New Apartment--New Jobs

        Yes, we have moved up the street and across the way to 207 East Sea Avenue.  It is much nicer and all six apartments in this building are rented for Senior Couples serving missions by the church.  It is nice to have the association of these couples.  We were alone, now we're by others.  We have FHE each Monday evening together taking turns.  Our turn is next Monday.

        Here is Sister Atwood moving some of her things into the apartment six-plex.  It was certainly an easy move since we don't have much to move.  It is furnished, so we really only have our clothes and personal items.  We did move our Queen Bed, because Elder Atwood is now in charge of Housing and we wanted to keep it.  Older people need good beds!

        This is our living room, much bigger than before and even decorated with lovely pictures and two recliner chairs.  We are really fortunate.  We are on the top floor so we can get unwanted exercise.

        This is down the hall with a lovely picture of Moroni burying the plates.  The two bedrooms are at the end of the hall.  We use one for sleeping and the other as a study.  We do have a queen bed in the study in case someone comes to visit.

        We now work in the office.  We still attend our little Riverview Ward, but can't do the visits as much.  We are grateful for the experiences there, because it helps us appreciate all the hard working missionaries.  We also have met many choice people.  In the office we work with these three other couples.  Elder & Sister Haws are in charge of Finance and Baptisms & Mailing.  Elder and Sister Lillywhite (training us) are in charge of Secretary & Housing.  Elder & Sister Rasmussen are in charge of Cars & Medical.  We are now taking the Lillywhites place.  They left two days ago to return to their place near Logan, Utah.

   
        This is Elder Atwood and Elder Lillywhite.  They are great friends.  He is such a worker.  He always runs to do things.  His age hasn't slowed him down at all!

        This is the Lillywhites together.  She has trained my well.  She was an excellent secretary.  I have still much to learn.  It is a huge job and many and varied responsibilities.  Now, I'm alone and working harder than I think I ever have.  But, I really enjoy the work!  I always wanted to be a secretary and never have been.  Now I've jumped into the fire!
        We love all of you and the gospel and Our Savior more than we can ever explain.  This is a special place in history (past, present, and future.)  I just hope we will all give to the Lord our Heart and Strength.  When He comes, we really want to meet Him and be like Him.  He gives us so many chances and opportunities.  But, our choice is clear and the time to make that choice is NOW!
        Love, Elder & Sister Atwood

Temple Day for Zone Conference

          Here we are at a Zone Conference at lunch time.  We had half of our missionaries on this day and half the day before.  This is Elder Kiene and Santa Cruz, two of the missionaries that worked with us in Riverview Ward.  They have both been transferred, but it was nice to see them here.

        This is President Keyes and his wife (in red).  They are sitting by President Hepworth and his wife, the first councilor.  He spoke on families and the importance of being sealed as families in the temple.  Then, we walked across the street to the Kansas City Temple where all of us went through an endowment session.  It was a most wonderful day!

       
         This is Sister Jarman.  She twisted her ankle and had to be on crutches.  She didn't want to be on crutches going to the temple.  But, sometimes you just have to bear the consequences.

This is Sister Atwood, Sister & Elder Butler, Elder & Sister Angel, Sister & Elder Brenchley, just some of the Senior Missionaries serving in the Missouri Independence Mission.

President's Devotional Fireside

We had our bi-monthly Devotional Fireside at the Historic Liberty Jail tonight.  The first Sunday of the month, we meet at the Visitor's Center and the third week we meet here at the Historic Liberty Jail.  Recent converts bear their testimonies and Sister & President Keyes speak to us.

        Here is a random picture of some of the people attending.  Most of these are the Sisters serving in the mission.  Sister Keyes is the sweet lady in pink.  President Keyes is talking in the background.  They have only 6 weeks left before Mission Presidents change.  They have and are still doing an incredibly wonderful job for all of us here.

        This is Barbara.  She joined the church one year ago.  She went to visit a quilting friend in Oklahoma who just happened to be Mormon.  So, she attended church with her.  That was all it took.  She felt like she was, "coming home."  Her friend told her to contact the missionaries when she returned home.  But, she was too shy and uncertain.  Then, when Sister Erickson and her companion passed by her home, she couldn't get them into her home fast enough.  She just wanted to know more and more.  She is still learning as much as she can, while she serves as her Ward Missionary, Visiting Teacher Supervisor, and does lots of Indexing.  She is getting ready to go to the Temple for her Endowments.  The Gospel has given her so much to live for and enjoy.

        This is Jessica with her three daughters.  Her mother was born into the church but not active.  Jessica began searching for a church where she could bring up her daughters in good religious beliefs.  Then, the missionaries came to her mother's home to teach her again the doctrines of the church.  Jessica wasn't really interested, but as her daughters began to ask questions about Jesus, she began to listen.  Her mother is now active and Jessica was baptized a month ago.  She says, "it is where I belong."  The most important thing to her is to teach her daughters the right pathway back to their Heavenly Father.

        These three young men weren't bearing testimony.  They are here for the summer working for Vivint, installing alarm systems.  But, Elder Haines on the left, was a missionary who served here under President Keyes a year ago.  It was great to see him back.  He attended the Riverview Ward where we attend.  It was the last area he served in.  All three of them are returned missionaries.  Three of our own sons worked for Vivint also.




