Week 7 Feb. 15-21

                         FEB. 15-21 Week Seven

 If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up some place else.

SUNDAY: We picked up Mary and went to church.  She was ready and waiting for us.  She is getting a little better with the clapping.  Everyone is so nice to her so she really enjoys going to church.  Sunday night was the Mission Devotional in Puyallup, about 40 min. south of us.  We took one R.M. and one recent convert with us.  On the way there they told us their conversion stories.  One was from the Philippines and one from Viet Nam.  The one from Viet Nam was caught the first time he tried to leave and spent 2 years in a communist prison.  The second try he made it to Indonesia and then the U.S. where he joined the church.   The devotional was great.  A lady from our ward, which just went to the temple, was one of the speakers.  Most of the meeting was about family history or having families sealed.  The Missionary Choir was excellent as usual.  We also ran into Jeremiah there.  He is the young man we had met at Walmart and he is set for March to be baptized.

Katie Williams Our trainer

N.A.A.M.

Monday: We had our apartment inspection from one of the office couples.  They also bring us a Home Teaching message.  We spent most of the day at the N.A.A.M. helping with Family day and Educator day.  They had a story teller there that was unbelievable.  She told a story about a slave that his master boiled his body after he died and used the bones to teach medical students.  It’s a true story.  This happened around 1790 and they just buried his bones a few years ago.  She told the story from his wife’s point of view.  It was late when we got home, so instead of going out in the dark (which we are not supposed to do) we tried to find two people who live in our complex, but no luck.

Tuesday: Today is P-day so we cleaned and went shopping.  We needed some instructions on Family History so we stopped by the Mission Office to talk to the experts.  The N.A.A.M wants us to start teaching there so we thought we had better get some quick help.  It was late again when we got home, so we tried our complex again with the same results. We asked the complex to put a peephole in our door since we are on the street and one of the few apartments that don’t have one, but they won’t do it.  We are slowly finding out why they get bad reviews here. 

Wednesday: It was a beautiful day today, as it has been all week. Our appointment with Mary Hurley didn’t happen. She forgot she had a dentist appointment when she set up the appointment with us.   So we visited another older lady in the ward.  She is the one who is obsessed with burglars in the neighborhood.  I don’t know why because there is nothing in the house worth stealing. She answers the door with a wrench in her hand in case we are burglars.  We have decided that she is the old maid that is in the song about The Burglar Boy.  We spent most of the day at the N.A.A.M. working on the computers trying to learn about family history.  We also gave each other a tour for some practice.  In the afternoon we went knocking on doors.  Our first one was in a rough part of town and the house was pretty run down.  No one was home and I don’t think we will try going there again.  We were glad to get out of there.  Our next two homes had people that answered the door, but not who we were looking for.  We get a lot of that in this part of town.  This is the new part of the ward and the records are not the most accurate here.  In the evening we had an appointment with the Elders to teach but she wasn’t home so we went to are meeting with the Bishop early and practiced the piano.  Joyce practiced and Art slept in the chair. 

Thursday: We went to W.W. in the morning and picked up a few things that we needed while we were in Renton.  We met the Elders and taught a lesson to Mary Hardy (a different Mary than the one we teach). It went well, but she won’t commit to come to church or pray with us.  She doesn’t have a bible so we are going to get her one tomorrow.  On the way home we stopped at two more addresses and found a young girl that just moved in, and told us that she may try and come to church.  The other address had no one home.  In the evening we went to our meeting with the ward mission leader. Since we were in our meeting we missed the fireworks for the Chinese New Year, plus we forgot.  We found another temple that is close by so it would have been easy to watch if we would have remembered.

