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

Dear family and friends, 

    Another short note about our doings. We had a nice baptism two weeks ago, that we already told you about. Anyway we scheduled their confirmation last week and really began to worry when the Sacrament had been passed and they hadn't shown up. After the first speaker (Elder Meline), one came in, then another, but Raymir, never did. I went to pick him up but he wasn't home. We got two confirmed anyway, but whether they remain active is anyone's guess. Timothy is fighting with his wife and she wants to divorce him, and Leon is still on probation from his prison term, but since we got permission from the First Presidency, he can get the Aaronic Priesthood, and go to the Temple for Baptisms for the dead. I think he will be a good member, but has a long way to go to understand the gospel. 

   We don't see the other Sr. Couples very often, so last week we all got together and went to Gettysburg overnight. We had two new couples who had come in, but the one couple was so swamped with their work at the mission office, they didn't go. Three couples have gone home, and one is leaving this week, so we got to see them. There are three new couples coming in the next few months but we will still be short until they open up the site where Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were baptized and the new visitor center is finished. 

  We had the street blocked in front of our Church all day. Someone said there was a shooting and a robbery, but I haven't heard the details. We just continue taking the Elders to their appointments, taking the members to their doctors appointments, shopping or whatever, holding bible study on Tues, and activity night on Fridays. And then our services on Sunday, hoping we can get enough there for our block meetings. Thank the Lord for our missionaries, who teach classes and speak in Sacrament meeting. I hope our little branch survives since people move out as soon as they can. Nobody likes living in this area, and those who stay are only here because they have nowhere else to go. 

  Once again, we got permission to go to Illinois for our Grandaughter's baptism this weekend. Our Mission President lets us do this type of thing which we really appreciate and gives us a little break, then we are renewed to continue on with our work. We are blessed to have two new missionaries in our area. One, Elder Milligan is an African American from Louisiana. He is so funny. A convert to the church and has a strong testimony. He tells of his past life, which was very sad, and of his conversion from the Baptist Church. He is wonderful in explaining the truths of the gospel when we meet people who say they are content in their own church and won't leave. Our branch clerk is a strong member who comes in from another ward as a Stake Missionary to help us out each Sunday. He has been a bishop, a high counselor etc, and really helps us run the branch. Without him and his wife who teaches Sunday school, our branch couldn't function. 

   Last night in Bible Study we studied the Gospels in the New Testament.  Elder Milligan bore his testimony and showed a short video on the miracles the Savior did during His ministry on earth.  I had the most wonderful, peaceful feeling come over me. I knew Heavenly Father was mindful of Karl and I. We have been worried that we've done no good back here, we just help with problems and make very tiny baby steps, which they too can blow up in our face. Anyway, I felt so much better when it was confirmed to us that some days we really help these wonderful people. They all have so many struggles, our lives have been so easy compared to these special Saints.  We are constantly praying for more understanding, more compassion and more patients with each one of them!

   We love you family and friends so much. Thank you for all your prayers and 

e-mails, they truly keep us going.

         THE ARMSTRONG'S IN PHILLY    

Philly Times

Hi wonderful Family and Friends,

   Another new week, they just keep coming and getting better.  Our little branch had a miracle happen yesterday.  We had three baptisms, and what a thrill, especially for Elder Seeley who goes home tomorrow.

  LEON MOBLEY

  TIMOTHY HATCHET

  RAMIR WILLIAMS. He is nine, the others older.  Ramir is Rosina's Grandson, we've written about him many times.  A bright little guy with a ton of hang ups he has had to cope with all his life.  He was so excited, he got out of the fount and when asked how he felt about being baptized he said, "Well my foot didn't come out of the water".  We went and got him new clothes (the Sunday dress outfit) and he said, "now I look like a missionary".  We so hope all three of these people can hang on and embrace the gospel, it would improve their lives so very much.

   That is our biggest fear, that this entire branch is going to sometime get lost in the shuffle.  Many of them just hang on with a thread. This mission, as yet, doesn't have anyone (Senior Couple) to take our place.  Not that we do so many wonderful things, but they just need extra love and care. Not anyone in the branch, only a very small handful, can offer that, they need that love and care themselves.   

   How on earth does Heavenly Father keep track and bless everyone? His job seems so over whelming to me. If we have three a day that needs a lot of extra attention and help we come home exhausted.

