Zone Conferences

This week was super busy for us.  Zone conferences started on Tuesday.  The first one was held in Lexington with 2 zones and we decided to ride down with the Priors.  Brother Prior is the one over the motor pool that Don assists.  Well, that day we took the Mission truck.  We sat in the back seats with our knees mashed up against the front ones.  By the time we got home, I could barely walk and had my knee in my brace for the next two days.  Wednesday we were in New Albany, Indiana (for two more zones) which is just over the Ohio River from Louisville.  We drove ourselves.  Thursday was the Louisville zone...we drove again.  Friday the Priors decided to take "Moe" the Mission van to Evansville, Indiana.  How bad could it be, right?  We rode with them.  There was a little more leg room but was still a really uncomfortable 2 hour ride there and back.  We'll see what happens in 6 week when we have the next conferences.

Zone Conferences were great!!  It's so fun to see how excited everyone is to see each other.  The hosting zone asks the ward they are in to provide a lunch for all of us. There is a seamstress who travels to all of the conferences and while they are going on, she is mending the missionaries clothes for them.  In our last conference, they even had three members who shined the shoes of any who wanted.  Such service and love!

So...on the way to the Louisville conference (it was quite a way south of us) we stopped at a rest area.  Just thought you'd like to see a Kentucky rest stop...

In our New Albany conference, President Brough was surprised with a little ceremony.  We have an Elder from Wales in our mission.  He's been in the states off and on for several years, is 25, and a really nice young man.  He and the other elders in our area decided to knight President Brough and present him with the "Sword of Laban".

On our way to Evansville we passed some fields in bloom.  Some were yellow and some purple.

This is the Zone Conference in Louisville...minus me and President and Sister Brough

At the Zone Conferences, each car gets inspected for dents, fluid levels, tires, cleanliness, etc.  They give out a gift card for someplace to eat to the ones whose car passes the most categories.  In the Louisville Zone, the Elders that won had shampooed their seats a few days before then wrapped them in Saran Wrap until the day of inspection, washed and waxed the car and then shined the tires after they got out of the car!

Don and I spoke in church today.  Me on Miracles and Don on Gethsemane.  Knowing him, I'm sure you can imagine how nervous he was.  He did great!!

Kentucky

Random observations...

• Drivers in Kentucky are dangerous.  They routinely run red lights so if your light turns green...make sure everyone stops before you go.
• If the squirrel isn't the state animal, it should be!  They are everywhere.
• They LOVE their basketball.
• Finding Mexican food in the grocery store is next to impossible. Guess I'll be ordering my taco and enchilada sauces from Amazon!
• There are more BIG churches of every denomination here.
• They have drive-through liquor stores...I almost ran into the back of a car looking at the "Schrecks  Liquor Store and Drive-In" sign.
• Bedbugs are a regular visitor in some areas.
• Most people have been genuinely nice.
• Top freeway speeds are 55.
• People speed everyday of the week, Sunday they drive slow.
• Two-way residential streets are the same width as a one-way street in Cedar City.
• Main thoroughfares...three lanes...two one way in the morning, two going the other way in the afternoon.

This week has been pretty good.  We're getting into a routine and I guess that's good. M-F we're at the office.  Except for this week when we have to go to zone conferences. One in Lexington KY, one in Louisville, one in New Albany, IN and one in Evansville, IN.

Saturday is our grocery day.  We've spent more on groceries in the last three weeks than I ever spend at home.  You forget how easy it is to run out to the garage for canned goods, and other things when you need them.  We've been trying to add a couple extra of everything when I buy something. Storing it is not as easy!  Hopefully we'll have a little bit built up so we can get the grocery bill down. Yesterday was such a gloomy day, we came back from the store and took a nap and watched a movie on the computer.

Don was afraid he wouldn't have anything to do!  He's busier than I am most days.  He was called as the vehicle coordinator assistant.  The unfortunate thing is, the coordinator (who will be 80 soon) has a real hard time with the computer.  They are thinking he may have some dementia going on.  So, Don has been asked to take over a lot of his duties for him...while helping him to still feel useful. Don has said he will do what ever it takes to help him have a successful mission.  They have been out about 6 months and I am hoping they can complete it. Very nice people.

Learning The Ropes...

Well...as of Thursday we've been "on our own".  We said goodbye to the Boettchers who had been in the GKLM for 18 months.  Sister Boettcher was the mission nurse and Elder Boettcher was helping with the cars.  I was concerned about losing my safety net but have found there are a lot of resources to call on if I need to.

Don is learning all about the cars in the mission.  They each have what is called a TIWI (which he keeps calling a kiwi) that keeps track of mileage, any accidents, speeding (like the one missionary who decided it would be "fun" to get the car up to 90, and no longer has driving privileges!), etc.  We are also getting 16 new cars that he needs to trade out with the higher mileage ones in use now.  By "higher mileage", I mean about 50,000 miles.  Then the church makes sure they're in excellent condition and sells them.

We serve from 8-5 Monday-Friday. Although I have a phone with me and get calls all hours. I've been driving everywhere because Don still has his "small-town So. Utah" driving mentality...but he's learning.  Actually drove some last night and to church today
The Boettchers

Speaking of church, our ward is more like a branch.  Don and I go to the Gospel Principles class with the new members and investigators.  We have one set of Elders and One set of Sisters in this ward, as of now.  That could change with transfers on Apr.1.  There were two investigators today, a man from the Congo, and another man,  and one newly baptized sister, names Kansas, who is 20.  I think I counted about 4 primary-aged children and maybe 6 young men and women.  Quite a difference from our ward in Utah! We are speaking in church in 2 weeks.

