I'm just looking at pictures of all the humanitarian work that has been accomplished in Nauvoo.  Way to go all you hardworking missionaries, what busy, busy hands, with Susan and Ross there working and encouraging I'm not surprised!

   W have had a busy week, mainly Karl is the taxi of the branch.  Trips to New Jersey for food orders, taking people to Dr. and Dental appointments, trying to keep up with the missionaries here.

   We took Rosina to the Dentist, she had only been out of the hospital a couple of days, anyway, she got real sick down at the office and couldn't see the Dentist.  We are trying again tomorrow to see if it works this time.  My heart really goes out to her, if we can just keep her well enough that she can get this other housing and get her out of the situation she lives in now.  She really has it tough!

   Sun. we had our regional conference. It was broadcast from the conference center for several States back here in the Eastern part of this country.  It was wonderful. We could see a big change in Elder Hales. All of the apostles are getting much older, it breaks our hearts to watch them age.  We are so blessed to live in such a wonderful time of life to have the media that connects us all as one.     We held a pot luck after the broadcast, I've never seen so much Rice & Beans.  I thought of Brooklyn, she always orders Rice & Beans at Cafe Rio.  We took the Hatchet's with us, they have been very active since his baptism, sure hope it lasts, we need the help in the branch so much.  He has started passing the Sacrament, he can't quit smiling as he passes it.

   Our wonderful Elder Long is getting transferred this Wed.  He has been such a super Elder,he plays the guitar, and has sung his way into so many hearts back here.  We will take him out to the mission office Wed. and bring back a new Elder.He has had me fixing suits before he goes.  He had a tailored suit made out here for a $100.  He is so proud of this suit, it fit him terrible, so I'm trying to rectify many of the problems, the hem on the pants was unbelievable, anyway, he loves it and is very happy with it so at least his pants won't be 2 inches above his shoes.

     We had the Elders over for dinner Sun.  We also fed them Wed. They are so grateful for a dinner, especially when it get towards the end of the month and their food is getting quite sparse!   We spent Sun. night taking Josephine to another recording for the song she wrote.  It is so beautiful, she really has a wonderful voice, so much talent.  She dubbed in her own voice for all the harmony. We have a video of it and  want all of you to hear it.  Elder Long does all the recording-he brought back his own equipment and knows how to fill in all the extra's, 

    The work is the same. Lots of problems to help with, always places to drive people to, try to enthuse the Primary, and Dad always hunting for someone to talk in Sacrament meeting.  He is preparing more talks right now. He either hands them out for someone to read, (if they are assigned they won't come to church and give the talk), or else he has something ready that he can give himself.  

   It was funny two Sunday's ago, the stake came for ward conference. Usually they prepare the entire lesson, sharing time and singing time. This time they got up and said I was doing the lesson. When the stake is there it is a little hard to get up and pull something out of the top of my head. Anyway we made it through and they really encouraged and helped us.  They are all wonderful people, not judgmental, just willing to  help where they can because our branch is so unique from a normal primary.

   Our two grandsons went to the Prom this week.  First date for Tyler. Two of our grandkids graduated from BYU, two of them finished up another year of  college and our missionary boy had his nineteenth birthday.  Boy our family is all growing up and spreading their wings for bigger and better things.  We are so proud of all of them, keep up the great work, all of you!   Life is great, we miss all of you, but know we have a lot more to do here in our time left.  Have a wonderful week, keep well and stay busy, (this one I know for sure you all do.)    Love each and every one of you!!!  Mom & Dad, Grandpa & Grandma, Elder & Sister Armstrong 

Dear Loved Ones,

   The weeks are rolling by so fast, we can hardly catch our breath!.  Last week was a very busy one with Rosina, Stake Faith in God, Stake leaders for ward conference, and our RS birthday party.  All went very well, but hope this one is a little less hectic.  The most wonderful thing about the entire week was our ward conference. The first counselor talked on how we love these people no matter what.  I really needed to hear that talk because  many days we wonder if we do anything at all.  He told of his grandfather going to Brazil some 75 years ago  as a young missionary.  The whole time he was over there he had no converts and felt very discouraged.  Today, that same area has many temples, stakes and missions, and how strong those people are.  How we pray we are planting a seed or two for these dear people.  Karl and I have laughed about many of the situations they get themselves into. We do that so we won't cry. With no cars, no husbands, no money and many kids and poor health, I'm sure they have done much better than I ever could have under these circumstances.  

   We've learned to love these people so much, many of them we feel like family.  In fact that is how Rosina introduces us. We are her church family she tells everyone!  We are most worried about her, her health is terrible, she is in the hospital every other week.  Tomorrow we have several Dr. apt. with her. We have her a place now to live, just pray she can get into it before something serious happens to her.  She has applied for government help and who knows how long that will take. We have seen a lot of sad and poor people because we are so personally involved with their problems and pain.  We pray every night that there will be a couple sent back here to take our place in July, if anyone needs help it is these sweet people.

   We have a woman's Book of Mormon study each Mon. night.  We have another new lady who isn't yet a member coming tonight. We read together in the B of M, our help and explanation is always taken from The Book of Mormon made Easy by David Ridges.  I have loved these books for a long time, and ordered another set when I got out here. I will leave them here when we leave.

   Thank you for all your love, emails and support.  The other night Anna called and said she just wanted to talk to us. It totally made our day.  All of you are so attentive, you are all the best people in the world. 

Happy Birthday goes out this week to Chase, Mary Louise, Pam, and Harrison.  Have a wonderful BD and know we love all of you!

