Elder and Sister Anderson arrived here about 4 pm Saturday, very much relieved to make their final destination. We met at the church and showed them the employment office and then took them to their extended stay motel. I think they were feeling a little overwhelmed, but after today, I really think they feel it. We went to the Mission 1st Ward today and they were greeted very warmly. I had lunch for them and we were able to acquaint them with the apartment as they will be staying here after we leave. They are a great couple and it is amazing how quickly we can bond with someone we meet for the first time. They are in their seventies and seem to be in good health. Sister Anderson will continue with the piano lessons, which I am so grateful for, and if these 'munchkins' don't see how blessed they are to be able to continue with this opportunity, I will be so disappointed. I am having a piano recital on Wednesday so the students can meet her and she them; I hope they practice!!!! Starting Monday, we will be doing all the computer/office training, missionary inspection route, meeting Pres. and Sister Miller, Zone Conference, and whatever else they will need to know. It is an awful BIG BITE to be given in a weeks time, but we know the Lord will bless them beyond what they think they can because He did with us. It is a wonderful thing to have the Lord on your side!
We should be in Caliente on March 6th and I already have a babysitting date with my grandkids. I am so excited to see Cooper, other than on skype, and all the family we can visit as we travel through Utah. Our twins Aidan and Ahston and all the grandchildren have probably grown so much. We are just excited!
See ya soon,
With love,
Los Averys
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
On this Valentines Day I express my love to family and friends. I have appreciated having someone to share our experiences with. With only two weeks left before we start our journey home, I reflect on the past 12 months with a lot of emotion. It has been joyful at times, and exhausting at times. I have been stretched way beyond my comfort zone, and came through it knowing more. I have come to recognize more fully my weaknesses, and felt my Heavenly Father's love through it all. I have more compassion for people and the struggles they go through. I have recognized my blessings more fully and express gratitude more. I have become a step closer, although a very tiny step, to having no guile in my heart. I have no regrets about making the decision to serve a mission and feel honored that the Lord trusted me enough to let me have this opportunity to serve these good people in the Texas McAllen Mission.
With love,
Los Averys
With love,
Los Averys
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Even though Fast and Testimony Meeting was in Spanish today, I enjoyed being with these good people of the La Joya Barrio. We wanted to see the Wegers' before we went home and thought this the best way. Sister Weger (Silvia) and her two sons, Daniel and Luis, were volunteers in our office for a time. We attended Christmas dinner at their home and I feel a close friendship with Sister Weger. He husband is the new Bishop of the La Joya Barrio and is also a teacher at UTPA and also a PA at a medical facility; a very busy man. She was recently called to be the Institute teacher as there is no missionary couple coming to replace Elder and Sister Hudnor. Anyway, a very dedicated family that has been a privilege to know. I appreciated the message in Relief Society on the importance of Temple Marriage and the Relief Society Presidency was helpful is seeing that I had an interpreter.
Thursday, the General Presidencies of the Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary were in the Stake Center for training. The three Stakes in the 'Valley' were involved and according to President Thompson, felt so privileged to have this wonderful opportunity. There was well over 200 leaders in attendance. I happened to see Sister Cook with the youth YW leaders in the High Council room and Sister Allred with the Spanish Relief Society leaders in the Chapel. This truly shows how mindful the Lord is of all His people.
As we listen to the General Conference CDs', we have particularly been drawn to President Uchtdorf's talk in the Priesthood Session. Maybe it is because we are so focused on teaching Self-Reliance that has endeared this talk to us. His personal experiences certainly portray a life of hard work and tenacity, a love of learning, and faith in the Lord. This is truly a testimony of how we can have great adversity and be enabled to rise above it. Everyone has the power to make their lives better because of what our Savior has done for them, and it is up to rest of us to guide them in seeing that.