  ELDER ARMSTRONG'S TURN: It amazes me the support that the church gives its people. Our small branch gets thousands of dollars of aid each week for rent, food, utilities, etc. and when we see some come to church, we know the purpose, they are in need of assistance. Every other week or more often, we drive to New Jersey to the Bishops storehouse for food orders and the like, but I now have a new friend, Richard, who is a disabled vet, and is bi-polar, and was very negative about the church, rides down with me and helps me deliver the food. We even got him to speak in Church last Sunday to our amazement. We love our little branch however, and really enjoy working with the missionaries who really put in a great effort in the work. 

     Our mission will be closing down eight apartments soon, since more are leaving than are coming. Three new Sr. Couples will soon be called to work at the Susquehanna site however, where Joseph Smith was  Baptized.  Elder Russell Nelson will dedicate the site this fall. They are building a new visitor center and it will be a choice church history site to see. 

   Anyway, all is great, the Temple is moving ahead and drawing a lot of interest, I only wish we could see it dedicated before we leave, but who knows, maybe we can come back!

   Spring has sprung, the weather is great, and all is well. Love ya all. 

Ramir's baptism

Frankford Times Episode 200

Dear Family & Friends,

   Elder Armstrong is acting weird again but he is not far from wrong about the episode number, it was more like 200 last week.  We keep putting out a lot of fires, and a lot of wonderful things happen as well.

   We missed last weeks news because we flew to Utah. Karl's sister, in St. George, passed away after 5 long years of Cancer.  She has been so courageous all this time. We just had to go out for the service or Karl would have never forgiven himself.  It started as ovarian cancer and after the five years it had spread everywhere in her body.  Her services were so comforting and peaceful. She really was a wonderful lady.  While out there, we of course, had to visit with the family. We stayed one night with John and another with Alisa.  Boy, how all the grand kids have grown up. We also were there for Ethan receiving the priesthood. All were taller and oh so wonderful to see at least two families. 

  Nothing slowed down back here in Frankford while we were gone. In fact, they multiplied, so we got right back into the swing of life back here in Philly!

   Our plane flight was canceled because of the weather. We flew out the next morning and got here in Philly with everything canceled for planes coming in that entire day. Heavenly Father knew we needed to get back to work!  We are glad to be back.

   While we were gone Rosina had to go back to the hospital. She called us in Utah and wanted us there, but her niece took her and all worked out good.  We worry so about Rosina, she is getting more frail all the time.

   Our great news is that we have 4 baptisms this coming Sun.  Two young boys age 9 and two other men.  Yeah, we will have more Priesthood  in our branch.  Let's pray they keep coming. The first four that were baptized when we first got here never come out to church.  We still meet with them but they don't see the need to attend church. We are going out today to buy Raymir clothes so he can look like a Mormon (so he says).  He is the sweet little boy that we had the Christmas Tree experience with. He has had such a rough life, the only person that cares about him is his Grandma.  Thank goodness she loves him!  He has been abused by his mother all his nine years. The gospel will help him so much! He comes to Primary and gets to associate with the few kids we have there.

   We had a going away party for Sabrina Blake at our house Sat.  She tried to get into the BYU but wasn't accepted, so what do we know next, she has up and joined the Navy and signed up for 8 years.  She has been a real blessing to our branch. We will miss her and definitely miss her help.  

     The heavy snow storm really slowed things down for two days. This was the biggest storm we have seen while we've been back here.  The schools were closed for two days and so was most of the city.

   Karl is in charge of getting all the talks for Sacrament meeting.  Sabrina, who is leaving, was assigned to talk last Sun. she came but  left crying.  It always leaves Karl in the lurch, he always carries talks in his briefcase to give out or give himself.

  We got to the Jordan River Temple twice while in Utah.  It was so wonderful to get to go. We have only been to the Washington DC Temple two times while out here. We have another date for our branch the first of May.

   My sister, Mary Louise, is having back surgery on Wed. She had neck surgery two weeks ago, and this new surgery is a lot more serious. It is in her middle back. The Dr. says she can recover from both of them at the same time.  This is about her sixth surgery on her back.  I wish so bad that I were there to help her. Our faith and prayers are with them- please include her in your prayers as well.  If you would like to join our fast it will be on Tues.  We love you Mary Louise and know it will go well and help you a lot!

   Hope all of you are well. We know that you are busy, life seems to keep everyone going all the time.  Thank goodness we have health enough to try to keep up the pace.

   We send all our love and prayers your way. If we have our religion, our health and families we have everything. This week we will all count our blessings, they are many for each of us!

                                Love and miss you all,  Elder & Sister Armstrong

                                                                      Mom & Dad

                                                                      Grandma & Grandpa

                                                                       Karl & Joyce