March 17, 2024

Spring has definitely been in the air here in Newberg the past few days. We have enjoyed sunshine and even a day or two of 70 degree weather. It has been fun to walk the area and identify the spring plants that are in bloom. There are Magnolia trees, Camelia bushes, and even Azaleas in bloom. These are not plants we have in Utah and I am loving them.

The beginning of the week was cold, cloudy, and sometimes rainy which was not good as we underwent the "Great Apartment Switch" this week. With Sister Incze's leaving it was time to move the Bready's out of the Airbnb and into their apartment. We called it the "Great Apartment Switch" because the young Sister missionaries moved into Sister Incze's apartment while the Bready's moved into theirs. It was a complicated move trying to arrange carpet cleaning, pack up (2) apartments, and then move everything from one apartment to the other. Then there was the day that the Bready's actually moved their stuff in too. Elder Larson managed it all and I am sure he sighed in relief when it was all done. I stayed in the office mostly alone for two days while everyone else did the dirty work so I do not have pictures of the whole event. The next few days I worked with Sister Bready training her on some office duties.

In between helping with the moves Elder Rowan was busy handling car problems and drove to Lebanon to help with a car, then to McMinnville the next day to help with the same car, and then to Portland to take them a Transit Van. I was able to get out of the office and go on some of these outings with him so that was fun. While in McMinnville we also met up with some Sisters and helped them with their car which was a small miracle we were there at the right time to be of assistance.

We had the (6) Sister Missionaries over for dinner one night since their apartments were still in chaos after the big move and that was fun. Somehow I managed not to get a picture of all of them but it was fun to get to know some of them better. We have (3) new Sisters in our area for this transfer. Each missionary is so special and unique and each has a story to tell. Elder Rowan was outnumbered (7) to one but he managed to hold his own.

We have loved the opportunity we have had to grow spiritually this week. Every week is incredible being submersed in the gospel daily but this week was extra special. The Come Follow Him podcast we listen to was wonderful and then Sister Larson suggested we also listen to the All In podcast with Tamara McFadden this week. In the podcast Sister McFadden talks about what she has learned about our Savior following the tragic death of her 16 year old son. It was powerful and inspiring and rightly called, "He Lives". Saturday night the Sisters in our Stake were invited to a special Fireside with Kenneth Cope where he sang and shared his testimony of the Savior. Then Sunday we attended the Women's World Wide Broadcast where we heard from our Relief Society Presidency and our beloved prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, regarding the power of the priesthood that we as sisters have access to. It has been a spiritual feast heading in to the Easter season and we have loved it!!

Friday we heard from our dear friends Dodd & Cathy Greer. Dodd has been fighting cancer for many years now and has finally been put on hospice. Dodd is in terrible pain and our hearts and thoughts have been with them as they go through this horrific trial. Jack has known Dodd most of his life and we became good friends with him and Cathy when we lived in the same ward during the early years of our marriage and then raised our families together, having children the same sex and years as each other. Cathy made me my cherished Christmas porcelean nativity set and we have supported one another though the ups and downs of life. When Jack was in need of a job and didn't know what kind of work to pursue Dodd gave him his first job in surveying and the rest is history. We will be forever grateful for the love and support they have shown to our family and hope they know how much we love them.

We were able to attend the temple yesterday with thoughts of them on our mind and pray that they can find peace and comfort in the gospel and knowing that families can be together forever.