We had supper again with President and Sister Miller and Elder and Sister Hudnor. I guess because we are both going home soon, they want to make more time for us and plus there just happens to be a BYU ball game scheduled. President Miller has led the McAllen Texas Mission very well and under his leadership there has been an average of 19,000 contacts a week. We have so enjoyed the Missionaries that we have had the privelege of associating with and feeling of their strong testimonies and their love for the people. This Mission has truly been a blessing in my life!
With love,
Los Averys
Thursday, the General Presidencies of the Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary were in the Stake Center for training. The three Stakes in the 'Valley' were involved and according to President Thompson, felt so privileged to have this wonderful opportunity. There was well over 200 leaders in attendance. I happened to see Sister Cook with the youth YW leaders in the High Council room and Sister Allred with the Spanish Relief Society leaders in the Chapel. This truly shows how mindful the Lord is of all His people.
As we listen to the General Conference CDs', we have particularly been drawn to President Uchtdorf's talk in the Priesthood Session. Maybe it is because we are so focused on teaching Self-Reliance that has endeared this talk to us. His personal experiences certainly portray a life of hard work and tenacity, a love of learning, and faith in the Lord. This is truly a testimony of how we can have great adversity and be enabled to rise above it. Everyone has the power to make their lives better because of what our Savior has done for them, and it is up to rest of us to guide them in seeing that.
We had supper again with President and Sister Miller and Elder and Sister Hudnor. I guess because we are both going home soon, they want to make more time for us and plus there just happens to be a BYU ball game scheduled. President Miller has led the McAllen Texas Mission very well and under his leadership there has been an average of 19,000 contacts a week. We have so enjoyed the Missionaries that we have had the privelege of associating with and feeling of their strong testimonies and their love for the people. This Mission has truly been a blessing in my life!
With love,
Los Averys
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Last day of January and I am sure you agree that it went way too fast! February being a shorter month, I feel it will go even faster. Even though it is our last month on our mission, we still have plenty to do; apartment inspections Friday, a youth workshop the following Saturday, a Ward Specialist training meeting the same week, deep cleaning the apartment for the Andersons', training the Andersons' the 22nd through the 26th, Zone Conference, piano recital, and packing. Speaking of feelings, it was a very good Sacrament meeting with the topic being Elder Watson's talk from October General Conference on "Being Temperate in all things". A married couple of only 6 weeks spoke and he has only been a member 6-7 months. I felt the spirit and was strengthened by their experience with being Temperate.
Some of our volunteers have stopped coming so we were pleasantly surprised when on Monday Socorro Farias from the McAllen 2nd Ward came to be a volunteer. Pres. Young had asked that the High Councilmen ask in their ward for someone to help us on certain days that had been shared by us. He will be pleased that it happened in that ward. She had a good experience helping Jose Cruz sign on the computer after she signed on herself earlier so she could learn how. She works for an abused women's shelter as a social worker and has a Bachelor's Degree. She has a long term goal of going back to school to get a degree in Culinary Arts as she is a good cook and wants to pursue that talent. We also had Kevin Jackson sign on the computer and I made business cards for him. He and his wife have a baby boy and are investigating the church and I felt him to be a humble man and also one with a lot of faith. There is always a lot of history with these dear people but always way too much to write about. We also had a Sister McDonald and her son come in who had recently moved here from Cedar City. Her husband was hired at UTPA as a teacher and what a change coming from Cedar to South Texas. They signed on the computer and because they had time, she did her "Me in 30 seconds", etc., getting her profile over 90% and her son got his up to 68%. She wrote down some job leads too. It was a good day!
I found a web site that was designed to show people that we are not just a bunch of "blindly" obedient people with no thought process of our own. It is called mormonscholarstestify.org and I have enjoyed reading it whenever I can make the time.