Karl & Joyce

Mom & Dad
Grandma & Grandpa

Elder & Sister Armstrong

Dear Family and Friends.

   We had company last week, and also this weekend so we are behind on our writing.  It is good to have people here. Everyone seems to be doing good and life is busy for everyone. I guess that keeps us out of trouble.

  Byron Larsen from our ward in Glenmore and a member of the Bishopric has been with us.  He is an inventor and had to come out to Philly to bring some machine that he has produced in a food making plant.  If it works for their company they will be sitting pretty darn good. He and one other person are the CEO’s of the company and they didn’t have a pay check all last year.  They are all praying this will fly this time.  Our prayers will certainly be with them, they really need a break!

   It has turned so lovely here, around 68-70 degrees.  Just absolutely perfect.  A lot of Spring things are coming to bloom-no wind the past two days and so much sunshine.  We are praying for it to continue.  We hope this week we can unpack some summer skirts and tops.

   We have had Rosina in the hospital again. She gets herself up so tight, she has 18 kids and right now they are all driving her nuts.  We have been looking for her some housing. She got cleared by the government to qualify for assistance, now if we can just find it.  We have an appointment with her tomorrow to start the search.  When she moves she is not telling anyone her address. She is only taking her downs syndrome brother and as she puts it, (fading into the sunset).  Right now she lives next door to a half-way house. All the people come over to her house to watch TV and she lives upstairs in her bedroom.  I don’t blame her for being upset.  They sit there all day, drinking and smoking and eating her food. She is a nervous wreck, and needs to get out of that environment! She had two heart attacks last week, one of these times we won’t be bringing her home from the hospital!

   Josephine has been supper involved with school, programs, young single adults and everything you can think of, so we have had Enoch a lot last week.  He is an easy little boy to tend, but gets quite uneasy with not much to do at our house.  I know she doesn’t like him to watch so much TV, thank goodness there was a lot of cartoons on Sat. to help us get through the day.  Everyone back here needs so much help. If we were only magic and could solve everyone’s problems.  We pray every day that a couple will soon be called to take our place. We would just love to walk out and leave them everything in this house.

   Thanks for all the love and support! You are all the best, we got kind of homesick after Doman’s left. You can tell it is getting near the end and there are so many things we still want to get done.  Most of it depends on the people themselves, the cooperation we get from the city, government doctors and landlords.  We are keeping our fingers and toes crossed and praying real hard a lot more can happen!

   Love all of you so much!  A quote I loved from conference:

   THOU LIFT ME, AND I LIFT THEE, AND WE SHALL ASSEND TOGETHER!   All of you are what keeps us trying back here.  Hope when we leave some little thing can have been accomplished back here.  Right now we are praying for miracles!!!!!!!!  

                                   Elder & Sister Armstrong

                                    Mom & Dad

                                    Grandma and Grandpa

                                    Karl & Joyce

Visit with the Doman's

Bishop's storehouse

Zone conference lunch

4-1-2015

HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY!

Dear Family and Friends,

    The weather really played a joke on us today. It is so beautiful outside, the air is pretty nippy but it is actually starting to show signs of Spring.  I don’t know about the majority of you, but I’m really liking the looks that maybe we are through with the cold, dreary winter.

   We are back in Philly. We drove to Illinois last weekend (16 hours each way), mostly rain all the way there. We went to our son’s house, they baptized their 2^nd little girl (Brie).  It was so wonderful being with their family. The children had all grown. They had just finished their basement and it looked so lovely. Very modern looking, the coloring, the lights, the floor, etc. It looked so much like Jen.  We drove all day Fri., and the baptism and confirmation were Saturday.  Dad and I got a big laugh out of the fact that Brie had asked Grandpa A to baptize her, so our own Grandchild was our only baptism that Grandpa got to participate in on our whole mission.  Pretty neat though!

    We have been involved with teaching and preparing investigators for baptism, but the YOUNG ELDERS do all the baptizing.  We remind ourselves daily that we are back here to support, support and support!

   16 more hours for the drive home. We were so glad to get here! We both had bad colds and fevers so it was a long ride home.  We took yesterday to pull ourselves back together.

   One of our biggest priorities before we leave here is to get Rosina in some livable housing.  Yesterday they called and said she has been approved for government  help.  Now we have 10 days to find her a house, and get her settled.  We have all been working so hard on this project.  Right now she lives in a very scary neighborhood, her home is the hang out for everyone in Frankford. We go there to teach and the house is so full of people, cigarettes, pot etc. It is hard to teach above the screaming TV.  She wants so bad to get out of her environment.  This is really a priority on our bucket list.

   We are all watching conference at the church.  We get it two hours later back here. We always have a pot luck in-between the two sessions.  I know we will have a lot of rice and beans come in so I’m trying to think of something different. They are always all  hungry, mainly just something that will fill them up and have plenty of it, what ever IT is.

   We are excited this Sun. Alisa, Curt and their family are coming back for Spring Break.  We will be so glad to see them.  We have been so blessed while back here, we have had all of our family (except our son John), two sets of friends, our next door neighbors and my Sister and brother-in-law.  We have appreciated all the love and support, the cards, letters and encouragement.  There is nothing in the world like true friends and family to keep us all trying and determined to keep going and doing our best!    You are all so wonderful! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your love and encouragement.

   Enjoy your conference weekend. What a great opportunity to all recommit and take the advice of our living prophet and His wonderful disciples.  We are so blessed. I pray I won’t take it just for granted! Love and miss all of you. Stay healthy, happy and keep doing all the good that you are doing.  

You are all the best!!!  

Grandpa & Grandma

Mom & Dad

Elder & Sister Armstrong