One Week Closer To Spring!

     Sorry, no photos from me this week, so I have a professional photo of downtown Philly.  I do like its skyline.
     As I began this post, it is one week closer to spring. This coming week we are expecting another few days of wild wintry weather in the form of ice storms, snow and rain.  We do not know what to expect.  We only know that this continual bad weather makes it hard during a transfer week as the missionaries have to fly home, fly to us and drive to the mission office to the transfer meeting.  If the weather is too bad the planes and cars are all grounded.
     This week we gave a family home evening lesson to the older singles in this area and they assured us that this winter is longer and more severe than they ever remember.  We gave them a lesson on the Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission, what it is, some facts about it and what they can do to help the missionaries and the missionary work.  It was lots of fun.  We also had 4 teaching appointments teaching lessons with the elders or sisters.  Both of our sisters are being transferred this coming week, so they were a bit sad to part with members that they had become attached to.  We wish them the best in their new assignments.  The president has developed a level of trust with Elder Jones (plus he and his wife are stretched very thin) so he is assigning Elder Jones to counsel some missionaries who are experiencing difficulties.  They will be transferred this coming week to areas closer to the mission office so this can happen regularly.  Elder Jones is happy about that.  I am getting ready to learn about mission finances so I can take over as the finance secretary when the Smuin's go home.  Today  I stayed several hours after church as the mission finances were audited.  It seems that both Elder Jones and I are both constantly learning as we are on this mission and it is reassuring to know that we can still do that!
      We do so appreciate all of the support and love of our family.  We thank you!  We are so happy serving together--and relieved that we will not be transferred AT ALL this week.  One of the benefits of being a Senior Missionary Couple...
      I must write about our last Sunday evening meal with the Jungs.  We have about 12 wonderful Korean families in our ward that are very strong and valiant--and like to feed the missionaries.  When we arrived at the Jungs with the Sister missionaries we found that all of the Korean families were there and it was a Korean FEAST.  The food is really very good and we are developing a taste for the wonderful flavors.  They eat lots of rice, spicy meat, and vegetables and more vegetables.  I think that is why they do not get fat--they eat lots of veggies and fruit for dessert.  Anyway we just love these Korean families and have had such a positive experience with them.  They are full of love and humility.