Frankford News

After returning from Calif and the 72 degree weather, we are back at work in 2 degree weather. It hasn't been bad though, although we cut short our Sunday meetings due to water damage and no heat. All 15 of us huddled up in the relief society room and had Sac. mtg. We finally got one member to speak, Marasol, who had been preparing for two weeks on the word of wisdom, and gave a five minute talk, which really was nice even though she was scared to death. The other speaker didn't show up so Pres. Burno told of his conversion for the rest of the mtg. We decided to hold a Sunday school class anyway, and about 8 people stayed for that.

   We had an interesting mtg. with the elders. A lady who had had the missionaries in 2009 had us over, and about half way through the lesson she freaked out, and said we knew what the problem was, but we didn't, but anyway we think it had something to do with Sister Armstrong being in her house, like she is afraid of women. We have some really interesting people in our branch! We will leave Sister Armstrong home next time and see if we can find out what the problem is. 

  Two of the Seventies in the missionary dept held a meeting with our whole mission today. This is the first time in five years this has been done. It was to introduce the new program where new Ipads will be given to all the missionaries and their old ones will be retired. The missionaries will be instructed on how to use them over a period of several months. The new missionaries will purchase their own before coming on a mission and will receive their instructions, languages, and teaching techniques and the missionaries who are going home will keep theirs to continue to teach and learn and if they desire, they can continue to teach investigators and new missionaries their prep classes prior to their missions. We all need a shot in the arm, so maybe this will do it. 

 Besides being cold and slow, we are not making much headway with investigators, Elder Seeley goes home in four weeks and he so wanted two of his investigators to commit, but they are still luke warm.  

  Our darling Sabrina, who got turned down at BYU has joined the Navy and is leaving us. Another active member gone. We are losing them so fast, others have moved out of the Branch, and another one, Yadera got married, and spends time in New York and here, occasionally. Luckily new Elders come in to try to hold it together and be our speakers.   

   We got home from our conference, an all day affair but was it ever wonderful. Several of our dear Senior Couple friends are leaving in the next two week, and two couples will not be replaced. We understand there is a shortage of applicants from both Seniors and new missionaries. In the next few months we get 4 new missionaries and somewhere between 40 and 50 are going home.
    Elder Allan, of the Missionary Dept. says this is one reason we know we are in the last days, because missionary work has to be sped up.  I've never seen two men so bright, enthused and spiritual about this new program, everything is moving so fast, it is truly time to stay on the band wagon for the coming of the Millennium! To think what our little grandchildren will be involved with is just mind boggling!  Let's all think where our priorities are and keep ourselves heading in the right direction.  You are all wonderful, keep working hard on staying on track, we are so blessed to be a part of this wonderful plan.

    Our love and best wishes to all of you!  

Philly Missionaries    

Stay Warm

Dear Family & Friends,

   We left Calif. in 78 Degree weather and today we woke up to 7 degrees, talk about a contrast!  Some of the areas around here canceled Sun. meetings yesterday. We had two hours worth then everyone was sent home. Mainly because most of our members have to walk and it was bitter. Only a couple of inches of snow, but the wind factor was below 0. 

Today is about the same. We turned the window washer on and immediately it froze on the window.  Hope we can stay in most of today. It is suppose to be this way a lot of the week.

   Last night we went to a fireside, it was on the new Philly Temple.  The Carr's are in charge of all the workers.  Every Wed. Sister Carr bakes 300 cookies and serves to the workers.  They told of the feeling on the temple sight, it started out to be union men who were crude, swore every other word, a lot of back biting among the workers, and a large feeling of competition.  They wondered what to do, so Brother and Sister Carr decided they would let them into the temple grounds every morning, start with a prayer and a good thought.  They have been working there now 1 and 1/2 years, the workers now use clean language, totally respect Bro. and Sister Carr, and are very polite in taking and thanking for the cookies on Wed.  Isn't it wonderful how Heavenly Father helps soften hearts.  All because two people stood up to what they believed and wanted to accomplish.  All of us too can have the same affect on people, use our kind, sincere side, it goes a lot further than a rough, angry approach.  The temple is almost completely done on the outside, and are now working on the interior.  They are shooting for the summer of 2016!  Hope we can come back for the dedication!

    Things have hit full force since we got back.  Rosina is in congenitive heart failure, Dee has been very needy, (we can't seem to do anything right), she really got mad at me Fri. at the Dr. office.  Finally, some stranger stepped in and tried to help me.  She locked her feet on the floor and wouldn't move.  All the time we are holding up people behind us, of course she doesn't care because she can't see what is going on.  It is amazing that we got her into the office.  My heart goes out to her because she is so confused and can't see what is going on.  I'm trying real hard to develop much more patience! 

   We are going out to teach RayMeir this afternoon.  He is Rosina's grandson. He wanted to be baptized  in Jan. but hadn't been to church enough times.  (He is our little Christmas Tree Guy).

   Let's all have a great week. Keep reading our scriptures and praying for each other.  We certainly can feel your prayers back here, they help a ton.  We pray for all of you as well!   

Love to all of you, 

Bro & Sis Armstrong   

Dad finishes another puzzle.....

 

Hi Everyone,

   We just got back this morning at 9:30 from Calif. to see our beautiful granddaughter married.  She was married in San Diego Temple. Everything was perfect, the weather, the ceremony, the reception and being together as a family again.  Nothing makes you count your blessings more than to see your grandkids (and kids) make right choices in their lives.  It was so wonderful being together. We are so grateful the mission Pres. consented for us to go. 

