Are You Kidding Me?

Are You Kidding Me?

February 7, 2015

    I knew when I was called to this position that I was the Keeper of the Records. Our office has History books laying around that previous secretaries had put together. They are all neatly bound, THICK, and beautifully put together. It seems that if anyone sneezed in the mission that it was noted. So, here I am......President Vest asked me to just keep it on the computer and then, send it in to Salt Lake electronically instead of in book form.
   It is time to get it sent in. I have faithfully been keeping notes, pictures, talks, etc, throughout the year on the office computer. I asked my elder to come in at the beginning of the week to check it out before I sent it out west. He took one look at my business and with a look of, "are you kidding me?", he politely explained that it would never fly because it was a mess. (He didn't say that, but I knew what he meant). How was this old schoolteacher who had no computer experience to know there is a difference between things called Folders and Word Documents? And those other things that have a red icon called PDF's? I had a little of everything saved in a long row and thought Salt Lake would really enjoy looking at it all.
    After a few tears and prayers in the bathroom, I got myself together and moved Elder Seaman into my office. If he couldn't figure out my troubles, the AP's were in and out and they could add their expertise. It has been a busy week for all of them. The end of this story is that No, it is not finished. Yes, it will get finished soon.
     I am embarrassed to tell you all this story. I know some of you may finally now see that I truly don't get computer work. And then, the next thing you need to realize is that the Lord has truly, truly blessed me these past months. Aren't you amazed I didn't flat blow-up that mission computer adding this and that here and there? Aren't you amazed that missionaries have come and gone safely this past year to the Missouri Independence Mission? This little story is to remind me and you that if we try our very hardest to be faithful and do our assigned callings, the Lord will make up the difference. He sent angels my way this week; namely Elders Seaman, Butterfield, and Anderton.
    On a different note, it has been a sweet past two days. Danny and Tisha Crandell blew in for a few hours. Then, our special friend, Matalili, took out her endowments yesterday. The sun shone off and on throughout the week. Life is good in Missouri.

My love to all of you!
Sister Seaman

Tender Mercies

     President and Sister Crandell came to see us Friday afternoon.  We were so glad to see them.  They had picked up a new truck in New York and were driving it home.  They were stopping along the way to see a few sites and we were one of them.  They could only stay for a few hours but wanted to visit us and the church historical sites we could get in before dark.  We went to the Temple Lot and the Community of Christ Temple and then decided we could make Hawn's Mill before dark if we hurried. They had never been to Hawn's Mill.  It is difficult to find and way out of the way.
     The guide at the Church of Christ Temple Lot was nice to us.  President Crandell told the guide that he might be related to one of their apostles.  Turned out the President Crandell found a booklet with the name of his Uncle on it who just happened to be one of their apostles.  What a tender mercy.
     Hawn's Mill is about an hour and a half north east of Independence.  We drove like crazy and talked about Show Low and the Stake and the people.  I sort of got lost and thought I had missed the turn off the pavement.  We drove and drove looking for the little dirt road called Catawaba and never found it. It was getting dark. I finally gave up and turned into a road to turn around and head back.  I looked up and to my amazement the road sign said Catawaba.  We had made it.  One of the Lord's tender mercies, don't you think.
     It was almost dark on arriving at the Hawn's Mill Site, but we took pictures and talked about the significance of the place.  Not a thing is there but an open field.  It is hard to believe that a mob outright killed 17 men and boys that day so long ago on that very spot and that the dead were thrown down a well that was being dug on that site. The well ended being a makeshift grave which was then quickly covered because the mob had told the women that they would be back to desecrate the bodies.  The location of which has now been lost over the many years and has not been located yet.  It would be considered sacred ground by many.
     Anyway, it was a great weekend.  The Crandell's snuck out in the middle of the night, on their way to Texas to see their son, Josh and his family.
     The Lord continues to bless us here in Missouri and we are very grateful to serve here.  We love you all.

Sincerely,
Elder Seaman