Keeping busy...

Elder Briggs & Elder Aubrey helping James & Audrey at the Food Pantry

Our week began with a funeral, instead of a Preparation Day.  Well, we did have half a prep day, so we got

our cleaning and laundry done.  Helen's funeral was in the afternoon.  Wayne and I both participated in the service, then we went with the family to the cemetery and Wayne dedicated the grave.  It was nice and we hope that it motivates some of the family members to come back to church. I (Janie) started feeling a cold coming on that evening and by Tuesday morning was not feeling well at all - so I stayed home from our Zone Meeting.  Wayne took Elder Briggs and Elder Aubrey to the meeting in Front Royal.  It lasted most of the day (with 1 1/2 hour travel time each way).  When he got home I was feeling well enough to go up to the nursing home for our service hour (Bingo!).

Wednesday was our day to work at the community Food Pantry.  We enjoy that a lot,  it's a great service to

be involved in.  I greet clients and help them get their paper work in order, Wayne and the other missionaries (and sometimes ward members) do the real work of filling the food boxes based on number of people in the family and helping them get the boxes to their cars - or strapped onto an old stroller, as one couple did, since they didn't have a car...  After our shift there we visited Goldie, who is 90 years old,  then stopped in to see Charlie and Ann, and their daughter, Marie.  We have been visiting them for over a year, they really want to get back into the church  - but just can't seem to get up and ready by 9 am on Sundays; they really want to quit smoking, too, but it's just so difficult.   Anyway, we love them. And have recently been working on genealogy with Ann's sister, that has gotten them excited about it too. Maybe that will be the key.  Ann and her sister have not been on speaking terms for quite a while, but last week they got together to talk about their family history - so at least that was a success.  And Ann's sister Sheila has come back to church, she's been three weeks in a row, another success!!

Thursday was our big monthly home teaching/visiting teaching loop, out to the furthest edge of the ward.  My VT companion Janet went with us, for a change.  And Wayne's HT companion met us at one of the homes, then they went off in another direction for more visits.  After I dropped Janet off, I stopped at four more places on my way home, to check up on ward members, then ended up at the church to work on genealogy and have the Family History room open for an hour or more. Theresa came in and indexed.  Another high mileage day for the trusty van.

We met with our ward mission leader Friday morning, then worked at the Food Pantry again, made a visit to John and Audrey's, and did a few errands.  Saturday we had planned to go to the DC Temple,  but snow and ice was forecast,  and our passengers backed out because of weather and illness,  so the trip was cancelled.  We spent the day working on talks and lessons,  making phone calls, catching up on book work and journal, etc.  Possibly a nap, too...   For dinner we went to the local Chinese Buffet - it's very small and not all that great, but when we talked to Matt and Kaleb on their joint birthday Wednesday that's where they were in Boise and I'd been hungry for Chinese food ever since!

Today - you know, the Sabbath, our day of Worship and Rest!  We began with Ward Council at 8 am, then our 3-hour church block.  Late last week a member of our Bishopric asked us if we would be back-up speakers for Sacrament Meeting today.  The assigned speakers had just let him know that they would be at a wrestling match for one of their kids on Saturday and didn't know if they would be able to get back Saturday evening.  So we prepared, not knowing if we would be needed.  But we did get to speak today, and it was good for us.  Then I helped with the family history Sunday school class, then taught Relief Society. Wayne taught the High Priest' class too.  You'd think the ward members would be tired of us speaking and teaching so much, but they are just so happy not to have to do it themselves all the time that they put up with us, and even encourage and compliment us!  After church I helped Sonja get started on her genealogy (interesting, she is from Germany), while Wayne went to choir practice.  After a nice dinner he left to go home teaching with his friend Johnny who can't get his companion to go.  Johnny's wife was sick today and he came to church on his own this morning (about a 15-mile drive for him), that's huge for him,  we are very proud of his efforts.  It's been a good Sunday,  a good week.  Not too interesting for you to read about, I'm sure.  But we feel useful, and very involved in the lives of the members here in Petersburg.  We feel the Spirit's guidance in our planning and preparing, and I especially feel His influence as I help with genealogy and we prepare names for the temple, helping those on the other side to progress.  It's good to tire ourselves out in service to the Lord.

Congratulations to our beautiful granddaughter Katelyn on her acceptance to the college of her choice, BYU-Idaho - yes, I know, it's hard to believe that she is a senior this year!   Happy Birthday tomorrow to our youngest granddaughter, Klarese - she turns one on January 26th, we look forward to meeting her in six months....   And Happy Birthday to lovely Sara this Saturday.  We love you.