The Greens of Ireland

Dear Family, and Friends,

We have found ourselves traveling the roads of Ireland quite a lot again, and to give you an idea of how much, we have had our new car for about three weeks and it now has 3,000 miles on it.  It doesn't seem that we should have that many miles, but when we think of all the places we have been just this week, it makes sense. 

As we have been driving, we have noticed a few more signs of spring.  For one, Ireland is quite famous for their sheep,---and now there are lots of little white lambs in the green fields.  They also say Ireland has the most shades of green, which are now noticeable along the motorways.  The highways are mostly lined with trees and hedges which up to now have been mostly brown.  Now that they are greening up, we are impressed with the variety of colors within the hedges and rows of trees.  Quite intentionally they have planted so many different kinds of trees and bushes next to each other, with so many shades of green and some blossoming, that it really beautiful. 

Since we mentioned the sheep for which they are famous, we might add that they are good cash products for the farmer.  Wool is used among other things, for making wool jumpers (sweaters) and wool skirts.  Most of the children in Ireland wear uniforms to school and  the girls mostly wear wool pleated skirts.  Many of them are plaids of various colors but some are solid colors.    In addition to the wool, mutton or lamb is commonly sold in the grocery stores. 

Now for the quiz from last week:
Which are real Irish towns?  Dunfanaghy    Blessington, Carrickfergus,  Leprechaunsey, Holywood, Castleknock,  Smithfield
   (only one is NOT)   The NOT REAL Irish town is Leprechaunsey--Surprised?

What are the meanings of these words:   Slan:   park bench ,  so long,    bridge   (so long)
                                                                           Amach:   exit,   greetings,   school     (exit)
                                                                           Ramps:   bridge,  sidewalk, speed bumps   (Speed    Bumps)
                                                                           Aiereforte:   fortress wall,   tower,  airport   (airport)
                                                                           Ta:     Hi, Yes,  Bye,   (yes)
                                                                           Nil:  No,  gone,  don't worry   (no)

The Pykles family sent in their guesses and we were impressed with their intelligence.  Anyone else have fun with it?

Our news of this week's work is basically that we are staying quite busy and being blessed with people we have met.  The classes we have been leading sometimes feel like revolving door classes because commitment is hard to establish.  A few people are not still coming, but others are starting to ask if they can bring friends.  It keeps the numbers fairly stable, but not the roll.    In general, many people who have career challenges have not learned the necessity of staying with their goals, so it is difficult for them to keep their commitments.  For example, we needed to substitute for a Job Search class 2 hours away, and so we made a big effort to call, text and call again those who were supposed to come.  Of the four members, (yes only 4) two attended.  When we got back in touch with the man who didn't show up, but had said he would be there only a few hours earlier, he explained that he had company come and then that made him late with doing his laundry so he couldn't come.  He apologized, like that solved the problem.  We didn't know quite what to say to him. 

In contrast we were so impressed with the two single mothers who did come--with their children to stay in the nursery.   They have not had any responsible examples in their families of workers, but it makes them want to be able to do better for their children.  They are trying now to get the skills and attitudes needed to be prepared to get an education and work that will change that culture and give their children a good example and desire to work. 

Our efforts to help Self Reliance become established in the various wards is not automatic, but we are feeling gradual progress.   And the real progress we hope for is blessing in the lives of the class members.  Just today we spoke with a lady who is in the Finance class, that has been on our minds.  She is expecting a baby and they have so very little money since her husband's  job is pizza delivery.  We feel we should be working with the husband to help him get a better job, but our communication of what we could offer seemed to not be making the translation.  They are from Romania, and we just learned he is not a member.  Finally today when we talked to her again, she seemed to understand our offer and she said her husband would possibly meet with us because just this morning he asked her why she kept all of the blessings from her church to herself.   She was so excited and hopeful that being helpful friends to them, may open his heart to want to learn the gospel.  It feels like our message had to wait for the right timing.  We hope so!

But waiting for ways we can be of best help will still be the case at least for awhile with our desire to help with the refugees.  This week we got an address for the refugee camp and drove there to see if we could volunteer in the middle of the day when we are not so busy.  We were able to get in the gate, but the office said they don't use volunteers.  It really didn't make sense to us, except that everyone we ask about it tells us that getting volunteers could become a job security threat.  From there we contacted the central office who asked us to apply, and they would get back to us.  Ireland has very tight entrance borders made quite secure by the fact it is an island, but it does consent to take a few hundred refugees/ year.  It is so small in comparison to the refugee crisis of other European countries, so maybe they do handle them fine, but we wish we could help care for the truly needy. 

