Saturday, 21 July --
Our Internet service was to be connected sometime between 1 and 3 p.m. At 3:10 we received a call telling us the installer wouldn't be here until 4. At 4:15 Kent called the service to report we hadn't seen an installer yet. He arrived about 4:30. That's when the "Internet installation adventure" began. There are two connection ports in the apartment - 1 in the front room and 1 in the master bedroom. Neither of these places is conducive to having a computer desk. So, we decided to connect with Wi-Fi. The installer didn't know how to do that so he simply did the basic connection stuff to the port in the living room and when he left we still didn't have an Internet connection. At that point, we headed to Best Buy (which conveniently is only about 2 blocks from our apartment) and purchased a NETGEAR 600 Wireless N Dual Band Router. Kent did really well to get my laptop connected but our main desk computer was another matter. We needed an expert to get that connected. Kent called Joel. After very patiently walking Kent through the very complicated process we were finally connected. I'm sure glad we have a computer whiz in the family. Thanks again Joel.
Sunday, 22 July was our first attendance at Sacrament Meeting in the YSA Branch. The hardest thing so far for me is - meetings never get started on time. Sacrament started at about 11:15 and was over at noon. Then there was visiting. Sunday School started about 12:20 and was over at 1. More visiting. The third hour started about 1:15 and the entire block was over at 1:55.
We went to the Redding Stake Center (about a 10 minute drive) to view the Pioneer Day Broadcast from Temple Square. Besides Kent and me, there were two sets of missionaries, a young unmarried couple from the Branch and a mother with four children. That's it! Just the 13 of us. Guess Pioneer Day doesn't really mean much to people here in CA.
On Monday, the 23rd, we went out to the Institute building to meet Brook, the Support Specialist (secretary) for the Redding Institute of Religion. Brook is right on top of things - she'll keep us in line. She is also the Secretary for the all the area seminaries.
On the way home from the Institute, we stopped at the grocery store. I can't believe how much I took for granted what we had on our pantry shelves and in the food storage!
Monday evening was FHE. Back out to the Institute building. It was a visiting and "Get to Know the Barlows" evening along with the weekly scripture reading. An enjoyable evening.
Tuesday and Wednesday we traveled all over the Redding and Anderson Stakes area locating less active young people. We left flyers with our names, activity information and Sunday meeting schedules. Some of these young people live a long way from the Institute building. It takes a lot of commitment to be involved in the Church here.
Wednesday evening (the 25th) we were treated to dinner at The Olive Garden by the Area Director of Institutes and Seminaries (Bro. Phillips). We just wanted to meet us and give a little guidance and heads-up on the program here. At 7 p.m. we headed out to the Institute building to attend Seminary In-Service. Bro. Phillips thought it would be helpful for us to attend that.
Thursday was another day of trying to find less active members. That evening I went to R.S. Enrichment (at the Institute building) and learned to tie-dye. I did a white shirt I plan to wear with one of the skirts I brought with me. It was fun to interact with the young adults. There were only 6 of us gals in attendance but we had fun.
Friday found us "on the road again" trying to find more less active members. We left the apartment around 10 a.m. and didn't get back home until 5 p.m.
Saturday was an activity to go to Burney Falls. The Falls are about 1.5 hours from Redding. It was sure worth the trip. The Falls were beautiful. The Activities Committee provided lunch and Kent and I donated a watermelon. We were home by 6 p.m. - once again stopping at the grocery store. I feel confident I will eventually get a supply of staples and won't have to go shopping every day.
Well, another week has passed and we're still happy, healthy and enjoying the best two years.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Week 1 in Redding
Today (Tuesday, July 24th - Happy Pioneer Day!) is a landmark day for us. We finally have internet access in our apartment. Our dear, computer-literate son-in-law, Joel, walked Kent through the lengthy process of adapting our computer to a Wi-Fi connection. So, hats off to Joel and thank you SO much.
We left Santaquin around 9 a.m. Thursday the 19th. Tyson, Karlee, Max and Ellie came by the house to wish us good luck and bon voyage. Max had made it a habit when he came to our house to play games on our computer or Kent's ipad. As we were explaining to Max Thursday morning that we would be gone for a long time he got a little distressful look on his face. Kent admits it made him tear up a little thinking how sad Max was. Our hearts were lifted a little and the sadness turned to laughter as Max asked Grandpa, "Are you taking your ipad?" So much for thinking we were going to be greatly missed.