I read this in the Mormon Times and thought I would share it. It is by the late Truman Madsen: "To be or not to be is not the question. No one can choose to be or not to be...Everyone simply and eternally is an individual, free, conscious, enlargeable self. The question is not one of being, but of becoming. To become more or not to become more. This is the question faced by each intelligence in our universe. At this point, and not before, the absolute and inescapable need for God and His Christ arises. And those who choose are....added upon." There are two words that President Miller has used a lot as he has directed the Texas McAllen Missionaries, and those are to Remember and to Become.
We attended a class at the McAllen High School where we had been asked to discuss with the students what employers expect from their employees and the importance of following safety procedures. It went very well and were thankful for the opportunity. A few minutes were left for questions and one girl asked if we were really brother and sister because that is how we introduced ourselves. When it was explained what that meant and that we were married and had been for 40 years, she was delightfully moved by that and commented on how "cute" we were. It was a class on learning about careers and this week was having guest speakers. The librarian in the school is a member of the church and gave our name to the teacher. The class was made up of Seniors, Juniors, and Sophmores.
Saturday morning we got a call from Angela that Ruth and Cooper had been hit by another car when she was on her way to a class she has been attending for some added certification. An older woman had not been paying attention and hit Ruth's door causing her to jump the curb and hit a brick wall. Thank goodness they had been going just 25 miles an hour. All 4 air bags deployed filling the car with smoke to which Ruth reacted and managed to climb into the back seat to get a screaming baby and kick the door open to get out. We are so so grateful that it wasn't any worse, although the doctor at the ER that check them both, said she was going to be very sore. I don't know how the insurance will handle it all, but we pray it will work to their advantage and we advised her to not sign any closing settlements until she and Cooper got all the therapy they need. I am just thankful and am trying to be positive about the whole thing, which doesn't come easy for me, even though I want to be.
I read a quote in the Church News that I felt defines what we as a people are to be doing to assist others in this life, whether it is employement, sharing the gospel, or just being there for them. C. Terry Warner, a retired teacher at BYU said, "If we are living as the gospel requires, when we ourselves are learning, we are unwilling to leave others behind. An essential part of our growth comes in helping others grow. And then those we help in turn help others-among them....our own posterity. This draws us close to one another even across generations, and we become united, a Zion people."
With love,
Los Averys
Some of our volunteers have stopped coming so we were pleasantly surprised when on Monday Socorro Farias from the McAllen 2nd Ward came to be a volunteer. Pres. Young had asked that the High Councilmen ask in their ward for someone to help us on certain days that had been shared by us. He will be pleased that it happened in that ward. She had a good experience helping Jose Cruz sign on the computer after she signed on herself earlier so she could learn how. She works for an abused women's shelter as a social worker and has a Bachelor's Degree. She has a long term goal of going back to school to get a degree in Culinary Arts as she is a good cook and wants to pursue that talent. We also had Kevin Jackson sign on the computer and I made business cards for him. He and his wife have a baby boy and are investigating the church and I felt him to be a humble man and also one with a lot of faith. There is always a lot of history with these dear people but always way too much to write about. We also had a Sister McDonald and her son come in who had recently moved here from Cedar City. Her husband was hired at UTPA as a teacher and what a change coming from Cedar to South Texas. They signed on the computer and because they had time, she did her "Me in 30 seconds", etc., getting her profile over 90% and her son got his up to 68%. She wrote down some job leads too. It was a good day!
I found a web site that was designed to show people that we are not just a bunch of "blindly" obedient people with no thought process of our own. It is called mormonscholarstestify.org and I have enjoyed reading it whenever I can make the time.
I read this in the Mormon Times and thought I would share it. It is by the late Truman Madsen: "To be or not to be is not the question. No one can choose to be or not to be...Everyone simply and eternally is an individual, free, conscious, enlargeable self. The question is not one of being, but of becoming. To become more or not to become more. This is the question faced by each intelligence in our universe. At this point, and not before, the absolute and inescapable need for God and His Christ arises. And those who choose are....added upon." There are two words that President Miller has used a lot as he has directed the Texas McAllen Missionaries, and those are to Remember and to Become.
