SUNDAY #14

Sunday #14

     THE SIGNS ARE STARTING TO WORK‼  and they have only  been up 1 week. During the week we learned from the sister missionaries that at least two people have asked for building tours because of these signs. Hopefully they will work even more when the fall semester comes. I hope that is just the beginning.‼!  Elder Judd will start working on the pillar signs telling everyone that this is the Institute of Religion.  We want everyone to know who we are.

    My choice for last Thursday’s meal was a rice, black bean, corn and chicken dish served on corn chips with salsa  and sour cream and a peanut butter bar for dessert.  All day long I stewed about how awful it was looking and smelling. Elder Judd loved the way it smelled and looked. It had taco seasoning, onion and chicken bullion in it.  However, I was still gagging as I cooked it When it was served we thought the students were going to knock us down getting to it and then they ate it all.  That didn’t help my feeling about it and Elder Judd was sad that there were no left-overs.  Apparently, people here in Florida like a lot of beans and rice. Who would have guessed???  Sister Tollerton(Mission secretary) said it was like a Cuban dish..

  We did not leave the Institute on Thursday till about 11 pm and we were both really tired.  I cook the meal for the students, Elder Judd teaches, we set up  the meal, clean up, socialize with the students and  then Elder Judd plays volley ball until 10:30 or 11pm I watch from the side line.  The students have a great time with the volley ball, everyone who wants to plays which is usually 24 individuals plays.  It is fun to watch them interact with one another.

  We are getting rain shower generally every day with lightening and thunder.  I know everyone told us about this but is so unusual.  Half the time the sun shines in one area while it is cloudy in another.  Some people say there front yard is sunny and the back yard is being rained on.  And it is true‼

Elder Judd classes:

Missionary Prep went well- the subject was how faith grows and the importance of physical and emotional preparation is important.  Elder and Sister Severinson helped in this discussion.  The Isaiah class went really well because he involved the students more in learning about the prophecies about the latter days.  Elder Judd has about 10-15 regularly attending both classes and that is really a sign. He loves to teach‼

Elder Judd:

 We left for Orlando and our meeting with Florida’s early morning Seminary teachers, about 120 of them.  There was an opening session by Brother Patrick and then three sessions to choose from each hour for three hours.  I taught two of those sessions with power point on the subject of  “The Importance of the Background and Setting of the Sections of the Doctrine and Covenants.” Sister Judd said it went very well.  I am so grateful to the Lord for the inspiration of that subject with came to me as I pondered what I should do in this assignment. I am also grateful for the work on that subject that I have done over the years in preparing and teaching the D&C in the Stake Adult Religion classes.  I have the testimony of the importance of the D&C’s background and setting. After the meeting, Sister Judd and I stopped at the Olive Garden for dinner before driving back to Tampa. This week exhausted us so we sat down at the apartment and watched a movie to relax.

Sunday, we drove to New Port Richey to attend Sacrament meeting where Parker Jeans gave his farewell talk before leaving for his mission to the Idaho Nampa Mission. Parker is the grandson of Bob and Jan Jeans who I baptized in 1965 on my mission in New Hampshire.  That was a joy to see the fruits of a success so many years ago.

At the close of class on Monday Fernando, who was baptized just two weeks was struggling with the mandate that his parents had given him. They threatened to cut off his support if he was determined to serve a mission.  Unknown to us, Fernando began fasting and pleading with the Lord that he could have help to get his parents to change their minds.  I know that he fasted at least three days this past week. He is truly a young man of great faith.  I encouraged him and testified that the Lord could do more for him behind the scenes that he could up front if he remained faithful and sought the Lord’s help. On Thursday, as he came in for class, he was very upbeat. His mother was so upset over Fernando’s baptism and plans for a mission she was not eating and getting sick. He said that his parent’s had called a close friend in another city for advise of what to do about their son. This friend is a very well known writer in Columbia, an announced atheist. When this author friend heard of the problem, he set the phone down and drove two hours to their home to talk to them.  When he arrived he told them that his own daughter, after looking all over for a church that had some true character, she had discovered the LDS Church as was deeply impressed with its people, organization, and teachings.  This atheist author told them that they should not be too concern for, from what his daughter had said, there could not be a better church to be a part of.  These words changed their anxiety into relief and they called Fernando and told him they were rethinking their direction.  What a testimony of the power of the Lord to change things that are totally out of our control. Fernando’s faith is incredible and his desire is to do what the Lord wants of him. The Lord heard his prayer and did for him what he could never have done on his own.

