Settled in the East

Another photo of Elder and Sister Jeppesen leaving their home state of Utah for a trek back across the plains.  Included is a photo of a short stop at Winter Quarters Visitors center in Council Bluffs, Iowa, where we learned how the pioneers loaded up their wagons for the trek to Utah.  It gave us a chance to contrast their's to our own journey.  

And, at last, settled in our home in the East.  Above is a photo of the school which houses our apartment (upstairs left) and the young Elders' (downstairs left).  A few days after our arrival we celebrated Elder Kitt's twentieth birthday (far right), Elder Larson's departure (center), and Elder Richardson's arrival (far left) at a dinner in our apartment.

Following church on Sunday, Brother and Sister Campbell invited us to their home for Mother's Day dinner.  They fed us a huge, lovely meal.  Later that day we had steak dinner with Branch President and Sister Jones and their family.  Following dinner President Jones and His father Hugh Jones (also in our Branch) entertained us with numbers they performed as the warmup act for the Alex Boye concert at BYU's DeJong Concert Hall at BYU last April.

The Cattaragus Branch meetinghouse is located on the Seneca Reservation.  Of the 7000 Seneca Indians nationwide, 2000 live on the reservation here.

Called to Serve in the New York Rochester Mission

We received our call on January 24, 2012.  On April 23, 2012 we reported at the MTC.  After spending Monday thru Friday in the MTC learning about missionary work, doing some serious role-playing, and making great new friends like Elder and Sister Stumm from Spokane, Washington and headed for Capetown, South Africa.  (See photos) We came home, loaded up our Chrysler Pacifica (and I mean loaded.  Almost popped the new tires!) we got in the car and set out.  But--the car wouldn't start.  Luckily, our friends Maurice Carter and Kenny Davis had just left us after helping with last minute tasks like draining the water heaters, parking the four-wheeler, and loading the car.  We called and they responded.  In just a few minutes they showed up again, jump started our car, and followed us to Walmart.  In just a few minutes we had a new battery and set off--in earnest this time.  Thank goodness for good friends and that we were able to take care of this before we were on the plains of Kansas.  The trip was long and hard on the backside but we arrived in Rochester, New York on Wednesday afternoon as planned.  We had a lovely lunch with mission president and wife Jack and Melanie Christiansen from Orem.  Following lunch we drove to the mission office in Fairport, New York, picked up some missionary materials, and headed to our pre-determined, assigned area.

We have been sent to serve in the same mission Joseph Smith sent the first missionaries of the restored church:  to the Lamanites living in Southwest New York.  (Remember Parley Pratt, Ziba Peterson, Oliver Cowdery and Peter Whitmer Jr. being sent? See D&C 32). Our home is a remodeled old brick schoolhouse built in 1851 that holds four apartments.  The two young elders, Elder Kitt and Elder Richardson, live right below us.  The apartment is comfy, the water impossible to drink because of high sulfur levels, and the area right now is green, lush and hilly, with lots of trees, farmland, and scattered homes that make us feel like we're really in the country.  I walk two miles each day through the vineyards across the road.