The two sets of Elders from the North Zone are coming over in a little while for a P-Day picnic. Leave it to Satan to try to dampen the day. It isn't going to happen, however. We can actually cook indoors if we want!
Elder Lenhard

National Avenue From Our Bedroom Window

MILWAUKEE NORTH ZONE CONFERENCE - 21 MAY 2014

These are some of the great folks we serve with in the North Zone. If you click on the link above the picture, you can find more detailed pictures in the official Mission Blog. 

What tremendous instruction on who we are and our place in these last days! 

Open your mouth, folks. Open your mouth! The Holy Ghost is waiting for you to share your love for your Savior. The field IS white. 

Sister Lenhard is Beautiful, huh?

CAN YOU FIND THE BALLOON? PRETEND IT'S A GOLDEN CONTACT!

Thoughts from Elder Lenhard...(Side note from Mallory: I cannot figure out for the life of me how to get the text to not run into the sidebar in this post. I tried several different things, and nothing is working. Sorry! I will work to fix it.)

Are You Sleeping through the Restoration?

BY PRESIDENT DIETER F. UCHTDORF

Second Counselor in the First Presidency

APRIL CONFERENCE 2014

There is too much at stake for us as individuals, as families, and as Christ’s Church to give only a halfhearted effort to this sacred work

"I testify that the cleansing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the transformative power of the Holy Ghost can heal and rescue mankind. It is our privilege, our sacred duty, and our joy to heed the Savior’s call to follow Him with a willing mind and full purpose of heart. Let us “shake off the chains with which [we] are bound, and come forth out of obscurity, and arise from the dust.”11 

"Let us be awake and not be weary of well-doing, for we “are laying the foundation of a great work,”12 even preparing for the return of the Savior. Brethren, when we add the light of our example as a witness to the beauty and power of restored truth, we will not sleep through the Restoration. Of this I testify and leave you my blessing in the sacred name of our Master, even Jesus Christ, amen."

Mom's update:

Well, let's try this again. I did not realize my computer was about to die; so after writing a delightful diatribe about our marvelously busy life, it suddenly disappeared.  Motto, check the battery life and save as you go.  UGH!

Saturday, I realized my hair was ridiculously long and frizzy (a fact that you may not know, in 6th grade the boys called me "Bush".  Can you guess why? I think it had to do with my long out of control hair that I wish I had been smart enough to do something with, but alas, that has bee the bain of my existence. Thank goodness I didn't have another bain or I might not have made it through my teen years.  hahaha  (By the way, I compensated for my shortcomings by becoming the best ball player in our middle school. I could outrun, outpitch, and outhit any boy on the field. I was always a captain, and I never let them forget that I was  the champion out there. I had a troubled childhood.  hahaha)  The short of this story is that I found a place that actually cut my hair short enough to look nice. I'm back in business. I had forgotten how humid air frizzes my hair.

Saturday morning we went downtown to see Lake Michigan. Marquette University was having graduation and possibly Univ. of Wisconsin was also. There were a lot of students out parading around in their robes. We drove right through Marquette's campus, which isn't hard to do considering it probably covers half of the downtown area. What isn't covered with a Marquette Bldg. has a Catholic Church or other really big Church built there.

We came out at the end of the city into a residential area overlooking the lake. It was quite a sight, but the water looked cold and uninviting.  The wind off the lake made for cold temps, and I was glad I'd worn a coat. The neighborhood where we landed had these several-million dollar homes that looked like museums. They were well kept up and very beautiful (I'm glad I don't have to keep them clean - they probably pay someone to do it for them). They certainly paid for the scenery, and it appeared they were built in the 1940s, 50s, when Milwaukee was still an industrial marvel. We found a road that would take us along the lake for a mile or so. There is a nice beach, not the white sand we are used to seeing, but fine-looking red sand. There were several groups in picnic areas playing volleyball, and I hoped they were moving enough to keep warm.

We did locate the main Milwaukee Library downtown and made a mental note to return to see what they would have in the way of genealogical resources.

That night, Craig prepared the lesson for the Gospel Principles class on Sunday. It was on the Word of Wisdom, and he did a marvelous job if I do say so myself.  We had a Thai family of investigators that the Hmong missionaries had gotten to come. There were three daughters who all looked really young, but the youngest was 17, then 22 and 30. Their dad came with them. They have been in America for one year and the 22 year old was the only one who could speak pretty good English. It was fun getting to know them. They are such beautiful women.

We had to get to Church early on Sunday because all the missionaries were asked to attend Ward Council. It is amazing how relaxed the meeting is when you are not in charge of anything. Out of all the members that attend our building, almost 75% are coming from other areas to support us. Our Branch President, several medical students and their families, and other leaders are almost all from other areas. It looks like we are losing three of our major families who live in our Branch boundaries. Hard to run a Branch this way. We don't even live in the boundaries.