    We both have felt the spirit that this young man radiates. No matter where the Lords sends him, he will be a great asset to His work. 

    Sister Goodman and Sister Wheeler invited us to join them for a lesson they were teaching to an Egyptian Copt Christian and his nephew who just arrived from Alexandria, Egypt.  Momdouh and Joseph are very gentle and kind people.  When Sister Goodman realized Momdouh had not read the Book of Mormon for the day, she decided to forgo the planned lesson on the Word of Wisdom and read the Book of Mormon with him.  Sister Goodman did a masterful job with the first 12 verses of 1Nephi as she taught him the importance of reading the Book of Mormon to invite the Spirit and come to know the book was a true record of scripture. She likened Momdouh to Lehi who was given a book by Christ and told to read it.  The sisters invited us to bare our testimonies which we did. After the lesson, Sister Judd and I spoke with them about Egypt and our love for the people and what little we know about Arabic. We had a good experience and hope that we made a connection with them and hope that Momdouh continues to progress toward baptism

    We have enjoyed the two sisters missionaries(one is from Park City –Sister Howard and  the other is from California -- Sister Miller) that come to the YSA ward.  They are on the ball and excited about meeting new people and sharing the gospel.  We think that Megan looks like one of them and she also has the same excitement for the gospel. It is fun to have them around to remind us of our beautiful granddaughter from St. George.

BANNERS AND BAPTISMS #13

BANNERS AND BAPTISMS  #13

Hi everyone, we have been pretty busy around here. We finally picked up the the new A-frame signs telling  about the institute and the mission offices. The signs  have an arrow pointing  to the building telling what we do in this building--such as : teaching about Jesus Christ, inviting them to find out  the answers  to life's most important questions, inviting people to come into the building for a tour, and  to use a a class room, with wi-fi, for a study area.  Bro Patrick really liked the looks of the signs in front of the building, so he gave the go ahead to make the tall banners for the pillars  to tell the students and the people walking by what building  this  is, who we are, what is going on  and what we are doing here.  This will be a great addition to draw people into the building for missionary work.

I am fixing dinner now for a bout 40 people.  It is hard to know how much to fix when I have only cooked for 2 people for so many years. The students are very thankful and appreciative for my efforts and I have enjoyed them a lot.  This week's meal was sloppy Joes, carrots, and cupcakes with blue sprinkles and red sprinkles in the form of a flag. I  think  that it was fun just to recognize the patriotism of the students.

 I have been to Costco now about 6 times. I spend a lot of time purchasing food there.  The neat thing about it I have only been lost about 2 times. It is about 15 miles from the Institute.

Elder Judd:  My Mission Prep class started with only one student, Melissa Compton. We had a great discussion as I started class on time.  45 minutes later 5 more students came in late, having been caught in traffic on the bridge over Tampa Bay from St. Petersburg.  That is a little hard to keep continuity in a lesson. But you do the best you can and call it good.  It was good class anyway.  Fernando, our awesome new convert, complimented me on my Stars and Strips flag tie and asked if he could borrow it for Sunday. I gave it to him after dinner.  He was really touched but it was fun to give him something back when he has given us so much thru his love and excitement and growth in the Gospel. It is a true miracle to see how the Holy Ghost increases the spiritual  growth in a person who is sincere when he is baptism and confirmed. In one week Fernando has made great strides in his understanding the Gospel.  In class I asked him to define faith when he had not been there when I defined it earlier. Here is a convert of a little over a week and he gave a perfect definition like it came out of the LDS Bible Dictionary. Then he testified how faith had worked in his conversion and baptism. Everybody in class sat there stunned by the Spirit that accompanied his testimony.

Most of Friday, July 4, Sister Judd and I stayed in the apartment while I worked on my lesson for Monday and sister Judd worked on making some brownies for the dinner we were invited to.  About 3pm we  left for Indian Shores where Alex Patrick and family lives. We were invited, well, I invited us to join their celebration of the 4^th with burgers,salads and chips etc. and an evening on the Gulf beach with fireworks.The beach was only a half a block away from their home so we walked with our chairs, towels, and fireworks. We were able to watch the fireworks to the right and the left of us  and  then watch God’s lightning and thunder show out in the gulf at the same time.  It was spectacular, and of course, the Lord’s part was the best.  Man is puny in his works compared to God’s. we had a great dinner, good hosts and a great time we won’t forget.

