COTTLE MISSION NEWS: Week 44 (3

Monday morning, we were off to Orlando with Andrew and his family. It took a while to get organized and packed for one night and also Sarah had gone running and fell and injured her left hand quite badly. Finally, at 9:30 am we were ready and following a prayer we loaded up the van and were off for our adventure. Andrew and Sarah announced the trip about 8:00 am and the kids had no idea we were going so they were ski high! It was raining very hard here in Jacksonville, but the farther south we progressed, the storm lessened. Following one stop for a bathroom break we arrived in Orlando in the early afternoon and drove directly to Universal Studios. We had a 2-day pass for Andrew, Sarah and their family and Pam and I had 3 more days on our passes we bought when Johanna visited. We rented a wheelchair for Pam again and it worked out perfectly and Pam needed the assistance as we walked a lot of miles throughout the afternoon and evening. Universal Studios had 3 major parks and our 2 park passes gave us entrance to Universal Studios Florida and the Islands of Adventure. After getting checked in we began at a “Despicable Me” ride and then to the “Mummy” ride, both fun rides for the kids. We wandered the streets and checked out everything we could before we ended up at the “Harry Potter Diagon Alley.” Jane was thrilled to be there, and we wandered the streets and alleys of that attraction. We rode the “Hogwart’s Express” to the “Harry Potter Hogsmeade” park and in both parks road all the rides and did a little shopping and had some “Butter Beer.” We exited the Harry Potter world to the Suess Landing and spent some time there with the little girls while the older kids and Andrew & Sarah road a roller coaster. We retraced our steps and took the “Hogwart’s Express” back to the International Studios park and Sarah took the little kids to Woody Woodpecker’s Kidzone and Andrew told the older kids to more roller coaster rides at the front of the park. We all met at the Music Stage plaza and at 7:00 pm exited the park and drove to our hotel for the night. We located the Comfort Inn & Suites where we had reservations for 2 rooms, got checked in and had some dinner before calling it a night.

Tuesday morning, we enjoyed breakfast at the hotel, checked out and returned to Universal Studios for the day. As we entered the park in the Universal Studios area, Andrew, Sarah and the older children went right to a coaster ride and Pam and I took the younger children to the Woody Woodpecker’s Kidzone and the kids’ road all the rides. When we were reunited, we rode a few more rides in that part of the park before returning to the “Wizarding World of Harry Potter-Diagon Alley.” We saw a few more streets that we missed the previous day, did a little shopping and rode a ride before boarding the train for the “Hogsmead” park. Andrew and Norah went on a small coaster ride and Sarah took the other children on the other ride. We exited into the “Island of Adventure” park and throughout the afternoon rode several coaster rides and all of the water rides and got incredibly wet. Pam and I took the little kids back to Seuss Landing for rides while Andrew & Sarah took the older kids for more coaster rides and then at 4:00 pm we reunited and exited the “Islands of Adventure” into the “Riverwalk” area and turned in the wheel chair and loaded up the van and left for home. We were thankful for GPS to get us on the way safely. North of Orlando we stopped at Café Rio for dinner and boy was it good. We had all we wanted and left 45 minutes later and arrived in Arlington Hills shortly after 7:00 pm. It had been a long, but enjoyable day with family.

Wednesday morning, we got ready for Andrew, Sarah and family’s departure. The time was spent eating, gathering and packing and at 10:00 am we loaded up the van and headed to the airport. We dropped them off at the Frontier Airlines departure area and took some pictures and shared hugs and expressions of love and sadly they were off. We returned to our apartment it was so empty and quiet! We spent several hours cleaning up and putting away. Pam began numerous loads of laundry and I vacuumed the floors and cleaned the kitchen and did dishes and put the dining room and living room and guest bedroom back to their normal arrangements. At noon we paused for lunch and then continued with laundry. After the beds were made and clothes put away, we drove to Jarvis’ home in Neptune Beach and returned their bin, blankets and air mattress and thanked them for the use. We also went to the Tuttle’s and visited with Shay and her parents and the new baby for a half an hour. The baby had come 3 weeks early last Thursday evening and they had sent a text, but I inadvertently turned off notifications on my phone and missed about 5 texts messages. She did very well and only in labor for 4 to 5 hours. The little girl was beautiful and looked like Shay. She still had no idea when Chris would be home and that was a concern, but she seemed to be taking everything in stride. We returned home and finished a final load of laundry and settled in for the night.

