Leadership Training Hike

For one of our leadership training meetings we hiked up to a bluff

overlooking Omaha on one side and Council Bluffs on the other.

It was a wonderful place to help us renew our eternal perspectives

and to feel the Lord's love for all His children everywhere.

As we looked out over the cities

we thought of all those that the Lord has prepared,

who are searching for the truth, but simply don't know where to find it.

We all felt the need to recommit ourselves to this work

and become better instruments in the hands of the Lord.

Of course then we had to build a fire

and roast a few marshmallows for s'mores.

We had a great time and created many wonderful memories

but most of all we felt the Spirit confirm our callings as missionaries,

sent out to find the elect and bring them the restored Gospel of Christ.

Leadership Training

We had a Zone and District Leadership Meeting

which also included the Training Sisters.

When you get that much power in one room great things happen.

We had wonderful training by several of the missionaries

and prepared for the upcoming weeks before zone conference.

We are so impressed with these incredible leaders.

They are remarkable young people

with great faith and testimony

and it is indeed a privilege to be able to serve with them.

Preparation Day

Sister Meryhew and Sister Hale invited me to spend their

preparation day with them. We had such a fun time.

We drove up to the Holy Family Shrine

that stands on the hills above Route 80 just outside of Gretna.

It is a lovely building sitting all alone,

and surrounded by the beautiful green hills you see behind the sisters.

The Shrine is made of glass and gorgeous wood crossbeams.

The little stream of water above begins in the visitor center

and runs the length of the walkway and into the shrine.

Inside the Shrine we had a wonderful panoramic view of the entire area

and it really was pretty.

Sister Meryhew spent the whole time wishing it would storm because

she loves lightning and what better place to see it then in

a glass house.

Sioux City Zone

Hello, Sioux City Zone!

The Nebraska Omaha Mission has grown!

The Sioux City Stake originally from the Iowa, Des Moines Mission

has become a part of the Nebraska Omaha Mission.

This stake includes some more of Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota.

We are now a four state mission.

The Sioux City Zone is made up of 19 young missionaries

and one lovely senior couple who work on the

Omaha and Winnebago Indian Reservations.

We are excited to get to know all of these wonderful people.

We will be having a big BBQ up in Sioux City after some training

so that we can get to know them better.

At the approaching transfer some of these missionaries

will be heading into unknown territory, at least out of the areas

they have been accustom to since they began their missions.

It would be hard to change missions in the middle of your time out,

but we all take great comfort in knowing that it is the Lord's work we are doing

no matter what the address is.

Thank you to these great missionaries for their willingness

to go where the Lord calls them.

Happy Birthday, Matthew!

My baby turned fourteen!

I'm so grateful the Lord sent Matthew to us.

I was forty-one when he was born and afraid I might be too old

to have another little one around,

but

just like my mother told me:

"you'll never regret the ones you had,

only the ones you didn't have."

Isn't that the truth?!

I have been grateful everyday for fourteen years.

Thank Heaven, the Lord knows us better than we know ourselves.

All Kinds of Shoes

This is a sight I can never get enough of.

It means the house is full of missionaries

and

I LOVE IT!!!!!

The best calling in the world is

"Mission Mom".

Family!

This is my little 'grandniece' Lana,

(too cute!)...

and her aunt, mommy and daddy.

Lana's daddy is my nephew and I clearly remember him

when he was Lana's age.

What a blessing to see little people grow up

into such wonderful adults

and I know because of this sweet

mommy and daddy

Lana will grow up to be wonderful too.

Sandhills

Way out on the North-western part of our mission is a wonderful place called Sandhills. The church owns a huge cattle ranch out there which makes up the tiny Sandhills Branch with 41 on the records and 37 active members. How's that for great attendance! The area is literally made up of sand but because of the cattle who tramp down, fertilize and munch on the wild grasses they have become productive grazing hills. We had the privilege of going out there to meet with the Branch President and the High Councilor in anticipation of putting missionaries in the area.

At this point the branch meets in this tiny community church,

complete with outhouses in the back yard.

They have just started construction on a new little building of their own and they are so excited. Anything new in this area causes quite a stir so they had requested missionaries to help them with their open house in September. We have since sent out two great missionaries, Elder McClain and Elder Stevens, to work as free ranch-hands during the day with the only requirement being dinner and a half hour of time for a lesson in the evening. Sounds like a great deal to me.

Brother Ramsey of the High Council insisted on taking us for a horse-back ride and as hesitant as us city folk were, we had a fantastic time. We went for two hours and ended in the evening so that we could see their breath-taking sunset. What an amazing place. Our prayer go with these two elders (who think they have died and gone to heaven). We are anxious to hear of their success!