Jensen Missouri Mission: June 2012

Friday, June 29, 2012

Farewell and Welcome

May 22, 2012

We have really become attached to the sister missionaries. We got to know them so well at the Temple Open House, we just loved them all. We drove to Olathe to give Sister Hinckley her picture of all the sister missionaries at the temple and say good bye to her. She is truly one who "has no guile"!

Sister Atkin, Sister Hinckley and Sister Jensen

We love it when we can go to the airport and pick up new missionaries. They usually come in alone, for one reason or another, sometimes they are visa waiters. We pick them up, take them on a mini church site tour, take them to the mission office for their mission picture, then deliver them to the mission home where President Keyes interviews them and then sends them to their new companion.

This Elder was born in Somoa, he came to America three years ago
when he converted to the church. He has been living with his uncle and aunt in Provo.
He is the only member of his immediate family and a great Rugby player.

Hospital Visits

May 29, 2012

Sometimes we just never know where the day is going to take us. We went to Zone Conference today at the Liberty Stake House. Everything was going pretty well until Sister Sibbett started complaining of pain in her stomach. About an hour before the conference was over she was feeling terrible, so we ended up in the emergency room with her.

Sister Sibbett before the stomach ache began,
now THIS is princess hair!

Waiting for medical attention!
Sister Sibbett and her companion, Sister Conrow.

The real sleeping beauty!

June 6, 2012

A week later we were asked to go to another hospital to pick up Elder Hedrlick. At the Zone Conference in Olathe, the day after Sister Sibbett's hospital visit, Ellder Hedrlick came in asking for a blessing. He was taken to the hospital shortly after and operated on for a ruptured appendix. He must have been pretty tuff! He had been hurting for a couple of days, but just thought he had the flu!

Does he look like he is ready to go home?

Elder Hedrlick and Elder Simmons
Good to see a smile!

When something like this happens, your companion stays with you 24/7!

The Arabia Steamboat Shipwreck

May 28, 2012

P Day! We were invited to go to the Arabia Steamboat Museum with the Hardy's and Eddy's. It was amazing! Everyone needs to see the wonderful artifacts that are on display! The steamboat sank about 1856. Since then, the Missouri River has changed course. So a farmer and his 3 sons decided to look for it. They pooled all their money together and began the search, having no idea what they were doing or what they would really find. They found the steamboat in a corn field! Everything that was made of wood had to be frozen as soon as it was uncovered. The story is fascinating! The artifacts are beautiful and amazing! By the way, no one lost there life, except one donkey!

Most of the clothes did not survive, they just fell apart as they were uncovered.
So all the buttons and beads were removed. They were so beautiful and delicate!
This is just a small display of them, there are thousands!

Besides personal items, this was a ship carrying cargo that would
have filled a early American WalMart. Think massive inventory!

Most of the pottery that was recovered was in perfect condition.
Some still in its original packaging, beautiful pieces originating from England.

Jerry, Mary Eddy, Richard Eddy, President Hardy and Sister Hardy
This picture is in front of a section on the early saints traveling west.

The man's ring on the upper right side looks very
much like the wedding ring Joseph Smith wore.

Beauty in Missouri

I walked about 1 1/2 miles from our apartment,
stood on a little hill and zoomed in on my camera for this photo.
The temple is about 2 1/2 miles away.

Begonias at the Visitors Center, the petals are so lacy looking,
one might think they are made of silk!

One morning I went for a walk alone, this has been the only time
I have ever seen cows in the field on the sidewalk side of the road.
They graze quit often on the other side of the road.

