like that? Not a lot that can claim it.

This is finally the pic of the President with Elder Clayton on the left and Elder Thomas on the right.

This is Elder Jensen. He is from West Valley and is deaf. He is our second Elder who is deaf and has a cochlear implant. You can hardly tell that he is deaf. He hears very well with his implant and his speech is amazing. He told us that his parents worked and worked with him to teach him how to speak. It is unbelievable how well he speaks. He also has two deaf brothers. Not as deaf as he is however.

This is Elder Beck. He is one of the happiest kids I know. Is never without a big smile oon his face. He is from Spanish Fork and this is him practicing his roping. He does rodeo and so we plan to go to a rodeo when we get home. He has made himself a head to rope. Has a name for it but I can't remember it. It is hooked to a large plastic storage chest. He also has a racoon skin that he skinned and preserved that rides along in his car. What a sweetie!

Have I told you how I love clouds! I really do. I think I have sent pics of clouds before. The clouds here are so different. Different shapes and kinds. It is fun. These three pics are all the same clouds just a few seconds apart. Sun is going down and colors changing.

Another different look.

And this is the last with the sun almost gone. Quite amazing I know.

Love you every day.