Shopping and a Ward Assignment

We are getting around pretty well with our little GPS unit.  That means we can go shopping on our own.  We have gone to an outdoor shopping mall (kind of) called Botany Town Center where we purchased our GPS unit at a store named Noel Lemmings, and a few pieces of fruit in a high end grocery store there.

Elder Thatcher holding a Custard Apple (Cherimoya) and Dragon Fruit

Does anyone think the custard apple dad is holding looks familiar?

Most of the groceries we have purchased have been at a store called Pay N Pack.  The prices are a little more reasonable there and they have most things we need like oatmeal, potatoes, eggs, milk, almond milk, fruit, shampoo, hairspray, thread etc.

There is a store at Botany Town Center called the Warehouse (I think) where we bought a curling iron and hairdryer and a smaller purse for me to carry around.

We have also gone to a store called Stationary Warehouse that is like a Staples Store only the prices are very high.  A cheap spiral cardboard loose leaf is over  $10.00
Dad bought just regular pens for $6.98.

kind of pricey but tempting - check out the price on American Cherries

While we were shopping Monday evening we got a phone call from President and Sister Briggs inviting us to their flat for Fish and Chips.  We found our way there and had a lovely meal and evening with them.

Fish and Chips with Elder and Sister Briggs

They told us their love story, which was unique and fun.  They met at BYU when Elder Briggs was home before leaving for Korea in the service.  He lived in Farmington right by the little stone chapel where the first Primary was held.  They had only met a couple of times and never been on a date when he shipped out. The last time they saw each other was at her apartment at BYU when her roommates had invited Elder Briggs (Ivan) and a friend for ice cream.  As he left he shook her hand and said they would see each other again.  It must have been an electric handshake.  Their whole courtship was writing  letters. That's how they got to know each other and fell in love.  He wrote to her dad to ask for her hand in marriage.  He received the letter on Valentines day and drove to her apartment to tell her.  When she was visiting his family in Farmington, Ivan's father gave her the engagement ring.   She flew to San Francisco with his sister to meet him when he came home on leave.  He said how awkward it was because they had only shaken hands and now were engaged.  How should he greet her? They had never kissed.  He said he gave her a hug she was happy with that.

Theirs has been a life of service to the Church.  He has served as Bishop three times and has traveled all over the world for the church.  They are devoted saints and we love them.

They also told us the story of their little three year old son Stanton who drowned in a neighbors pool, was worked on for 3 hours and pronounced dead and then they gave him a blessing and he revived.  They took care of him for 10 years before he died.  It was a sweet story.  They told us a link where we could read his story.  If you go to LDS.org and type in 'When Stanton Needed Help' you can read his story.  They explained that many of the people who served Stanton became active in the church and have gone on to be Bishops and Stake Presidents. It was the men in the ward who stayed all night with Stanton.  The women served in other ways.

President Walker's right hand man Elder Stahle called yesterday with our ward assignment.  We have been assigned to work in the Clover Park Ward.  We will meet today with the missionaries assigned to that ward to visit about what we can do to serve there.  President and Sister Howes had us come to the MTC last night to talk over that assignment and to instruct us, as they do all the senior MLS missionaries on ways to be effective in the calling.  They had wonderful ideas for us.  We will be able to go right to work.  We have a disadvantage in working with a ward in that we will never be there on Sunday.  That is our busiest day at the MTC.  We will find ways to work around this problem and will be working with less actives in the ward.

Sister Howes took a picture of us for her records and then we finally took a picture of President and Sister Howes and ourselves.  She wanted to send it to her children and we did as well.  President and Sister Briggs weren't there but we will get a picture of the whole presidency soon.

President and Sister Thatcher at the MTC

President and Sister Howes and President and Sister Thatcher 

Who would have ever thought all those years ago when we met the Howes that we would be serving together in New Zealand.  Quite a wonderful thing.

We love you all.
Mom and Dad