Getting a little service in

Yesterday we got to spend a little time at a members home helping with a painting project. It's always fun to work along side the Sister Missionaries.

What do you think?

Who can name the 'adjustment' in this picture?

 

 

Everyone Knows its Windy

Kansas is the 3rd highest wind-energy producer in the Country.We've posted a picture or two of the massive windmills that are found all around Dodge City, which some have labeled the windiest city in the country.The other day, while driving to our zone conference in Garden City we noticed a large open field which has become a staging ground for the parts to these massive windmills.You cannot accurately tell how large these windmills are until you see the parts on the ground.Here are a few pictures we caught today. (This is not a confession of trespassing by the way).

  I'm standing next to one of the windmill blades. (P.S. His photographer was NOT trespassing)

 

The end of the blade that attaches to the windmill

 

We were told that each windmill costs 3 million dollars, and they pay for themselves in about 6 years.   And I thought lawyers were windbags!!here

Our Bishop, He ministers like Jesus would do

With the closing of our Spanish branch, some of the Spanish-speaking members were worried about participating in church in the ward with English-speaking members.  Kathy and I visited with some of these dear people to reassure them that all would be well, but anxieties persisted.   So we felt impressed to invite the Bishop, David Bunkall to come with us to meet some of these fine people.   This wonderful man, who has a young family and is very busy with so many things and feels heavily the burden of trying to integrate all the new people into the ward, cheerfully accepted our invitation.    Yesterday, after he had a full day of presiding over meetings, interviews and other duties after church, and after he ran home to wolf down a few bites of something to eat, we picked him up and took him with us.   We visited 5 families.   We had him out for over 4 hours, and made him late for dinner.   But he never complained.  Instead, he was magnificent, reaching out to each and every family, expressing his love, assuring them all that they were needed and wanted, and bearing his testimony that this change would bless their lives.   The Spirit was strong and each family was touched by his compassion.   We loved having a front row seat, translating as needed and watching and feeling this wonderful experience.  It occurred to me, if Jesus would have had a few hours to spare and was visiting Dodge City yesterday, He would have done exactly what Bishop Bunkall did.   This may be hard to fully describe, but we were so very grateful to be part of this wonderful experience yesterday.   It's one of the blessings of being a missionary, serving others and witnessing the service that others give.

Dear Kansas weather...

...please make up your mind! Last week it was 80 degrees- H E A V E N L Y ! Today, this street sign in Dodge said it best:

Look at the cute little icicles hanging from the sign.

 

We went on a "search and rescue" today in the furthest

western part of our ward, about 18 miles out, to make

contact with inactive members. There's always something

cool to see no matter where we go.

We saw this awesome looking tree? vine? basketball hoop?

Visiting Jail

From time to time we go and visit inmates at the county jail, here in Dodge. They have it a whole lot nicer than the prisoners in this jail had it!

 

 We stumbled upon this little jail while making the 32 mile trip out to Fowler Kansas, to make a delivery to the only (active) members of the Church living out here.

The Good, the bad and the mail shout-outs

Our little friend, Skye just got baptized on Saturday.

She comes from a large extended family in the ward. We were asked to speak at the missionary moment during her baptism. We've spent a bit of time in their home. Awesome family.
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It was announced that the Spanish branch is being dissolved. The Spanish members are not happy about it (major understatement). Somehow, some of the members don't understand that it takes members who actually attend their meetings to make the branch function. Boy howdy it's frustrating!
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The "pants seem to be optional in Dodge"  and mail shout-outs for the previous weeks go to: Deb Hill, my sis Deb, Holly Wiersma, Becki Blackner and to DeeDee for the Magically Delicious box she sent us!
WE LOVE YOU ALL & WE THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR FEET!

 

We found our dream house!

It's a little fixer-upper...

...already has several skylights, just needs a little love...and maybe some elbow grease.

Sad to see one go...We welcome a new D.L.

 

 

This was our last game day with our "Wilde" District....

 

Elders Romero, (D.L.)Wilde, and Williams, Sisters Williams, Macovichuk, and Vanderholm 

The new sheriff in town...

Our new D.L. (seated in the center) is Elder Hawkins

So much to see and do here

It was so much fun getting together with the whole Williams clan for Christopher and Ellen's wedding. The week was one big celebration. I would have posted this sooner, but my computer had a little temper tantrum after being hauled off to Illinois and ignored. grrr.

What's everyone looking at??

              

 We are looking at ourselves in the bean!

 

There is something so cool about this sculpture! I swear I could have spent hours just looking at it.

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We ate a lot.

Everywhere we went there was food....really good food.

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The skyline is awesome...

The architecture in Chicago is so amazing.

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We went through the American Girl museum...

This is the one Shannon had when she was a little girl.
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Ron was able to visit with Brian Boice, 
a friend from his college days...

Mutt & Jeff?
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Groomsmen getting posed for pictures...

I love Danny Gessel's face...they were all trying to stay warm!
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And here is the reason for the family event...Ellen & Chris coming out of the Chicago Temple

Have you ever seen bigger smiles on two adorable faces??
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Two handsome Williams men

I love this father and son photo

All the Williams family who made the trip to Chicago...

Angela with Lincoln & Jon, Abuela, Ron & Kathy, Chris & Ellen, Ben & Erin with Blake, Peter & Janae, Amy & Andrew and Patty

Love seeing family in Chicago

We are loving being with family here in Chicago for our son's wedding.  We miss being in the mission field, but this is a pretty good excuse for leaving (with our mission president's approval).   Very cold and snowy here! This is the back side of the Chicago Temple.

Waiting on the Midnight train...

With our fancy upsidedown WalMart bag next to us, we are waiting for the midnight train to take us out of Dodge to Chicago....way past my bedtime I might add.

After a  long night on the train, (We had Mr. Oblivious sitting behind us, yacking away on his cell phone in decibles competing with a 747 ready for take off) we got to see some beautiful countryside...including the Nauvoo Temple in the distance...

and we took turns beating each other at phase 10!

Seeing Grandpa in his glory totally made the crazy train ride worth it!

We really needed this...

Last weekend was a Spiritual Feast! Just what we've been needing. Friday was our all day Zone Conference in Garden City. We work with some awesome Elders and Sisters and we have a wonderful mission president who is so hard working and gracious. We will truly miss him and his wife when our mission is split in July.

 

Saturday we had our District meeting, then a dinner provided by the Stake members, then an awesome Saturday night adult session of conference. Sunday we went back to Garden City for a wonderful session of conference broadcast from SLC to nine Midwest states, then we had a fabulous lunch that was provided by the Stake...Something new to me, but when some of the members drive for three hours to get to the meetings they don't want them to break the Sabbath, so they feed everyone. Pretty sweet.