Friday: We stared off our day going to Auburn to the institute class, then to the mission office for some supplies.  We needed a bible to give to Mary Hardy.  The Elders had several but none in English so we told them we would pick one up and get their supplies while we were there.  On the way home we stopped to drop it off to Mary but she wasn’t home. She had told us that she may be at a doctor’s appointment for her son.  We left it in front of her door so we hope she gets it.  We then ran to Sam’s Club to pick up some apples, and meat for the dinner tonight with the Elders and a less active member, Fely Baluka.  The Elders taught a very good lesson on the Ten Commandments.  The rest of the evening we worked on the area book.  We did get a big surprise when we got home.  We had a new peep-hole in the door.  I guess they changed their mind.  Another tender mercy.

Saturday: It was an 8 Advil day.  We spent most of the day knocking on doors, but we did find a lot of people home.  While we were talking to a lady on her steps a car came around the corner and hit another car and then backed up and took off.  That sure brought people out of their houses. This was even in one of the nicer neighborhoods in our area.  As we were going home we had to pass the Chinese Temple (which we found out it is a Vietnamese Temple) and they were having a big celebration with tour buses and the works.  There were some dancers preforming but they finished just as we got there.  We walked around a bit and talked to a few people and then headed home.  On the way home we passed a barbeque grill where all the dancers were eating and they put on another show with fireworks and the whole deal, so we did get to see it after all. 

The Spanish speaking Elders came over to find out what areas they could work in to help us out.  After they left we went to a baptism for Joshua Acosta.   His mother and several sisters joined the church a few weeks ago. 

That has been pretty much our week.  Things are going well and we are staying busy.  We really love the letters and phone calls that we get.  Here is our preaching for the week:

A testimony is to be found in the bearing of it! As you give that which you have there is a replacement, with increase!   Boyd K. Packer   With opportunities all around us, why should we fear? The gospel is the power of God unto salvation.  Spencer W. Kimball

 Something to ponder:  How does having a knowledge that we have the Gift of the Holy Ghost change our desire to be a member missionary and bear our testimony more often?

  

Grandma and Grandpa missing the Grandkids...... and kids

                                               WEEK 6 Feb 8-14

                You have to kiss a lot of frogs to find a prince

We had a good day at church.  Mary was ready when we stopped to pick her up.  She was dressed in the clothes she got from the D.I.  Before church we went to the V.A. hospital to visit a member.  He broke his back so he is in the spinal care unit.  It seems like if we don’t get lost on the road we do in a big building.  We found the room after lots of help from several people.   In the evening we met with the Ward Clerk, Ward Mission Leader, and a member of the Bishopric.  We finally got our hands on the area book from the last couple here, now we just need to figure out how they organized it.  We did hear from our Mission President.  We report to him each week.  He told us that our Stake President wants us to focus on activating more priesthood holders in our area.   Like R.M.s that are not active.  Easy to say, but harder to do. 

Elders in our ward, Tan, Lopalinein, Maxwell, Russell, Spisbury, Olsen, and Barrett

Monday was p-day so we spent most of the day cleaning and cooking so we could feed the missionaries at 5:00 o’clock.  We did have to make a quick run to the store.  We made cookies so we would have them to take around when we visit.  After the Elders left we went to the ward F.H.E. 

F.H.E.

We met a bunch of new people there.  Many not so active members attend, so it was good to meet them.  Joyce made friends with one that may let us give her and her kids a ride to church, Shonchata Payne, but she told us at first her name was Jennifer.  We will see when we visit her on Thursday.  At first she didn’t want to give us her phone # but Joyce used her charm and convinced her that we were harmless.  One thing we have noticed here is that most of the members are converts, or their parents were converts. We find it fascinating to hear their stories.  Some took many years and lots of sets of missionaries before they had testimonies and would be baptized. The common tread is always reading the Book of Mormon and praying.   Helps us remember to be patient with those we are working with.