We hope our letters find you all well and happy and recognizing the blessing of the gospel and your bounties in life.  We encourage you to all work to keep your testimonies strong, respond to opportunities to help others, and love and support each other in the family.  We send our dearest love and prayers for each of you!

Hugs and Kisses,
Grandpa and Grandma, Mom and Dad, Lynne and Lanette

 

        

On the way to Limerick:  "Glory Holes"

Self Reliance Inspiration

Dear Loved Family and Friends,

We have heard it said that the first 4-5 months of a mission seem to go a little slowly, but then after that it really speeds up.  We guess we are at that point now--not only because the calendar says so, but because it seems like letter day comes around much faster and we have to wonder what we should be sharing.  We are always grateful for the letters we receive from home, and had a good week of  sweet updates, which really blesses our mission.

Last week when we wrote our letter, we thought we had finished all the deliveries for the big mission transfer days this round, ---just one more early morning quick delivery to the airport and a return trip in the evening.  It wasn't quite that easy, but a little funny.  We made the early morning delivery fine--though it WAS early because one Sister and one Elder had to fly to Edinburgh to be trained as District Leaders and return that same night.  Poor them!  When they arrived in Edinburgh they were not picked up for about 1 1/2 hours.  Somehow neither of them were sent with phones, so the problem was hard to remedy.   But they were trained and sent back to Dublin--- and we told them we would get there ASAP after our class.  With a car full of Elders to pick up the Elder and the Sister companion with us, we arrived at the airport, but no missionaries to be found!  While Grandpa and one Elder stayed with the cars, the rest of us got out to search.  The good news is, the Dublin airport will never be a worry of getting lost again.  We know every area: up down, in, out, tunnels, --you name it.  We spent fully 1 1/2 hours walking, asking, paging, praying,  and looking all over again--but not finding the two missionaries!   Meantime, they were "dying" because they had the same last name, Peterson, and were such an odd set of missionaries.   They had tried to make it convenient for the pick up, so they had gone way ahead of the regular pick-up area--out in the landing in the middle of the roads.  Thanks to an 'eagle eye" Sister, she spotted them from a covered walkway to the car rental area.  It still took us five minutes to get to them, but my they were happy to see us---(and a little mad that we had not found them sooner.)  Such luck, on both ends of their day--- stranded without phones!  Both times they asked to borrow phones, but both times they didn't have the right contact numbers!  Well, too long a story, but funny and maybe a good reference for our future grandkid's missions.    Final scene:  We are just ready to leave and the Zone Leader jumps out of his car, runs back to us and says, "Oh Elder and Sister Pettit, we almost forgot!   tomorrow morning we wonder if you could pick up an Elder coming in at the bus station at 5:00 a.m."   He was great with the bluff! 

With all the changes in Elders and Sisters, our chances to teach investigators has been much less, and we worry about some who have testimonies but can't seem to get over their problems so they can join the church.  We realize how hard it is to change so much in their lives and continually try to support them and especially pray for them.  There are some great ones that are progressing though--a few are in our classes, and one is getting baptized on Saturday.  It is so amazing to see how many investigators come to church, no matter where we are. 

Our weeks are getting quite routine,  With no other nights open we are starting an English class that has been a big request for awhile, on Monday evenings--mostly for nonmembers and single members, Tuesday is YSA and some stake committee meetings, Wednesday Job Search class (12 weeks) , Thursday, Finance class (12 weeks), Friday/ Saturday YSA  activity, Saturday night (for a few weeks ahead) filling in for a class in Limerick (2 hours away)  Sunday, speak and teach ---all around Ireland, Sunday night Foundations class in Clondalkin (1/2 hour away)  (12 weeks)  With most of our events we are doing some kind of treat and finding which things work out --and which don't.  Scones just can't seem to rise, and the waffles irons we searched to find, don't seem to get hot enough to make great waffles, but we did have margin success at chocolate chip cookies--using chopped up candy bars.

We are  happy to be busy now, but we think it will not continue when the summer vacation (holiday) time comes---so  think about July and August as good times to come visit us.  The days will be even longer--but no promise of much sunshine.

