May Means Flowering Bushes/Zone Conferences

 We held Zone conferences this week, so Wednesday we traveled to Nazareth, PA, Thursday we had 6 zones in Broomall (140 missionaries) and Friday we traveled to Newark, DE.  The photo above is taken of the Dover, DE zone.  President and Sister Anderson are in the front.  We normally hold 4 conferences, but Doctor and Sister Dunn, our mission doctor who lives in Ohio and serves 14 missions came to speak to us, so we combined the closer zones so they would be able to speak all 3 times.  They gave a wonderful presentation on taking care of your body, spirit and mind.  The talk was mostly about STRESS.  Much of what they spoke of is used by Elder Jones as he counsels missionaries.  A mission is full of stress.  I think that potential missionaries are not sufficiently educated to realize that a mission is WORK, but I do not think that they realize that a mission is STRESS.  Long hours, companions, rejection, hard work, meetings, transfers, studying, disappointment...  The doctor has found that the common symptoms are acne, stomach aches, head aches, back aches, sleeplessness, etc.  The conferences were a wonderful time for hugs to missionaries we have not seen in awhile, renewing friendships with senior couples and listening to the testimonies of the outgoing missionaries.  We surely do love these missionaries!

 Left is Sister Kaydee Taylor from St. George, UT and Sister Carla Argueta from California.  Sister Argueta will be leaving this coming transfer (May 27).  They are sister trainers and are doing such a wonderful job.  We love them!

 I have never seen so many flowering  bushes!  The colors are vibrant in shades or purple, pink, red and orange, with some white and yellow mixed in for accent.  I absolutely love them.  Even just driving along the highway you see flowering trees and bushes.  Hostas and day lilies are growing everywhere.  Once planted they just seem to multiply.  And in St. George I work all summer long to keep those flowers watered and alive!  The secret--RAIN.  It rains very much here.  We have had rain almost every day this week, even though it has been as high as 84.  And I have now learned that 84 + 50% humidity =95 degrees...The humidity is going to be a challenge...

We always go to the Dixon's for FHE.  This time Rob (the dad who is an RN) invited us to have our ears candled.  It all started when Sister Handy complained that her ears hurt.  Upon examination Rob determined it was wax, so he candled one of her ears last week and she could hear so much better and without pain.  So this week was the other ear.  Elder Jones wanted his ear candled as well, so hence, the photo above.  It involves a 15" cloth candle in the form of a cotton candy wand.  It is hollow in the center.  You place the small end into the ear and light the top afire.  In about 10 minutes the candle burns to about 4" and you remove it, cut it open, and lots of ear wax is inside.  The principle:  heat and a vacuum.  It worked!  We even bought some of the candles and candled both of our ears and now we hear very well!

Well, yesterday the Holloways left for home and this week the Smuins will also.  The Ballards are due to arrive in Philly Monday late or Tuesday and we will have a whirlwind of training them.  I (Sister Jones) am nervous to be on my own doing the finances.  I realize the sacredness of the funds and am aware of the responsibility I have to get things done correctly and timely.  I know that through the Holy Ghost I will be prompted to remember the training I have received, but this senior mind is just a bit stressed...