Thursday morning, we drove to Jacksonville Beach and picked up 4 Elders and then proceeded to the Jacksonville West Stake Center in Orange Park for Zone Conference. It took over 45 minutes to get there and the traffic was horrible all along the way. After parking in a lot full of missionary cars, we went inside and found seats with the other Senior Missionaries at tables and looked out on all the missionaries in the mission. It was the first event we had attended a conference with the entire mission assembled. Right at 10:00 am President Lee welcomed everyone and announced what was going to transpire and the first event was Zone Skits the Sisters and Elders had been preparing for some time. The skits were Christmas themed concerning missionary work and as they took place, they were cute, imaginative, clever and highlighted their love for President and Sister Lee, because they were in just about every skit as caricatures. We smiled and laughed at the antics of the Sisters and Elders and loved every skit. In between each skit, President Lee would come out on stage and tell a joke and they were quite funny. We concluded at noon and lunch was prepared by members of the Jacksonville West Stake and they opened the overflow doors and there was food all laid out and ready to be served. We ate, visited and enjoyed the social atmosphere with the missionaries. They loved to be together and reunite with old companions—a lot of hugging going on. At the conclusion of the lunch the missionaries gathered by the food and sang “Called to Serve” to those who prepared and served the food. Within 30 minutes we were assembled in the chapel for a devotional which began at 1:30 pm. The first order of business was a mission picture and then we took our seats and President & Sister Lee said some words of love and testimony and Elder Carter announced the program. First, they invited 9 missionaries up who were leaving soon to bear their testimonies and it was very, very sweet. What strength in those 9 testimonies? Next commenced a Christmas Musical program which Sister Lee had arranged and was amazing. There were about 10 different numbers with a narration in between. The music was spectacular—so beautiful and well done. Who would have thought there was that much musical talent in one mission? The voices, men’s and women were just gorgeous whether solos or in small groups. The skill at the piano was demonstrated by a half a dozen individuals including Sister Lee and on several numbers violins and flutes accented the singing. I wish we could have recorded it all, but it is firmly etched in our memories, and also the sweet spirit we felt throughout the program. At 3:00 pm it came to an end and that was sad. Following a closing prayer, the Sisters and Elders went to several rooms which had presents sent by parents to the Mission Office for Christmas and it was fun watching the missionaries walk out with their load of goodies. Following thousands of pictures and endless hugs and hand shaking, we made our way outside to the van and Elders Crandall, Beal, Saxton and Wojnar came out with their loot and loaded the van and we were off. We retraced our steps back to Jacksonville Beach and dropped off the Elders and then returned to our apartment. An evening appointment we had was cancelled, so we just settled in for the night.

Friday morning, we arrived at the USO by 9:00 am for “Breakfast with Santa” and everyone seemed happy to see us after being gone for a week. Pam was assigned to help with the toys they were giving away and I worked in the office checking in patrons as they came and checking names against a list of invited families. James McCulloch was Santa and very “jolly” indeed. His wife took pictures of children with Santa and their two daughters were “Elves.” Cheryl Vandiver and several others including Margarete from the airport and Julie were working in the kitchen. We had mothers and some fathers come with their little ones in a pretty steady pace from 9:00 am until the last one arrived about 10:30 am. They seemed to enjoy the activity and the food was good. When they left, I gave each child a bag of candy. James stayed in costume until noon to catch any stragglers and Pam helped clean up in the kitchen and I took out the mountain of trash. In the afternoon Pam and I worked in the eating area by Charlie Tramazzo’s office identifying toys that were being sorted for individual families for the Toy giveaway later this month. Joyce Schellhorn (Director) said the room would be packed with toys in a couple of weeks. Mike O’Brien was there most of the morning and afternoon and he interviewed all of the USO employees. One result we anticipated was Cheryl announced her last day at the USO would be the 22nd of December. That would be sad for us as she was one of our favorite ladies to work with and ran the “No Dough” dinner program. She felt she wasn’t being compensated adequately and and I guess that didn’t change. Shortly after 2:00 pm Pam and I drove back to Arlington Hills and had some lunch and then returned to our apartment. We spent a quiet afternoon and evening making some phone calls to our kids and military families.

