Week 14

We began our week at the USO getting ready for the free dinner that evening. There were a lot of volunteers present so “many hands made light work.” Pam and I helped in the kitchen and ended up with 5 roaster ovens filled with meat and veggies for the Beef Stew. The Players’ Golf Championship begins its week activities on Tuesday and we had numerous requests for information regarding tickets, parking and the Military appreciation day on Tuesday. At 5:00 pm patrons began arriving for the dinner and we had about 170 throughout the night. I worked in the office checking in and giving out meal tickets and Pam worked the dessert line. A Baptist Church near our home sponsored the dinner and we had a lot of discussions with them about our roll as missionaries and about Faith issues in general. It was a good night’s activity. Before going home, we took a meal to the gate guards at the Naval Station and hoped they enjoyed the food.

On Tuesday we were at the USO again because the Joyce, the director, was going to the Player’s Golf Tournament today with about 50 military personnel for Military Appreciation Day activities and a concert that night. We completed all the tasks Joyce had for us as soon as we could and then settled in the office routine of phones and checking in patrons as they arrived. We got a lot of calls regarding the golf tournament and a few requests for Zoo tickets. Pam fixed us a salad for lunch from the No Dough leftovers and it was good. She left for the LaGae’s (Member Navy family on the Naval Station) home at 12:30 pm and baby sat 2 of their children for several hours so Samantha could take Fiona to an Orthopedic Surgeon for an appointment. She was born with congenital hip issues. I had two Community Service individuals come and I put the first to work in the children’s room and he got up all of the carpet squares pulled up and discarded (the center is replacing the flooring). The other individual cleaned the bathrooms and kitchen. These workers general have been convicted of a DUI or something similar and are working off their sentences. Pam returned about 3:30 pm and James (the night assistant director) came at 4:45 pm and we turned over the facility to him. Pam reported that Fiona’s hip was doing well, and surgery would not be required, so that was good news.

Wednesday we were shocked by the church news about moving away from the BSA programs for the boys. I think we knew it was coming, but not so rapidly. Anxious to see what will replace all the programs mentioned for the Young men and women and Primary children. We went for a morning walk and then at noon Stephanie Jarvis (Jacksonville Beach Ward) came by to get some sewing help on a project she was doing for a niece. We first took her to lunch and enjoyed that and then I returned them to our apartment and I got the van service at a nearby Wal-Mart. When I returned they had the pattern and pieces cut out and were beginning to assemble. They were making a “Fox” and it was cut but very intricate.

On Thursday we were at the USO again, this time opening the facility and counting and tabulating all the bread and pastries that had been donated Wednesday evening from a local grocery store. It all looked tasty and after we had the numbers, patrons began arriving to pick their choices. We also had another Community Service worker and he went right to work outside mowing the lawns and trimming. Good worker! Wednesday afternoon the facility got several pallets of Girl Scout Cookies and today we gave out a lot to a couple of commands and also had a “free” table for patrons to take cookies. It is a big hit! We are getting 3 more pallets next week, so the program will go on for a while. Joyce arrived at noon and we left and took 40 boxes of cookies with us and gave half to the gate guards at the Naval Station and half to the base clinic. They were both happy to have them. We had a late lunch and returned to our apartment. Our attention was turned to Denver and the activities going on there this day. Drew (grandson) and Kylene were being married in the Denver Temple and our immediate family were gathered for the occasion. We enjoyed the videos and photos sent documenting the celebrations.  

Friday was a quiet day for us. We took a walk in the morning and at noon Stephanie Jarvis and Pam continued sewing on her project and while they were doing that I went and got my hair cut. Pam and Stephanie stopped about 4:30 pm and we had a quiet night.

Saturday morning was busy for us as we did our first apartment “inspections” of missionary apartments in our area. We began our first appointment at 9:00 am and drove to 6 apartments within 20-25 miles. As you might expect the Elder’s were not so neat and the Sisters were quite neat. We checked the kitchens and bathrooms for sanitary cleanliness and the living and bedrooms for general neatness. Also checked the mechanical systems, ensuring filters were being replaced, fire extinguishers were available and smoke alarms working etc. For the most part things looked pretty good. We were amazed at how large the apartments were and the conveniences—washing machines and dryers in every apartment and dishwashers in the kitchens. Following our inspections, we drove to the Naval Station and spent over an hour with Samantha LaGae and her children. She posted something odd the other day on Facebook and we were concerned about her emotional state. Jerald, her husband, is at sea and has been gone for about 3 weeks and she’s at her wits end with her children, mainly Eleanor and Fiona. They are both a handful—cute but a handful. Before returning to our apartment we had a late lunch, early dinner and then to our home. We made a few calls to verify Sunday activities.

Today was “Mother’s Day” and Pam and I are so grateful for our mother’s. What great teachers and examples they have been for us throughout our lives. I am also personally grateful to be partnered up with the mother of our children—my dear wife Pamela. What a “brick” she is and stalwart to the core. I know there is nothing she would like to do more than be with our assembled family in Denver, but service to the Lord is what is important right now.

We picked up our single lady on the Naval Station, Alexis Connelly, and went to the Jacksonville Beach ward and enjoyed all the meetings. They had a nice Mother’s Day program and yummy looking treats for all women over 18. We returned home and spent a quiet afternoon. Pam called her sister, and each of her girls and had a rousing visit with each of them throughout the evening. Everyone seems to be doing all right and we were happy to know that Erin and Weston got home safely. A good week!

Views from our Morning walks!