No Place Like Home

I get to write 2 weeks’ worth of blog since we have been so busy.  Last weekend our good friends Dale and Margaret Smith came for a visit.  We did the obligatory walk of the Brooklyn Bridge and pizza at Grimaldi’s after seeing the Tenement Museum.  We only got lost four or five times and did a ton of walking.  We had a wonderful time and it was worth the residual pain.

Dale & Margaret at Green-wood Cemetery in Brooklyn.  It was
a beautiful day.

Tenement Museum

The Tenement Museum in Manhattan shows what life was like for immigrants coming to our country from Italy, Ireland and Germany among others.  It was fascinating and makes me very grateful for what I have.  Even our tiny apartment here seems like a mansion in comparison to how these people lived.  It was a nice tour and gave us renewed respect for all immigrants who come here trying to make a new life.

The Smiths left on Monday.  We were sad to see them go but it was probably good that we didn’t have more time with them because things got kind of crazy Monday afternoon.  We got word that Hurricane Irma might be headed our way so I began to feel pretty anxious about making sure our missionaries are prepared for any disaster.  I was kind of worried that a hurricane would hit and their emergency kits would still be spread out in our office waiting to be completed.  Luckily the hurricane passed to the east.  The kits are still spread out in the office but much closer to being completed.  I did email the missionaries and asked them to resist the temptation to go to the shore to get pictures of the big waves.  Not sure how many heeded my advice.

Marc went into Manhattan again this week with some elders to pick up some new cars.  We have 4 now out of 12 to be delivered.  It was kind of the highlight of the elders’ week to get to walk through Manhattan and then drive through.  The only part of Manhattan they ever get to see is the block around the Temple.  The cars are pretty—RAV4 SUVs and all the missionaries are asking if they can have them.

Dennis, Me, Marc

This weekend (Friday – Saturday) we drove up to New Hampshire to see my brother Dennis and his wife Ann.  (We were AWOL so shhh…don’t tell anyone.)  Except for the traffic getting there and back, it was wonderful!  We really enjoyed visiting with them and I loved being surrounded by green!  It makes me realize how much I miss New England.  I appreciated Marc's willingness to chauffeur me there and back.

I had to get a picture of a NH stone wall.

We stopped at an apple orchard in northern Massachusetts.  The view
was spectacular.  They boasted a view of 3 states (I suppose VT NH & Mass)

This past week I started Spanish class at the church.  The elders and sisters teach and there were only 3 of us students:  Jay, a young Korean sister and me.  The teacher to student ratio was great.

The hurricanes and earthquakes have given me opportunity to reflect.   Our hearts go out to those who have lost so much.  Many members of our Branch and several of our missionaries have family in those areas.  Many people mention that they wish they could go down and help clean up.  Then I think, “we have so many people around us who are affected by some personal disaster or other—loss of jobs, sickness, poverty, loss of family members.”  These people are just as devastated as the people in Mexico and the Caribbean.  It has given me the desire to be more aware of those around me and to try to think of ways I can help them and strengthen them.

Time is flying so fast!  Each week as I get to know the members of our little Branch, it gets harder to think of leaving them--especially the kids!  I don’t know when I can ever be this happy again.  I am truly grateful for the tender mercies of the Lord that I see and feel every day.

Some random missionary pics:  We love them all!

The elders were elated to be in Manhattan.

This was our week to take the missionaries to the Temple.