In our travels we have been thinking of some Irish word and name guessing games for the Grandkids: 
Which are real Irish towns? 
Dunfanaghy    Blessington, Carrickfergus,  Leprechaunsey, Holywood, Castleknock,  Smithfield
   (only one is NOT)

What are the meanings of these words:             Slan:   park bench ,  so long,    bridge
                                                                           Amach:   exit,   greetings,   school
                                                                           Ramps:   bridge,  sidewalk, speed bumps
                                                                           Aiereforte:   fortress wall,   tower,  airport
                                                                           Ta:     Hi, Yes,  Bye,
                                                                           Nil:  No,  gone,  don't worry

Another thing we want to share when we don't have a lot of news are some of the heroes we have met:  There are saints and then there are SAINTS!   We know a man who is a taxi driver and works long hours every day.  When he is not driving, his wife also has a license and she drives the taxi.  Sometimes he comes in for meetings, then when others are going home, he goes back out "to make a few more bob".  The remarkable thing we learned about him is that he dedicates Thursdays to visiting people who are less active that he has known through his years of leadership, or people who are shut in, or people who don't seem to have friends.  A month ago he woke up to find his taxi had been stolen!  Someone had broken into his house and taken the keys and then the car.  It was devastating, but they had faith, prayed and did all the searching they could.  Quite astonishingly they found the car in just a few days in a parking lot.  It had a lot of special equipment for taxi driving and nothing had been taken.  It was such a testimony that he was such a righteous man that his car--his livelihood was protected.

We are blessed with good health and safety.  The blessing of safety is significant because Grandma started driving!    She figured that if little 19-year-old Sisters could drive, she should try.  It wasn't that bad, and best news of all Grandpa didn't have a heart attack!  She only got honked at once when she was on the wrong side of the road--but the road was just a dead end thing--so it was a little nervey to honk!  We are glad to hear that Emmy is now driving so much.  Great news!

Last of all, we are feeling more and more the inspiration behind the Self Reliance programs.  When you get time you could go on the Church website and look at some of the material, but until you really get into the lessons with real people and see how it affects their lives, it will possibly not be as powerful as we feel it is.  Unfortunately, it isn't being adopted as easily as it should be.  Not all people are anxious for the changes it would bring--because it does take a lot of commitment, but we are feeling our testimony of the prophecy behind it and hope for things to grow as we try to be patient. 

We surely love you all--and of course, busy or not we miss you.  We hope things are well for each of you and that you will continue to do the things that will bless your lives, our family, and the growth of the Kingdom.   You are always in our prayers and thank you for keeping us in yours. 

Love and Hugs!
Mom and Dad, Grandma ad Grandpa, Lynne and Lanette

Witnessing the Work!

Dear Family and Friends,
Today is another beautiful Irish Spring day--complete with lots and lots of liquid sunshine!  It seems like the temperatures are warming a bit, but we are pretty sure that the good news is that we are just getting acclimated!  On occasion we are now not even frustrated when we are feeling that the building is warm enough for us, and inevitably someone wants to open windows or doors.  Yesterday we were visiting a nearby small branch council and we were happy we had worn our wool coats--- over our suits--but we were not "freezing'.  We were surprised though that the branch president (not us) was complaining that the heat had not turned on yet.  But you have to take into consideration that the Branch President pointed out that he was Asian, Philippino, and as long as he had lived here, he had still not adjusted to cold church buildings.   So yes, it is mid April and we are wearing our warmest sweaters--but still smiling.

Along with the weather, this morning we saw a very traditional Irish funeral.  We were coming home from a late morning jog--because we had to pick up transferring Sisters very early and get them to the bus to go north,--- so we were off schedule but in time to see "the real thing".  The sky was completely overcast, with a misty almost drizzle and we heard bagpipes.  We stopped a moment to see a single full uniformed bagpiper standing by the big stone arch and mourners quietly passing by.  We hurried to go get the camera, but we were too late, so we hope you enjoy the "word snapshot".

Since we mentioned the transfer, we might add that we have been quite involved lately with getting missionaries where they need to be when transfers come up.  It gives us new appreciation for how hard the Zone and District leaders work to get all the logistics taken care of.  For some reason there has been a car shortage, too early of schedules for regular bus routes, and a some sickness that has had us as the emergency back-up.  The very early schedules aren't fun for anyone, but the worst was when we were in Cork training the returning-home Elders and Sisters and became the best options for getting some Sisters transferred.  Sister Skagen needed to get all the way from southern Ireland (Cork) to Northern Scotland and her companion, Sister Buhler,  was very sick.  The plan became for us to take both her and her vomiting companion to Limerick almost 2 hours drive away to have the sick Sister stay with a senior couple for a few days because she couldn't make the transfer trip to Dublin on a bus as originally planned.   Such courage on everyone's part--because there were no other options than to have her take a container with a lid and a few necessities and her big quilt and get in the car.  With all the presentation materials and cooking equipment we had taken (we feed the training group lunch) and all the luggage of a Sister going home, our little car was a sardine can!--with a Sister being sick every few minutes.

