Elder & Sister Knowles

Transfer 14 Week 6 Aug 29-Sept-4 Week B14 “Roleplaying,  You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” 

Preaching:  We have been thinking and talking a lot about why so many members fall away or stop coming to church.  There are lots of reasons we hear in the Skyway ward but we have decided it mostly comes down to following the prophet.  With General Conference coming up we pray that you are all making plans so you will be able to listen.  We need a prophets direction in this day.  Don’t just listen, do what is asked of us.  Remember, faith is an action word.  Our decisions have eternal out comes.

Our District 

Monday: We did the usual p-day things in the morning.  The pick-up needed gas and a washing so we took care of that.  While at Sam’s Club we did a little early Christmas shopping and then lots of our usual grocery shopping at Wal-Mart.  We thought maybe we should go home for the weekend to take care of a few things with our home, so we sent Pres. Rasmussen a text and then realized we were committed to something else this weekend so we cancelled the first text with another text.  He probably wonders if we can make up our minds what we want to do.  Nobody wanted a ride to FHE so we went alone.  There was mostly the same people there.

Tuesday:  We had our last 

district meeting for this transfer with two from our district that will go home on Monday, Sister Bailey, and Elder Li.  We did some roleplaying that was a little different from what we have done in the past, so we didn’t have to do it.  We just watched the other companionships and we all made suggestions.  It was pretty nice!  After the meeting we took a district picture since it is the last meeting.  We were close to Kent so we ran to the Bishop Storehouse to fill a food order.  After dropping it off we picked up Princess Joy and the twins and went to the Family Fun Center.  This was the reward for what the girls had done in primary.  Jasmine was working and we got to visit with her, even taking her to the Farmers Market in Renton on the way home.  The kids had a good time and we fed them lunch while there.  Jasmine works in the food court and that was another reason we went there.  In the evening we met the Elder Sisters and the employment office sisters and watched Lehi’s Journey in the R.S. room.  It’s a movie about physical evidence of the book of Mormon.  We had all kinds of refreshments plus it is a pretty good movie.  It is on You Tube if you want to watch it. It’s always nice to get together with the older missionaries.

Wednesday:  Northwest Harvest was in the morning.  We packaged rice. This would be our last time before transfers and Sister Baileys last time before going home.  We wanted to take the sisters to lunch but we had to hurry home and pick up Estrella and Eldrex for an appointment at Children’s Hospital.  We drove there then found out it had been cancelled.  It was way past lunch time so we drove to the Emerald City Fish and Chips and ate.  We have gotten to be friends with one of the owners so we like to stop there every so often, plus Estrella likes the fish.  We had a break in the day waiting for Karen to get home from work.  She needed us to take her to Kirkand so she could make a deposit on an apartment.  It is a room in a house that she will share with three other people plus the owner.  The owner is very nice and pretty strict so that will be good for Karen.  The house is across the street from the church and a bus stop. 

It comes furnished so not sure what we will do with the stuff we are storing for her and there isn’t room for all of the stuff she has with her, so we may be storing more.  It should be a good move for Karen and her and the owner get along great.  Kirkland is a thirty minute drive north of Bellevue so we got home late.  Karen needed money on her Orca card, which she forgot to tell us until we were almost to her place so that made us even later.  It is so fun to park on Henderson at 10:00pm and get an Orca card. Not our first choice, but Rainier Beach was the closest Orca card vending machine.  It’s a good thing for guardian angels.

Thursday:  We didn’t have any pressing appointments so we slept in a bit.  At least is was sleeping in for us which was still early in the morning.  Old habits are hard to break.  The plan was for a catch up day.  We had several errands to run, Sam’s club, JoAnn, Ulta and U-haul. St. Vincent thrift store took all the things we had in the pick-up so we didn’t have to drive to the D.I. in Federal Way.  That was just a small tender mercy.  Most of the rest of the day was spent working on projects at home.  We did go to the church for our 7:45 meeting and when nobody showed up we made some calls and found out it had been cancelled.  No one bothered to tell us.  Time for Elder Knowles to work on charity some more.  