Today, Sunday has been a wonderful day. It started out with the baptism of three converts, Jerry Thompson- in his late fifties I guess, Jamie Leggett- a YSA who is just a great young man, and Laneika Murdock-a YSA from Jamaica. Jerry was so happy that he was being baptized that he told me he was more excited about this event than his marriage that took place last week. His spirit is just amazing and I could feel his testimony as he and I talked briefly before the baptism. I met Jamie for the first time when the Elders asked me to come into their lesson with him and explain Jacob 5.  We had a great time talking about its meaning for the House of Israel. Jamie told me today that that was an amazing experience for him. He truly does have  a testimony and it is wonderful to see his growth in the Gospel in just two weeks time. Jamie asked that I confirm him, which I did. It was a spiritual experience as the Spirit spoke thru me in his blessing. Jamie’s whole family came and stayed for Sacrament meeting. They are a beautiful family and even his grand parents came to see him baptized.  We hope to see more of them. Lanieka is a beautiful, tall Jamaican girl going to school at the University of South Florida, which is just across the street from our Institute building. She lives in the apartments next to the Institute.  She started with the missionaries just two weeks ago. She has a testimony of the Book of Mormon and brought two of her close friends to the baptism. Following the baptismal service our Sacrament and testimony meeting began.  It was a great meeting and the Spirit was present with every testimony borne. Fernando bore his testimony and was bursting with love for the Gospel and his joy for the Savior.  He looked great up at the pulpit with that Stars and Strips tie on. After the meeting, the YSA had their traditional Fast-Feast meal, a pot luck of sorts where many bring dishes on a theme, this time it was Italian, and we feast after the Fast Meeting. It was a great day.

LENIEKA FROM JAMICA

We are having a lot of lightening and thunder storms right now. They seem to be so close that it is nerve racking.  The rain that usually accompanies the lightening and thunder is really heavy.  Elder Judd calls it a really frog strangler!!

FROG STRANGLER

THE END OF JUNE!!! WOW!!! #12

     THE END OF JUNE!!! WOW!!!  #12
We have lived in Florida for 2 full months! Time does fly--The heat is beginning but still not the high humidity that all these people say will happen.  I am sure it will --just so we can have the experience of it.

     We have been in church most of the afternoon.Three YSA's talked in Sacrament Kassy Struk talked about President Monson's talk " Love the Essence of the Gospel", great remarks, Sean Smith talked about Elder Scott's talk "I have given you an Example" he gave some great examples  of people in his life who has helped him, and Chris Elton talked about Elder Donald Hallstrom's talk " What manner of Men". These talks were well prepared and thought through giving us ways to improve our own lives. Relief Society and Priesthood was combined and was taught by Bishop Collin Harris. His lesson was about the Plan of Happiness, teaching us to keep up with the scriptures reading and pray every day. He is a good teacher.

     We had Elder Severinson over for dinner our first visitor for dinner in our little apartment. His wife had to go home to Utah for a short stay to see her mother who is not doing well. She will be gone another week.  I am sure we will have him over again for next Sunday.  He is lonely but doing his missionary week faithfully.

    We went to a YSA pool party Saturday--I think that every one has a pool of some kind here in this city. This pool is in the home of Raquel Tolman and it is a salt water pool. They really like the feel of the salt water better than a chlorinated water.  We did get lost getting there of course --missed a turn on the freeway.  You  would think that the GPS would be right --well it was until I decided to help give "better" directions. We made it to the home after we continued with the GPS --only 15 mins late not to bad and we did get to see another part of the suburbs of Tampa.  I liked it it had a lot of beautiful homes. All of them were close together but still nice homes.  I didnot think  that I missed my home until we visited Sister Tolman's home. Oh well  What is is important is Joel and I are together.

Elder Judd has been busy this week in addition to preparing, studying, teaching classes,  helping the missionaries and helping me-- he has been proctoring exams for home taught students.  One young lady has come 4-5 times. He has to sit in the classroom for the whole duration.  He decided to give her a Book of Mormon next week with his testimony in it.  We will see how that goes.

