October has flown

 October seems to have simply flown by. Already it's November. We continue to be anxiously engaged. Our missionary days are filled with visits to less active members, taking food to needy families, and driving to and from missionary meetings with the young Elders.  Sundays are busy with meetings, starting with Elder Jeppesen's PPI, then Branch Council twice a month, then on to church services with Sister Jeppesen being chorister for Sacrament Meeting and Primary and serving as visiting co-ordinator for the Relief Society, then afterwards directing the Branch Choir. We're learning the beautiful arrangement of "Bethlehem" we sang and enjoyed so much in our Mantua ward.  Today was Buffalo Stake Conference. The building was filled to capacity, and our dear friends the Sternishas saved us a seat on the third row.  We listened to our leaders plead with families to speak kindly, show love and respect, and study the scriptures together.  We heard President Christianson explain our missionary duties and commitments. Recently, President Christianson told us that with the change in missionary ages, the New York Rochester Mission will likely increase its missionary force from 100 to 200+.  He also tells us missionary applications in the church as a whole are up 471%. 

The Amish live an hour or so from where we live.  For p-day a few weeks ago we took a drive through the Amish countryside.  Here is a photo of Elder Jeppesen admiring a ground-driven Amish corn chopper. It is interesting to see these are still being used today. Not referring to the Amish now, but farming itself is truly big business in this area.  Elder Jeppesen enjoys watching the way farming is done out here. There's corn, squash, cabbage, soybeans, potatoes, all kinds of vegetables, and acres and acres of vineyards.  

Elder and Sister Atkinson drove from Palmyra every weekend for six months to provide support to our Cattaraugus Branch. During the week they served as temple missionaries at the Palmyra Temple.  They took off for home last week.  They live in Kamas, Utah.  The Campbell's insisted on throwing them a farewell dinner.  As always, it was a feast.  We will miss them.

Included also are some photos from our Primary Halloween Party.  The children had a great time and we were able to visit with several less active members and provide a little help for the Primary leaders.

Hurricane Sandy certainly made all of us stand up and take notice.  The missionaries were told to stay in, have food and water for several days.  We had strong wind gusts and a moderate amount of rain.  In our area it ended up being pretty mild, but not in other areas.  Our Branch President received a call yesterday for cleanup volunteers who are willing to work with power saws, donate their generators, and stay for several days in very primitive conditions to help clean up the debris along the coastline.  The church volunteers have been activated.  I haven't heard yet if that will include our young missionaries.  We have to admit we're too old to be much help there

On a sad note, Elder Jeppesen's sister Linda John from Portage, Utah, passed away last week after a short bout with cancer. We will miss her and our hearts are full of concern for her family.  With the Hurricane coming, though, and feeling our best service to the Lord was right here, we opted against going home for the services. 

 

Elder and Sister Western from Alpine, Utah have joined us as Senior Missionaries for our District.  We're so glad they're here.  They are serving for a year so we'll be leaving for home about the same time.  Serving a mission is an incredible time to focus upon personal testimonies and we're doing just that.  President Christianson spent several hours in our last training helping us understand the gathering of Israel and the role of the Book of Mormon.  It takes our focus to a whole new level when we see it in light of the Lord's work of gathering. The church is true, Joseph Smith was a true Prophet of God, the Gospel has incredible power to change and bless our lives, if we are willing to let it.  What a blessing it is to be missionaries!