Our trip to CA was totally uneventful. Car ran well and we didn't get lost. That GPS is a great invention!
Thursday around noon, we stopped in Wendover and had lunch at Arby's. We got a few stares and also one approach. A lady (we assumed she was LDS) stopped and chatted and said, "It must be very difficult serving here in Wendover." We were quick to tell her we were just passing through on our way to CA were we would serve our mission. She seemed relieved to know we wouldn't have to serve in a "sin city."
We stayed Thursday night at the Nugget Casino and Hotel in Sparks, NV. That was my first big experience with being out in a crowd and wearing my missionary name tag. We had to walk through the casinos (there were several in one HUGE hotel) to get anywhere and, of course, our name tags attracted attention. As people stared, we just smiled and kept walking. There was a Biker Convention at the hotel that weekend so we saw lots of leather and tatoos.
We had dinner at the Steakhouse Restaurant right there in the hotel. Hotel owners in Sparks don't try to lure patrons with the promise of low price food that's for sure. When our waitress saw our name tags I could see the disappointment on her face. She probably knew our dinner bill would not include liquor which meant her tip would be substantially lower than normal. We both had prime rib and enjoyed every bite. We ordered dessert (which raised the bill a little) and left what we hope was an appreciated tip.
We left the hotel early Friday morning. A special little thing happened at the California border. All vehicles were required to stop and report if they were transporting any vegetables, plants, fruits and/or animals. We didn't have any of those so we were passed through without incident. As she passed us through, the Border Patrol Officer said "Have a great day and be safe." After a short pause, she added, "And God speed." There are those name tags working again.
We arrived at our apartment complex around noon. The manager (Thomas) was ready and waiting for us. As we drove up with our Utah license plate, he came over to the car and said "Welcome Barlows!"
The apartment is very, very nice. 2 bedrooms - 2 baths, AC, dishwasher, wood-burning fireplace and nice patio. There is a swimming pool and hot tub that we have been informed by our mission president we should use regularly to get good exercise. I was in heaven when I saw all the brand new kitchen equipment the Housing Director, Brother Jackson (with the help of Sister Jackson), had bought for us. It was like being a newly-wed. Because this is the first time under the new directives for Senior Missionaries that the mission had to equip an apartment, there was new flatware, dishes, glasses, can opener, toaster, pots & pans, cooking utensils, storage containers, and kitchen towels. A very unexpected surprise was the king-size bed in the master bedroom. WOW! (FYI for those coming to visit: the spare bedroom it furnished with a very nice queen-size bed.) The missionary couple before us had purchased a microwave and iron so they were already unwrapped but in like-new condition. The Church is certainly taking good care of us.
By 2 o'clock, we were in Target buying food. Also stopped in Wal-Mart and Home Depot. We went to CostCo and were able to exchange the queen-size sheets Tricia and Gordy gave us for Christmas (I had been saving them for our mission) for king-size ones. The gal at CostCo was so understanding. Hats off to Jackie our local CostCo employee. Haven't been to Kohls yet but that's on our "To Do" list. One city in America is quite like another - same stores just different landscaping.
We were approached in Wal-Mart by the mom of a YSA who lives here in Redding. The family recently moved to West Jordan, UT and he stayed behind. She gave us his phone number and Ward name and asked us to contact him without saying she had sent us.
In the Win-Co store (much like Macy's in UT) we were approached by Vern Wilson, an early-morning Seminary teacher in the Stake. He talked to us about his students and wayward son for about a half hour. These missionary tags are doing their thing!
Sunday we went to church at the YSA Branch that we have been asked to attend. It was soooooooo quiet! There were about 20 YSAs. We're told attendance will pick up when school gets back in session. We chuckled thinking back on the Sacrament bread. The pieces were huge - really, about 1/8th of a piece of bread. They only had to use two pieces of bread for the entire congregation.
We met a wonderful convert, Jasmine. She was baptized October 2011 and is already a spiritual giant. She is the 1st Counselor in the R.S. Presidency. Jasmine is 5'11" and set several records during high school and at Shasta College in Javlin, hammer and shot-put. She has been accepted at Weber State and will start there in January 2013. She and I connected immediately - I have found my Redding Soul Mate.
