We're Still Here!

Hello, from Battle Creek! Sorry to be slow in posting more information, but we just got the internet hooked up in our apartment this morning.

Our bedroom

First snowstorm

The kitchen

The dining room/living room

In apartment laundry. Yea!!!

With the new furniture

The day after

We have a wonderful apartment. It has two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The carpet is new. We have a new bed, dresser, dining set, microwave, desk and bookshelf, and our new couch and love seat were delivered this morning. We were glad to have something to sit on besides the bed and dining chairs. As you can tell, we are the first couple in Battle Creek. We are making lots of trips to Walmart to pick-up items we need, but lots is furnished. Dishes, silverware, glasses, pans, knives, and a toaster are all furnished. I brought my mixer and blender, my favorite knives and some other kitchen items. All in all, we are snug and comfy in our apartment inspite of the foot or so of snow we received last night.
We got here last Tuesday and went out with the elders that very night. They have kept us hopping. Elder West has been out eight months and is the trainer for Elder Feron who has been out for four weeks now. They are both from Utah, though Elder Feron was raised in Idaho Falls. They are hard workers. They seem to have back up plans anytime they are "shined," which is what they call being stood up.


The ward has been very welcoming. We met with the ward mission leader Sunday night. He was out of town for Thanksgiving. He gave us the information that we need to work on our own. We had done a few things without the elders, but not too many. We didn't even have a ward list. Yesterday was our first day. We went all around trying to drop in on people. We didn't find anyone at home. So today we tried calling first. Very few answered. I think most were at work. We did, however, find out about some people who have moved out, and we did find out some unknown address' and phone numbers. We meet with the missionary committee tonight at 7:30.
There is a wonderful family here in the ward whose eight year old son died in July. It is spooky how very alike our situations are. They have had three sons, including Johnathan (spelled correctly) who died. All three of them have some degree of autism. We've been out there twice and are, we hope taking fhe to them on Monday night. They are going to try to be sealed in the temple as a family in April or June. We are excited to try to support them. Sunday afternoon we were out there and Benjamin, the six and a half year old son, and I made fast friends. Sooooo cute. I'll try to get photos of them.
Life here in Michigan seems to be a lot like life at home. There are lots of fishermen & hunters for Ron to visit with. We had an amazing lesson with a man in his sixties (Grant) yesterday. He is enamored with the west. He has a friend from Evanston,WY who introduced him to the church and asked that he learn more. We think the man may be a relative of Ron's as his last name is Martin and Ron's mom is a Martin, is from the Evanston area, and is one of fourteen children. Is that not cool? Grant has an elk mounted in his living room that takes up about half of the room. Ron's phone rang while we were there. For those of you who have not heard it, the ringtone is a bugling elk call. Grant went nuts about that. He wants to trade phones. If only Catherine was here to put it on his.
This whole experience is lovely. We love feeling the Spirit everyday as we testify of the divinity of the Savior, Jesus Christ. We love giving service and continue to look for ways to serve. Obviously we are just getting started.
Thanksgiving was spent in Lansing at the mission home with Pres. & Sister Hess, Elder & Sister Jensen, Elder & Sister Poulsen, & the two APS, Elders Ransley and DeHart. It was a lovely day. While there we saw our first black squirrel. They are everywhere. The state of Michigan has a huge amount of white tail deer and this county has the largest population of them. I looked out the bedroom window early one morning and there was one in the backyard. There is a protected wetland behind our apartments. Lots and lots of ducks and birds. Downtown we saw a huge flock of Canadian Geese.
We have been into the homes of some extremely poor families. I am saddened by the way some people have to live. I am grateful for the life I have been blessed with, and for the lovely family and friends we have.

Elder Hendrickson

Elder West with the black turtle I found

Elder Feron & Elder West & turtle

I hope this finds all of you well and happy. We miss you, but are grateful for the opportunities we are having. We are enjoying being together. Ron is a saint as I get impatient when we are having trouble locating someone even with the gps.
I know that families truly are forever. I hope and pray that we will all do everything in our power to be together. As we sit down for dinner and we have two empty chairs at the table, I think about all of you and how very much I want to spend my eternity with you. Thanks for your sacrifice and support.