Tuesday we rode the train to the far end of our area and worked the streets for most of the day.  We knocked on a lot of doors and found several at home.  We did have one guy yell at us and told us never to come back.  He did calm down when he saw how big Art is.  I think he was looking at his belly. Really, we told him we were sorry to bother him and we would make sure he wouldn't be bothered again. We think we left on friendlier terms than when we started.   He wasn’t even the person we were looking for, just a roommate, we think. Hard to tell what relationship some are.   On the way back to the train station we stopped at a 3^rd generation Italian restaurant (Borrichinni’s) and found an active member there, Susan Walker, that lives in our ward but attends another ward with her husband because of the bus routes.  It will be a big help to make a branch in our area to make it easier to get to church because of the bus routes, but they need more active priesthood. She told us they have to switch buses three time and then walk up a huge hill to get to our building, but only one switch and no hill to get to the one they go to. We also found a R.M., Mark Cabiao.  I wouldn't take much to get him active so it was a productive day.  We stopped at a Lowes to buy a hammer and some nails so Art can fix a step for a member.  In the evening we went to the church so Joyce could learn how to fold money into hearts.

Sisters

Elders

Elder Maxwell, Tan, Nebeker, Polo and Lopalinein

Scott Rockwoods twin bro.

Elder Rodarte

Wednesday, we stated with a service project, in Kent, at a big warehouse called Northwest Harvest, that supplies food banks all over the state.  It's kind of like Welfare Square in Salt Lake.  It was the whole zone. Somewhere around 30 missionaries (Elders and Sisters) and the two Sr. companionships were there helping.  We worked for three hours and boxed up 22,880 lbs. of apples. We won't be eating apples for awhile.

break time

  This has been the first time since we arrived here that we could go out not dressed up, so while we were in work clothes we went and fixed the step for Nola Faka'iloatonga (try saying that fast three times). Art did what he could but the whole stairway need to be replaced.  We made a stop at home to change clothes and then out on the streets.  We found a few at home and one lady told us never to come back, but it was through an intercom, so it wasn’t too bad.  She missed out on the cookies we had for her.  Art ended up talking to a man on the street and gave them to him.  We are back to the church in the evening for our meeting with the Bishop. 

   

 Hope everyone remembered to fast (if you wanted to join with us).  We had an interesting Thursday.  We went to W.W. in the morning and then stopped at a house that we thought we had an appointment at.  They were home but wouldn’t answer the door.  No cookies for them.  We walked to a stand on the street that was selling Seahawk gear thinking maybe the prices would be lower since they lost, but not so.  We did talk to the clerk and we bought a hat from her.  We will go back another day when we have cash and buy us a shirt so we can fit in here.  In the afternoon went to visit a less active member we met, Jennifer, or what ever name she gives us, but she wasn’t home. She had told us that she may be to the dentist, but she lives in the same complex where we were meeting the Elders so we tried to see her.  We met the Elders there to go with them to teach a lesson to an investigator (Mary Harding, yes another Mary) and while we were waiting for them there were gun shots fired across the street and then kids running down the road and people running all over the complex, but not much came of it.  I guess that happens often around here.  We did visit with a Muslim lady for a bit while we were waiting. There are many in our area so it might be helpful to know a little bit about them.   We helped the elders teach, then had to run back home so we could meet with the elders in our area. We have two sets in our ward, three counting the Spanish elders  and five counting us and the seniors sisters.  We needed  to coordinate with them so we don’t cover the same areas, which we did last week.  Elder Tan was told his visa is on the way so he will be going to Taiwan in 10 days.  We will miss him, but the Schwieders will love to have him in their mission.  When ever he comes over, he asks what he can do to help.  He is a a good missionary, always happy and a big Texas smile. He is from Texas.  It was dark by the time they left so we stayed in and made cookies.  Joyce makes them and Art test them to make sure they are good. We go through lots of cookies and hot pads, thanks to Phyllis!

