Opportunities Here and There - Post: 2013

After coming home from our mission, we had been attending church in the Rosebud branch, which was about 45 miles from the farm.  Sam served as the councilor to President Roger Allen, and I served as the Primary president with Patti Busch as my councilor.  Being a small branch, Patti also taught the Senior Primary children, and I taught the Junior Primary.  At first, I also was the chorister; but after the Gilsons moved to Rosebud, she served as the chorister.  Michelle Allen was the accompanist.  Sam and I also served for a time in the Bismarck Temple and appreciated that opportunity to go once a month for the Thursday evening, Friday evening, and Saturday morning sessions.

 

These are the cute kids who regularly attended my CTR class.

(Averie, T.J., Zeidyn, and Rogan 

I also served as the secretary in the Pierre District Relief Society.  The following two photos were taken at our last district enrichment social in Pierre on September 8, 2012, my last time to serve in that position.

Pierre District Relief Society Presidency

Phyllis Rogers (in maroon) - District Primary President

Darlene Olson (left) and Lorena Derflinger (right) - councilors

Narene Ireland - secretary 

Phyllis and I have been friends for years, going back to the time her son Wayne and my son Ryan were in high school together.  When Wayne, Ryan, and Brent were being taught seminary by Phyllis's husband, Bob, she and I would meet to study the Relief Society lessons together.  It has been a pleasure to serve with these ladies.  In addition to being the secretary, Phyllis often had me give one of the lessons, which I did on this day in September.  The theme of my presentation was "Out of the Best Books."   

A group photo of the sisters attending the

Pierre District Relief Society social

on September 8, 2012.

(I took the photo, which accounts 

for the empty chair in the middle.)

In the community, Sam and I worked with Joyce Wilson and others preserving and displaying historical items in the Martin Heritage Center and in promoting other historical events in the community.  Joyce was instrumental along with Rick Zeigler (now deceased) in establishing the Historical Center, and she is the catalyst for sponsoring related historical events.   A major achievement during the year of Martin's Centennial in 2011 was getting a book published with photos and histories of Martin residents, businesses, and organizations.  I worked on that big project with Joyce and Ardeth Kocourek.  We three spent many hours writing, scanning, proofing, and editing. 

  Touring two rural cemeteries, 

 Grace Cemetery and the Lady of the Lake Cemetery. 

 Joyce Wilson (right) organized these tours.

(Sam is in the middle with the gray cap.) 

Now that we are members of another community, we are having the opportunity of different experiences.  We are the coordinators in the Nursery at church, which we are enjoying.  Our ward building is a short five minutes away, which is nice.  Sam and I have also been called to serve in the Provo Temple, which is a wonderful opportunity.  My mother and father served in the Provo Temple years ago when the temple was first dedicated.  I think about that when I am there.

Wherever you go, there are new things to experience and appreciate, and Sam and I are grateful for our good health that we can continue to serve where we can and to enjoy being part of our family, church, and community.  

Missionary Reunions with Senior Couples

A reunion for senior couples who had served in the Europe East Area as humanitarian missionaries was hosted by John and Frances Holmes in Lehi, Utah, on April 3rd.  The next evening, the Holmes invited to their home the senior couples who had served in Moscow during the time the Holmes were there, and we appreciate being included.  

 

Our hosts, John and Frances Holmes,

came to Moscow to replace us as the Area Welfare Specialists

when we completed our mission.  

Although we met them in person for the first time at this reunion,

we had Skyped with them before leaving Moscow

to help with the transition and had prepared a 

notebook with information we hoped would be useful.

We enjoyed meeting them in their home.

Unfortunately, I did not take my camera to the reunion the first evening; but we enjoyed visiting with humanitarian couples we had served with and provided training and support.  It was nice seeing the Abneys (met them for the first time at the reunion, but had planned on meeting them in Egypt on our Mediterranean cruise in 2010); Blotters (Yerevan, Armenia); Burtons (replaced us as Country Directors for Russia); Fifields (Izmir, Turkey); Holmes (replaced us as Area Welfare Specialists); Looslies (Istanbul, Turkey); Wades (Minsk, Belarus); and Wellings (Astana, Kazakhstan).

The following photos were taken April 4 at the reunion with the missionary couples who had served in Moscow. 

Clark Mason (left) visiting with 

Arva and LaVere Burton, who had

replaced us in Moscow living in our apartment and

working in the Service Center.

At the end of our mission,

several changes were made in the Area office.

Vlad Nechiporov had been called to be

a new mission president and his 

humanitarian administrative responsibilities

were taken over by David Stapley, the DTA,

with the humanitarian work divided

between the Holmes (Europe East Area) and the 

Burtons (Russia Country Directors).     

Also, the church began using a new software program 

to keep track of humanitarian projects.

John Homes and Renee Mason

Renee's husband, Clark (pictured above with the Burtons),

was the Area Auditor in the Service Center in Moscow. 

Rose Marie Childs (left) and Les Childs (right)

have been adopted into the Moscow group

after helping to host our Moscow senior couples reunion 

in 2010 in Cedar City.  They had become acquainted

 with some of the senior couples in Moscow while serving in Samara.

They are a fun couple and did a wonderful job

with our 2010 reunion, and it was nice seeing them again.   

Sandy and Dennis Rasmussen

They began their mission as the office couple

for the Moscow West Mission, but then later

were reassigned to serve in another city.

  

 Sandy Rasmussen, Linda Rees, Andrea Cranney, 

and Frances Holmes

Linda and Steve Rees live in Salem and 

picked us up to go with them

on April 4th for the Moscow Reunion.

Steve had been the Area doctor.

Andrea is President Cranney's wife, the former mission president

of the Moscow Mission.  As mentioned above,

Sandy and her husband served in the Moscow West Mission;

and Frances served in the Area office with her husband, John.   

Sam is visiting with Steve Rees and Charles Cranney.

Steve's wife and Charles' wife are in the preceding photo.

Steve had replaced Dr. McCune as the Area doctor,

and President Cranney was the mission president for

the Moscow Mission while we were in Russia.

We began our mission assigned to the 

Moscow West Mission with President Collins;

but when the boundaries were changed, we became

part of President Cranney's mission.

It was nice reuniting with those couples Sam and I had served with during our mission, and we also enjoyed meeting those who came after our mission ended.