Changes

The senior missionaries with
 Pres.&Sis Larkin.

To be honest the days are a blur. As I am sitting here trying to remember our daily activities, I'm not sure what happened.  So many new opportunities and unusual circumstances have occurred as we have had to force our humanitarian efforts to the sidelines while circumspectly slipping/stumbling into the mission office arena.

This has been a week of many good-byes:  First and hardest is the departure of Elder and Sister Goodsell.  They have been the quintessence of a true servant of the Lord.  They diligently tried to pass on their mass knowledge to us.  I'm not sure that our brain cells are intact as needed. This meaningful thought continues to vibrate in my head: "He whom the Lord calls - He qualifies." 

Sister Goodsell was supposed to be in the empty
chair.  Ended up with only the yummy
Australian dessert and her husband.

Sunday evening President and Sister Larkin had a "last dinner" for the Goodsells.  Sister Goodsell hates to have her picture taken.  One has to be very sneaky or we have to have members or investigators as part of the picture and then she steps forward with a smile.

We went to the airport on Monday evening to say our last good-byes.  So many wonderful members and seminary students were there, too.

E/S Goodsell with a seminary student
and a 87 year old lady, Rose, who is a great
dancer.

Pres/Sister Larkin, our nurse, Sister
Shumway were laughing and
actually got Elder Preston to
laugh in a picture.  We need to
mount this one on the wall.

Elder Preston getting his last few
questions answered before his
mentor leaves.

On my third trip to the immigration office, I was finally able to obtain the VISAs for two missionaries that will be arriving soon.  It seems that the only person, who is allowed to the sign the little blue card (ARC), has been too busy since I submitted the paperwork on April 10th, to have time to sign his name twice.  I have stayed calm, patient, and pleasant throughout each visit, because I know that I will be stepping into that office at least two times a week, until the "real" office couple arrives. 

After leaving with my two blue cards, I recognized a young lady, who I have met once at the immigration office.  I truly feel that she is the most professional and brightest employee employed there.  I greeted her and acknowledged the enormous amount of paperwork that they have to go through every day as we traveled together down the five floor on the small cave like elevator.  At the end of our ride, she said, "The thank you card that your group left with us really made an impact.  My boss actually posted it on Facebook.  It made all of us feel appreciated.  Thank you for being such a good group."  (Of course the card with a box of homemade cookies was presented by Sister Goodsell on our last trip to the immigration office before her departure.)

Simple goodness often brings notable blessings or at least warmhearted memories!

As I was driving to retrieve the visas, I was caught behind one of the island's school buses.  Of course it needed to every few "it seemed" feet.  The bus would stop; the bus driver would stick his hand out of the door while holding the red flag; and all traffic in both directions would stop.  Not exactly what I had planned, for as always, we Americans usually have our time scheduled, and this was not part of it. As each group of students clamored off the bus at the designated area, students crossed the street in front of the bus going different direction, or headed right, left, or straight on the bus side.  At the next to the last stop, a large group was stepping out of the bus when a group of about 5-6 boys around the age of 4th-6th grade, who did not attend raced to the bus door as the children were exiting.  Two of these boys had 4 foot white poles that looked like PVC pipe.  Instantly, one of these boys starting shoving a school child, who was dressed in his green shirt uniform, and striking him with his fist with one hand and used the pole with the other hand.  The school child was trying to avoid the assault and escape.  It wasn't working.  The bus driver did nothing and the other children just tried to circumvent the turbulence.

The teacher, principal, mother just surfaced instantaneously.  I started honking my horn, which did not attract even a glimpse from anyone.  I kept honking. When the bus driver pulled away, I drove right next to the attacker.  He looked up as I rolled down my window.  I fashioned my meanest look and said as I was pointing directly at him, "You stop it right now!!!!!!!"  He stopped and the target hurried away.  Immediately another boy, who was with the attacker, walked to the side of my window wearing a huge smile said, "Hi."  I guess there will be no hard feelings.

We are still trying to stay involved in our weekly health screenings.  

   

Tanner with the new shirt.
Use your x-ray vision
Second logo on the bottom
is LDS Charities!
That is us.

Note the new shirts that will be given to those to have already earned walking shoes and have committed to still being a part of the walking clubs another 20 weeks, get a bright glow in the dark shirt to enhance safety during the walks of early morning or after dark in the evenings.  Tanner Smith is our champion from Canvasback Wellness Center.                         

Now I have a project for all of you to share in a lesson or during a family home evening.  Write the word - 

A  T  T I  T U D E  across a piece of paper.  Then under each 

1  +20+20+9+20+21+4+5 =

letter write the number in would represent.  The numbers add up to ????  Yes, 100%.  When you have a good attitude, you can put out the best. Let's all give our all this week. 

Remember how much we love and miss you,

                                                Elder & Sister Preston