Aug. 28 This week in Lafayette

Since we have been assigned to the Lafayette First Ward, much of what we will do will center around the first ward and the Institute Ward.  We are excited to be serving these two wards!!  They are awesome people and are excited to have us in their wards.

The Institute Ward is composed of the single brothers and sister who have come from various areas to attend the LDS Ward here.  Our job is to locate them, give them support, and see what we can do to assist the institute Director.  We have contacted at least 100 people to update information and invite them to the opening social last week.  Now, our goal will be to locate freshman and be sure they are invited to attend and be a part of things at the institute.  We also attend and help with an institue class one night a week.  It is taught by the director, who is a wonderful man and teacher.  Today we are making cinnamon rolls for the students afterwards.  Yummy!!!!

The Institute Director, last week,  ask if Elder Whiting would like to teach a class on the Book of Mormon and what time would be best for him.   Elder Whiting  replied that the mornings we would be available, so Bro Isenbarger  was going to see if there was interest for that time.  Elder Whiting relates so well to the students and missionaries.  He loves getting to know them and teasing them about silly things.  He has a great relationship with them.  We have such a large district and he is truly the grandfather of them all.  A mutual relationship has developed.  He loves teasing them about the length of their ties and their patters.  He began mimicking them with his ties and they do get a laugh out of it.

We love the city of Lafayette.  It is such a clean city!!!  Laura told me it, (meaning the University,) was considered the BYU of the East, or something like that.  We can definitely see why.   Many of the people that live in our wards are professors there or else they are working on their PHD degree.  From Utah and Idaho, many of them have been here several years, or have returned after leaving once.

Bishop Allred, the Bishop in the Firrst Ward has just returned after leaving for a couple of years where he lived in Highland, Utah.  He still has a home there that he is saving for retirement.  This Bishop Allred has this ward set up to run itself!!  He has fully empowered the leaders and members of the ward to take care of their stewardships!!!  If someone is in need, where is their home teacher?  He even has their home teachers okay Bishop's orders and help that they may need.  Last Sunday in ward correlation he spent the whole time explaining to them the process for submitting names for callings, and how they would communicate to them as soon as a name is approved or not.  He explained to them about their responsibility to their organizations and that he did not micromanage!!!  He does not want to hear the little problems, but have them work them out for themselves.

The Whitings are in awe of this man.  We were in their home for dinner last Sunday, and we loved being around their positive parenting.  Sister Allred is Hawaiian or Japanese.  Their children are mixtures.  Sister Allred is in the Relief Society presidency and spends hours and hours ministering to sisters in the ward who have needs.  As missionaries they have steered us into these people too, so that we can support the ward and minister also.  They have spent a lot of time building relationship with their members.  I would describe them as open people with loving hearts!!! 

Because I was sick last week with the flu, Elder Whiting had to do a lot of the work here at home.  But after two days, I felt a lot better.  We have assisted the young Missionaries whenever we can.  They just stop over to our apartment when they need a ride home at night and we run them home.  They are such fine young men and want to do what the Lord asks.  These two particular male missionaries are from Utah and Arizona, I think.  The one served in Richmond just before we got there, so we know a lot of the same people and the siutation in Richmond.  We have enjoyed sharing that.  Elder Sorenson is about 24 years old and has already graduated from college.  He has only been out about two months.

We saw Mary yesterday at the Rehabilitation center.  We learned it was her birthday and we took a balloon, a card, and a chocolate milkshake and wished her a happy birthday.  She was very happy to see us and is getting on her feet steadily.  She will probably go home by Thursday.  She can't wait to see her cats. 

Yesterday we also saw Sister Mcgothlin in the hospital.  They are great grandparents raising their great-grand children because their daughter is in prison.  They were converted later in life, so their children resisted the Gospel.  Anyway they are running tests and pretty much she is there for a rest, I think.  Her husband asked the Dr. to keep her for a couple of days so she could rest!!  It is a sad situation because they dislike their situation so much. Imagine how the kids must feel.  They are all under 12.

Melody lives in our apartment complex and we gave her the second new member lessons last night.  The spirit was strong and it was a great opportunity for us to teach her.  Even though she was baptized in May, she has not been able to be very active.  Her boyfriend reads the scriptures with her over the phone and answers her questions pretty much.

I love being here on our mission.  I love studying the scriptures, and visiting others and ministering to them.  It is such a blessing in our lives to do this at this time.  My testimony continues to increase in depth and volume.  I love the scriptures so much.  Expecially I am loving the New Testiment and the Book of Mormon.  I love having access to the spirit continually.  I love the mantle that we have as missionaries to carry the spirit with us.

Tomorrow we are going to a couple of the young members homes to help them in learning how to cook and make bread.  That will be fun.  Some of them have been like me and are learning how to do these things.  I'm glad we can be of help!

We went to dinner Sunday at the Stake President's home.  He is a wonderful fellow.  So young.  He and his counselors took a trip to Alaska to go deep sea fishing.  They had such a great time and brought home lots of fish.  They invited us over to share in their Halibut.  He was laughing about it and said when all was said and done, the fish must have cost them about $16.00 a pound!!!  Maybe it was more, I don't know.  But he baked it in the oven and it was so good!!!!  We loved it.  The spirit is very alive here and we enjoy that!!