Meeting Marathon Week

Here's a brief overview of our week this past week. It was one of those "Meeting Marathon Weeks". This happens the first week of every month.

Monday, P-Day (Preparation and Play). We went to the Mississippi River, see below.

Tuesday, Bishop's Missionary Meeting, Ward Missionary Coordination Meeting. We spent four hours with all of the Missionaries assigned to our Ward reviewing all of the members and the visits that had been made during the past month. That night we went to the Church and had a two hour meeting with the Assistant Ward Mission Leader to review all of the new investigators that the Elders were teaching.

Wednesday, Zone Conference. All day meeting with all of the missionaries from New Orleans, West Bank and Thibedeaux. We won the "In The Zone" award for the most baptisms in the Mission.

Thursday, Planning Meeting. We reviewed all of our projects (30) that we've been working on and came up with another thirty projects. Needless to say we've been busy and we don't see an end to the work that we are doing here in the New Orleans II Ward. We love the members and especially love the Bishop and his wife. It's amazing to see a Bishop love missionary work as much as Bishop Hector Garcia does. It makes the time fly.

Friday, Carlos and Elena Apartment Search. We took Carlos and Elena to look at an apartment and fill out the application. They have been staying in the Bishop's home for the past 6 weeks. The apartment is near one of the sets of missionaries and they will move in on Tuesday. Just in time for the Bishop's daughter to return home from her mission to Belgium France. YES - finally someone who will speak French.

Saturday, Food Purchase and Preparation. We bought the food and started preparing the building and the food for the meetings on Sunday. It took four hours to boil all of the spaghetti. Later that night we went out for dinner with the Bishop and his wife. We love them and appreciate all they do for the members here. They are both amazing.

Sunday, Sacrament Meeting Talks, New Member/Investigator Meeting. We spoke in the Jefferson Ward (English) Sacrament Meeting. Michelle challenged each family in the ward to go home and watch Mr. Kruegar's Christmas and then share it with a non-member. Don spoke on his FAVORITE topic, missionary work. Then we ran back to the kitchen and prepared the food for the lunch. It was a very busy, yet great day.

We have been working harder and harder each day. We are putting in more hours per day than we ever did at home and yet we are a lot healthier than we were at home. The blessings of serving a mission are great.

We love the Lord and we are really loving the work here in New Orleans. This week is transfers. Yippee!! We get to keep our same companion and we don't have to move. What a joy it is to serve a mission together. We do get to go thru the temple with all of the departing missionaries this week and that will be fun.