The Elder's Quorum President is 7'2." He reminds us of Don. He's just this huge, lovable guy. He played ball for Shasta College then went to Mexico for a year to play professionally. He's a good leader.
We don't start teaching until next Wednesday (an evening class) so we have used this week to get acquainted with our surroundings and do a lot exploring. Our apartment is in a great location. All the stores we would normally use are within a 6 block area. Gasoline is between 30-40 cents higher but we were expecting that.
We walk each morning from 6-6:30 before the day heats up. Nights get a little cooler here but not as cool as Santaquin nights.
That's it for Week 2 of our mission. We're happy, healthy and looking forward to "The Best Two Years."
Love to all - Mom / Nancy / Nan / Cousin / Friend
We left Santaquin around 9 a.m. Thursday the 19th. Tyson, Karlee, Max and Ellie came by the house to wish us good luck and bon voyage. Max had made it a habit when he came to our house to play games on our computer or Kent's ipad. As we were explaining to Max Thursday morning that we would be gone for a long time he got a little distressful look on his face. Kent admits it made him tear up a little thinking how sad Max was. Our hearts were lifted a little and the sadness turned to laughter as Max asked Grandpa, "Are you taking your ipad?" So much for thinking we were going to be greatly missed.
Our trip to CA was totally uneventful. Car ran well and we didn't get lost. That GPS is a great invention!
Thursday around noon, we stopped in Wendover and had lunch at Arby's. We got a few stares and also one approach. A lady (we assumed she was LDS) stopped and chatted and said, "It must be very difficult serving here in Wendover." We were quick to tell her we were just passing through on our way to CA were we would serve our mission. She seemed relieved to know we wouldn't have to serve in a "sin city."
We stayed Thursday night at the Nugget Casino and Hotel in Sparks, NV. That was my first big experience with being out in a crowd and wearing my missionary name tag. We had to walk through the casinos (there were several in one HUGE hotel) to get anywhere and, of course, our name tags attracted attention. As people stared, we just smiled and kept walking. There was a Biker Convention at the hotel that weekend so we saw lots of leather and tatoos.
We had dinner at the Steakhouse Restaurant right there in the hotel. Hotel owners in Sparks don't try to lure patrons with the promise of low price food that's for sure. When our waitress saw our name tags I could see the disappointment on her face. She probably knew our dinner bill would not include liquor which meant her tip would be substantially lower than normal. We both had prime rib and enjoyed every bite. We ordered dessert (which raised the bill a little) and left what we hope was an appreciated tip.
We left the hotel early Friday morning. A special little thing happened at the California border. All vehicles were required to stop and report if they were transporting any vegetables, plants, fruits and/or animals. We didn't have any of those so we were passed through without incident. As she passed us through, the Border Patrol Officer said "Have a great day and be safe." After a short pause, she added, "And God speed." There are those name tags working again.
We arrived at our apartment complex around noon. The manager (Thomas) was ready and waiting for us. As we drove up with our Utah license plate, he came over to the car and said "Welcome Barlows!"
The apartment is very, very nice. 2 bedrooms - 2 baths, AC, dishwasher, wood-burning fireplace and nice patio. There is a swimming pool and hot tub that we have been informed by our mission president we should use regularly to get good exercise. I was in heaven when I saw all the brand new kitchen equipment the Housing Director, Brother Jackson (with the help of Sister Jackson), had bought for us. It was like being a newly-wed. Because this is the first time under the new directives for Senior Missionaries that the mission had to equip an apartment, there was new flatware, dishes, glasses, can opener, toaster, pots & pans, cooking utensils, storage containers, and kitchen towels. A very unexpected surprise was the king-size bed in the master bedroom. WOW! (FYI for those coming to visit: the spare bedroom it furnished with a very nice queen-size bed.) The missionary couple before us had purchased a microwave and iron so they were already unwrapped but in like-new condition. The Church is certainly taking good care of us.
By 2 o'clock, we were in Target buying food. Also stopped in Wal-Mart and Home Depot. We went to CostCo and were able to exchange the queen-size sheets Tricia and Gordy gave us for Christmas (I had been saving them for our mission) for king-size ones. The gal at CostCo was so understanding. Hats off to Jackie our local CostCo employee. Haven't been to Kohls yet but that's on our "To Do" list. One city in America is quite like another - same stores just different landscaping.