We attended a class at the McAllen High School where we had been asked to discuss with the students what employers expect from their employees and the importance of following safety procedures. It went very well and were thankful for the opportunity. A few minutes were left for questions and one girl asked if we were really brother and sister because that is how we introduced ourselves. When it was explained what that meant and that we were married and had been for 40 years, she was delightfully moved by that and commented on how "cute" we were. It was a class on learning about careers and this week was having guest speakers. The librarian in the school is a member of the church and gave our name to the teacher. The class was made up of Seniors, Juniors, and Sophmores.
Saturday morning we got a call from Angela that Ruth and Cooper had been hit by another car when she was on her way to a class she has been attending for some added certification. An older woman had not been paying attention and hit Ruth's door causing her to jump the curb and hit a brick wall. Thank goodness they had been going just 25 miles an hour. All 4 air bags deployed filling the car with smoke to which Ruth reacted and managed to climb into the back seat to get a screaming baby and kick the door open to get out. We are so so grateful that it wasn't any worse, although the doctor at the ER that check them both, said she was going to be very sore. I don't know how the insurance will handle it all, but we pray it will work to their advantage and we advised her to not sign any closing settlements until she and Cooper got all the therapy they need. I am just thankful and am trying to be positive about the whole thing, which doesn't come easy for me, even though I want to be.
I read a quote in the Church News that I felt defines what we as a people are to be doing to assist others in this life, whether it is employement, sharing the gospel, or just being there for them. C. Terry Warner, a retired teacher at BYU said, "If we are living as the gospel requires, when we ourselves are learning, we are unwilling to leave others behind. An essential part of our growth comes in helping others grow. And then those we help in turn help others-among them....our own posterity. This draws us close to one another even across generations, and we become united, a Zion people."
With love,
Los Averys
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Our grandson, Nickolas, went on a scout klondike over the week end and Brother Christensen sent us some pictures of the event. You do have snow!! I didn't doubt the reports, it is just that I wasn't experiencing it so I didn't give it much thought. This is where we are grateful for all the moisture and a beautiful Spring that is sure to come. Okay, I know, it is easy for me to say enjoying 70 and 80 degree weather, but I am sure you agree.
A new week and I am wondering where last week went. I have been working on Missionary Résumés and have 7 done, working on #8, one is in the waiting file, and one yet still to come in. I see Elder Marrott every week when he comes for District Meeting and still he forgets. The departure date is February 10th so maybe he will make it this week. I told him that I wasn't going to remind him anymore. I also have been deleting a lot of outdated material off the computer. Sister Butler reminds me that the computer has a lot of memory, but I don't like a lot of clutter even if it is on the computer. I thought very carefully before I deleted and I think 1999 qualifies for outdated. It will make it so nice when I am teaching Sister Anderson about the computer to have less confusing information. We had people in the office most everyday and signed a few on the computer. Some have good computer skills, some a little, and some not at all and so we do it for them. We are gradually taking people off our contact list as some are getting jobs, some have moved from the area, some just aren't available because their phones have been out of service for a couple of months, and some we see no effort on their part.
I enjoyed the speakers in church today as they spoke on the Family Proclamation. They recently moved here from California and had had first-hand experience with all the problems over Proposition 8. It is good to hear such strong testimonies given.
Better close so we can go for a ride while the sun is still out so Elder Avery can wear his sunglasses as he broke his other glasses and won't have them until Friday. We kind of get cabin fever after awhile and just need to be outside.