Thursday is our busiest day because Elder Judd  teaches a mission prep class, Bro Patrick teaches a Pearl of great Price class and I fix the dinner for about 40 students.  This week we had a potato bar with chili, butter, cheese, sour cream, lettuce salad and brownies.  Of course as we do this meals we learn how to do them better every week and it is called: MAKE IT SIMPLY!!! I have a hard time with this I want to have a feast every time.

Elder Judd's words:

My mission prep class went very well. The Spirit was there very strongly as we discussed the first vision and the restoration of the gospel thru the Prophet Joseph Smith.  A brand new convert, Fernando Giraldo, who was baptized last Sunday, was in class and he bore a powerful testimony of the First Vision. His testimony touched all of us and it made us appreciate this great missionary effort that these students are being prepared for.

After FHE on Monday evening I met with the Elder’s presidency as an advisor under Bishop Harris’ direction. President Tom Clem, counselor Zack Logan and Secretary Sean Smith were there.  All of them are very committed and capable leaders.  We had a very productive meeting and I felt good about the direction they are going.  I feel like just a nudge here and an idea there is all they need to help them along.

We finally got the signs ordered for the A-frame boards that we will use out by our parking entrance.  These signs will be visible to the large amount of foot traffic to and from the USF campus. They will say respectively; “Life’s most IMPORTANT QUESTIONS answered here”,“learn more about  JESUS CHRIST here” ,“FREE quiet study area here” and “FREE building tours and religion classes here.” Each sign will have a red arrow pointing to the building. We will alternate them so they are different everyday.  We hope that they will have an impact on those who are searching for the truth and “know not where to find it.”  This is an “up” event. We are moving forward.

I will put pictures in later  

1ST BAPTISM #11

We started off this week with a Institute staff meeting , was given several assignments and then the week got even busier than we thought it would be.  We are grateful that we are able to do all the things that Bro.Patrick asks us to do--even though I do not know how to do some of the things he wants me to do. Such as post items in face book, transfer to and from one paper to another using all electronic devices.  I am glad that he has a secretary to give us lots of help.  Sister Compton has been with Bro. Patrick for about 7 years now and pretty well knows all the ins and outs of every electronic device in the office. Bro. Patrick feels that I am there to help her out, but in reality, she has to spend more time teaching and reteaching me how to do it than just doing it herself.  But I am learning and enjoying the challenge. She is a very patient person.

Elder Judd had to  teach all the classes this week Isaiah and the Latter-Days, Missionary Prep. and Bro. Patrick's Pearl of Great Price. Bro Patrick had to speak at a Youth conference in Fort Meyers (4 hours south of Tampa). Elder Judd is so grateful that he has taught a lot of these classes and saved the  lessons on the hard drive.He will bring up the each  of the lessons, review it and redo it , but he does not have to do all the research on it. That has been a great blessing, also he is thoroughly enjoying getting back into Isaiah again.  It is surprising how many young people like learning about Isaiah. I am able to hear some of the lessons that he is teaching and it is great material.  I know that we are in the days that Isaiah taught his people about.

I had some left over enchiladas (can you believe that I served leftovers to  the students ) from a couple of weeks ago,frozen of course, so I heated them up and added tacos, chips and salsa, chocolate chip cookies, (flat sad Looking at that--people said is was  the attitude  what ever!!)and pumpkin,spice, chocolate chip cookies.  Everything was devoured in one hours time.  No leftovers this week   Yeah!

We found a Olive Garden in New Tampa and went to dinner with the Severinson's and Sister Tollerton-- Office missionaries..We had a great dinner and was able to visit with some really good people. We really needed the break from the office and this hit the spot. We also took a ride over to a huge mall called Citrus Park Mall.  It had all the major store like Macey's, Dillard's, Penney's, and Sears plus 100 more little stores. The area used to be a citrus growing area but of course now is a mall. People everywhere.