We hated leaving her "alone" in Limerick, but the plan carried through.  We had left that morning at 6 am and didn't get back until 10 pm, so we were tired!  Still we had one of those early morning bus deliveries the next morning--but we are doing ok.  It was a little bit of a worry because we had both finally given in and taken one of or Z-pack antibiotics for a flu bug we couldn't get over, and we didn't want to have a relapse, but we are being blessed and doing well again.

Well enough of the dreary--because it really isn't.  This week we have had some fun missionary things happen and some good progress with Self Reliance too.  On Saturday we had a double baptism in the ward--both of them YSA age.  Rosemeria from Brazil is such a great convert that we have come to love, and Jackie from China is a good guy too.  Rosemeria followed the instructions of a niece to look up the church in Ireland, but really didn't feel happy with her visit. She decided to leave and an older handicapped sister in the ward stopped her and said, "don't go, let me introduce you to some friends" (missionaries)  It is such a sweet testimony that we are ALL missionaries--because then she did stay--- and she was baptized in just 5 weeks!  And the other great thing is, our friend Carlos,( also Brazilian)  that Dad baptized just 5 weeks ago, performed the baptism for Rosemeria!   It was a great event for us, ---and to top it off there were 12 investigators in attendance!  Afterwards we had a nice social time and got to visit with the investigators and they are genuinely interested.

 

Two more things about the baptisms:  The last two baptisms we made rocks with the baptism dates printed on them for the person being baptized, to represent that it is upon the Rock of our Savior that we build our testimony and faith.  We decided we should continue the "tradition" but we couldn't find anymore good rocks in our yard.  We had been pretty busy with our assignments, and then suddenly busy with some last minute requests, so in the last hour before the baptisms we had to go out looking for rocks! Funny how hard that can be in the city--when you are in a rush.  But we found a vacant lot and grabbed a few, came home and washed and hair dryer-ed them and did a careful, but quick dating job.  We made it on time--and it is great that they seem to think they are a good gift.  (No Deseret Book options here)
 Second, was that after the baptism, the Elders and a Sister came to the door with the bag of wet clothes wondering if we could launder them.   We cheerfully agreed to do it, but as they handed us the bag they said, "Be really careful,---this is quite dangerous!"

Of course we were puzzled and asked how could it be dangerous?  "They are full of SINS! "  they smiled.  They got us on that one!

A few of those investigators at the baptism had attended our "jobs" class earlier In the week and really liked it, and are asking if we can also teach an English class.  The trick is finding a time that they can come when we are free too.  We hope we can find a morning that will work because evenings are a premium.  They seem to be so sincere about the gospel and are thrilled at the bonus benefits.   This Sunday we also started a new group in a Dublin ward that seems like will be a success.  We had 16 people there--some new members, some less actives, and supported by the Bishop, RS Pres. and Self Reliance Specialist!  Dedication!! 

 Love and prayers,

Grandma and Grandpa

Mom and Dad

Lynne and Lanette

       

Dublin District.  What a good-looking group!  I can't see any "senior" missionaries.  Can you?

 This is our "My Job Search" class held for the YSA.  The senior sister missionary on the left is the Area YSA missionary stationed in Germany.  She and her husband were visiting us for the evening.  On the right is Nick, our friend from Romania who is going to join the Church as soon as he can quit smoking.  Elder Pettit is eating an ice cream cone - so, what's new?

This is our good friend Carlos, a member of only 5 weeks.  Rosemeria (from Brazil) asked that he baptize her.  What a special moment!

 

   

 

     

March Gives Way to April

 

     

From:	Lynne Pettit (lynnepettit@msn.com)
Sent:
To:

 Dear Family and Friends:

