May 9, 2015 - Saturday

Mom and I were up early again this morning.  We had our morning prayers and devotional and our typical workout routine before we took off for our 6:30am community walk-around.  We hooked up with the new senior couple here in Carthage, the Hansen's, who joined us for the morning walk.  It was cool and cloudy with just a little humidity in the air.  We walked for almost 45 minutes and then mom went to the jail to clean it and I went with Elder Hansen to move some furniture at Bushnell mansion apartment complex.  We were home by 7:30am and it was a great start to the day.

I had a very interesting first tour this morning.  A man in his late 30's or early 40's came back to the visitors center from his visit yesterday.  He seemed very disturbed and I took a few minutes to talk with him.  He is a member and working very hard through substance abuse problems.  He indicated that he had been clean for over 5 years, but that his younger brother was killed over 3 years ago in a tragic car accident where he had been drinking and participating in substance abuse.  

He was very nervous and had a hard time making eye contact with me.  He was fixed on the fact that his brother was 5 years younger than him when he died and that they had that in common with Joseph and Hyrum.  He was feeling that it was a blessing that Joseph and Hyrum could die together and that he missed his brother very much.  My feeling was that he was leaning toward suicide.  I knew I needed to spend some time with him even through there were several groups heading in for tours.  It sure caught me off guard and I knew he needed to talk and needed my immediate attention.  I hope I was able to help.  He stayed around the center for several hours before he felt he could head back home.  He gave me a big bear hug so I felt he was thinking about our conversation and the goals I helped him lay out.  I have his email and will try to keep in touch....

In another tour yesterday, I met a couple that were applying for the mission I first saw online!  It was the director of the Seneca Lake Girls Camp!  Only, he had a leg up in that assignment.... his wife has been serving as the camp nurse for the last few years!

Mom and I were able to finally leave the visitors center at 5:15pm tonight after several late groups arrived after 4:30pm and wanted the full tour.  Generally we can go a few hours during the day with trickle in tours, but before we open and when we are ready to close, that is when the tours kick in to full swing!  Now, to add some more challenges to our already full schedule, we were told that starting next week we need to be in Nauvoo at 6:00pm instead of 6:30pm for Sunset practice.  I just had to raise my hand to let the director know that Carthage missionaries probably would not make that earlier time!  Let's see.... missionary work, or ...... singing, dancing and acting...... which is it? We are crazy busy and there is no let up in the in the foreseeable future.  Is it possible to survive a full time senior mission?  Only time will tell!

Happy Mother's Day to our daughters, Josie, Amy and Ali, and our daughter in law Mary!  Also, Happy Birthday precious Josie!  She has her birthday and Mother's Day on the same day this year and what a special date that is: 5-10-15!  We sure love you! ... and Happy Mother's Day to all our friends checking our blog today!