So many things have happen since the last blog I do not even know where to begin.....
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I celebrated Mother’s Day with all the missionaries here at our home Skyping their families! I was grateful they were all here. It took the loneliness away from being away from my own family. We Skyped with our family too. They honored me with a beautiful necklace with all their names on it! I Love It!! It was great! We miss them so much!!! I talked to my own Mother and she still knows who I am and that I’m in Chicago serving a mission. THAT IS THE GREATEST BLESSING OF ALL!!!! So all in all it was a great day! I told my Mom that she had better be there when we get back. Her reply was “where else would I go…. OH… you mean I better not be dead …Well I will do I best!!!” I LOVE THAT WOMAN!!! She has been one of my greatest blessings in life. I owe all I am to her and my Dad. I LOVE YOU BOTH!!! Thanks for all your love and support!!
The same missionaries (Sister Maughan, Sister Hoer, Elder Buckway, Elder Lee) that came to our home on Mother’s Day gave me a certificate to “Café Spiritualicious.” “Where, when you are spiritually fed, your thighs get bigger!!!”
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| My Certificate |
They came the next week and made a beautiful dinner for us that was true to its words!! It was AMAZING!! Two weeks later two of those same missionaries were transferred out of our zone. Elder Buckway and Sister Maughan left to serve (in separate areas) up north. It has been hard being without them so close. They had become family to us. We have been blessed to always have all our children live close by. We now have a little taste of what our friends go though when their children move far away from them. WE DO NOT LIKE IT!!! So, children none of you can move away, EVER!!!!! We get so close to all these amazing missionaries. We dread transfer days!!! We have one coming up next week. We now love the new missionaries that took their places and all of the missionaries in our Zone. Transfer day is always stressful. We don’t like losing any of them!
We have continued to teach Jasna and the Almeida’s the follow-up lessons on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and they are getting stronger and stronger everyday. The Almeida’s always feed us when we meet and sometimes there are those of us that start eating before the prayer. The rule is “the first one to take a bite before the prayer is said has to say the prayer.” Last appointment with them, John, their son was the first to eat. John could not be quiet or sit still during a prayer when we first started teaching them, let alone pray. We thought he would balk for sure. He said okay and said the most sincere beautiful prayer from a 6-year-old ever!!! It brought me to tears. It was great!!!!! We had them over for swimming last week and had a great time. We have grown to love this family so much!!
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| The Almeida's & some friends join us for a swim |
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| Joseph & Hyrum Smith |
We were extremely blessed recently by having SOME of our family pay us a visit. Our youngest daughter, Jillyan, and her family came the end of May. While our oldest daughter, Jenny, and her family came the first part of June. We have been SO excited for these visits, the anticipation was almost killing us. It's extremely hard to go without seeing and holding your kids and grand-kids for several months!
Both of our families were eager to see us and the city of Chicago where we are serving, they were also very excited to visit Nauvoo and see some of the surrounding church sites there. This same group of family members joined us in a visit to Palmyra and Kirtland back in 2009.
Jillyan's family arrived late (after several flight delays - talk about anticipation) at the Midway airport. We thought for sure that due to the late hour our two youngest grandchildren (Wesley - 5 & Beckett - 3) would be asleep or at least heading in that direction, but as you can see from this picture, they were TOO excited to sleep.
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| Beckett &Wesley showing their excited faces on the plane | | |
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| Our excited faces as we wait for their arrival |
They didn't disappoint when they finally arrived, as they flew (ran) down the gateway into their grandparents waiting arms. It sure seemed like it had been a lot longer than just 7 1/2 months since we last held them.
We loaded up their rental car, and we took the boys with us. The boys loved looking at the big buildings and couldn’t wait to see the view out our apartment window. Beckett talks about it every time we chat on the phone. They both loved it and being with us in our tiny apartment. We moved the furniture around, laid out their air mattresses and bedding and shortly they were sound asleep in downtown Chicago.
The next morning we headed off to LegoLand and on to Nauvoo. The boys were GREAT, especially after having traveled the whole previous day and not going to bed until after 3:00 a.m.
Since LegoLand is up near Schaumburg, my good friend Kathy Fernandez (Linder), who used to live by us 25 years ago, met us for lunch. She was excited to see Jill & her family since Jill was only a small child when Kathy lived by us. After a quick bite to eat… it was off to LEGOLAND!!