With love,
Los Averys
A new week and I am wondering where last week went. I have been working on Missionary Résumés and have 7 done, working on #8, one is in the waiting file, and one yet still to come in. I see Elder Marrott every week when he comes for District Meeting and still he forgets. The departure date is February 10th so maybe he will make it this week. I told him that I wasn't going to remind him anymore. I also have been deleting a lot of outdated material off the computer. Sister Butler reminds me that the computer has a lot of memory, but I don't like a lot of clutter even if it is on the computer. I thought very carefully before I deleted and I think 1999 qualifies for outdated. It will make it so nice when I am teaching Sister Anderson about the computer to have less confusing information. We had people in the office most everyday and signed a few on the computer. Some have good computer skills, some a little, and some not at all and so we do it for them. We are gradually taking people off our contact list as some are getting jobs, some have moved from the area, some just aren't available because their phones have been out of service for a couple of months, and some we see no effort on their part.
I enjoyed the speakers in church today as they spoke on the Family Proclamation. They recently moved here from California and had had first-hand experience with all the problems over Proposition 8. It is good to hear such strong testimonies given.
Better close so we can go for a ride while the sun is still out so Elder Avery can wear his sunglasses as he broke his other glasses and won't have them until Friday. We kind of get cabin fever after awhile and just need to be outside.
With love,
Los Averys
Sunday, January 17, 2010
We took a ride this afternoon to the park we tried to see during the holidays and thought you might enjoy some of the pictures. This one shows the width of the river and you can see people in Mexico doing some of the same things the people on our side of the river are doing. Listening to the Spanish music coming from the other side and listening to the people on our side, we didn't hear any difference. Imagine that!
Thought you would enjoy a picture of a Border Patrol helicopter that just happened to fly by while we were there. We also saw Border Patrol vehicles patroling in the area.
It is interesting that this river, which is a resource for both countries, where both use the life-giving waters to sustain them, gives freely to both.We had a good week which included a Zone Conference, Career Workshop, Ward Employment Specialist meeting, and signed 6 people on the computer. Sister Butler showed me on Monday how to download pictures and right after she did, I was able to help Ray Canchola by sending a picture of him to the police department. Someone in Minnesota was using his identity and the police needed Ray's picture along with the other information he gave them. We learned later that the man who did this was caught and we are so thankful this worked out for Ray.
We are so grateful for the blessings that have come to our nephew Jared. He suffered a stroke this past week and there were miracles in bringing such a quick reversal to his paralysis. He felt the power of prayer and love as we all petitioned our Heavenly Father in his behalf. I am thankful our prayers were answered.
I had an interesting comment on my blog from last week. Brother John Moore, a law student from a school in Pennslyvania, found my blog and felt it was an answer to his prayers. He is wanting to be able to attend an event put on by the Hidalgo County Bar Association and needed to be put in touch with someone affiliated with them. We looked on our information and found a member that is a lawyer and asked him to check into things for Brother Moore. This just happened Friday, so hopefully by early next week we should know something. I have emailed Brother Moore with the information and he emailed back his thanks. Feeling the Lord's hand in this, I am hopeful that he will have the information he seeks.
A thought from my reading: "Submission" may be the most powerful concept in the gospel. When we submit, we are saying, "not my will, but thine. " It could feel a lot like slavery or prison, but in the right frame of mind, it feels like complete freedom. Obedience might keep you on the straight and narrow, but submission opens the gate at the end of it. I am so grateful for our Savior who totally submitted himself to the will of the Father and gave us the greatest gift we could ever have. Words can't express the hope and peace that brings to my life!
With love,
Los Averys
Sunday, January 10, 2010
It was just barely a new year, and now 10 days have come and gone already. I am grateful for a few of those days to be gone, as we had some pretty cold weather this past week. Hopefully, there won't be any more of those while we are here. It is not that I am complaining (okay I am), but our wardrobe doesn't consist of sweaters and such because it wasn't suppose to get so cold. People were picking their citrus and covering plants with whatever extra blanket they had. We have been given lemons, oranges, and grapefruits a plenty, which we are so enjoying. If it didn't cost so much, I would mail some home.
