It is already Sunday again and our outgoing missionaries are enjoying an evening in the Mission Home with President and Sister Bateman before they head home tomorrow.  Each transfer gets harder as we say our goodbyes to missionaries we know and love. 

Elder Hopkins, one of our favorite missionaries going home, but Elder Scott had to get in the picture

Thursday afternoon we were able to serve in the St Louis Temple as the Missouri St Louis missionaries attended the Temple.  Missionaries are able to attend the Temple every 6 months.  What a wonderful experience to be with forty missionaries including the seventeen missionaries leaving. 

Almost there

Watching with our Eclipse glasses

Monday, August 21, 2017 we enjoyed watching the eclipse.  Right outside the mission office we gathered and watched the bite of the sun get bigger and bigger until around 99% of the sun was hidden by the moon.  We were close to areas that had 100%, but there were many visitors and traffic was crazy so we stayed put.  When the sky darkened the cicadas, the familiar sound of summer evenings here, started their familiar noise of snapping their wings and were probably a little confused when the sky became light again and they quieted back down.  The street lights turned on and I could see one bright star.  It was a great day!

Drew Olson's Eagle Project

We brought the office Sisters along to help with our only young man in the Pagedale branch needed some helping hands to finish with his Eagle project.  The Frontenac ward youth helped out and many hands make work go quickly.  We tied 70 quilts earmarked for the Shriner's Children's Hospital in less than an hour.

We made an unexpected trip to downtown St Louis

We just finished talking to our children and their families.  We love them and it's always good to see and hear from them and catch up on their busy lives.  It was a momentous weekend in Tucson, Arizona with the dedication of the Tucson Temple.  Nathen, our 9 year old grandson, said the cultural celebration held last night was better than "Star Wars".   George and I enjoyed staying up late last night and watched the celebration; we saw a lot of youth from the Vail Ward. Unfortunately, we missed the Temple dedication today, but feel a great protection and power that comes from having a local Temple.

Last Monday I was feeling a little out of sorts, but my spirits were buoyed up by all the Elders who visited the office during the day. The best part of our mission involves our interactions with the missionaries--they are wonderful, and for the most part, striving to serve the Lord.

George received a wonderful tender mercy from the Lord when he received the following message during the week:

Barry was the first person I baptized on my mission!  He was a bartender and worked and lived in a Pub. We were apprehensive to teach Barry about the Word of Wisdom because it meant he would lose his job and housing.  He was what we would call a 'golden investigator' because he accepted the Gospel and had great faith to accept the Gospel and leave his job.  It was wonderful to catch up with him; he was married in the London Temple and has 6 children--one served a mission and 3 were married in the temple; and 12 grandchildren.

East facing view of the beautiful St Louis Temple

Saturday was a wonderful day in the St Louis Temple!  There were many visitors from all over the Midwest. We love working in the Temple and it really lifts and cleanses our spirits after a week dealing with the tasks related to health, apartments and cars.

West facing view of the Temple

The weather has been perfect; not too hot or cold.  But with the cooler weather the fireflies are not as visible.  We have loved watching the fireflies outside our window all summer long in the evenings.  We didn't even need fireworks on the 4th of July. 

George facing view of the Temple