Happy Thanksgiving
Romans 1:8:

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all.

We hope that you each have had a beautiful Thanksgiving.  The missionaries ate, and ate, and ate.  The members love the missionaries.  Many of them had two or three appointments for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Most participated in ward Turkey bowl activities.  The missionaries made visits to their investigators.  It was a busy day.  It also was a nice weather day.  November has had some quite rainy days.  Thanksgiving day was a day that it was easy to travel, visit and participate in all the activities of the day.  We felt blessed to have our assistants and office elders spend some of the day with us.  They were excited to help us decorate the Mission Home for Christmas.  They put up the outside Christmas Lights.  Later in the evening the missionaries serving in the Tacoma and Lakewood Zones stopped by when they were finished with their scheduled visits.  Being a mother of five girls, and 13 grandchildren I decided to have an evening with those that came like I would have at home.  Some of the missionaries decorated the Christmas tree.  A few companionships decorated gingerbread men.  Some played, twister, some played Settlers, then we all played Catchphrase (fun) and then lots played a game called Signs.  (It is a game were they send hand signals to each other. One is in the middle and has to find the person with the sign.  It was fun just to watch.  We ended with a message and singing.  It is a Thanksgiving I will always remember.  I loved watching these great young people enjoy friendship.  I loved watching them laugh.  I love hearing them sing.  The missionaries have been working hard.  It was so nice to just enjoy some special time together.  I wish I could have been with all the missionaries serving in this great mission.  Yet as I have visited with them, it seems it was a great Thanksgiving in the mission.  We are grateful for you.  How the missionaries love their families.  We appreciate your love and support and hope you felt the beautiful spirit of our Savior.

Thanksgiving day

How we love all these great missionaries that are serving through out the mission.  As we count the many blessing that have been ours this past year,  it truly is one of our sweetest blessings to be serving with them.

INTERVIEWS

We started interviewing this week.  

LACEY and GRAHAM ZONE

Making some cookies for an investigator's b-day while waiting for his companions to interview with President.

This past month the mission has been receiving some new mission cars.  Makes for a happy day when you find out you are one of the companionships that due for a new car.  The cars are so nice.   More than one third of our missionaries are on bike.  As our mission increases in size, more will serve on bike.   When the missionaries see the new cars, it is hard to not want to have a car, particularly when it is raining and cold.  How we love and appreciate our bike Elders.  It truly does build character to be on bike. As each of us reflect daily on our efforts as a missionary,  those Elders serving on bike go to bed each night knowing that they have worked hard.   All have the opportunity to be on bike sometime throughout his mission.   We do have missionaries that just love being on bike, others that would prefer a car, yet through a great obedient attitude they just work hard, happily.    The blessing of a mission is, you never know what the next transfer will bring.  WE LOVE OUR BIKE ELDERS. Every Elder needs a bike.  Every month we have a Park Day.  It is a day that everyone in the mission parks their car,  and bikes, and walks.  Not only does this save on miles, but it puts missionaries on the streets and in different situations to find, and talk with people.  Park day has become a great day in the mission.  Our park day for this month is this Thursday. 

CENTRAL ZONE CONFERENCE

This past week we had the privilege of sharing conference trainings through the mission.  It was exciting to share the in the great spirit of all that is taking place with missionaries and the work.  We are appreciative of all that the missionaries are doing. We love their enthusiasm.  We are seeing more rain, it gets dark earlier, and we feel the opposition of the adversary.  The missionaries continue to work.  We pray the Lord's Spirit will bless the mission in abundance and all these great missionaries.  We love them!!

Love you