FOUR SEASONS IN THE SACRED GROVE: Winter

We have now walked through all four seasons in the Sacred Grove.  We love it in each of its seasons.  Perhaps you will enjoy seeing a glimpse of it during each season.  Since we first experienced the Grove in the winter, that is the first season we will share in this first of four posts.

As you walk through the grove with us in winter, you might enjoy reading one of our favorite scriptures about seasons from
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."

Each season of life has rewards.

A joyful outlook can be part of all of our seasons. We should remember: Not all things are possible in all seasons.
 

Through prayer, each each of us can find and follow our personal timetable. We can set priorities and follow gospel principles in different ways through the varying seasons of our lives. As we are faithful, the Lord’s hand will always guide us: “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Prov. 3:6).  From VT Message

We are thankful for this season of our lives in which we are able to serve  here in the New York Rochester Mission. 

What are some of the blessings of your season of life?

Next week: The Sacred Grove in the Spring

THE MOVE!!!

Last week was the big move.  Well, not really a big move, since we only moved 3 miles and didn't have to move dishes, furniture, etc. . . just our clothes, food, and personal items.  Using these trusty moving tools: scissors, marker and tape, along with boxes, we packed our belongings from our cute little apartment on Stafford Road.

Below you see our packed boxes placed in the back hallway of our Stafford Road apartment.

On Monday, November 2, we left this very nice missionary apartment in the basement of this white house on Stafford Road in Palmyra . . .

 . . . with this beautiful view of the Sacred Grove out our back window . . .

  . . .and this view of the Palmyra Temple from our front yard.

We packed our boxes in our little PT Cruiser, just about 9 months after we packed them to move from Oregon, and moved to State Route 21 in Palmyra.  We had almost all of our belongings in our car when we left Oregon (a few boxes were shipped later - well, maybe more than a few) But, it took us six trips to move all of our belongings this time.  So, here is the million dollar question: "How will we get it all home?"

Until we could unpack we stored our belongings in the garage of our new apartment on State Route 21.

Then we unpacked into this very nice missionary apartment in the basement of the left wing of the Hill Cumorah Visitors' Center. . .

  . . .with this beautiful view of the Hill Cumorah out our back window . . .

  . . . and this view of the Christus in the Hill Cumorah Visitors' Center from our front yard.

So, why did we move?  Elder Watts was called to be the assistant director to Elder Lenker who is  Director of the Visitors' Center and Historic Sites, and Sister Watts was called to be the finacial secretary to Elder Lenker.  Elder Watts is also now the site supervisor of the Hill Cumoroah Visitors' Center.  It is easier to fulfill our new responsibilities in this new apartment.  We will continue with our previous assignments as well: Working at the four historic sites here in the area, working with members, investigators, and new converts in the Rochester 2nd Ward, and working in the Palmyra Temple on Friday evenings. 

We feel so blessed because of the wonderful experiences we are having as a result of serving as missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  We recommend serving a mission to all senior couples who can possibly go.  It is worth the sacrifice!

Here is a powerful quote by President Monson about senior couples serving missions:

"And now to you mature brothers and sisters: we need many, many more senior couples. To the faithful couples now serving or who have served in the past, we thank you for your faith and devotion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. You serve willingly and well and accomplish great good.

To those of you who are not yet to the season of life when you might serve a couples mission, I urge you to prepare now for the day when you and your spouse might do so. As your circumstances allow, as you are eligible for retirement, and as your health permits, make yourselves available to leave home and give full-time missionary service. There are few times in your lives when you will enjoy the sweet spirit and satisfaction that come from giving full-time service together in the work of the Master."
                                     General Conference Address - October 2010