Have you Herd the one about the Cows?

 

Meet the Starks. They are such an awesome couple! He was a rodeo cowboy in his younger days. Now he raises cows and farms a bit. They are just about the most down-to-earth people we've ever met. Sister Starks comes to church when her health permits, but Brother Starks hasn't been active for years...for no apparent reason. We want to change that.

We had a great visit with them today. We read with them in 3rd Nephi, part of chapter 17, (my favorite), then we left them an assignment to finish reading the chapter to see how beautifully it ends. They said they would, and Brother Starks even accepted a Book of Mormon. It is my hope to see them both at church before we have to leave Kansas.

***

Then we went outside and took some pictures of their cows. Cows are hilarious, they see us and they're so curious, but as soon we walk toward them they start to walk backward, never taking their eyes off us! Silly Bovine.

*****



Sisters Conference in Pratt & Mail Shout-Outs

We had a Sister's Conference with the sisters from the western half of the mission. We had an aerobic hula lesson taught by Sister Lueders, and that was fun. We also listened to a counselor from LDS Family Services talk about depression. She was pretty interesting. Then we had lunch and then a discussion on Women in the Scriptures, presented by the Sister Training Leaders. That was really good. It was just fun to be with all the Sisters, some of whom we have served with and some we've met through these kinds of conferences.

 Here is our Mission Presidents darling wife, Sister Bell

 Grandma & Granddaughter

Sister McQ trained Sister Bradshaw's trainer

(clear as mud??)

 

Me & Sister Tap

(she is hilarious!)

 

Wow, just look at my "Bob's Big Boy" hair!

 

 

Sister McQ and me

(she is another one that just makes me laugh!)

This is about half of the sisters serving in the Kansas Wichita Mission. Some pretty great women.

 

***

I heart these people, and mail shout-outs go to: Mary VanDriver/Vanderlovin/Vanderholme for the sweet card, Becki Blackner for the sweet Valentine, and the Snows for just being sweet enough to remember us!

*****

 

Field Trip on P-day

 We were able to take a little field trip up to Pratt today to surprise one of our favorite missionaries, Sister McQuay, who is serving there.

(Wow, look how funky my shirt looks!)

 

 We had some accomplices in pulling this surprise off...

Elder & Sister Greenlaw, the senior couple who are serving in Pratt, and Sister McQ's companion, Sister Miller.

It was so good to sit down and catch up with our sweet friend.

Me, Sister McQ, Sister Miller, E. Dub

 

This was the Mexican restaurant we ate at...sooo yummy!

One thing these people are really good at...their Mexican food!

...However, this was the sign on the door....

...but their English is a million times better than my Spanish!

*****



District Dinner at Dameron's

Here is our district before Elder Sweeten was transferred this week.

From left: Elders Pettit, Ibarra & Turner, Sister Bradshaw, Elder Sweeten, Sister Tapusoa, Sister & Elder Williams.

His creativity and design.



 I wish I could show how beautiful even a sliver of the moon looks against the blackness of the sky here in Kansas.

Some things I just have to capture with my mind, because even the best of camera's wouldn't do it justice.

January is over?? Wha??

A little recap of our week...

 This is one of our recent converts Armando, he's pretty great, with his mama

 visiting here from Mexico. She likes the changes the Gospel has made in her son's life.

She came to church on Sunday, and now we are teaching her.

***

 

We went up to Hanston for an appointment with an awesome part-member

family. On the way up we saw these guys...

grazing away...

...that is until they saw us stop to take their picture...

...then they high-tailed it outta there...

...but I still got a cute picture of my dear companion! haha get it?

Buh-bye deer!

They were so cute, they just boinged over the fences.

***

This sweet sister- Nadia from our English class, made me

a pineapple upside down cake for my birthday.

How could I not eat a piece?? It was soooo good!

***

Brother & Sister Perez made breakfast for us this morning.

Pancakes, eggs, biscuits & gravy and juice. I had 2 fried eggs over hard.

Brother Perez said that was the first time he'd been asked to cook eggs

over hard on purpose.

Pictured from left: Ron, Bro.Perez, Sisters Tapusoa & Bradshaw, Sister Perez. 

***

We also visited 2 inactive sisters in the ward. One just had her 5th baby, so we took her some

diapers...not a "fun" baby gift, but always needed, right? The other sister is in a rest home close

to our apartment. Boy oh boy, she is a talker! Seriously, we had to wait until she drew in a breath

then Ron hurried and told her we brought a B.o.M. and some pamphlets for her. Honestly, that's

all he got out before she started talking again. She's so cute, not a tooth in her head,

 but she was so happy and laughed the cutest little horsey laugh. Adorable.

I love being a missionary!

*****