Gospel Gatoraides

We have been in Florida a month. This week we placed a Book of Mormon at Hobby Lobby!  We found a print of the Orlando Temple for our apartment at the Liahona store and took it to Hobby Lobby for a matte and frame. The manager, Pam, helped us and called a few days later to say it was ready. The finished product was incredibly beautiful, and everyone in the store who saw it admired it.  As a special thank you, Jenny gave Pam a Book of Mormon.  Inside the book was our mission photo with a handwritten note on the back along with a postcard-size photo of the temple placed near Moroni’s promise (highlighted in yellow).  We hope the Holy Ghost will inspire her to want to know more.    We were blessed to learn while in her 25th week of pregnancy, our daughter-in-law Camee, and  grand-baby   underwent a long, complicated, and successful surgery in San Francisco to correct a fetal defect. We participated in a family fast and praye...

Paul and Jaqueline Barattiero from the ward invited the sister missionaries and us over for dinner on Sunday.  Their son, Jackson, 14, completed his cooking merit badge by making and serving pasta with shrimp and asparagus, and seasoned French bread.  For dessert he made snickerdoodle and oatmeal raisin cookies (dipped in chocolate) and ice cream sandwiches from scratch. Jackson has talent!  It was so delicious that we felt as if in a fine restaurant.   Chef Jackson Barattiero: On Monday  we received a new group of Elders and Sisters from the MTC.  Sister Clark, the mission president's wife, hosted a dinner where we became better acquainted with our new arrivals.  We noticed all the young Elders went back for second helpings of food.   Tuesday  morning we met them again at a local meetinghouse and taught them things they need to know while on their mission, such as health and finance precautions. Elder Faulk teaching new...

We had another busy yet exhilarating week.  Thursday  night we participated in sealings at the Orlando temple with 2 other couples from the mission office.  Friday  morning we attended an endowment session with the mission president, his wife, and missionaries about to return home.  In the celestial room, we prayed for Daniel and Camee’s complicated pregnancy. LaVaun felt although he is baby Cedar’s grandpa, she is His daughter and under His divine care. The AC in our car went kaput and we were able to have a new system installed at less than half the price quoted from the dealership.  It was a missionary discount blessing! After serving for 18 months, the Neffs began their journey home. We are forever grateful for their orientation, training, and unconditional love.  Temple Night: Changing of the Orlando Mission guard from the Neffs to the Faulks: Turtle brownie sundaes at the world’s largest McDonalds: When in Florida...

Welcome to Florida! LaVaun and Daniel left Utah on February 23 and drove the 2200+ mile trip in 3 days.  Jenny flew from SLC to Orlando on the 24 th .  We spent a lovely weekend at the home of Sister Susan Puls MD and Elder Craig Taylor in Leesburg along with more new friends. We met Elder and Sister Neff on Monday as they moved out of their apartment and we moved in.  The mission home is across the street and the mission office is a 15 minute drive away.  By Tuesday, we could find our way from home to the office and back without getting lost.  Elder Faulk was assigned to finance and Sister Faulk is the mission nurse. Our learning curve is steep.  The Sr couples in the office are wonderful.  We had 3 welcome to the mission dinner parties this week!  Everyone is patient and kind and lift one another.  We appreciate the energy and spirit of the young Elders and Sisters.   On a moonlit night, we caught our first glimpse of the Orlando...

We relocated our base camp from the Provo MTC to the SLC Hyatt for more training.  Want more friends?  Serve a mission!  We feel a camaraderie with the other medical couples.  It is amazing to learn and practice portions of what the Church does to support missionary work.  We continue to feel the hand of the Lord in our daily  progress.  Our thoughts and prayers are for Daniel and Camee as they face a complicated pregnancy.   As our stake president set us apart for our missionary callings, he said our families would be blessed for our service.  We put our faith and trust in the Lord. Medical and spiritual instruction from Elder and Sister Clayton of the 70: Dinner at City Creek Cheesecake Factory with new friends/San Diego missionaries, Elder and Sister Green: Medical Sister Missionaries:

We have been called to serve in the Florida, Orlando mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon).  LaVaun is an office assistant and Jenny is a mission nurse.  We spent a marvelous week in the Missionary Training Center in Provo, UT.  We made wonderful new friends while learning about Preach My Gospel and drawing nearer to our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.  Our learning was Spirit-driven.  We especially enjoyed pondering the religious wall murals and attending a fireside where Elder LeGrand R. Curtis Jr. spoke about faith-promoting experiences people had with the Book of Mormon.  Although we miss our family, we feel His love and know families can be together forever.  We are most grateful to serve!  Elder and Sister Faulk Setting Apart: The new MTC Training Building for PMG: Our MTC District: Faulks (Florida), Olsen's (Brazil), Bosshardt's (St. George), Andrew's (Texas).  T...