A 12 Advil day

Zone conference was all day today.  President and Sister Eaton are great teachers.  We are blessed to be in their mission!  We did a lot of role playing.  We are getting to enjoy doing this and it does help in what we are trying to do.  It is also a treat to be able to be with all the elders and young sisters.  It really is something to sing and quote scriptures with them and be a part of all that they do.  At the end of the conference they had all the missionaries that will not be around for the next conference get up and bear their testimonies.  He asked that they not be farewell testimonies but what they know is true testimonies. 

Missionaries love to eat!!!!!

It was great but tough for us because many of them are ones we work with.  After the conference we stopped and picked up a few things we need at Wal-Mart and on the way out we stopped and talked to a man and gave him a pass along card.  It's pretty fun when you talk to them, find out what they are doing, (he wanted to sign us up to vote) and tell them what we are doing and why.  We got a great presentation about family history that the Nolan's, (they work in our mission office) had put together so we watched it before going to bed.  I wish all of you could see it.  They used a lot of the Mormon Messages so you can go and watch a few of them and ask yourself how they would apply to family history and missionary work.

Birthday missionaries

 They have a sister from the stake that comes to alter and repair the missionaries clothes. They do grow and once in awhile they tangle with dogs.

 We work with Sister Harrison and Chamberlain in our ward and President McKinney is the counselor in the Mission Presidency over us.

Saturdays are always a busy day for us because we find more people at home.  We stared off the morning with picking up the food bags that we put out last week.  We didn’t find as many out as we expected, then found out that the note on the bags said we would be around after 3 pm so the Elders were going to go back later.  We did take the bags we had to the food bank.  Saturday must be the day when people can pick things up because there was a big crowd there.  Joyce handed the bags she was carrying off to the elders and went to go sit in the pick-up so she could get behind a locked door.  It was a little scary, (sketchy, as the elders say.) 

 Down the street from us is a big Chinese Temple where they are getting ready to celebrate their New Year on the 19^th of this month with fireworks and etc.   We are going to check it out next week.

We are getting ready to go pick up the bags for the food bank.  The middle picture has Elder Maxwell, he is going home in March, Elder Lopalinein, Elder Tan, going to Taiwan next week and Elder Barrett, one of our Zone Leaders.  All of these missionaries work in our ward. They are all very good missionaries!

After lunch we went knocking on doors and met a nice young lady, Jennifer Cabiao, that accepted a Book of Mormon from us and said that she would read it since she was off work because of surgery. We were looking for her brother and he had moved.  He was a member and she is not.We stopped at another lady's house who was out painting her door and Joyce gave her a hot pot pad and pass along card because she was so nice to us.  We had passed her house several times and had gotten directions from her, so we finally stopped and talked to her.  The streets here are crazy.  They will dead end and then start up again four blocks away. We are finding that the nonmember people are nicer to us than the less active members that we are trying to find.  I know it sounds like we get lost a lot, but we sure run into many nice people when we do, so we don’t mind.     We got lost again and ended up at a Cambodian Buddhist Temple. We were asking one of the men there for direction when one of the monks came out and we had a good visit with all of them about their religion, and we wove in some of our beliefs into the conversation. The monk invited us to come back and he will give us a tour.  He also said we could bring the Elders over and help him set up for their New Year’s celebration. Guess what his name is, starts with a P.
We stayed longer talking to the monk than we had planned so we ended up walking home in the dark.  Not the best thing to do, but we made it home safe.  It really isn’t that scary if you walk on the side of the street that has lights.    Since it is Valentine’s Day, we stopped on our way home at a Chinese Restaurant and had supper.  

Lake Washington

Here is our preaching for the week and something to think about:  When was the last time you accepted an invitation from the Savior?  Also a quote from President Monson:   We can rely on the faith of others only so long.  Eventually we must have our own strong and deeply rooted foundation, or we will be unable too withstand the storms of life which are sure to come.   Our question for you to think over: Are you (or we) paying the price now to have a strong foundation?

                                   Love you all and thanks for the cards, letters and packages,

Elder and Sister Knowles