082 Tuesday to Tuesday (November 11-17, 2015)

We are beginning to look forward to Thanksgiving. We will actually have a place to go this year. Last year we went to the Potawanami Casino for dinner. The buffet was not bad, but the worst part was that you had to walk through the sea of smoke to get to the restaurant. Ugh! It will be better to eat with friends.

Both of us had doctor appointments on Wednesday the 11^th. I am getting my shoulder looked at for the first time in years. It hurts all the time now, and so I asked the doctor what to do. Craig went in to see about his headaches that he has been having that are associated with his eyes. The doctor made arrangements for Craig to get an MRI to see if that will tell them what is happening. His headaches are migraines behind the eye if you can imagine that. That night we had the last PAF meeting for the year. These people are so professional in their presentations. I did notice this time (for the first time) that the speakers set their presentations up to see the live page of what they were teaching. I really think they are following me.  Haha

On Thursday, we went to the Temple, and as usual, we felt blessed to be in the House of the Lord. Each week we go and have been shuffled around to have a different film when we go. We love the different films and what we can learn from each one. 

Is it just me, or are we looking goofier with each picture?  haha

It's interesting that as we attend the Temple more, the Lord is beginning to open my eyes to what it means. For the first time, I really began to grasp an idea about the symbolism of the Temple. Where have I been? I feel so much better prepared to understand what it all means. It has opened up more meaning in the Temple ceremony.

That night at Pathway, we had to meet in the Relief Society room because the High Council was meeting.  Afterwards, Craig had to give one of the students (Nathaniel) a blessing.  He is a good student, works at a hotel like Bethanne did before she started college, and has some trouble with blood clots in his legs. He does not have a good self-image, and he is funny and sarcastic. He has had bad health for a while, and he came to class feeling sick. We asked if he would like a blessing, and he consented. I really didn't think he would. When they got in the room, Craig had asked another student (Tom) to join in. Craig then asked Nate if he would like someone else give him the blessing, and he chose Tom (who is in Nate's Ward) who really needed the opportunity to do it. Evidently, it was a very special time for all those involved.

 On Friday, we were busy making the arrangements for Denise to get to Church, but she won’t come on her own. She talked about her dad last time I saw her. She is trying to get him to ask her to live with him. That would be a good idea because her dad doesn’t allow drugs or alcohol in his home. We didn't hear from Denise after making all the arrangements. 

Omar called us and asked if we would pick up his daughter from his former wife's (Desiree Woods) home and bring her to him. Ever-so-often he gets the daughter to stay with him for a weekend. It is such a joy to him to have her around. As it turned out, he got a bus over to the Woods' home and while there she toured us over the house. It is smack-dab down in the worst part of town. They have a fence all around their property out back, and they plan to build a pool. I can see the gangsters now just crawling over the fence to swim for a while. They got the house for a steal - probably because of its location. They have done a few things to it, but it is really nice. Both Desiree and her husband, John, work nearby. John used to be a minister in his Church, and they still call him to preach. I believe he investigated and joined the Church after he and Desiree had been married because I remember when they went to the Temple. We were still in the City Branch building, and we learned after the fact that they had gone. They are a good couple, and we feel their love for the Parkway Ward.

On Saturday, we were blessed to be able to participate in a service project in a small town, Thiensville, hanging Christmas lights on the light poles up and down the main streets. (Side note: In like 2005, Thiensville was #19 on the list for most favorable small towns in America. I can see why. However, that being said, the town didn't get its first municipal water lines until just the last decade.) It was slightly cold, and we were glad that we dressed warmly. There were so many volunteers from the Church. One couple, the Millers, live in the town, and they have volunteered every year for Church members to do it. While we were out (Craig and I), we got to meet the Town Manager, who was delightful to meet. He went to school at Auburn, and he lived about 10 miles south of Huntsville for a time. He and Craig had lots to discuss. The Millers were so excited that we got to talk to him, and they told us later that the Church was acknowledged for their work in a City Council Meeting. They felt it was because we had taken the time to talk to this man. Afterwards, we all went to a pizza place called the Remington River Inn that was an old bowling alley converted into a restaurant. It was really nice. It had pretty good pizza. We met the Town Sheriff there and talked with him for a while. There are so many interesting and just good people in Wisconsin. We love getting to know some of them.

Converted bowling alley to restaurant.

Wearing our Mormon Helping Hands shirts to hang lights.

Craig enjoying the Rotary Riverwalk at the Thiensville Dam.

Milwaukee River runs behind town.

The City of Thiensville, WI, founded in 1910.

Wild turkeys (they are everywhere) in a field that we passed upon leaving Thiensville and heading to Cedarburg (5 mi. N)

Thiensville Dam originally constructed in the 1840s. Today, there is a sturgeon restocking project going on in area - cannot catch any while fishing - bad, bad, bad.

One downtown view of city.

                                                                                                                                      Later that evening we got to pick up an investigator (Sabrina Winn) to attend a baptism. She has been a foster mother to almost 400 kids - some of the worst you can have. Many are in prison, but they remember her and often thank her for trying to teach them better. We think she really enjoyed the baptism, and it looks like she will be baptized soon. She reminds me of the Primitive Baptists during their services. When someone says something she agrees with, she will repeat it and support it. My Aunt Nelia would do this in Church. When I was little, we would be sitting several pews back, and I'd hear someone up front shouting "Hallelujah"  or "Amen" very loudly. I wondered who in the world could be making that disrespectful racket. I was a little embarrassed to find out later it was my aunt. There was an offering plate on a table in front of the podium. This same aunt would go through the plate to get change for her offering. I look back and think it is funny, but I know they had little money, and she was offering what she could.

Sunday was a wonderful Sacrament meeting. Everyone was thanked for their help with the Service Project. There were some good vibes going on. 

On Monday, we were supposed to go to the Salvation Army to help pack and ship toys to children whose parents are incarcerated. Unfortunately, I forgot to look at my calendar, and we missed this tremendous opportunity. We did get our laundry done, went to the gym, and spent our time in ways that we wished we had skipped once we realized what we had missed.

On Tuesday, we went to the Temple just to do initiatories. It has been a long time since we did this ordinance, and I was glad that we had 7 men and 10 women to do. We did not do an Endowment session because of the time, but we were happy to be able to renew ourselves and remember the importance of the initiatories. This helps to prepare names for Endowments that will be done in next several weeks. Plus, I have enough for the girls and boys in the family to help do.

Rainy day, but great for Temple, we aren't very good with selfies.

 Our scripture for the month:

2 Nephi 31:20

Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

Elder and Sister Lenhard