Service with a Smile and Care Package Surprises

This week we had a break from so much driving and visiting.  It was the Petersburg Ward's turn to staff the

community interfaith Food Pantry, so we were trained then helped out there on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons, as did our four Elders.  It took a while to learn how to do the paperwork and pack the boxes properly but by Friday we were competent enough to do it by ourselves.  Monday and Wednesday being the end of the month it was very busy,  fortunately not so much on Friday.  On Saturday we helped at a huge Mobile Food Pantry event, where truckloads of food were brought to the local fire station and volunteers unloaded it, set it out on tables and packed over 200 boxes for needy individuals and families in the area.  We had lots of frozen meat, fruit,

vegetables, eggs, milk, yogurt, sacks of potatoes, bread, rolls, and pastries,  frozen pizzas, and bottled water.  They get to do that twice a year through some government grant.  It was very well organized and lots of people worked hard all morning to make it work.  Good project to interact with the community and other church leaders.  We also helped with Bingo at the Nursing Home a couple times and helped with our ward Trunk or Treat on Wednesday night.  We took our Elders to Romney (40 miles northwest) for a District Meeting (followed by Chinese food),  took a sweet older lady visiting teaching to the shy mountain lady and her daughter that we have visited before.  This time instead of sitting in camp chairs in their front yard they actually invited us in to their humble cabin, that's a big step.  Enjoyed our visit very much.
Made a couple other visits to families we have been trying to catch up with.  Wayne took the van to

Downtown Petersburg diner where we had great crab soup last week!

Moorefield to a shop where they installed a small hitch so we can put on a bike rack and help with the missionary transfers that occur every six weeks or so.  The next transfers are November 20th and our Elder Williamson will be going home then, so obviously we will see some changes.
Our other big project for the week (and on-going) is making our own directory pages.  We are taking the ward roster and combining it with directions to many of the homes in the ward compiled by former senior missionaries and a Relief Society roster of women and how they are related to one another,  also other notes from previous missionaries, and any other relevant information we

Roadside Chicken BBQ - $4 for half a chicken - So good!

can find - then making a binder with a page for each individual, family, or couple with all that information and lines that we can use to record each visit we make to them, and what message or lesson we taught, etc.  It's kind of a big project but will be very helpful when we get it completed and useful for anyone coming after us. 
Tomorrow we are making the three hour trip to Frederick, Virginia, to attend meetings and training with Elder Bruce Carlson of the Second Quorum of the Seventy.  Half of the missionaries in our mission will meet Monday in Frederick,  the other half Tuesday in Columbia.  After the meetings tomorrow the senior missionaries will have a dinner and fireside with him.  Should be a wonderful day.  Tonight I have to make a side dish to take to the dinner.  I was sent the recipe to use:  Sun Dried Tomato Orzo with Fresh Basil.  I found out last night that there is no fresh basil in Petersburg so we had to make a run to Moorefield, finally found some limp, moldy basil leaves in a Food Lion store.  Now I have to look on the internet to see how to "chiffonade" them.  One more thing I am learning on my mission...
Had a great Sunday with very good attendance at Sacrament Meeting.  The family we have been helping clean up a big old house all came to church, 13-year old Josh (son of a recent convert) came,  Brandi and one of her children who we held Home Evening with a couple weeks ago came.  Wayne taught the High Priest's group.  Next week I get to speak in sacrament meeting and teach Relief Society.  Also got a couple of visiting teaching routes today.  We will keep busy.  The weather is still nice enough for us to walk to church, though supposed to get down in the 20's tonight.


Wayne modelling apron Rosala made
from old shirt

 A BIG highlight of this week (our 2-month mission milestone!) was TWO lovely thoughtful care packagesthat we received.  We feel so special.  My sister Judy sent a box with Wayne's favorite Arkansas peanut brittle,  my favorite honey roasted cashews,  calendars, herb-cheese biscuit mix, and more.  What a fun treat!  Then yesterday we received a big heavy box from Wayne's sister Rosala with a waffle iron, a quart of wonderful La Grande honey, a new game, dish towels, a fun apron made from a men's shirt, and more.   Thanks to the Eddingtons and the Jensen family for the great surprises, and also for the sweet notes, and love and support you expressed.  How did you know we would be feeling a little homesick again this weekend as our grandson Cache was baptized and some of the family gathered at his/our home to celebrate. 
Have a good week and remember us in your prayers.  OYM  (Open Your Mouth and tell others about the Gospel of Jesus Christ)