We had a fantastic experience this week  we were able to be apart of a convert baptism - Fernando Giraldo
Elder Judd:
  Just last week  Elders  Flinders and Hawkes brought a young man  from Columbia (who is here in the States working on getting his chopper pilot license) here to church. He came the week that we gave talks and sat on the front row. after the meeting was over he came up to us and said I love that music it filled my soul.  I want more of that feeling. Since the Elders started teaching him last week he has attended two Institute classes and a Missionary Prep class. During the class I assigned each class member a companion and gave them an assignment to read some material on the Apostasy, plan a lesson and then teach it.  Fernando Giraldo did an amazing job as did the rest of the students. It was clear that he had been touched by the Spirit and had a testimony.  In the following class, Fernando was deeply touched by our discussion about Enoch and his city of Zion and its parallel to our day and our responsibility to prepare for the coming of Christ.  At the close of the class, he was so overcome that he rushed out to gain his composure and ended up telling Sister Judd and Brother and Sister French how strongly he felt as he wept.  A few minutes later he came back in the class room and excitedly told me how strong he felt about the Gospel.

Sunday, today, Sister Judd and I attended Fernando’s baptism at noon. It was a great experience and the Spirit was strong. Elder Judd was asked to speak on the Holy Ghost and a few thought from the Brethren on living worthy for the guidance of the Spirit to continue in our lives. Mikey Watkin, a new convert of 8 weeks, baptized Fernando and he did a perfect job. Fernando gave everybody big hugs after each talk, then again after the baptism meeting and then again after Sacrament meeting where was confirmed.

 I felt the spirit so much It was great to be a part of this event.
The weather has not been to bad -hot but not the humidity that we are expecting  latter in the summer!!
We love you all

ZONE CONFERENCE AND P-DAY #10

Just to add a little color in our writings I have changed to blue maybe red that is fun too or pink would be nice--well maybe I will go back to dark blue and keep it that way for a while.

It is Sunday night and have just talked to the  Marriott's everyone wishing their grandpa a Happy Father's day.It was fun to talk on face time with them all at once.  Spencer our grandson was trying to catch on some sleep after having a few seizures this past week, so we did not have a chance to talk to him. Hopefully next week will be better. They are all doing good, the girls are recovering from school, Steve is working hard, and Tricia is  taking care of the home front and surgery on her hand. We love them a lot.

The Judd girls are up visiting their dad for a few days and will go camping at Lava Hot Springs next weekend--what a vacation that will be. Baylee and Megan went on a LDS trek to the Grand Canyon and had a great time cold but fun... We love them alot.

This last week was a busy week.  We prepared lessons and dinners and on top of that we went to a zone meeting. It was the first one that I had been to. Elder Clark from the Seventies took most of the time teaching the missionaries how important mission work is. It was a great time to be in the middle of all those young spirits. We listened to Sister Cusick's talk about prayer and that was really good, and President Cusick's talk about faith--starting from a particle of faith to exceeding faith it was very good also.

Elder Judd's lesson was wonderful, I know this because I listened out side of the room in the hall.  He is trying to build the number of students to come, and of course, in the summer it is hard with all of the students coming and going, but apparently, more students are coming than the usual amount for this time of year. 

We had another lightening/thunder storm the other day. The rain comes down in every direction - hard.  I hope that I get used to it. It is very intense.

 Our little apartment is keeping us dry from the storms and cool from the heat, so we are  OK. We do have a challenge getting around in the kitchen.  We have to make sure we are syncopated  when we move.  That is an experience and we laugh about it.

Elder Judd: 

Wednesday was a combination of preparing for the Mission Prep class and Proctoring an exam for Cindy Comacho. Cindy came to take her exam for her BYU Independent study course.  When she finished her exam I had arranged for the sister missionaries to take her on a tour of the building.  The sisters came back to our office when they were finished and they were excited. Cindy was very interested and touched by the Spirit. She said that she and her husband would attend church this next Sunday. We do hope that they will.

Thursday I finished up my prep for Mission Prep class and helped Sister Judd  with her final preparations for the evening meal which we have every Thursday after classes. This week she fixed a Hawaiian dinner with rice and cinnamon roles. We were a little concerned how it might be received because we didn’t care for how it turned out, but the YSA finished it off and raved about it.  We are learning that they will eat about anything and like it.

On Friday we spent the time together at the Institute preparing for Monday’s Isaiah class and Sister Judd worked on keeping the books for her shopping and cooking as well as the attendance work she does.  I also do some more with planning and preparing for putting up banners to better identify our institute program and the missionary effort. Later we went shopping for groceries for the coming week.