The Temple Run

May 19, 2012

We got up real early and put on our best outdoor missionary clothes and headed to the temple. Last year our stake president organized a special "Temple Run". The entire community was invited, all were asked to bring food items to donate to the "In As Much Ministry". Then participate in a 5K run. The run started from the church parking lot next to the temple, the runners ran/walked the 3 miles, then returned to the church. It was a great success, many friends from other faiths participated, allowing them to see the construction of the new temple. It was such a great event, they wanted to do it again this year. Last year 50 missionaries were used as volunteer help. This year we could only have about 10 of us officially, more showed up later on with their investigators. It was so much fun. Jerry and I helped out wherever we were needed. I cut oranges in quarters with Sister Park and Sister Satterthwaite for the first hour. Then we went to the half way marker and passed out water to the runners as they went by. I think Jerry picked about 2,000 cups up off the ground. A runner would come by, grab a cup of water, drink it as fast as possible, then throw the cup on the lawn. We might suggests having a few garbage cans available next year!

After the 5K was over, they had all kinds of fresh fruit, drinks and Granola bars for everyone. Special races for the kids and tee shirts with the temple on were sold. It was really a great time, people came from all over, another wonderful way to bring attention to the beautiful Kansas City Missouri Temple!

Almost over . . . .

Time for the clean up!

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Chicken Dinner at Stroud's

May 17, 2012

We had heard from several people about this great restaurant we needed to try, "Stroud's". We are told it was the best place in town to get a good "home cooked" chicken dinner. So we called the bishop of our ward, since we are his Home Teachers and asked if they would like to join us there - we could kill two birds with one stone! Have a great dinner with wonderful friends, and call it home teaching! So we got there early, we heard it could get busy. Had to wait 40 minutes - crazy! It was Thursday night! The restaurant was quiet charming, it is in an old house off of the freeway. Totally away from any other kind of businessses.

We din't know the ladies that were sitting behind us, but we were sure curious about
what was in the large ceramic chicken sitting on the table.
They had huge straws, both sipping whatever it was!

Really?!

Green salad, fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans with bits of bacon,
hot cinnamon rolls . . .
he looks like a happy man!

Our Bishop away from home, Lane Vance, and his wife Sandi.

What more can I say!

Thursday, June 14, 2012

A Great Visit

The day of the Cultural Celebration, Blaine and Joyce and Lora, and Scott, Jodie, and Jodie's parents flew to Missouri. Jeff and Ali and their two kids drove from Michigan. We were busy making sandwiches and gathering with the missionaries, so we weren't able to see them until after the celebration. Jodie's parents, Max and Shirley, served their mission here in the Visitors Center. Ali did too, so they were really excited to come see the new temple. It was so much fun to have them. We were able to get some really great seats at the Cultural Celebration for them, they were really close to President Monson!

Blaine, Joyce and Lora stayed with us while everyone else stayed in a motel nearby. Sunday was the temple dedication. We had to be in different rooms in the temple, but we were all able to go at the same time. Jerry and I were really the lucky ones, we were able to be in the Celestial Room with President Monson, Elder and Sister Holland, and Elder Walker. Thanks to Elder and Sister Deshler! We felt so blessed to be able to be there! It was a once in lifetime experience.

Sunday afternoon we had dinner in our apartment. It was so nice to be able to visit with everyone. Jodie's parents were especially kind and fun to get to know a little better. We had such a great time with everyone! Quinn and Ella kept us entertained. It was just so great having everyone here.

Monday morning Jerry and I got up early and went to the very first temple session ever held in the Kansas City Missouri Temple. I am still wondering how someone like me could be so blessed to have such great experiences! There we were with everyone who had served on the Temple Committee. Such a wonderful privilege! After the ceremony, we all met at the stake center for a special brunch with the Deshler's. They gave each of us a beautiful picture of the temple, a box of chocolates and a white umbrella from the temple open house. After we ate, we all shared our thoughts and feelings about this amazing event.

We spent the rest of Monday eating, and visiting church sites . . . the Visitors Center and Liberty Jail. I wish we would have gone to the jail on Sunday. After the dedication, President Monson wanted to visit the Jail. Our sister missionaries prayed him there! Really!

Tuesday was Adam-ondi-Aham day. We took wheelchairs and pushed Blaine and Max around. It was great! We had lunch at our favorite hamburger joint in Hamilton, "Past Times". Then we drove to Far West. Dinner was at "Buffalo Wings". Sometimes I think we center our life around where we are going to have our next meal! (Is there anything wrong with that!?)