      Though it still rains quite often, the signs of spring are definitely here.  It doesn't seem possible that things could have gotten greener, but they have.  They call this the land of 40 shades of green.  The days are perceptibly longer, and with daylight savings time, it doesn't get dark until well past 8 in the evening.  They say that in the summer we will need to get used to going to bed and getting up in the daylight.
       There seems to be so much happening every day that the days are running together.  It is nice to be busy, but we need to try harder to document all that is going on so that we remember better.  The work is progressing so well on some fronts, and not so well on other fronts.  We suppose that until every ward in every stake gets up to speed, we have missionary job security.  We have had some wonderful experiences with Self Reliance, and we are quite encouraged.  Our testimonies are growing daily of the effectiveness of this inspired initiative.  To us, it is just another manifestation of the Lord's love for His people:  He reveals that which the Saints need long before they need it.  With the world situation as it is, we have a real sense of urgency.
        We actually had a missionary experience at the bank the other day.  What?  At the bank?  They finally might let us open a bank account here so we don't get hit with exchange rates so much.  They are beginning to believe that we really do live here and we are not money launderers.  As we were talking to the young banker, he asked us if we had many followers in our church here.  As we mentally compared the congregations here to the congregations at home, we replied:  "They could be bigger."  When we told him that some of the congregations in Ireland could be as many as 100, he was astonished.  He proceeded to tell us about the largest, oldest, most beautiful cathedral in downtown Dublin.  He said that if they get 6 worshipers on any one Sunday, they are pleased.  They just had a big magnificent celebration for Easter - and 16 showed up.  They were ecstatic.  Scriptures come to mind when we hear such things:  scriptures about Christ's living, dynamic Church versus dead churches.  We are so grateful to be engaged in the Work, and are anxious to tell more people about the true living Church.  We are actually grateful that we have to go back to the bank--because he told us to for sure ask for him--and we will be even more prepared.  :)
       We had our monthly Skype conference with all the Self-Reliance couples in Europe (UK, Portugal, Italy, France, Germany, Cape Verde, etc.), and it wasn't until we visited with the couple in France that we realized just how "close to home" the bombing in Brussels really was.  Brussels is in the Paris France mission, and the France Self Reliance couple had been working with the Senior Elder (Elder Norby) just a few days before the bombing.  He and the two elders were within 20 feet of the blast, and people were killed all around them.  Elder Norby's life was saved only because he had his back turned, and we feel that the Elders had angels surrounding them to help them survive.  They have had to all go home, but Elder Norby's injuries were the worst and he will be a long time recovering.  It was sobering for us as couples to visit and pray about something that was so real and so close.  It was wonderful to hear Elder Oaks mention in conference how he knows the Lord "blunted" the effects of the bomb.  Certainly such things add a real urgency to the Work as we strive to prepare the Church for the Second Coming.
        Tuesday we had our regular meeting with the Dublin Stake Self Reliance committee, and it so good to know how supportive they are.  They are working very hard to make this program work in the stake, and positive things are happening.  We have discovered that the program is administered on the stake level, but it really functions on the ward level.  When a bishop and a ward council get behind it, it works so much better, so we are trying to spend as much time as we can in the wards presenting, encouraging, and training.  President Eyring said:  "If we (the Church) do this right, in 10 years we will look back and be amazed."  This thing really has the power  to change lives.
        We had a class on "Job Search" on Wednesday night with 3 YSA, and for the first time, really, we felt like it went the way it was supposed to go.  The class members were actively involved and willing to make commitments.  These classes are different than "normal" church classes because they involve so much committing and reporting.  At the beginning of the class, for instance, each member comes to the whiteboard to report on whether he or she fulfilled his commitments for the week.  They may sound a little elementary, but it is a powerful tool as the class members clap and give praise and encourage one another.  It takes awhile for everyone to "buy in" but now they seem to be really getting involved. 
         Thursday night was a banner night for Self Reliance, as well.  We actually had 3 Self Reliance things going on at the same time in far apart places, so we had to have some help to get it all covered.  We asked one of the class members to "facilitate" the on-going Finance Class here in Dublin, the Self Reliance Specialist took care of the devotional in Belfast, and we covered the My Path Devotional in Clonsilla (about 20 minutes away.)  It was a great night in Clonsilla.  We had about 20 people in attendance (our largest group yet), and they all seemed very enthused.  The key to the success was, again, the fact that the bishop is so supportive.  He came to the devotional and is going to attend one of the classes.  It made all the difference to have him there. 
          We had a rather interesting experience at Clonsilla.  Before the meeting we met a sweet, beautiful "youngish" woman who had come to participate in one of the classes because she wanted to start her own music business.  She seemed to be very supportive and humble, and was anxious to encourage others and make the program work.  She was driving a small older car, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.  After visiting with her, however, we discovered that her name was Alex Sharpe - the "Celtic Woman".  She is very well known here and has performed in venues all over the world, including with the Tabernacle Choir--and I Logan.    She can be seen on UTube:  "Alex Sharpe - Celtic Woman."  We are thinking of asking her to do a benefit concert for refugee children.  That would be something to pull off!
        On Friday, we conducted our first Self Reliance training for young missionaries who are about to go home.  We have been talking with the Self Reliance couple in Scotland and the Mission President, and were finally able to get something organized.  We had to work fast, because we wanted to catch those who are leaving the mission field in April (just a week away) and May.  When we were  in the training in London, Elder Herbertson came to deliver a message on Self Reliance, and he took almost the entire time talking about YSA.  The Brethren are very concerned about this age group because so many returned missionaries (and others) are falling away. He urged us to help get the missionaries ready for re-entry into normal life as much as possible.  We had adapted (a little) a wonderful training session from the work of a couple in the Birmingham Mission, and we spent 4 hours talking to these Elders and Sisters about goal-setting, resume writing, interviewing skills, networking, debt, education, and a host of other things.  It was an interesting experience, because these wonderful missionaries don't want to think about anything but missionary work - even for a day - and it is a shock to them to think that their missions might really be coming to an end.  Elder Holland's talk at the end of conference was so appropriate that we used it in our second training session, which we held today in Belfast.  We have one more to do this week in the southern part of Ireland, and then we will repeat the process in a couple of months.  We hope it helps a little.  We feel that the adjustment to going home is harder than the adjustment to coming out.  These are bright, good, energetic young people. and we love them.
          That brings us to General Conference.  We suppose that Conference might be just about as close to a Celestial experience as we can have on earth.  Again, Elder Holland's talk was so appropriate!  Here is how the schedule went for us:
         