Saturday is our P-day.  After cleaning up the apartment, we left to head south to see what is billed as the best beach in the world. It is called Siesta Key Beach. It is about 70 miles south of here and just west of Sarasota, Florida. If numbers of people present at the beach is any measure of the best, Siesta Key Beach is certainly the best.  It took us about 20 minutes to find a parking place and then we were blessed to just stumble onto one. As we walked to the shore, we could see thousands of people spread over a shore line of perhaps one and a half miles. The sand is pure white and the consistency of powered sugar. The beach is very clean and the water the color of blue-green and 85 degrees in temperature.  There are several life guard stations spread along the shore close to the water and hundreds of multi-colored sun canopies protecting the hoardes from the sun. Everywhere we saw volley  ball games, sand castle builders, bathers sitting in the water, letting the waves wash over them, keeping them cool.  And of course, we had to keep our eyes focused on the water and the sand, the para-sailors, and kids running up and down the beach so that we would not see too much skin. After about an hour taking  in all the sights and sounds, we headed for the car. On the way we stopped to take a picture of one of the Life Guards. He was a full timer and was copper tanned with blond-sun bleached hair of about 40 years old. He was very friendly and full of information about this people magnate attraction. He encouraged us to come back with our swim suits the next time. On the way home, we stopped for a nice dinner at an Applebees. It was a nice day that allowed us to have a needed change of pace.

MISSION EXPERIENCES # 9

Several mission experiences  this last week to report on:
    Sunday we were able to able to go to a  Stake Missionary Meeting with President Cusick and Elder Thompson.  It was just for the ward council members and all the missionaries that attend their wards.  It was a good meeting especially for  all the wards to encourage using the missionaries in their  ward activities.  He then gave several examples of activities that the missionaries could or should participate in-- cub scouting, ward parties, youth activities,etc.  President Cusick even mentioned dinner for the YSA after Institute was over. He wanted to know if  Elder Judd agreed with him.(It was Elder Judd who told President Cusick that food always brings in young people. And It does!!) So everyone  had a good chuckle about this.  We have had some great success with these dinners bringing in less actives and none members.  Food is a great motivator.
  The Temple Terrace Ward building is a very busy building, we go to meetings here.  It houses the Mission Office, the Institute and three wards, plus a lot of missionaries bring investigators through the building just to see what the inside of a LDS building looks like. The missionaries show the pictures of Christ and teach of Christ all around both halls.  They teach about his life, the miracles he did, coming to the Americas, Joseph Smith, Prayer,and baptism. They always end in the chapel and talk about the sacrament ,committing them to come back, coming to church, prayer,and even baptism.  It is amazing how the spirit works with these young missionaries.  I have been able to  walk with them as they have brought investigators through the church. One such young man came  through and was just interested in  the  building but committed to be baptized by the time he finished, he has been back and been taught many lessons already. His baptism day is set for June 22. This is happening daily.  It is a great experience to be apart of.
   We served dinner Thursday night -- pulled pork, vegetable tray, and fruit pizza.  I was surprised that many YSA members did not even know what a fruit pizza was, but once they saw and tasted it IT WAS GONE IN A MATTER OF MINUTES!!Thank goodness it is too hard to save. Elder Judd took a picture  of the last one that was half gone and he had to hurry to take that picture. It is a lot of work but every one is always so grateful and it seems that all of a sudden we have a lot of young people come and eat and socialize which is what we want them to do.
  We were able to go to the Orlando Temple Saturday afternoon.  It is a beautiful place to go. The YSA had their assignment of baptisms for the dead and had asked Elder Judd to assist. While he was doing that  I did a endowment session . The room was freezing but the spirit was strong. One little old lady kept changing chairs hoping to find a spot where the air conditioner would not hit her.  She did not find it, but told one of the officiators she would not come back until the air conditioner was fixed.  I hope that works because I froze too.

