Looks Like We Made It!

Ok.  We realize that it’s been ALMOST two weeks since we wrote.  Guess that means that we’ve been busy!  And that’s always a good thing on a mission!😁   On December 19th we had a special zone conference that was really AWESOME!  We love our mission leaders!  (Did you know that they have changed what they call the mission president and wife to mission leaders--that’s because the mission president’s wife is just as much a mission leader as her husband.)  Anyway, they planned a truly wonderful zone conference.  We had a beautiful live nativity with musical numbers and the scripture story.  It was wonderful--especially since I knew I would be missing the one we always had with our grandchildren.  And these missionaries have become “adopted” grandchildren to us.  We love them so much!  I can’t believe how much talent they all have.  There are so many musically talented missionaries.  I’m going to share a link to one ...

Well...winter got off to a big bang and then fizzled! It's been cold but very little snow or rain. It was really sunny the other day and I thought I'd start my morning walks again. About three blocks later I was on the run home freezing in the 12 degree wind chill. President Bosen assigned Sister Swenson and me to read a business book called "The Dream Manager". We're going to use the concepts in the book along with the 4 areas of the new Church program for youth. We will ask which of the YSA's want to meet and discuss life dreams, challenges and goals. After the interview's we will become mentors in helping them reach “fulfill their dreams". (meet their goals?) We really enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone wanting to help others reach higher. Sister Swenson is studying the Church material to come up with some interview forms to overlay the two ideas. Hope it works! Now we're reading a new book called "The Next Mormons....

Boy, the weeks really are flying by.  And yet when I sit down to write, I find myself at a loss for what to share.  The biggest news this week was transfers.  😢  This was so hard.  Our district was decimated, but the worst thing was that we lost Elder Ellsworth!  He was the first face that greeted us when we arrived in Vermont.  He sort of taught us the ropes and was patient with our slow learning curve. He has been our zone leader, and basically our trainer (they don't give those to couple missionaries but believe me we would have been lost without Elder Ellsworth.) When they formed the YSA Branch, he and Elder Edstrom were assigned to that branch with us--so basically we have worked closely with them.  It was so hard to say goodbye.  I think he was having a hard time leaving too.  He's back in Maine.  He made it clear to us when we got here that this was the prime real estate of the New Hampshire mission and he wasn't too fond of...

This is Ken doing the up to date report of the goings on in the Manchester New Hampshire Mission! ( I guess specifically the Northern Vermont part). Sister Swenson and I hosted Thanksgiving dinner at our place for the two elders in our area and some "homeless" YSA's. There only ended up being seven of us but it was a great time. One of the YSA's, Rose said that she had to bring her special recipe of Bacon wrapped maple syrup carrots. These folks slip "Genuine Vermont Maple Syrup" into everything. We even had a maple syrup cream pie. (And roasted maple sweet potatoes--which were delicious!) As usual Debbie cooked almost everything and did decorations but the kids each helped a little. I would have helped but the Bears were playing the Lions....well you know? Jimmy Fallon said that in a survey men reported that they helped with Thanksgiving Dinner 85% of the time, if you count saying "that smells good" as helping! Everything is soooo far away here. O...