Deep Vibrant Fall

 As I mentioned last week, I am concentrating on being thankful.  It really is not hard.  This past week we had a slight cold snap and some rain and that resulted in many leaves falling.  Those that remained, however, are the deep rich oranges, reds, and purples.  They are my favorite.  The photo above was taken as I drove home from dropping off Elder Jones as he picked up the president's new car, a GMC Acadia.  It is near the Merion Golf Course and is quite beautiful.  I am thankful that as fall closes in around us and the trees prepare for winter that the process is so enticingly beautiful.  It could have been created in shades of brown, but we get to enjoy yellow, green, purple, red, orange, gold and all colors in between.  I have enjoyed just riding around this week.  I have been in search of the "perfect tree"  The photo below is our church and a big old tree right in front.  Each day we get to see its progress in color.

 We are preparing for another transfer week.  Tomorrow we have the departing dinner for 26 very wonderful missionaries who have completed their service.  We know each of them personally and have had dealings with each of them and it is really hard to bid farewell.  We will miss them greatly!  Because our AP's will both be gone in the next 2 transfers, our one new AP began with us on Monday of this week.  His name is Elder Watt and he is a farm boy from Blackfoot, ID.  He is a good worker and seems to be blessed with common sense.  We are glad to have him.  On Tuesday we receive 19 new missionaries.  As we continue to decrease in numbers in the next few transfers we are going to be closing down 5 apartments this month.  That means work for Elder Jones to clear them out, and work for me to follow up on the paperwork involved.  Wednesday we train the new missionaries, and then we get back to our regular routine in the office.

Yesterday was a good day.  We traveled to Anabel's for a wonderful Mexican dinner in the early afternoon.  Then we joined our friends, the Wilsons, from Veyo, for games.  They had visitors:  Dave and Marty Zohner from Veyo.  They have just completed their mission in Palmyra, NY working as historical site missionaries.  They knew our friends, Neil and Deonna Fuller, who also served in Palmyra.  Turns out they are quite good game players and we enjoyed 3 rousing games of Marbles and Jokers.

I am grateful today to be able to assist in teaching the gospel with the missionaries assigned to our ward.  Today we taught another "after baptism" lesson to John Wocjek.  Today he received the priesthood and he plans to go to the temple this coming weekend to do baptisms.  He got help from his friends at the family history center and they prepared the papers so John could be baptized for his paternal grandfather, Andrew Wocjek.  Monday Elder Jones and I are teaching the Plan of Salvation to our friend, Barbara Johnson, who we have been assigned to teach.  Basically she knows it is true, she just wants to go slowly and be absolutely sure of what she is committing to.  We promised to follow her wishes...  Today we decided to attend the Widner Ward in Chester, PA to see some wonderful outgoing missionaries, Sister McNeil and Sister LeCheminant.  Sister McNeil spoke and played the violin and Sister LeCheminant sang.  We were so glad we attended.  Then we returned to our own ward for the last meeting and our monthly pot luck.  Why don't they do these in Utah?

I am grateful for my children and for their support in every way as we serve this mission.  They have each helped financially as we have served.  I pray that this unselfish gift to us will serve your family with the spiritual gifts you desire.  We love you and thank you for your help to us!