Last Temple Trip

We are beginning to experience the "lasts."  This was our last temple trip with missionaries.  We got up at 4 am (we won't miss that part) to meet the missionaries and drive to the Orlando Temple.  We had 8 Elders on this trip.  It is enjoyable to see how excited they are about going to the temple.  I hope they continue to have that enthusiasm.  We made it back to the mission office by about 2 pm, which is our target return time.  We picked up some keys for apartment inspections, materials for delivery to missionaries, and then returned to Sarasota.

Us and Elders Carter, Randall, Bishop, Smith, Blomquist, Robertson, Heluo, and Harper

Preparation and Travel Day

We did our normal cleaning duties and then picked up the Elders to go to the University Park Ward Memorial Day picnic.  It was a hot day, but there were still quite a few members participating.

After returning the Elders to our apartment complex, we drove to Tampa.  We met Elders and Sisters Alexander and Duffin for dinner.  We stayed overnight in Tampa in preparation for a temple trip with Elders early tomorrow morning.

Visit to Port Charlotte Ward

We drove to Port Charlotte to attend the ward there.  We haven't been there for awhile, and this is likely to be our last visit there.  There is now a set of Elders and a set of Sister Missionaries in the ward now after President Cusick pulled all of the missionaries out of the ward for a few months.  The ward has a new bishop, Bp. Mendez, who was called a week ago.  I think the previous bishop was ready to be released after serving for 6 years.

The Elders had a baptism scheduled for Friday evening that was cancelled.  Unfortunately the young woman who was going to be baptized moved to Pennsylvania.  The Elders are trying to find her new address so they can contact the missionaries where she is now.

Baptisms, More SUV Gift Bags, and a Blessing

We started the day with an early baptismal service in the University Park Ward.  The baptism was a 8 am.  It was scheduled for the early time because ward members were planning on cleaning the building starting at 9.  The building is going to be "deep cleaned" in preparation for the Sarasota Stake Conference in two weeks.  Elder Anderson of the Quorum of the Twelve will be the visiting authority.  He is coming because there will be a change in the stake presidency.

A young woman was baptized who has been taught by Elders Bowden and Buckway.  Her boyfriend came and mentioned to Renee that he was going to be the next baptism.  The Elders had been teaching him, but then he stopped meeting with them.  They were surprised that he came to the baptism.

We then drove to St. Petersburg to deliver 12 more gift bags to them.  They have been upset that they don't have all of the gift bags, so we pieced together a few more for them.  Additional materials have been ordered to complete all of the gift bag requests, but we won't receive them for another week or so.

We then drove back to Sarasota and met with Sister Missionaries to give a blessing.  I think the Sisters are more comfortable asking me for a blessing rather than asking the Elders.

Some Gift Bag Deliveries

We had three gift bag requests from the Sarasota Stake, and we delivered those gift bags to missionaries today to take to the requesters.  We also stopped at Costco on the way back and happened to see Pres. and Sister Clover, the Sarasota Stake President.  We had a pleasant visit with them.  He will be released at the upcoming stake conference, and they are planning on serving a mission.

After returning to our apartment, I sent some additional information to the St. Petersburg Stake leaders.  I know they are frustrated that we don't have enough gift bags for them.  We are frustrated too.

Trip to Tampa

We drove to the mission office today to pick up some Books of Mormon to complete a few more gift bags.  We are trying to help the St. Petersburg Stake obtain some more gift bags so the guests from their stake won't have to wait so long for delivery.  We are still short about 55 bags for them, plus some additional bags for the Tampa, Brandon, and Lakeland Stakes.

In hindsight, I wish that we would have ordered more materials for the bags, but at the time we thought that we were ordering plenty.

Transcription Done

We finished the data entry today and sent the data file to the stake leaders and also Sis. Duffin in the mission office.  As missionaries contact those who requested the cards, they are to summarize the responses and send that to Sis. Duffin.  She will record those responses on the spreadsheet.  That way, we will know who has been contacted.

The St. Petersburg Stake leaders are still bothered that we don't have all of the gift bags for their investigators.  As they have looked at the spreadsheet, they have discovered that many of those requesting the gift bags are members.  They are trying to figure out how to prioritize the distribution of the gift bags so they can go to the investigators first.