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| At the Entrance to LegoLand!! |
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| Wesley with one of his HEROES |
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| Beckett being eaten by a Lion |
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The boys did really well on our 5 hour ride to Nauvoo. Robert & Jill had rented a brand new Toyota Sienna which made the travel really enjoyable. We stayed at a Holiday Inn Express in Keokuk, Iowa (it was close with nice indoor pool). The boys were good knowing they could swim when we got there. We hurried as fast as we could to try to make it there before the pool closed. We got to the hotel at 10:15pm and the pool closed at 10pm. However, a very nice hotel manager said the boys could swim until they turned out the lights at 11pm. We were saved!!!
The next morning we headed off to attend a session in the Nauvoo Temple. It is unbelievably beautiful with incredible murals in each room. We were told that the original Nauvoo Temple was to have canvas paintings. They bought the canvas but never got the paintings done, The canvas didn’t go to waste though…..it covered their wagons for the trip West.
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| Nauvoo Temple |
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| The 100 story Hancock Building |
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Jill and her boys on the 95th floor of the Hancock
Both families went to the Hancock Building for lunch and experienced the incredible views. Our good friend in the ward, Sister Carmen, has a habit of always wanting to take missionaries and their families to lunch. Despite several attempts to talk her out of it, Jill’s family were blessed with her generosity! Sister Carman is the most generous kind person I know. She did not forget us on Mother’s Day or Father’s Day either! We love her so much and so do all the Elders. This woman has a GREAT conversion story that started with a tour of Temple Square. |
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Wesley checking out the foggy view
Jenny & her family having lunch at the Hancock
Then off to THE LEDGE at the Sears Tower |
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| Sears Tower with "the Ledges" hanging off it |
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| Another view of the Ledges with people in them |
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| View of the Hancock & Lake Michigan from the Sears Tower |
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| Kendra, Brady & Tyson, lying on the Ledge... 108 floors up |
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| Kendra & Tyson standing on the Ledge |
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| Waiting with the Smiths for the Subway Train to show up to go to church |
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| The Cottam's waiting for the Red Line to take to church |
Tyson did not care too much for the subway. Sometimes it is wall-to-wall people and he did not like that. Too close for comfort for him.
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| The boys finally getting to play Grandpa & Grandma's Wii |
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| Wesley's name he wrote in the sand at Oak Street Beach |
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| Wesley (with a hand full of sand) and Jillyan |
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| Robert, Jillyan & Beckett on the Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier |
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| Wesley & Beckett being "Golf Pros" |
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| The Smith's at Navy Pier |
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| Beckett sharing with Wes on the counter of a Huge McDonald's in downtown |
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| An unusual picture of the Bean with NO ONE AROUND (Thunderstorms) |
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| The Boys checking out a couple of ducks in a pond |
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| Looking straight up inside the Bean |
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| Kendra & Tyson up close with the City behind them |
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| Nice Reflection |
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| Looks even better from down here |
Both families experienced the CLOUD or as Chicagoan’s call it “THE BEAN,” Navy Pier and the Science and Industry Museum. |
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| Elder Beck, Tyson & Kendra in front of the Buckingham Fountain |
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| The Fountain with the City in the background |
Thank goodness for this fountain or I think all of us would have fainted from heat stroke!!! It was over a hundred degrees that day and 100% humidity. We soaked ourselves with it’s spray before we started our mile walk back to the car. Even my feet became swollen. I have not seen that since I was 9 months pregnant and in Hawaii. SCAREY!!!
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| The boys (as was Elder Beck) are mesmerized watching a steel ball go around |
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| Wesley manning one of the Water Cannons in the Science & Industry Museum |
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| Jill & Beckett catching lights with their shadows |
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| Wes hanging out with a bunch of CLOWNS |
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| Kendra & Tyson checking out the shadows in the Science Museum |
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| Tyson with the crew of the USS Chatelain that captured the U-boat 505 |
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| Kendra & Brady in the Flight Simulator at the Museum |
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| Wanda (Brady's Mom), Kendra, Brady, Tyson, Jenny & I ready to take in a Sox game |
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| A great night view of the city from the Ball Park |
The week the Cottam’s were here we had a few days with Brady’s Mom, Wanda, coming to visit from New York. It was great to see her and share the great moments together as grand-parents. We had wall-to-wall beds but we had a lot of laughter and great memories.
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| Dom & Celeste on the Ledge |
Our friends Celeste and Dom Mayer came out the last two days the Cottam’s were here. We are talking wall-to-wall!!! We were able to go to the temple with all of them. The Smith’s & Cottam’s in Nauvoo and the Cottam’s and Mayer’s in Chicago. Dom and Celeste were sealed in May and this was an awesome time to be with them together at the temple. We have waited many years to see this happen.