           Saturday morning session: 10:00 AM Utah time, 5:00 PM Ireland time
           Saturday afternoon session:  2:00 PM Utah time, 9:00 PM Ireland time
           Priesthood session:  6:00 PM Saturday Utah time, re-broadcast 10:00 AM Sunday morning Ireland time
           Sunday morning session:  10:00 AM Utah time, 5:00 PM Ireland time
           Sunday afternoon session:  2:00 PM Utah time, 9:00 PM Ireland time

            Except for the priesthood session, we got to watch everything live!  Cool, huh? What an incredible spiritual feast. How do you pick a favorite talk?  We guess you don't.  A few standouts, however:  President Nelson's talk on re-activation of the father of the girls he had lost in surgery.  That hit home!  We could listen to President Uchtdorf forever; Elder Duncan's talk on forgiveness was so special.  There was one very meaningful talk for us:  Elder Kearon's address on the refugee situation.  He is the Area Seventy for Europe, and his major emphasis is dealing with this almost incomprehensible crisis.  The numbers are staggering, and it affects all of Europe, including Ireland.  We have refugee camps in Ireland, and we have had some refugees join our classes in the Limerick District.  It is heartbreaking to see what is happening, but it is also astounding to watch the Lord direct the affairs of the Church in dealing with the situation.  If ever there was evidence that this is truly the Lord's work, this is it.  It is Christianity in its highest form.  One of the neat things Elder Kearon said that was particularly meaningful:  "Being a refugee doesn't define them, but how we respond defines us."  We honestly have never had a more spiritual moment in conference than when we watched President Uchtdorf - himself twice a refugee - struggle to control his emotions after the talk.  Self Reliance needs to play a big role in the relief effort, so we feel very much in the thick of it.  We'll just try to do what we can - one precious child of God at a time. 
           One other interesting thing about Conference.  We had an investigator watch one of the sessions.  He had been used to seeing the Church on a local level, with a small chapel-full  of members in meeting.  When he saw the Conference Center with 21,000 people in it, he was blown away.  He said:  "This church is bigger than I thought!"  I guess that we get so used to it that we don't think about such things. 
           Of course, we missed being home with the family during Conference.  It is one of our favorite things--to be with the family and feel the Spirit and the blessings we share.  And the shots of the beautiful blue sky, and the Temple Square scenes we love, were a little hard to take.  Just two of us watching on a computer--or sitting in the semi-filled chapel isn't nearly as fun as sitting with grandkids), but it made us so grateful to be a part of proclaiming this "Good News" to the world.  Fortunately there was a great spirit of love with all the missionaries afterward and we shared a lot of food with them and the YSA group, so it made it a little bit "homey"--and of course we still love Conference here or there!
           Our prayers and thoughts are with you constantly.  We hope you can feel our love across the miles.

          Love,

           Grandma and Grandpa
           Mom and Dad
            Lynne and Lanette