EPISTLE FOR WEEK ENDING 6/26/2016

From Elder and Sister Elkington

Monday was spent getting ready for the Heritage Park Branch Family Home Evening.  We had the food ready to go when Elder Elkington experienced a loss of equilibrium (vertigo).  He could not walk unassisted without the danger of falling – so we had to cancel our planned participation in the FHE.  He got into the doctor on Wednesday to receive treatment and the problem has subsided.

On Tuesday we had our quarterly interviews with President Cornelius of the mission presidency. President and Sister Cornelius are being released with President and Sister Center this week.  We will miss our association with them; they have been a great support and encouragement.  We are looking forward to getting to know the new mission president, Danial Zachary Smith and his wife.

We picked apricots from the Santa Clara Church apricot orchard.  We then delivered them to branch members who are less active or incapacitated.

We had some really good visits with the members we visited.  The one Sister and her husband have lost two children to death.  We shared a copy of Elder Russell Nelson’s talk in the last General Conference priesthood meeting.  We testified they could prepare themselves to be sealed in the temple as an eternal family.  She agreed we can come back and teach them. They have a great spirit in their home – we are looking forward to teaching them.

On Wednesday evening we took two of the boys to cub scouting and then to McDonalds for hamburgers and French fries (Ethan said he had not had a meal all day)..  The two of them consumed five orders of French fries, 2 cheeseburgers and one order of chicken nuggets.

We have still been working in the Heritage Park Branch garden – watering, harvesting and delivering produce to less active members. We have been working closely with the Heritage Park Branch President in identifying the members he wants contacted.

Friday we met with Sister “M’s” family and showed them the film “The Testaments” about Jesus Christ as recorded in the New Testament and the Book of Mormon. We then testified about Jesus as their Savior.  After the lesson we took three of the children to the Santa Clara Church Orchard to pick apricots for their family.

We look forward to better health this week and getting to know the new mission president.

 Many are concerned about the heat we are experiencing in St George, but Sister Elkington says it is great – it sure beats the cold in northern Utah in the winters.