Sunday night the Sister missionaries who live in our apartment complex came over. They do not attend our Branch. One will be leaving the first week in June. She lives in the Ogden area. They are two hard-working missionaries who love what they are doing. It is a pleasure and honor to work with them.

Yesterday started out nice, but by the afternoon the rain had come into the area again. We spent the morning taking the Sister missionaries to get groceries and to the library for them to write home to their parents. Then we went to eat at Panda Express. I had a box to pick up from the Mission Office, and we went to the Chase Bank here to open an account just so we can get cash when we need it.

The day was over before knew it, and we vowed to get up early today and get out to get some things accomplished.  We did just that. We took off for the Milwaukee Library downtown and talked to someone about volunteering to help once a week in the genealogy library area. We got the name of the person who we will need to talk with officially, and we got information about the Milwaukee genealogy society that meets once a month. Of course, this month we missed the meeting but the next one is on our calendar.

Tonight, we have some calls to make to follow up on some people we've met. We actually went to Sam's on Saturday to check on the lady that brought us breakfast. She said that she actually had a friend or two who also was interested in learning about their genealogy. She was so busy then, but we are going to call her and see if we can set something up.

We are grateful to be here. If you haven't had the chance lately to read President Uchdorpff's talk on gratitude given in this last Conference, do so. When I heard it the first time, I was so touched by the Spirit. When I read it again, I felt the Spirit testifying that what President was saying was true. What are your thoughts?

Take care. We love you.

MOM and DAD

Thursday and Friday (15^th and 16^th)

We are slowly finding our landlegs as we try to find our place in this beautiful place called the Milwaukee, Wisconsin mission. It is truly a beautiful part of the country. It is marvelously confusing in its layout, but Elder Lenhard is still the master of finding our way around. He has spent time on the maps, locating short cuts and better ways of getting to where we are supposed to be going. I have to say, it is appreciated, and usually, he finds a shorter and less traveled way of finding our destinations. I love it and am grateful he is my partner.

Thursday, we were on the computers for much of the day working on genealogy. We are heading up the organizing of much of the volunteers for the genealogy tent at the Polish fest. We are excited about it and met with the Sister Orne who is over the genealogy library in the South Stake (I keep getting it messed up with our being in the North Stake). She is over all the libraries in both Stakes, but she is careful about what she does outside of her stake. We are not doing the German fest unless we help another person who is doing that one. We can volunteer to help her, and we will. If she will accept us, we are good to go. We are still waiting to hear about the Irish fest.  I found the 10 best online sites for Polish genealogy online and was able to get a copy to Sister Orne. Several of them refer back to Family Search. Craig and I both also worked on our genealogy during the day. That night we had our Pathway meeting, and we are getting the layout more each week so we will be comfortable when we start. They are recruiting now, and it makes us more excited each time we go. We don’t really do anything, the recruiting is being done by others.  After the beginning of the meeting, we went to the library, and after a while, we got a tour of the library so we would be better prepared to answer questions about the libraries holdings. We were told to get a library card and then we could get on another site, which I don’t remember right now, but we dutifully agreed to do so.

Today, we got in our study time, and then headed to the gym. We really like the gym we go to – called Anytime Fitness. We are allowed to go anytime, even if it isn’t open. We have our keys, and it is open to us at all hours. Naturally, we will go when others are there in case we get stuck and can’t get out or off a machine without help.  Hahaha  There have been times!!!!!

When we left the gym, we took the left turn away from West Allis and headed out to see what we could find. We ended up in New Berlin, and what a beautiful area. It is out in the country. There is an historic part of the area, and we plan to go back. We passed two wonderful cemeteries. One is at a Reformed Presbyterian Church built by the Scottish in 1858 or maybe a little earlier. What a great looking building.  I always get  such a sweet feeling when I see old country Churches. I often wonder about the faithful who gathered there for so many years and had all the best intentions in doing good for their families and their neighbors. Yet, they were missing that vital ingredient of truth and the Priesthood.  We are so blessed.  Anyway, the cemeteries look promising for research

.

We took one of the Hmong missionaries and one of the other missionaries to lunch at a Thai restaurant. The work is going slow for these missionaries. In the winter when it is so cold, if they don’t have an appointment, they stay in or go to ride the buses to GQ people there.  The Thai food was so good. We will go there again. They have a great lunch special, and we found nothing that we didn’t like. Craig slipped a card in with the bill.  Once we dropped the missionaries off, we came home to get organized (it was on the way), and off we went to the library in West Allis. We met a little volunteer named Georgi and asked her about genealogy programs. They have three computers with Ancestry  on them. I said if we had someone we wanted to teach, then we could bring them there. We got some information regarding the area and where we might find genealogy library holdings. She thinks there might be some in the main library downtown. We got some handouts on activities in the area. There are lots of things we can get involved in, and we will be looking into them next week.  