LIGHTENING 8

      WOW WE EXPERIENCED OUR FIRST MAJOR LIGHTENING/THUNDER STORM.  OK now I have been in lightening storms before but I don't think that I have ever been this close to the crackling --the booms-- the sounds of the torrential rain that I was in this last Thursday evening.  All  that happen in a one hour time frame..I wished that I had taken a picture of the rain coming down but I was just to stunned by all that was happening . Joel was teaching a class when some of the  lightening and thunder hit hard just outside the building. EVERYONE JUMPED. I CAME INTO THE ROOM WITH TERROR IN MY FACE.  The students said, "Get use to it, because this is only the beginning  of the daily summer rains and this is the way they come every day."  It rained so hard that we could barely see across the street. 
      We had our first experience Tuesday with bringing in the new elders and sisters from the MTC and then transferring about 1/3 of the mission's elders and sisters to different areas in the mission.  The first part of the day was devoted to the new missionaries --moving them from room to room for individualized instructions  It was fun to see their excitement, and their nervousness of what was to come.  I was asked to help move them around when they looked lost or unsure of where they were going.  That was a great experience.
  (Joels thoughts:)  At 1:30 pm the Transfer Meeting started, directed by Pres. Cusick. We were invited to attend. It was impressive to sit among about 130 young missionaries. There is a Spirit among them and it is an uplifting experience.  With the eleven new ones, there were eleven going home. A tribute was given to each along with a high compliment to Elder and Sister Keyes, a senior couple who were finishing two years of service in the mission office. The Keyes are parents to two young men I taught at Weber Seminary years ago, Sterling and David. President Cusick gave a great talk praising the missionaries and encouraging them in this great work and then sent them on their way to their assigned areas.  It was a great experience being there to see and feel the spirit of this work.
   (Joels comments: ) Monday was Memorial Day, so there was no class or FHE.  So We drove to a local nature park near our apartment called Lettuce Lake. It is a nature reserve centered around a river and lake with heavy growth and much water like the Everglades which are located about 150 south of here. There is a board walk that meanders thru it that we took.  We saw heavy growth, water lily fields, old growth trees growing right in the water.  Turtles, alligators, birds, and snakes are all seen here, and we saw it all.  How different it is from our desert home in Utah! In fact, until coming and living here, I did not consider Utah a desert setting. The contrast is very pronounced and now my perspective is changed. Florida is one continuous garden from one sea (the Atlantic and the Gulf) to the other.

    Thursday was of course dinner preparation day so I was busy as could be.   We had chicken enchilada,salad, and a poke cake(you know the one with white cake and jello in it.) The students  loved the dinner and of course I was pleased with that.   It is a challenge though to know how much to fix for 35 YSA's.  I think that I get it figured it out and then I have to think of the new week menu.  I have relied on all of my old ward cookbooks ---they are the best, so thanks to you all for the wonderful recipes.
     (Joel's comments:)On Friday, after our work at the Institute, while driving over to Sam’s Club, we called Madisen, Emily and Katie to congratulate them for their excellent grades this year in school.  Madisen got a 4.0, Emily got about a 3.6 and Katie got about a 3.7.  We are so proud of them. Madisen announced that she would be getting her Patriarchal Blessing on Sunday, June 8.  How pleased we are to see their righteous desires blossom and lead them into beautiful young women.  Madisen said that she had been thinking about getting her blessing and decided to ask God if it was the right time. Following her prayer, she began scripture reading for the day.  She said that as she read, she came across the phrase; “I will bless you” that the Lord spoke in one verse. After she read that phrase, she stopped and went back and read it again. It was then that she realized that the Lord had just answered her prayer.  When she told us that, it just brought tears to my eyes.  Madisen knows how to hear the voice of the Lord.  How wonderful it is to see my grand-daughter grow up with faith.
      Also this week, our oldest grand-daughter graduated from high school with honors. We are so proud of her. Also Megan's sister's Baylee and Heather  have bee earned  honors awards for their grades.  Megan called to wish me happy birthday (I turned 70 ,Wednesday. )She also announced that she was going to the Dominican Republic to do humanitarian service at the end of July for ten days. She wanted to know if she could fly into Tampa to visit us for a few days on her way home. How exciting for us.  It just happens that the day she will fly into Tampa will be our last day of the summer semester. Then we have two weeks before the fall semester begins.  That is just perfect. We will have some time to take her to the beach, to the temple in Orlando, to meet the YSA and to have her team up with the Sister missionaries for some experience associated with her next goal.. to serve a mission. Needless to say, Marsha and I are thrilled to have her come for five or so days.