February's Update

Here we are, nearly ten months into our mission.  The time continues to fly. Last night we attended President Christianson’s missionary fireside in Amherst.  We have several new missionaries here now, some just 18 years old.  In last transfer our mission received 18 Elders and 2 Sisters and next transfer will receive 10 more Elders and 10 Sisters. 

We are seeing growth in our own Cattaraugus Branch.  Sacrament Meeting attendance is up, which is encouraging.  Elder Jeppesen continues to serve as Branch Mission Leader.  We hold weekly meetings in our apartment with the young Elders.  They live in the apartment just below ours.  The Elders usually stay and have lunch with us after the meeting.  We often provide another meal for them during the week as well.  I’ve given several Elder haircuts and no complaints so farJ Elder Jeppesen and I are teaching two families right now, an investigator couple and a less active family.  It’s difficult yet to say whether they are going to make progress in the gospel but we are sending our prayers up hoping it will happen.  Sundays are really busy days for us. Meetings start for Elder Jeppesen at 7:00 am.   I’m still leading music wherever it’s needed. The branch choir is preparing a nice Beebe arrangement of “I Stand All Amazed” for Easter Sunday.  Easter weekend is something we’re really looking forwards to because our oldest son Ty and his family are coming out then to spend a few days and visit Church History sites.