Great & Tough

We have been very busy. We have been meeting with several members of the branch that President Boland asked us to visit. We have also been meeting with a young family that has three kids that are over 8 years old and they have been fun to meet with and teach. They really look forward to our visits. Amoung other things we have also been involved in a number of service projects. After we left Diane & Gary's home on Friday May 29th we got a call from the Mission office informing us that two of our young sister missionaries had been in a terrible car/truck accident. One of the sisters was killed and the other is in extremely critical condition. The mission is fasting and praying for all involved. The two sisters were both very good missionaries and had just left an appointment.
      June 10th. We were asked to be at the Atlanta Temple this morning and help with the young missionasries that would be going through. That was a great experience!
     Joan's Birthday June 13th. We won't talk about the number of candles she is up to. I was able to pick up a few fun things and do a little decorating before she got up. After a day of some very productive visits we stopped in Jasper and enjoyed a birthday dinner at Fatz Bar-B-Que.
     On June 26th we met with Gary & Diane and shared with them the second missionary discussion. On Saturday I called a couple of the bretheren in the Branch and they rode with me to Stake Priesthood Meeting. About an hour and a half drive from Ellijay to the Stake Center. When we got back one of them told me thanks for calling because he probably wouldn't have gone otherwise.
     It's Sunday and we taught the Gospel Principles class. We teach it one Sunday and the next week the young Elders teach.
     On the 29th we got permission from our Mission President to go to Vernell Georgia and visit the Joseph Standing Memorial. He was 24 years old and was murdered while on a mission in Georgia.
     One couple that we teach every week, Tom & Lynn, are really trying to get a Monday thru Friday job so that they can start attending church and Tom can start progressing in the Priesthood.
     July 3rd. We gave the 3rd discussion to Gary & Diane. She told us that she had bought a dress and they would be at church on Sunday. And they did make it; we were thrilled!