The office was busy this week which we thought would happen after the holidays. We worked with 17 people and was able to actually sign some of those onto ldsjobs.org. We had a good question and answer day with Brother Stotts who was here on Thursday from Houston. He brought news that an Elder and Sister Anderson from Mt. Pleasant, Ut will be entering the MTC on February 1st and will be the couple replacing us. So, sometime in March we should be on our way home. We still have a lot we want to put into action, so will keep pressing forward in our service.
Missionary résumés have starting coming in, so I am working at keeping up with them as there are 11 going home in January. There was 19 that came out in December, so the missionary work continues to move forward. We really want to sign the missionaries that are going home onto the new web site and hopefully we can make that happen. President Miller gave his consent for it to happen on their departure day, so we need to somehow make that happen. We are thinking that the office couple, Elder and Sister Goldsberry, could do this so we didn't have to be out of our office. It sure takes a lot of planning to make things happen, but in the end, everything seems to work out.
I attended two Sacrament Meetings today and enjoyed both very much. We planned on attending one ward and then just as we were about to leave this morning, I got a call from Sister Brandt to play for her ward. Thank goodness they were in the same building, so I just left Sunday School class a little early in the 1st Ward so I could start prelude in the 2nd Ward.
The leaders are always so appreciative and again I am grateful to my mother for her persistence, and that there was a piano teacher in our little community so I could have the opportunity.
There are always such good articles in the Ensign and worth every minute of reading time. President Uchtdorf's words that we have a celestial pedigree and therefore have all the necessary talents to make our life an eternal success story, is something everyone needs to hear and believe is true. I was pleased to see that the Relief Society message was on Self-Reliance, which is the emphasis we have used on this mission. Elder Holland's counsel that the past is something to be learned from but not to be lived in. Faith is always pointed toward the future. Faith always has to do with blessings and truths and events that will yet be efficacious in our lives. In these troubled times, it is so comforting to have these great leaders to inspire us to have hope and courage; to remind us of who is really in charge.
With love,
Los Averys
The office was busy this week which we thought would happen after the holidays. We worked with 17 people and was able to actually sign some of those onto ldsjobs.org. We had a good question and answer day with Brother Stotts who was here on Thursday from Houston. He brought news that an Elder and Sister Anderson from Mt. Pleasant, Ut will be entering the MTC on February 1st and will be the couple replacing us. So, sometime in March we should be on our way home. We still have a lot we want to put into action, so will keep pressing forward in our service.
Missionary résumés have starting coming in, so I am working at keeping up with them as there are 11 going home in January. There was 19 that came out in December, so the missionary work continues to move forward. We really want to sign the missionaries that are going home onto the new web site and hopefully we can make that happen. President Miller gave his consent for it to happen on their departure day, so we need to somehow make that happen. We are thinking that the office couple, Elder and Sister Goldsberry, could do this so we didn't have to be out of our office. It sure takes a lot of planning to make things happen, but in the end, everything seems to work out.
I attended two Sacrament Meetings today and enjoyed both very much. We planned on attending one ward and then just as we were about to leave this morning, I got a call from Sister Brandt to play for her ward. Thank goodness they were in the same building, so I just left Sunday School class a little early in the 1st Ward so I could start prelude in the 2nd Ward.
The leaders are always so appreciative and again I am grateful to my mother for her persistence, and that there was a piano teacher in our little community so I could have the opportunity.
There are always such good articles in the Ensign and worth every minute of reading time. President Uchtdorf's words that we have a celestial pedigree and therefore have all the necessary talents to make our life an eternal success story, is something everyone needs to hear and believe is true. I was pleased to see that the Relief Society message was on Self-Reliance, which is the emphasis we have used on this mission. Elder Holland's counsel that the past is something to be learned from but not to be lived in. Faith is always pointed toward the future. Faith always has to do with blessings and truths and events that will yet be efficacious in our lives. In these troubled times, it is so comforting to have these great leaders to inspire us to have hope and courage; to remind us of who is really in charge.
With love,
Los Averys
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