Elder Santos and Elder Lee (Hmong missionary) at the restaurant. My goodness, the food was good! That coconut with lemon grass beef soup was delicious. So were the Pot stickers! And brown rice.

(Apparently, Mom didn't want her picture taken. Dad tried anyway.)

I was watching one of the District videos this morning. I learned a lot about missionaries as young people who come together on their missions and have to learn to work with one another. It is the will of the Lord, and together they learn to be effective in His work. We are grateful to be a part of the work. We have had the opportunity to work together for 43 years prior to this time. We are blessed.

Happenings with Mom and Dad Sunday (5/11) - Wednesday (5/13)...

It seems like I've just written, but I guess I haven't from the view I got on the blog. Lots of stuff happens in a few days, but I think I have this under control tonight.

Sunday was another wonderful Sabbath. As Mother's day, I especially loved it because Craig had to do my dishes, but I enjoyed the sweet spirit present at our Church meetings. We were asked to teach the Gospel Principles class (the one I've taught for the last 4-5 years), and we had to laugh about that. It is a great class, but we were asked to do it by the Missionary Leader. The Elders had been teaching it, and I think they were hurt when we told them we had been asked. I don't like taking away something the Elders really like to do. We met with the class for the first time, and there are only three who attend. They are great people.

On Monday, we got to participate in a lesson with a man who most likely has autism or asperger's. He is really smart and is going to be baptized on Saturday. When we asked if we could come, he told us he just wanted the Missionaries. We totally understand that. We didn't even have a reason for wanting to be private so we did not invite anyone to ours. I'm sure those Missionaries wondered what in the world they had done in teaching us.  

Anyway, he has hitchhiked out to SLC twice to see General Conference. He lives in a group home and rides his bike everywhere. He won't take clothes from anyone, and on Monday night when he got to the Church, it was cold and rainy. There he was on his bike. He was offered a ride home, but he wouldn't take it. We were there before anyone else, and we offered to let him sit in the car with us, but he wouldn't have any part of that either. When he was taught the lesson, he clearly knew what he was doing. He had the answers. What a nice spirit he had.

Yesterday, Tuesday, we had our District meeting. Again, I was so impressed with a young man just barely 19 (and he may not be that old yet), up conducting the meeting, using the Spirit to teach us. He is a good leader and the Lord will have many things yet for him to do in this life. We studied the talk given by Elder Ballard on Following Up. Remember to use the full name of the Church so that people will know who we are. We can use the nickname, Mormon, when we talk about specific aspects of the Church, like the Mormon pioneers, etc. We get lazy and confuse people when we don't use the name, and they don't equate the nickname to the real name.

Elder Ballard also encouraged us to introduce others to the Gospel. If they don't accept it, that is their right. We will never force anyone to join. But, as the Scriptures state, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ. It is hard for them to do so, if they haven't been taught. He says that we should invite someone to Church activities quarterly. So get busy!  hahaha  We are learning that there are many out there that are looking for something that will strengthen them in hard times. There are certainly enough hard times to go around, so why not seek out those who are looking for help. We pray that everyday we will have missionary opportunities and to recognize them when they come. They happen. We all know that Craig can open his mouth and talk to anyone. It truly is a gift. He can reach out faster than anyone I have ever known. It makes having him for my companion an extra plus. I don't have to be the one to always get to know a stranger first.  hahaha

Today, I've worked some on finding some genealogy sources that we can possibly use in our Polish Festival coming up in June. We will be showing people how to use Family Search and other resources for genealogy. Yeah, my favorite hobby. Tonight I spent time scanning in pictures I brought with us to work on when we are home at night. Finally, got photoshop installed correctly and am hoping to get more of the pictures in that we brought.

Tonight, we went to a meeting with the Elders as the taught a lady who lives alone for now. She doesn't have her children with her at this time, but she is hoping to continue to clean up her life so she can get them back. Her mother died in December, and it made such a hole in her heart. She promised the Lord that if He would just let her know that her other was alright, she would get her life together. She had a dream (which she doesn't really remember very well) that her mother was ok, and even thought she can't remember the circumstances, she awoke feeling a peace she hasn't felt in a long time. We will continue to work with the Elders as they teach her.

We received a lovely photo album today. It warranted a place on our coffee table.  hahaha  Now, between that album and our picture frame showing family pictures, it will be a constant reminder that we have a great family who is rooting for us here. McKay wrote and said that he wanted to come to Wisconsin on his mission. That was the sweetest thing he could have said. I hope he does.

We love you all. May the week be even greater. I've heard that Columbus is laying off teachers next year (those who are in areas they don't need or have too many of, those who aren't teaching in their area, and those with 3 or less years of experience). Wow, I'm so glad I'm not in that still. The Lord does bless us tremendously.

MOM and DAD