Friday:   There was no sleeping in today.  We went to the Filipino Community Center first thing in the morning to do service.  We both worked in the office making copies until about 4:30 then walked home.  We did eat lunch there even though the chicken wasn’t cooked as much as we like it.  Nor sure what was in the other stuff we ate except for the vegetables and noodles.  In the evening we went to a baptism for Bro. Dean.  He is in the Tiffany Park Ward.  They always have a good turnout.  He has been investigating the church for many years.  President Rasmusson and his wife were there.  They are very good to come visit the different ward and very easy to visit with.  We were going to help Skyway B but they never showed up.  We guess the investigator must have cancelled, which we thought would happen.

Saturday:  Another early morning so we could get dinner in the crock pots and walk to the Filipino Community Center by 08:00.  We worked in the copy center again. There was plenty of help by 11:00 so we left and walked home in the rain.  It wasn’t raining when we left home and the forecast was good so no umbrellas.  It is a good thing we came home early because to discovered Art didn’t plug in one of the crock pots.  We took care of that problem and went to a baby shower for Geraldene.  They always have lots of food at a Filipino party and again we weren’t sure what it was we were eating.  One thing we recognized was the raw steak they gave us.  Most of the Holly house Acosta’s were there and a few from the green house.  We did get to meet several of the in-laws and friends.  It was kind of an all day party, but we had to leave so we could feed the Spanish speaking missionaries at 4:00.  On the way home we

got a message saying that Skyway A and B didn’t have a dinner appointment so we added them to our list.  We the Spanish Elders showed up they had another set of elders with them so we ended up with 15 missionaries in our apartment. ( Skyway A is a threesome so thats why the odd number).  They did come in shifts, some at 4:00, 4:30 and 5:00.  The first crock pot was empty pretty fast and the second wasn’t done at 5:00 so the last group had to wait and several wanted more.  Art tried to pressure the crock pot to hurry it along which was not a good idea.   We had trouble getting the lid off until Elder Richards (a rugby player) got if off, but in exploded all over the counter and cupboards.  No one got hurt and no harm done was done. Elder Richards said, “You have a small problem to clean up, actually a huge problem to clean up.”  Then, he was cute, and said, “NO, We have a huge problem to clean up, Where are your cleaning supplies?”  Three of the Elders pulled out the fridge, scraped all the noodles in the trash, cleaned and washed the cabinets, counter and fridge, and left it all shiny clean!  What great young men!  They were

wonderful!  They did all leave by 5:30 except the Elder Sisters and the Spanish Sisters came back so we could play one round of UNO. Skyway B wanted us to teach with them but the Elder Sisters went so we could go see Karen.  Karen didn’t come to dinner because she was depressed, but she did want to visit, so we picked her up and went to Coulon Park to walk.  It was a beautiful evening with the sun going down over the lake and very nice weather.  It did put us getting home late.

Sunday:  We had set the alarm on Joyce’s phone to make sure we got up in time.  The battery was low so it was plugged in, only problem was the crock pot disaster had tripped the breaker so there was no power in the outlet. No alarm.  We got up late, just making it in time for church.  Diane Whitney had come over on Saturday night before we picked up

Family Fun Center

Karen to walk, and she wanted a ride to church.  She is have trouble at Hope Place and wanted to come back to church.  Estrella  and Eleazar were the only green house Acostas at church but Ivar was with them and blessed the sacrament for his first time.  The twins showed up late, but they came! Donella taught the Primary lesson, which was nice for Joyce to just have to help out.   Art taught the Gospel Principals class.  We got everyone home and then had a bite of lunch.  At 5:00 we went to dinner at the Elder Sisters with the Spanish Sisters.  We ate there then went to Holly house for a birthday party for the twins.  Another round of lots of food at a Filipino party that we weren’t sure what we were

eating.  Joyce visited in the house with the sisters and got acquainted with people that we had not met before, but had heard of.   Art stayed outside and played with all the kids. We did get to see most of the Holly house Acosta’s and talk to them about coming back to church.  Most of the problem is the 9:00 church and their work schedules.  When they joined the church it started at 1:00.  We will see what happens next week.  We may make a few wake up calls on Sunday morning.  It ended up being a good day even with the poor church attendance.  Joyce Johnson and Sister Fabon weren’t there.  We did get to talk to Jared’s family, but missed the other kids because of the evening dinners. We did learn a good lesson  tonight and will be more careful from now on.  That is most of the highlights of the week. There is always lots of other stuff going on but this letter is already too long. Hope everyone had a good week and will be safe and wise. Love Joyce and Art.