Our apartment is comfortable.  We have two bedrooms and they are getting us a king-sized bed to replace the queen-size one we have.  We will put that one in the second bedroom for guests  (hint)! and I am also using that for my "sewing room" although I haven't gotten the machine out yet.

Our P-Day is on Saturday.  We do our grocery shopping on that day and anything else we need, or want, to do.  President Brough said, "I want you to go, and see as much as you want while you're here".  So...yesterday we went to Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby Museum, P.S.  Mike and Angie the standing-room only center section of the track is only $60 per person!! It was really interesting...even if I did get 3 phone calls while there.  Then, since today is our anniversary, we went to dinner last night.

We get to see the missionaries quite often as they stop by the mission office.  Their enthusiasm is infectious and we love being around them, getting to know them, and taking their pictures to post for their mothers.  What a great cross-section of the Lord's finest! I am looking forward to the next 17 months (can't believe one month has come and gone already!).

                                                   Everyone has to try on a derby hat!

                                                              Annnnd,,,he's off!

                                                                  KFC Derby hat!

                         As you walk to the track, the name of every winner is displayed

                                     








The twin spires can't be eliminated if they renovate.
                                                                                                                          The million dollar seats!

                                                                 The score board???

                                                         







                                                                         The winners circle

                                          The center of the field during the Derby is $60 per
                                       person and is mostly a big party for the college age kids

The track toward the starting gate

                     The only retired derby horse housed at the track.  His roommate is a Shetland.

                                              A derby dress made of ribbons and medals

                              A dress from one of the first Derby Balls and a modern one

                                             Replica winners roses with trophy and cups

                                          Silks, saddle, boots from American Pharoh jockey

                                                              Starters clothes, bugle

                                        What's left of one of the first American Flags flown
                                                       over the Derby, which started in 1875




                                                                    

On The Road Again...

I didn't think I'd feel like writing while we're traveling, but here we are:

Last week Monday-Thursday was grueling.  So much to learn in such a short time.  It made me realize how much I probably have forgotten in the last 10 years.  But, the good news is everything I should need is now on my computer,  Each day we had classes in how to care for, or how find how to care for, the missionaries in the field.

The couple in charge of teaching us is Brother & Sister Drake.  He is a retired physician and they have served several missions, as a mission president, area medical mission advisor, etc.  Such a cute couple who love the Lord and love serving.  Each day they were joined by other physicians and nurses to cover different things we will need to know.

We were able to see Katy at DMBA where she works, for one last hug. Angie and I were able to go see my Aunt Norma (my dad's 92 year old sister) in a rehab center, and we had dinner with Cori.

We woke Friday morning to snow in Salt Lake.  By about 8, we learned chains or four wheel drive were required over Parley's Canyon, and the first half of our drive through Wyoming was very treacherous.  So...we, and two other couples who are headed to our part of the country, decided to change our routes from I-80 to I-70.  We stayed Friday night in Grand Junction, CO.  The next morning we left for Denver.  Pretty scary drive over the mountain passes in the snow.

                                                              Colorado Rockies

In Denver, we were able to visit with Don's sister, Gayla.  She has advanced alzheimers and was pleasant, but unaware of who we were.  BUT...when you ask her who her father was, she says "Ariel Madero".  Pretty cool the things that stay with us!  The sadness of alzheimers is more with those on the outside.  Luckily, the person with it (at this stage) is oblivious...and happy.  That's the positive, they are not hurting.

From Denver, we had a long day to Salina, KS.  I've decided eastern Colorado and western Kansas are pretty much the same...flat!!  And this time of year brown.

                                             Somewhere in Western Kansas


 From Salina, we went a short way to Kansas City, MO.  Since we were so close, and since our mission president said, "take your time...see some sights", I talked Don into going an hour north to Hamilton, MO where the Missouri Star Quilt Company is.  It was pretty cool...for me.  Luckily they have comfy chairs for the husbands!  Yes...I got some material, and hopefully will find some time to quilt.

An old JC Penney store...one of the MANY MSQC Stores.

From Hamilton, we went to Adam-Ondi-Ahman.  So many people have said, "It's not much.  Just a big piece of land".  And this time of year it's still pretty brown but we loved it and the spirit that was there.  I'm sure any other season it would have been beautiful.  After there we went to Farr West and saw the cornerstones for the temple there.  Also a cool experience.  Spent the night in KC.

                                                                Adam-Ondi_Ahman

                                                                   Farr West


The next morning, before we left, we went to Independence and Liberty Jail.  We had such sweet sister missionaries who gave the tour.  One of the things that stuck with me, was an analogy one of them made to the trials in our life, and those of Joseph and those with him.  She said, "What will we do when we have our Liberty Jail moments?"  Made an impression on me, and something I think I will remember.

                                                                         Liberty Jail

From there to Shilo, Illinois where we spent our last night on the road.  We were under a severe thunderstorm watch, with the sirens and all.  Reminded me of those wonderful years in Oklahoma!!