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| Dom on the Ledge |
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| Me & Celeste on the top of the Sears Tower |
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| After our session at the Chicago Temple |
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| Celeste enjoying a "REAL CHICAGO DOG" |
Dom had a SHORT "Chicago Bucket" list he wanted to accomplish during his 24 hour stay. Stand on the Ledge of the Sears Tower, have a Deep Dish Chicago Pizza, and a Real Chicago Hot Dog. He accomplished all those and also found time to visit the Chicago Temple and Lake Michigan.
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| Dom & Celeste down at Lake Michigan |
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| The Cottam's down at Lake Michigan |
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| A close-up of the Cottam's |
We loved having our family and friends visit and wished they could have stayed longer. We also wish the REST of our family would visit for we miss them all so much.
When they were all gone it was back to being full-time missionaries. We were given several new assignments. We now inspect the missionary’s apartments in our zone. Those of you who know me know I am a clean freak and I really like all of these missionaries sooooo Elder Beck is the official inspector and I just go to entertain the missionaries while he inspects. So far so good. They all would still be cleaning if I had inspected them.
We also had one of our elders, Elder Williams have some medical problems that could not be fixed here in Chicago so they sent him home to his own Doctor. Elder Runner, his companion, was sent to another area and we were given their area to take over. We have loved the new challenges and the new ward. This is the same ward that my parents went to when they lived here 60+ years ago. Is that great or what!!! We are so busy thus the long silence with our blog.
We are teaching the Baux family. A father, mother, and 11year old daughter. They are a beautiful family. They went on a road trip out West, visited Salt Lake and went to Temple Square. They were very impressed and wanted to know more. We meet with them every Monday. Please pray for them. We have an appointment Monday at 3:30.
Next, we teaching a lady named, Carman. She has been investigating the church for 10 years. She wants to be baptized but her husband has not given his permission. Not even to attend church until this week!!!!! Amazing things have happened this last month to soften this man’s heart. Carman knows her prayers are answered and she tells her husband this is so. He was about to lose his job and Carman prayed…. He kept his job. Carmen’s Mother lives with them and she had a bad stroke. Carman prayed…. the missionaries came and gave her mother a priesthood blessing. Two weeks later her mother is home with no long turn affects. Elder Beck and I visited Carman again this past Tuesday. Her husband, Doug, was there and came in to meet us. We ended up talking to him for two hours answering his questions. Twice, he asked us questions he said no one ever got right. Elder Beck knew the answers and Doug was floored. Was the spirit with us Tuesday? You bet it was!!!! Doug tells us he can’t take Carman to church Sunday. He has to work. We volunteered to come and pick her and he is okay with that. Ten years and he is finally letting her go to church. As I am writing this the phone rings and Elder Runner (the missionary that was teaching Carman and was just transferred) called all excited. Carman had just called him to ask how many times she needed to go to church before she could be baptized. And could he and Elder Swope (another past missionary) come back to her baptism? We are picking her up Sunday to take her and her mother to church. I think it won’t be long until Doug is taking her to church and maybe staying himself. Yes, oh Yes, prayers are answered. Carman has never given up! WOW and WOW again, ten years is along time to wait to come to the church you know in your heart is true!
We also had an interesting referral up in Evanston Elder Beck and I had to check out. We are often given assignments from the mission office to check out before the young missionaries are given them. This man called the office and told them he the Chaplain for the Secret Service. Yap you heard me, the Secret Service!!! So off we go…. The people coming out of the building you could tell were definitely special needs. The place ended up being a psyche ward and well yes, he was a patient. The man had read the Book of Mormon and had questions for us. They were honest questions that anyone would ask if investigating the church. My heart went out to these people, every one of them. What do you do with someone in a place like that? He had sincere questions. He has a desire to go to church. He said he had a desire to learn more. Just because of his mental state do we walk away and never go back? I just kept thinking what would the Savior do? Well, He would heal him but you know what I mean. I knew Elder Beck and I could not go every week to see him. Not with our new assignment at Logan Square. Maybe once a month, but not every week. Bless Elder Eager’s and Elder Jensen’s hearts. They are the missionaries assigned to that area. They have gone there before and actually remembered him there. They will go and teach him. It takes amazing young men to conquer a place like that and not be apprehensive. We love these young men and women we serve with. They truly are the “best saved for these latter-days!!!!”
So…….on Sunday’s we go to church with Jasna and then head off to Logan Square Ward making it with drive time a 7 to 8 hour day. We would not change a thing!!! We still love what we do.
We still try to swim and walk for exercise when we can. We are now spending half the day driving in the car. Our area has doubled without too much freeway access to anywhere we go. Thank goodness for knitting or I would probably tear my hair out being the passenger all the time.
We walked to the Lake shore this morning and the water was almost as blue as Bear Lake. I almost felt at home. Almost!!!!! Until next time………
