BLOG#51

BLOG #51 April 19 -24

Wow this year has really gone by fast.We have enjoyed this part of our life. I am so grateful that we have been here.We have met a lot of great YSA’s and felt that they have become ours. We know some of their challenges and desires. These YSA’s are wonderful and we love them.

We experienced the first of the summer storms last week. Just like the week we arrived. The thunder is so loud and the lighten is so close and the rain comes down in sheets for hours. Our little community of St. Croix(where we live) receives a lot and the retention ponds fill up faster and the swimming pool rises to the top and the water just before the front entrance gate becomes a   huge moat. We have to cross it very slowly—you would think that the city would have fixed the road before now--it does cause a fun spray of water if you go into it at a good speed. I am sure that will change as the city is working on the whole street of Bruce B Downs for several miles. It is a mess.

Monday was New Testament class and FHE. Elder Judd taught the trial before Caiaphas and Pilate. He said that it was really a good and the spirit was really strong.

After class, we always have the beginning of FHE in the Institute room which has proven to be a good thing- prayer, scripture thoughts, announcements and introductions. We then went to the gym for a rousing game of human foose ball. It is hilarious to watch as they have to stand in their lines only kicking the ball to hit the goal, it gets a little wild at times.. Elder Judd and I were asked to go and get the plates and forks for the refreshments only  to find that as we entered the gym all +25 YSA’s were singing “God be with you” to us—very emotional. They had purchased a fun cake with a picture of us on it. Modern technology I ate my head and Elder Judd ate his that is a good way to end the day! Everyone had a piece of cake and ice cream. Fun evening‼

We met with president Cusic for a final meeting as a missionary. We have enjoyed having the mission office here in the building so that we could associate with the missionaries. A lot of them come and stop by to tell us what is happening and where they are going. They have a great spirit about them! As usual, we ended up going to Costco and purchasing the food for the YSA dinner and the S&I in-service breakfast. We then went on to Clermont to visit with Brandon, Mandy and Rusty Judd (Elder Judd’s nephew and family.)W have been able to enjoy their company while here. Their little son, Rusty, is so cute and we have been able to get to know and play with him for this past year. Cracker Barrel is a good meeting place and good food too.It was a late night coming home- it takes about 1 ½ hours to travel to see them.

We have had a great week meeting with friends and family,having some wonderful lunches and dinners.We went to Cracker Barrel again with the Severinson’s for the last time. This couple is a wonderful senior couple that was here when we started.They will end their mission next September (they will have served 2 year mission) their assignment has been office/Orlando Temple/ MLS. Busy, Busy people. We have loved all the seniors couple but have not had very many to know. In this mission we only have 6 couples and they are really spread out.

 Elder Judd:  Wednesday night’s class had about 16 students in class along with Tara. We also learned from Tara that her and the missionaries had fasted last Sunday that her mother’s heart would be softened so that she could be baptized soon. On Monday for the first time her mother said nothing negative about Tara’s involvement with the Church and told her to say high to her friends at the Church. Needless to say, Tara and the Missionaries were surprised and elated at the change in her attitude. In another discussion with her mother at the beginning of the week, her mother told Tara that she would meet with the missionaries to get to know them instead of just hearing about them. As Tara told us about these abrupt changes she bore her testimony of the truth of the Church and the hand of the Lord in what had happened. I will never forget the look on her face as she told us that her testimony of the Gospel is stronger now than ever before because of what she has been thru in the past year. And with all of this, she is bringing some of her friends, who will come to the institute and church for the missionaries to teach. She volunteers for prayers, offers comments and bears her testimony in class frequently. I have kidded her that she is a Dry Mormon to which she replies that that is going to change, and she hopes soon. She has set a baptism date for about May 31.

I made dump cake Thursday it is so easy and everyone loves it. All you do is purchase a pie filling, yellow cake mix and butter. Assemble and cook and it is gone before you know it. Some one asked for mac‘n’cheese again so that is what I fixed. It is a great crock pot recipe and only takes about 3 hours to cook. The students really loved it.

For the in-service meeting early Saturday morning, I fixed tator/tot breakfast casserole, Monkey bread with nuts in a 9x13”pan, a lot of strawberries and grapes. We have been apart of this group now for 1 year and have started to know the people. They are always eager to learn how to teach their young people. 

We started our packing this week. Packing is not fun and where did we get all this stuff and how did it fit into the car the first time? Elder Judd is great, he has vacuumed the floor, cleaned the extra bathroom, and packed a lot of the things into the suitcases that will be shipped home. He has really helped me get things done, I appreciate that. After I read this it makes it sound like he did all the work—I did help .

Saturday night was a special night we were honored to be witnesses for a private wedding of two of our YSA at the Institute. Kenneth and Shauna Prettyman. They were married by Bishop Harris. It was so special that they would ask us to do this. They are sweet kids and very much in love. They have plans for a temple marriage in a year and I am pretty sure they will make it. After the ceremony and a few pictures, Bishop and Sister Harris invited us to dinner at the Outback restaurant. We all had a great steak dinner and a good visit. It was a nice finish to a busy and productive day.We came home and watched a netflix movie. What a day‼

Elder Judd: In Sacrament meeting I looked around and thought about how nice it has been to enjoy Sacrament in a quiet setting. It has been wonderful to be a part of this generation’s YSA. We have come to love them, rejoice with them, cry with them, laugh with them, teach them and just be a part of their lives at this juncture of their lives. Marsha and I have learned and grown so much .

This is the last week of being here in the Tampa Bay YSA. We have been busy with the normal thing of preparing the last lessons and the last dinners and the last reports and the last of saying good-bye.  Thursday we were invited into Bro Patrick’s class and was given a plate that had been signed by all the students and missionaries. What a great going away gift. One of the greatest gifts was ‘Bro. Hopegood’ coming to help with this last dinner. We do love this man and his wife. They are such good friends.  They will be coming to Utah so everyone can enjoy them too. We will miss everyone.

We will be on our way home in a day or two. So excited to see the family and friends.

April 24: Now we have everything in the car and it  is jammed packed,We  have started our drive home. We will be following the Interstate 10 through Texas. It is so we can stop and see the St. George granddaughters. We figure it will take us about 5-6 days with all the stops. We will be excited to be home again.