"Will You Still Need me, will you Still Feed me, When I'm 64", Richard's theme song for the day! Happy Birthday!

Wearing blue in celebration of Elder Ballard's birthday! (His favorite color) Beautiful missionaries!

He brought donuts for breakfast. Sister Ibuyan is not missing two front teeth. Yum!

As part of our preparation meeting, the trainers demonstrated how to use the Armor of God effectively. This is used mainly for youth groups that come to the Visitors' Center. Sister Duffin is trying to look fierce like a warrior, but with her huge smile it's hard for her look anything but happy. As she says, she loves serving here and loves being on a mission to spread the words of Jesus Christ.

Here's to you Elder Ballard! Sugar rush for the rest of the morning! Diets starts now! Oh forgot, going out to dinner, having ice cream and cookies tonight and playing games. Diet can start on Wednesday after the treats are gone!

Below see another birthday surprise! Vic and Shelly Hubbard from North Ogden came to visit us! They were glad to know they had made a birthday visit. We loved it, more hugs from home. They were with Shelly's parents and we had such a good visit. Elder Ballard got to give Vic scouting advise, (his specialty), we heard about friends, and we talked with Shelly's parents about their mission to Nauvoo.

Thanks everyone for the birthday thoughts on Facebook, the cards, phone calls, gifts, and best wishes. It was a special day for Elder Ballard.  Even though he says he doesn't like a fuss made about his birthday, he really does!

Melanie! Thanks for the visit. Hugs from Home are Great!

So good to catch up with Melanie Greaves and get a hug from home!

Why I Love Sundays!

Our missionary trainers asked us today to think why we go to church each Sunday. Two thoughts came to my mind. One, as a child, even when I went alone, I felt the love of others as they taught me the gospel, shared their testimonies, and put their arms around me. Who would want to miss that? Second, I felt the love of the Savior when I partook of the sacrament thoughtfully, recommitting myself to better keep the covenants I made at baptism. I came to recognize these feeling as the Holy Ghost testifying of truth.

Now that I am older, those two reasons have not changed only been added to. Now I am striving to be the one giving love, teaching- sometimes by words and sometimes by example, sharing testimony, and putting my arms around others. I love Sundays!

Because of the wonderful missionaries in the visitors' center many days feel like Sundays! Lucky me!    Purple Day!

Visit from MaryAnn & Terry with Amanda, Todd, Read and Hailie

We met MaryAnn, Terry, Amanda, Todd, Read and Hailie for lunch. So fun to see them and catch up.

Read, 15 years old and Hailie 13 years old

They came to the Visitors' Center and Richard showed them around.

Polka Dot Day

The sisters decided to have a polka dot day. It was fun to join in. Richard found a polka dot tie so he could be included. We all got a kick out of that. My polka dots are very small white on red but they were there. We are enjoying these sweet sisters and the other senior couples. Looking forward to purple day, and someone said checks day?

Our 41st Wedding Anniversary in Mesa, AZ

Our Anniversary was on a Sunday, August 25th,  so we waited to go to dinner on our P-day to celebrate. This is Tia Rosa.  It was recommended. We are hard to impress since Steven, our son, owns Sonora Gill in Ogden Utah. We consider  them the best Mexican food anywhere. We are not bias, it's the truth!  We were hoping to find somewhere to satisfy our cravings for Sonora Grill.

In all fairness however, it was a fun place to go and the food was a step up from the places we've tried so far.

Lots of colorful tile and art deco

The balcony scenes were made of metal.

I had stuffed rellenos. The pork was good, some hot spices so flavorful, but I missed the wonderful mexican cheeses in Sonora Grill rellenos. I am including these pictures for Steven and Emily.

Richard had fajitas. They were excellent. He shared some with me. I shared with him too. We would eat them again. The beans were runny. There salsa's didn't even compare. They had green salsa which was sweet, but no lime.

Nice outdoor setting all around. It was a huge restaurant.

We went shopping at Superstition Mall.  Penney's was having a good sale and I got some new tops.

We had a great anniversary just being together. Being together on a mission is something to celebrate. What a special opportunity to serve together and focus on our Savior Jesus Christ and all he has done for us. We get to testify of that truth every day in one way or another. We are getting to know each other even better as we study together and talk about the gospel and how to reach out to others. This experience will bless our lives more than we will ever bless others. 

Training with Sister Melanie Cottom

The missionaries are deep into the IPAD training. There we are in the back looking on. I have iPad envy. I think my new iPone is getting me prepped for an iPad. I keep telling Richard he could read better because he could enlarge everything. I think we both need one. Maybe in 16 months from now.

Sister Melanie Cottom is the Manager of Field Operations for all Visistors' Centers in the Church. She is on the left training us on the timeline of an investigator. Sister Weedman is the scribe. She is such an enthusiastic teacher it is fun to learn from her.

Some discussion and role play. More fun!

The whole gang

First Zone Conference

All the missionaries lined up to shake hands with Brother and Sister Cardon, Elder Wright our Area Authority, President and Sister Jenkins and President Ahlstrom, the 1st counselor to President Jenkins.

Brother Craig Cardon from the First Quorum of the Seventy and his wife. He gave an inspiring message as did his wife. We did some role plays which were very meaningful, and learned from these great leaders how to be better missionaries.

Lunch was wonderful!

I thought the sisters that prepared the nice meal should be in the picture. They said many of them have missionaries in the field and were thrilled to have this opportunity. Humble servants.

This is only one half of the missionaries. We had zone conference two days. We have 140 missionaries currently, however that number is increasing. The spirit is strong whenever we are around these missionaries. We are loving it.

New Grass for the Visitors' Center

In July trenches were dug and new sprinklers installed. New dirt dumped and leveled.

In Aug, 500 youth were requested from the area wards to lay the sod. I am sure there were 500 there plus their leaders. Two of our Visitor Center missionaries  (front center)
 were not afraid to get dirty. 

The sod was laid in two days by these youth. It was pretty exciting for us to be on shift, see the work being done, and visit with the youth, as they ran in and out for drinks and to cool off.

We have grass! We enjoyed fielding the questions of what was being done and why? The guesses people made were very interesting; a swimming pool, gardens, a new building, parking lot, or leveling it out for pageant? It was always good for a conversation starter.