We were approached in Wal-Mart by the mom of a YSA who lives here in Redding. The family recently moved to West Jordan, UT and he stayed behind. She gave us his phone number and Ward name and asked us to contact him without saying she had sent us.
In the Win-Co store (much like Macy's in UT) we were approached by Vern Wilson, an early-morning Seminary teacher in the Stake. He talked to us about his students and wayward son for about a half hour. These missionary tags are doing their thing!
Sunday we went to church at the YSA Branch that we have been asked to attend. It was soooooooo quiet! There were about 20 YSAs. We're told attendance will pick up when school gets back in session. We chuckled thinking back on the Sacrament bread. The pieces were huge - really, about 1/8th of a piece of bread. They only had to use two pieces of bread for the entire congregation.
We met a wonderful convert, Jasmine. She was baptized October 2011 and is already a spiritual giant. She is the 1st Counselor in the R.S. Presidency. Jasmine is 5'11" and set several records during high school and at Shasta College in Javlin, hammer and shot-put. She has been accepted at Weber State and will start there in January 2013. She and I connected immediately - I have found my Redding Soul Mate.
The Elder's Quorum President is 7'2." He reminds us of Don. He's just this huge, lovable guy. He played ball for Shasta College then went to Mexico for a year to play professionally. He's a good leader.
We don't start teaching until next Wednesday (an evening class) so we have used this week to get acquainted with our surroundings and do a lot exploring. Our apartment is in a great location. All the stores we would normally use are within a 6 block area. Gasoline is between 30-40 cents higher but we were expecting that.
We walk each morning from 6-6:30 before the day heats up. Nights get a little cooler here but not as cool as Santaquin nights.
That's it for Week 2 of our mission. We're happy, healthy and looking forward to "The Best Two Years."
Love to all - Mom / Nancy / Nan / Cousin / Friend
Friday, July 13, 2012
Friday, July 13, 2012
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| And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. |
Monday was "check in," "Welcome by the President of the MTC," "Overview of Training," and then "Organization of Districts." Just your basic getting there and getting organized.
From Tuesday on, we started each day with all the Sr. Missionary Couples meeting for large group instruction and watched videos of Devotionals and Firesides given by General Authorities on such topics as "How to Begin Teaching," "The Role of the Spirit in Conversion and Extending Invitations," "Teach People Not Lessons," "Helping Others Receive Revelation Through the Book of Mormon," and "Working With Stake and Local Leaders."
After the large group meetings, we broke into "Districts" (there were 5 couples in our District) and went to our very small classroom (#241) where a young returned missionary would instruct us for the next several hours, continuing the theme of the morning group instruction meeting. We did lots of "role playing" as we each took turns being the missionary or an investigator. Although our specific assignment is to teach Institute classes to young single adults and we won't be actively proselyting, we realize the lessons learned this week will help us in our work as well.
The main thing we learned this week - this mission is a joint effort. During our classroom instruction we were taught techniques on how to begin teaching, using the Spirit to guide us, and asking investigators to make a commitment to read a little of the Book of Mormon. Then we had to prepare lesson plans using those techniques. It was comfortable working together and we found we really could count on each other for support, guidance and unconditional love.
There are volunteers - members and non-members - from the local communities who come to the MTC to role play the parts of non-members and less active members. I was most stressed when we had to practice our skills with these volunteers. We stood outside a door, knocked and the "home onwer" would let us in. From that point on we were to rely on the Spirit to guide us. We were suppose to get to know the person(s) "living" at this "residence" and eventually ask if he/she (they) would like us to come back another time as a follow-up appointment. Our lessons, including the "getting to know you" period, were 45 minutes.
We ate lunch each day in the cafeteria with all the other young Elders and Sisters and Sr. Missionary Couples. What an amazing event that was. Four different entrees were offered each day; over 3,000 missionaries fed; and everyone was done and back to class by 1 p.m. And the food wasn't awful. Wednesday was "Ice Cream Day" and we could have all the home-made BYU ice cream we wanted. I controlled myself and only had 1 bowl. It was wonderful.
That's it for this week. We start specific CES (Church Education System) training Monday and will be done with that on Wednesday. We hope to pull out of the driveway in Santaquin Thursday morning sometime around 9 a.m.
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