Happy holidays!!

December 16, 2012

Dear Family and friends,

                We send greetings again from North Carolina.  This time of year always carries a sense of melancholy that seems to magnify the older one becomes and when miles separate you from loved ones.  As challenging as it may be, Sister Andrus and I are very grateful to be serving a full-time mission.  We are ever indebted to our dear children and grand children who are allowing us to serve.  Please know of our love for you.  We are so proud of each of you and your success and challenges.  We pray your testimonies will be strong and steadfast and immovable in this changing world.  We miss our dear friends in Perry and also our extended family around the world.  It is always enjoyable to hear from any of you.  We think of all of you often and share our love. 

We, with you, are praying for the families of our dear friends in Connecticut.  What a waste of human potential to rob the innocence of young people.  One can always be thankful for the Atonement of our Savior that somehow covers and makes better everyone involved.  The world needs the peace the gospel of repentance brings into the lives of those who will let it in. 

Our week was filled with business as usual.  We are prepared to receive 15 new missionaries tomorrow and send 10 home.  The routine (if there is such a thing) of normal transfer week is changing this month as there is an airline blackout applied to the comings and goings beginning this Wednesday so everything has to happen by Tuesday.  Next month we double our numbers of comings and we have a larger than normal group leaving. There is always something to do.  We received word that we are receiving another full-time missionary office couple.  They will be joining us in early February.  All of our church service missionaries will be completing their assignments in April.  It is the desire of our President to staff the office with two full-time couples so that is going to happen.  We are happy to have some training time with the new couple so we will all be well trained by the time our dear service missionaries are released. 

We received word this morning that Sister Prince passed away.  Sister Prince is a lady whose husband and she were tracked out by me and Elder Wood while we were serving in Jacksonville, Arkansas.  Sister Prince was baptized December 15, 1969.  Her husband, JD Prince was baptized a month earlier.  He was able to baptize his wife.  Bro. Prince passed away about four years ago.  I was able to fly to Arkansas to speak at his funeral.  Sister Prince has been living in Phoenix, AZ for most of the time since her husband’s passing.   Both Brother and Sister Prince offered such strength to the church in Arkansas.  He served as Bishop and she in several callings over the years.  She has been struggling with her health for some time so this is a blessing.  It just adds to the melancholy of the season. 

Sister Andrus and I have been called to teach an adult religion class on the Book of Mormon.  Our ward has baptized over 20 individuals this past year and the Bishop wants to nourish them and is inviting them to attend this class beginning in early January.  This will be a stretch for Sister Andrus and I, however it will be a wonderful experience to team teach with my companion.  We will be teaching each week on Wednesday evening.  We will need your faith and prayers to continue with us in this assignment. 

We were thrilled to receive an update regarding my sister Sharon on her mission progress at the Family History Mission in Salt Lake.  She is in training and will receive her specific assignment this coming week.  She has asked we all pray for her.  It is great to have her serving again.  We receive updates from Japan regarding my sister Pat and her husband Steve who are serving as office missionaries.  I’m not sure which Japanese mission they are serving in, however we know they are close to their son Danny and his family.

Well my ramblings need to cease.  As President Reeder pointed out to me during a recent conversation with him—He was reviewing Jacob chapter 5 and insightfully shared that during the pruning of the vineyard for the last time, the servants of the Lord of the vineyard were commissioned to serve with all of their might.  I interpret this to mean with exact obedience.  We are definitely pruning for the last time and all of us need to serve with exact obedience.  As President Craven councils us missionaries—if we need to repent do it quickly and get on with it—we have no time to waste.  I can learn from that.  Hopefully we all can.

See you next week!!

Elder and Sister Andrus, Grandpa and Grandma, Dad and Mom, Don and Ruth.