March 27, 2022- The Calendar Tells Me It's Spring

It’s not quite the end of March….

But it has been a longer and at the end of the month particularly busy one. We got a couple of quieter weeks mid-month, but transfers and Mission Leadership Conference (MLC) will keep us hopping at the end.

I’ll let Mom fill you in on Melanie and families visit—what a treat and some new spots to see and experience. It's fun to see how new visitors experience what we now have seen more than a couple of times, and like the places so much that we just have to go back.

For me, a month of swapping out older cars for new ones, and April will be just as busy--I'll have swapped 25 cars by the end of April. Most of our fleet are Chevy Equinoxes, all-wheel drive, 5 passenger cars that fit most of the stuff that missionaries like to carry around. Books of Mormon and tracts are usually in there, but they also carry food, sporting goods, and tools that they use when performing service. When I swap out cars lots of this gets abandoned, so we pick up snow shovels, trimming shears, safety vests, rubber gloves and more. When I make my “you didn’t drive so good last week” calls, I often catch them working at food banks, in libraries, graveyards, or horse corrals. All our missionaries participate in service, and it does so much for their communities, the positive image they portray, and it allows them to re-focus and connect in different and productive ways. They all know how to work and are very creative about finding ways to serve.

We bade farewell to another 8 missionaries this past week, and one was Sister Natalie Yoho. She’s headed to Utah State for a pre-med program and had several assignments in the Manchester area. When she would send in her monthly mileage report (DVR= Daily Vehicle Report), it often came with a fun poem. Here are two:

Most magnificent Elder Henscheid

In you we will confide

You may have to chastise us for our pride

That we are trying so hard to hide

When we roll up to meetings in our sweet new ride

It’s a glorious Rav4

We couldn’t ask for more

Because even when we’re sore

We are basking in its glore

Now we wanted to give you a treat

For keeping us safe on the street,

Something that couldn’t be beat,

Sister Langi recommends horse meat

But maybe I’ll make something out of wheat.

Anyways you have both our DVR’s

And now my attempt at writing poetry so fars

It wouldn’t line up to any musical bars

But it’s better to aim for the star

And maybe I’ll end up on Mars!

*****

To the mighty Czar

The ruler of the cars

To the keeper of the keys

Ignore our ‘Check-your-speeds’ please!

Now in the grand finale

We have a complete tally

Of miles driven so far

By the Bedford 2A car

One thousand & seventy miles

(almost) all driven with smiles

Four fifty-nine were exempt

And the DVR was well kempt.

But one of our greatest defeats,

Was a problem with the receipts,

We can’t locate #1

And on the 18^th the pump was just done.

We think you will be elated,

To hear our tires are inflated,

And with the latest change in oil,

We can drive clean past Lamoille.

This DVR is swell

But it is with sadness I say Farewell!

While TIWI I will not miss

After New England all driving will be Bliss!

Sister Yoho, as with all the others we send home, will be missed!!

Here’s to Mom….

Hi All,

Not sure what to add to Dad's news...

We are still waiting for warmer weather to come and STAY!! Like Dad mentioned we have had a busy month - which is good.

We loved having the Morali visit us this month! We enjoyed experiencing places that we like to visit with people we enjoy spending time with. We got permission to use the mission MOOSE - the 12 passenger van- while they were here. It was great to be able to travel from place to place all in the same vehicle. Made our visiting time much longer also, because we could multitask - drive and visit all together, all at the same time.

We went to a maple syrup and cheese farm which was a new experience for all of us. A pretty small operation - just a family farm and they have opened it up for visitors to learn about how maple syrup is made and how they make their cheese. Free samples were included which was a good enticement to get us to spend money in the store. pretty good stuff - we used our maple syrup purchases on pancakes the next day. Made pancakes almost palatable.

Our time on the beach was great. We gathered large clam shells for Emma to take home to her classmates - 28 of them! (I know the picture shows Leah but included for the size of shell) On this particular beach that took about 10 minutes! They were found in abundance.

We went to the Minute Man Bridge, the Joseph Smith birthplace, beaches and lighthouses, saw covered bridges and ate lots of yummy food including seafood for the brave at heart. We planned family game time into our visit so that there could be fudge and popcorn. We were sad that the time passed so quickly and we had to bring our visit to a close, BUT so grateful that they came to visit.

Mission life is about the same - transfers, Mission Leader Council, Follow up training for the new missionaries, zone conferences throughout the mission and then time for transfers - the cycle of mission life. Each of those events involves food - you know "when we meet - we eat". So I stay busy. If any of you have tasty, easy recipes that would be loved by all, please send them my way. Sometimes coming up with food ideas is exhausting. But we do love the opportunities we have to spend time with our missionaries.

New Englanders have a saying - "I'm all set!" Said with their arm extended and hand up- kind of like the motion for STOP The missionaries hear it all the time. It is used all the time- when you pay at the store- "you're all set", in response to a question- "I'm all set" At times it is maddening - people holding you at a distance and basically telling you to go away. Well, the other night at our farewell dinner with the departing missionaries, Elder May was giving his piece of advice that we are asked to give as senior missionaries, and he was talking about the temple and he extended his arm and put up his hand as described above and said- "I want you to recognize and remember that there are 5 covenants we make in the temple" That really spoke to me and put a positive spin on that hand motion - 5 Covenants! Then today in sacrament meeting one of the speakers did the same thing and talked about 5 principles of the Gospel - Faith, Repentance, Baptism, the Holy Ghost and Enduring to the end. So for me now, everytime, someone tells me I'm all set- I will be thinking of temple covenants and gospel principles!! A much more positive train of thought.

I hope all of you are well and staying busy. As I have said before, we love hearing from you, anytime, and anyway, so stay in touch.

Love you Lots,

Mom