   On our way out to Calif. we stopped in Vegas and rented a car so we could run to St. George and see Karl's sister.  She is dying of cancer. We were so grateful that we did, because, I know we won't see her again.  She is pretty near the end!  It was so humbling to be in her presence, you could just feel the Spirit in the room. Her peace was amazing laying there so frail and sick.  How could any of us face life without the help of our wonderful Savior.  

   We feel that we have been so blessed to be able to go out to the wedding and also see Nedra. Heavenly Father is so mindful of all our needs. I don't know what Karl would have done if he couldn't have seen her one more time.  

   Our cup is really running over with gratitude and blessings while serving out here.  Our little branch got along just fine while we were gone. It sure made us realize how short the time is that we have left here with these sweet, challenging people.  We must admit that it was a very good feeling when the plane touched down and we knew we were back again to serve.  

   We look back on the 13 months we have been here, and ask ourselves have we done anything that has helped?  I believe we have eased a few burdens, but most of all, we fell in love with people we never knew needed so much love and help. We are so grateful for this experience! Our lives have been nothing but growing experiences and learning to LOVE  all of God's children.  As the song says, "they are all precious in His sight," Thank goodness we had this opportunity!

   We have a lot more to do in the next few months. This little break brought to mind just how short life is. The time out here has gone so fast, all of our lives just seem to be going on full speed!  

   Hope all of you are in good health. Life is wonderful. Let's all make the most of every day, count our blessings, and keep telling Heavenly Father how grateful we are for all His help!  

We love you all, 

Elder and Sister Armstrong

Hi everyone, 

We enjoy hearing from each of you including our Missionary friends from Nauvoo and Rochester Missions. Hope you aren't snowed in. Most of the storm missed us except for freezing rain and about 3 inches of snow. Everything is still about the same however. We proselyte with the missionaries, teach the inactivates, encourage them to do family history, try to get them to give a talk in church (to no avail), attend presidency meetings at the branch, branch counsel and PEC, pick up as many members as we can and who will come to church, then start Sac. meeting with about 6 people present, and then when the meeting is half over, another 15 or so will show up. After mtg, we make out the donations, and then make out the welfare checks for the members who can't pay their rent, water, power, and gas bills.

 On Tuesday night, we hold bible study at the church, and sometimes we get people off the street to join us along with a few members. Friday night is game night, we usually play UNO. Anyway, that is our usual week, plus go to New Jersey, (about 50 miles) to pick up food orders at the Bishops Storehouse. 

   This week we got a new assignment. Josephine, (our primary president who went to BYU, sang with Young Ambassadors, and married a white member, who later divorced her and left her with one child), had her only car break down, and had no way to get to her teaching job at the school, so we pick her up each morning, take her  to work, and her son Enoch to preschool. We then pick them up in the afternoon in between lessons with the missionaries. Anyway her son came down with viral pneumonia, so for the past week we have been his baby sitter as well. We forgot what being a parent is all about.  I cheated however, and left Sister Armstrong with him while I carried on our usual missionary day. 

  We also had to take Rosina to the Hospital, where she stayed for about three days. She is pretty well bedridden at home at the moment. We still need to find her housing and get her on a government program to help pay her rent, water, gas ect. as soon as she gets better. She is the one who has had eighteen or so kids, who are all grown up, but about five of them plus their street friends sit around her house and watch TV all day. (some of them use drugs I think, and the house is always filled with smoke, which is sickening)

   Brenda, Kay John, and Tammy, who haven't been to church since Brenda got married to Kay John, (we think they got married), and Tammy, (who received  her endowments in the D.C. temple), decided to move out of the Branch, so I volunteered to move their fridge and washer out, (which the church members from another ward donated) and then give them to other members who are in need. It took most of the day just to get them out of their apartment. We had to remove doors, take the appliances apart, and by using some muscle from a disfellowshipped returned missionary and his room mates,(who got into trouble after his mission, and is trying to get reactivated), helped me move them if I would pay him $20 and then give him the Fridge! which I did. Then Brenda asked me to rent her a U Haul truck to move their stuff, since they didn't have any money and no drivers licence, but I just walked away and didn't follow through since I didn't want the liability and the expense. The Branch president and Clerk tell me I am too nice, and need to toughen up with these people, so I took their advice. 

   We are going to Utah and Calif this week. We leave on Weds and get back the next Wed. My sister in St. George is dying of cancer, and I want to see her one last time. We then go to Calif for our grandaughter's wedding, who recently returned home from a mission in Rochester. (The Walkers knew her up there). It will be a nice break, unless we get spoiled with a new, soft life, Ha,Ha. 

    Two of our Elder's got transferred, so we had a going away dinner for them last night, (didn't watch the super bowl of course). We really learned to love and appreciate them, but I am sure the new one's will be the same. We take them to the mission home tomorrow, and bring the new ones back. 

    I want to thank those who sent us gift cards, we used some of them for my Birthday, (yea I turned 74) and took the missionaries out. Thanks, you saved me over $100.00 at Applebee's. I also want to thank Curt and Alisa for letting us use some of their sky miles to go to Calif. You all do too much. Anyway Dee just called and wants me to get her sack of food that was left at the Church, and then take her to the Bank, so I'll leave Joyce with the rowdy, sick, Enoch, who is tearing the place apart, and say goodbye for now. 

Love Ya all, Elder and Sister Armstrong