June 4, 2024

Wow, in 2 days we will have been on our mission for 3 months! How fast the time has gone. This week our grandson, Parker James Rowan graduated from high school!!! Where did those 18 years go? It was hard not to be there in person but how grateful we are for modern technology! We were able to log into the graduation site and watch it all from the comfort of our living room. We got it on our phone first and then were able to cast it to our TV. I sent pictures I took of the TV screen to Ryan and he said to keep them coming because they were better than he could get from his place at the graduation! We are so proud of Parker. He graduated in the top 10% of his class and has accepted a full ride scholarship to Southern Utah University which he will attend after his mission.

This was a quieter week in the office for Elder Rowan and I but not so for Elder Larson, our Housing Coordinator! This week he dealt with bed bugs and CO2 detectors. Some of the Sisters woke up several mornings in a row with bites all over their legs. They sent pictures and it really did look like bed bug bites so they quickly moved them to an empty apartment that just happened to be very close by. The landlord came and checked the property but so far no bed bugs have been sited. We are waiting now for the bed bug dog snifer! Who knew there was such a thing! Then several days later the CO2 detector in the new apartment for these same Sisters went off. No one knows why it went off but upon further investigation it was discovered there were no gas appliances, heaters, etc. that could have set it off. But the next morning the Sisters complained of headaches, not feeling well, etc. so now it was time to call in the Fire Department to check for CO2 levels. Everything checked out fine so now we are wondering if these sweet Sisters are a little too well acquainted with googling symptoms :).

This week I have been thinking again about the gift of Charity. It is something Elder Rowan and I pray for every day so that we can feel love for every one around us. Our prayers are being answered as we feel such love for our missionaries especially. I marvel at the hugs and "I love you"'s I see Elder Rowan exchange with all the Elders he comes in contact with. I read a talk this week that sited from Moroni 7:47-48. In verse 48 I never picked up on the word "bestowed" before. Charity really is a gift and if we pray for it, our Heavenly Father will "bestow" it upon us.

47 "But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen."

For Elder Rowan's birthday we were able to sneak away for a weekend at the coast this week. We left early Saturday morning and started with a stop at the Tillamook Cheese Factory. After ice cream (even though it was only 11:00 in the morning) we headed to my cousin's house in Rockaway Beach. We had a great visit with my cousin Tom and his wife Delta before heading along the coast to stop at multiple beaches. We stopped to check into our hotel at Manzanita Beach, then visited Neahkahnie Viewpoint, Cove Beach, Hug Point, and finally ending up in Seaside. The Oregon Coast is beautiful and it was a beautiful day with sunshine and blue skies. We had never been to Seaside and were surprised by how big and touristy it is. We had some great Fish & Chips before heading back to our hotel to watch the sun set.

We started the next morning with a nice walk on the beach and then headed to church at the little branch in Rockaway Beach. It is a small building and their normal attendance is about 30, except in the summers when their numbers swell. There were about 100 of us there this Sunday. We got to visit with the (3) Elders who go between the Branch and a ward in Tillamook and also a Senior MLS couple assigned just to the Branch. The Senior couple are the Delimonts and they were nice enough to have us over for dinner after church. We had a great visit and it was fun to get to know them better. On our way home we attempted to do the Three Capes Scenic Route but ran in to a few problems along the way. The 1st cape, Cape Meares was closed for some unknown reason. We have been there before and there is a nice lighthouse and some beautiful cliffs but right now you can't even drive over to it. Next we went to Cape Lookout. This is a nice area with a campground and some great hikes. There are some cute little cabins there that might be fun to stay in sometime. Last, was Cape Kiwanda. This is located in Pacific City and has its own Haystack Rock (not to be confused with Cannon Beach). It also has a 240 ft tall sand dune! All in all, we had a fun weekend exploring the Oregon Coast!