EXCITEMENT & SADNESS!

We are getting more excited each day that we will be going home, but at the same time there is sadness as we contemplate leaving this wonderful place and the great people that we have become close to.  I will miss my twin Mike and his wife Janie.  I'll miss my 'sister' Sister Schuck and her husband Elder Brian Schuck.  They are only the ones that we work with each day.  There are many more in the ward here that we have become friends with and will miss when we leave.  There are a few that will linger in our hearts for ever.

I know that you have never seen us in our "missionary attire" and so here we are.  Sister Fisher doesn't like to have her picture taken, but consented to these.  I am glad she did and wish she had been the only one photoed.  We'll be home in about two weeks.  It will be tough leaving!

SUNDAY PONDERINGS!

It is a cold Sunday afternoon and we are at home for the evening. Sunday was not as spiritual as I would have liked it to be...but that is my fault. The Spirit is always there for anyone who is in the right frame of mind and has come with the spirit. We have only one more month and then our mission is over. We will find it as hard to leave to go home as it was enjoyable to arrive. This is a place where we have come closer to our Father in Heaven than we have ever been. We want to go on another mission if our health permits. Both Sister Fisher and I have worked hard on keeping healthy and losing weight. If we can maintain, we should be in good shape to go again. I am going to throw in a few pictures and they fit in with my "ponderings". (We have learned a great deal about pondering. It is a wonderful way to remember the things we study and pray about.

This is a picture of the nativity taken with my cellphone. Each year on the two days following Thanksgiving, they have have a live nativity with a donkey (Annie), two sheep named 'Two Kisses' and 'Maple Dot'. 'Dot' had to go home and 'Snickers' took her place. This year they had two alpacas for the Nativity performance. They were 'imitation camels' with no humps and they couldn't stay for the season.

Our site director's wife is a wonderful lady with a great sense of humor. She is modeling a nose warmer that she made for one of her grandchildren. She made several of them. She is my "sister".

I have had the good fortune to be able to revive and old talent. I love to draw and the subjects here at the Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial are wonderful. I have drawn a picture of each of the modern day prophets and some of the Lord, and some other church pictures. The Lord has blessed me and I am grateful.

Joseph Smith was called a "Polished Shaft in the quiver of the Lord" The monument is to show that feature and as you can see, the 107 year old obelisk is as shiny as it was the day it was erected. The summer flowers are all gone and the leaves have left the trees, but the spire shines on. You've heard of a "partridge in a pear tree"? Well if you look real closely you will see three of them in this tree...it isn't a real pear tree, but those are partridges.

QUECHEE "P" DAY

With a day off here it is sometimes hard to figure what to do, because we use 'work' days to do a lot of the "P" day things. Well...today, we went to Quechee, which is a little town(like they all are) where we wanted to see a glassblower in action. We went to the Simon Pearce Gallery. He has a large crew of young folks that make amazing glass objects. We had our cameras, but were so entranced with the process, that picture taking was forgotten. We were also awed by the prices they want for the glassware. A little candle holder cost $85.00...but then there is no tax!!! We opted to look and not touch. The studio is on the edge of the river and last year when "Irene" came through it did a lot of damage to the place. I did get some pictures of the waterfall just out the back door. They will give you a little idea of how much the water rose to do the damage. I'm standing about 3' above the floor of the studio while taking them.

JUST SOME THOUGHTS...AND MAYBE PRAYERS

I have been searching for purpose a little bit lately. The wife of the Site Director and I often exchange thoughts about the tours and the wonderful experiences that we all have here. She asked me why I was so gloomy. I didn't realize I looked gloomy or down in spirit at all. When she asked me the second time a little later, I started to think...why am I here. When there are so many people I know that could do a better, or at least as good a job as I do I started thinking about it and it got me a little down cast I suppose. She noticed and I told her and her husband, the director what I had been feeling. This wonderful lady looked straight into my face and told me some beautiful things that she felt about me. I won't repeat them here...they are very spiritually personal, but I will always remember them and this amazing couple. I wrote this little poem to her.

SPIRITUAL & MELANCHOLY DAY TODAY!!

Today is Monday and we had FHE at the site with all of the missionaries and some single adults that always come. There was a pair of sisters that are scheduled to be baptized this coming weekend. They aren't from our ward here, but go to the ward in West Lebanon where the Starleys attend. We were all excited for them. Oh yeah and the melancholy part...the Starleys are heading home at the end of this week. We will really miss them. They have been so much fun to be around, and they are very spiritual...neat. It is getting cold already and the leaves are starting to turn...much too early. The locals here say that it won't be a good year for the "leaf peepers" (those who come out east to see the New England fall colors). Last night the temperature went down to 36 degrees and it is already to 48 degrees today and it is only 8:00 pm. But...to cheer you up here are some pictures of the flowers that are coming into bloom here now.

Oops...well there are always a few "weeds" in every "flower patch"!! AN ODE TO FRIENDSHIP “TRUE STORY” This morning at four forty four, I could sleep no more. My mind was racing and I went to pacing. I wanted to express to you how deeply I have felt, And so to Heavenly Father I have knelt. The feelings of love and joy, for knowing Patsy and LaVoy Are ones I will never forget, oh no, no and yet, I feel so sad at their leaving, but won’t do much grieving, ‘Cause at the very first chance, We will make an appearance. Fillmore isn’t much to see, but living there, there be, A family so fine, I wish they were mine, And so you must see, in heaven together we must be Though the passage may be rough, I know you two are tough. We didn’t have much time together, but like birds of a feather Down the road a little way, we’ll stop by to say, “Thanks for the memories, let’s make some more. Patsy!!! Don’t you dare slam that door!!” And so to Father’s glory, we’ll make this a “true story”!

MENTAL MEANDERINGS!!!

These are the wonderful missionaries we get to spend time with. They spend most of their time, however, keeping the place looking spectacular.

They are from left to right, Elder Vernon, Sister Vernon, Elder Starley, Sister Starley, Sister Charchenko, and my twin...Elder Charchenko. Actually, I guess we aren't twins, but quadruplets!!!! The sisters keep the flowers and shrubs looking awesome and the men do just about everything else.

These folks are just leaving church on Sunday. They are leaving for the south any day now, and won't be back until next spring. We hate to see them go, but know they must.

Since coming on this mission, I have done a little drawing...something I used to do many years ago. I guess it is a talent and I figured I had better use it or I'll lose it.

BEAUTY AND THE BEASTS (CHAINSAWS)

Time has taken its toll on the huge trees that stood where the original cabin stood in 1805 where Joseph was born. They were rotting inside and were threatening to do severe damage to the office building, or the monument. I don't believe Heavenly Father would have allowed the tree to fall on and damage the monument, but the office is another story. This first picture is of one of the tree before the chainsaw did its work. This is what it looked like today after it fell. But let's not dwell on that...let's look at the beautiful Plume Gorge we saw on our last "P" day. It is about a two hour drive from the site and we had a beautiful day to take advantage of. (You should never end a sentence a preposition with, but I did anyway.) The pictures that follow are all of the Gorge...aren't they beautiful?!!!