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Elder Nelson - My Happy Birthday and Lances Gall Stones

Dear Family,

Mission NewsThis was the quiet week before the storm (transfer week). There is preparation for transfer week. The arriving missionaries get a packet of information as do the departing missionaries. The departing missionaries are asked to complete an online exercise called “My Plan”. My Plan is the missionaries plan for after he is released. I don’t see those, but the mission president discusses them with the departing missionaries.

I coordinate the transportation of the from the airport to the mission home and then to the hotel as well as the transportation of the departing missionaries. We always have visa waiters that need to be driven to the airport at different times.

Transfer day is Tuesday and transfers end at 1:30 when the new missionaries go off with their new companions and companions are exchanged. At 1:30 the departing missionaries go on an “excursion” for a few hours before their dinner and testimony meeting at the mission home. I took on the responsibilities for organizing this. Most of the time the missionaries want to go to Mt. Vernon, but we give them a choice.

Then of course we have the smart phones that need to be exchanged. We are getting 8 more new missionaries than are going home. Therefore I need to make sure we have phones for all of them. The next transfer, we will have more missionaries going home than coming it.

I have been asked to help specific missionaries to use technology safely and find those who have “rogue” devices. This is a difficult challenge.

Fun StuffMom and I participated in a discussion on Friday morning with a man who wants to know what we believe, but he already has all of the answers. I didn’t help much because I got the sister missionaries off plan with some of my comments.

Friday night we met with Nancy again. Actually her 18 year old daughter called the missionaries and asked them to come over for a discussion. They committed to coming to a new member fireside tonight. There was a good feeling at the discussion.

Yesterday there was a baptism of a man who attends our ward. He often sat alone, so I would sit by him at priesthood meeting. He asked me to speak on the Holy Ghost at his baptism. I don’t know why, but I had difficulty preparing my thoughts. Mom said it went well.

Andrew and his family and Elder Pullan and Elder Johnson (Office Elders)
My birthday was Wednesday. I really enjoyed hearing from you all. I feel loved by my children and grandchildren. Derek’s children sang a hip-hop happy birthday song to me that was really fun.

Elizabeth drew, colored, cut and pasted and sent me this picture. With art of this nature it is sometimes difficult to know which way is up, but we think we got it right.
Mom took me to a real Chinese restaurant. We were the only ones in the place that were not Chinese and we were the only ones not speaking Chinese. The waitress did not speak good English and had to order by circling the items on items on the menu with a pencil.

We ordered a bowl of soup with very long noodles. We had only chop sticks to get these long noodles out of the bowl. After I struggled unsuccessfully for a minute or two, the waitress came to our table snickering and offered us a knife and fork. She said to me, “You funny!”

Derek stopped by Tuesday evening for a visit. It is always great to see my children! He had business in DC and Maryland on Wednesday and Thursday. We took him for a walk in our “woods” and he said they were beautiful.

Thursday we had a terrific thunder storm. Suddenly it got really dark. There was thunder, lightning, wind and LOTS of rain, but after about a half hour the sun was out, it was calm and the streets were drying. I believe this is not unusual for this area. I think it is fun.

WES NewsThe good news is that my partner has signed the documents to sell all of his shares to me. The bad news is that the company short term out look is not bright. May will be a strong month. June will probably be OK, but July and August are scary. Buying his stock is good if the company is worth something, but not good if the company goes under. We need to make a decision.

Family NewsLance survived an operation to remove his gallbladder. It was full of stones and in really bad shape. Unfortunately he missed going with his girls to the Oakland Temple open house on Saturday.

Derek got a little sick on his trip.

Chelsea has about 3 days of school left and she is looking forward to not having pink eye for the summer. She got pink eye again last week.

Kent is staying with Chelsea for the holiday weekend. They went on a little hike on Saturday. With all of the rain they have been having everything was green and beautiful. They are going to Church today with Keri and family. Lindsey will be joining them for dinner.

One of Kent’s assignments in the elder’s quorum is to help teach the Temple Preparation class. A new class is starting up again. He really enjoyed the class last time.

Elizabeth still enjoys driving her “Jeep”.

Love,
Dad

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