Saturday morning, we were on the road for apartment inspections by 7:40 am. We arrived at the apartment of Sister Newman & Vai and found them on their way to the Dunn Avenue Chapel for a morning ward breakfast, but they assured us their apartment was clean?? We continued to Elder Shurtleff & Tualamalii’s apartment and visited with them, then back across the river to Sister Abril & Roberts apartment and on to Elder Smedley & Hendrick’s apartment. The final two were with Sister Johnson & Wasden and then Elder Saxton & Wojnar’s apartments and all the apartments looked good and the Sisters and Elders were busy and happy. We would visit the two companionships in Jacksonville Beach next week. We came back to our apartment and changed clothes and drove to the St. John’s area and had lunch and then did some shopping for lace to do a dress modification for Sister Johnson. On the way back to our apartment we stopped at Wal-Mart and shopped and then returned home. Pam worked on some Christmas items (ordering presents for our military families and a few others) while I spent time calling several families including a new name we received at Zone Conference—Jacob McNiven who was a Marine stationed at NAS Jax. He returned the call and I had a nice visit with him. He wouldn’t be with us for very long, and was getting married on the 23rd of December in Texas, so hopefully we can get his membership record updated and moved to the appropriate base when his training in Jacksonville is finished. I talked with Elder Grieve, an executive secretary to the Orange Park Ward, to get information on the ward that covers the Naval Air Station and he thought it was the Timuquana Ward but wasn’t sure. I called all the leaders in that ward but didn’t find anyone home, so would have to try another time. I texted all our families with a message we hoped to see them tomorrow in church and got responses from all of them. The Heads are out of town again this weekend and indicated they would be in Orlando every weekend until Christmas is over. Nikki’s mother lives in Orlando so don’t blame them. We settled in for the night.

Sunday morning, we left for church at 9:30 am and drove to the Jacksonville Beach Ward and were greeted by the Elders and Sisters, Brother Renney, who told us the Iwo Jima was back and Blake Harris had called him. That meant Kyle Young was also back with his family. Tyler Gneck was there along with Alexis Connelly, Jennie Black & Olivia and the Jarvis’ and Bishop and his family. Brother Christianson stood at 10:00 am and following a hymn and prayer, the sacrament ordinance was performed and then the meeting was open to testimonies and we had an unusually good meeting with many powerful testimonies borne. Jennie Black had texted me earlier requesting a blessing, so I visited with her in the foyer following the meeting and then escorted her to an empty room. Tyler Gneck and Lance Jarvis joined me, and Tyler anointed, and I sealed the anointing and pronounced a blessing. She was happy for the blessing and seemed content. In the Gospel Principles class, the Lagae’s were present and had been out in the foyer for Sacrament meeting as was Gary and Devaney Noblit, so we had a good group this Sabbath day. Jerald, Tyler, Gary and I attended priesthood meeting. Following the block, we visited for a few minutes and made dinner appointments with the Elders and Sisters and and returned home for the afternoon. Pam fixed some dinner and we ate and watched some BYUTV programming and napped. At 6:30 pm we were dressed again and returned to the Beach and joined many ward members in the Dill Family Musical activity at their home. Ryan & Katy sponsored this event every Christmas and their home was packed with ward members and friends. They had a nice large home and we settled in what appeared to be a multi-purpose room where Sister Dill sewed and there must have been over 100 men, women and children all over the house. Music words were passed out and Sister Dill welcomed everyone, and following a prayer, we began singing Christmas songs. Interspersed between songs were special musical numbers—solos, duets, flute, ballet, piano & cello, accordion and the highlight was President Heywood on bagpipes. It lasted about 90 minutes and we had an enjoyable time and left for our apartment. It had been a very wonderful and spiritual ending to a good week.