        We ended with a powerful Testimony from President Keyes.  He talked about testimonies and said many important things about their power to affect others and ourselves.  He mentioned a story of when he served in this same mission 40 or so years ago.  He and his companion entered the home of a scripturally well read man.  The man listened politely and then said, "I have studied extensively and have come to the conclusion that if the church was restored again to the earth, it would have to have these points."  He proceeded to list and tell each point the church would have to have to be TRUE. At each point, Elder Keyes and his companion said, "yes, our church has that."  Finally, he said, "it has to also have direct Priesthood Authority from Jesus Christ himself."  At that point, Elder Keyes's companion, pulled out his Line Of Authority paper and showed him his direct line to Jesus Christ.  The man was astounded.  He joined.  It was a wonderful testimony of how TRUE the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is.  It is absolutely the Church  that Jesus Christ came personally to the earth to restore.  It is His Church!  I know this as sure as I live.  I'm blessed to be a member.

Another Baptism in Riverview Ward

        This is Michelle & Tony Davidson.  They were married in the church last week by Bishop Munger.  They have been taught the Missionary Lessons and have a strong desire now to go to the temple.  They are working together for that goal.

        This is Elder Kiene who baptized Tony.  Several of the missionaries had been involved with the teaching of this family, including the two sister missionaries.  In fact, the whole ward has been very helpful in fellowshipping them.  Elder Kiene was one of the first missionaries we worked with and was able to come back to the area to baptize Tony.

        These three missionaries are now serving in our area:  Elder Huston and Elder Elwood, both from Arizona, Daniel, who was just baptized last week, and Elder Brasseaux from Utah.  Daniel was at this baptism and was ordained to the Priesthood on Sunday.  He was so excited to be ordained.  The Young Men in the ward are very good to fellowship him.

        This is the Tollefson family with Elder & Sister Atwood.   Sister Tollefson is the Choir Director and the Seminary Instructor.  Brother Tollefson is the Ward Clerk and just passed his Medical Tests to become a Doctor.  They are a great asset to the ward and we love them.  The baby is Krista, and she looks just like our grandson, Bowen Atwood.  So, we're right at home.

Weekend With Family at the Church History Sites

        We had a great time last weekend when our son, Remington, and his wife, Tamera, came with their two little boys to spend the weekend.

        On Friday morning, we met Brandon Workman's family at Adam ondi Ahman.  This is a most beautiful and peaceful place where Adam called his posterity together and gave them Blessings.  It has future significance also as the place where he will stand again, as the "Ancient of Days" as spoken of in the book of Daniel in the Bible.  It is here again, at a Priesthood Conference, the Keys of the Kingdom will be given back and an account of their stewardships given.  Christ will reign personally upon the earth.  What glorious events are unfolding and will unfold as we watch for these eventful times; right here in this area.

        The boys, Seth & Tyson, loved to play and enjoyed this beautiful day.

        This is Brandon & Christina Workman and family.  He is a bishop here in the Mission Area.  Actually, he was just released because their family is moving to Australia.  They wanted to visit the area one more time before they leave.  It was fun having our nephew and his family with us also.

        We also visited Far West, where the temple corner stones were laid back in 1838, but never built because of persecution and the Saints being driven from the state of Missouri in the winter of 1839.  It was on the southeast cornerstone here that Solomon Hancock sang the song that Levi Hancock wrote at the dedication.  Joseph Smith asked Levi to write a song for the occasion. It was called, "Song of Freedom."  We also found Levi's land that he owned in Far West.  Levi is our ancestor for those who don't know.  We owe much to him.

        We visited Richmond where the monument to the three witnesses of the Book of Mormon stands. It is situated over Oliver Cowdery's grave.  Here is Remington with his little family.

        Rem & Tam are here in Liberty, Missouri, standing by the monument to the eight witnesses of the Book of Mormon.  This was the first time we had been there.  You can see the names of the eight men who witnessed it.  It was erected by a society for the history of this area, Mormons and other religions.

        On Saturday, we met at the Kansas City Temple where the annual Temple Run was held.  It is sponsored by the Liberty Stake.  Andy Reed, the coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, helped with the organization.  It is a 5K run, a mile run, and other runs, including children's runs at the end.  All the streets are blocked off by the local police for the run.

        They had booths all around the Stake Center, which is just next to the Temple.  Everything was free, including the run, food, balloons, and other stuff.  It is a great missionary event with many runners.

        Here is our Bishop Munger and his children running in the race.  We had several people from our ward who entered the race.  One young man was just baptized last week, but he was there to run.

        Stake President Morgan is in the red shirt.  He was in charge and did a great job.  He also ran in the race and came in one of the first after we got there.

        After the big races, the children lined up for some races too.  Tyson is in back and wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to do.  He just knew that it was a Temple Run?  When the whistle blew, he still wasn't quite sure what to do.  Rem will have to work with him a bit if he's going to be a runner.
        We had a great time!  Then, I watched the kids while Elder Atwood took Rem & Tam to the Visitor's Center and Independence Sights around the Center.  Sister Hansen took them on their tours.

        That evening we had dinner with the Shethis where they fixed Rem and Tamera an original Indian meal: ham, fish, chicken curry and chicken masala with fried bread, salad, soup and ice cream for dessert.

         They attended our Riverview Ward the next day and flew back home to SLC on Sunday evening.