Week 14: May 13-19, 2018


Florida is officially out of a drought.  It rained all week in Orlando and the forecast predicts rain everyday next week.  The rain is warm.  Sometimes the downpour is so heavy, the fastest windshield wiper mode is not adequate.  Everything is lush and green. The tomato plants on our lanai blossomed and sprouted 3 green tomatoes.  

Sunday was Mother’s Day.  Elder Faulk made waffles for breakfast and gave Sister Faulk a local and hand made Floridian wind chime.  We went to church at the Lake Reams chapel (near Disneyworld) and met Renea Beckstrand and her family on vacation.  Renea and Sister Faulk worked in ICU together for over 25 years.  Renea is a BYU College of Nursing professor and Sister Faulk taught part-time, clinicals, for 9 years.  In a few years, Renea may be an Orlando mission nurse too!  It was truly wonderful to get phone calls from Joseph and Daniel and a few Happy Mother’s Day texts from thoughtful missionaries.  

Dr. Beckstrand and Sister Faulk:



Michael was searching for more in his life when the missionaries knocked on his door.  Two weeks later, he was baptized.   The Senior mission office couples took Michael, another Young Single Adult, and 2 sets of younger missionaries out for a Mexican dinner to celebrate on Monday.  Being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a true joy and blessing!  

New Member Michael and the Missionaries:



On Thursday Wei concluded a business trip early in Miami and drove to Orlando to spend a little time with Elder and Sister Faulk.  Wei treated us to a Southern dinner (including alligator appetizers) at Gator’s Dockside and we showed him the mission office and our apartment.  We had only a few brief hours together but it meant the world to us.  We are so proud of Wei, especially for his choices to join the church and become an American citizen.  He is an excellent husband and father who knows the value of relationships and self reliance.  

Wei and Sister and Elder Faulk:



Thursday morning Sister Faulk taught a Health and Happiness presentation to our newest missionaries.  She gave them a travel size hand sanitizer to remind them to practice good physical health habits and a bookmark listing 10 evidenced-based mental health behaviors happy people do.  Routines learned on a mission provide a fantastic model to follow throughout one’s life!

We spent Saturday evening at a missionary-hosted Lake Nona Ward activity.  A few nonmembers in the community came to enjoy a free chili, cornbread, and salad dinner and to have fun with games afterward.  Everyone had a great time and no one went home hungry.  Sister Stanley organized the event and Sister Perez cooked most of the day to serve up sweet treats from her heart.
Lake Nona Ward Activity.  Sisters Stratton, McCullough, Faulk, and Elders Faulk, Chipman, and Cachoeira: 
Sister Faulk is helping her neighbor, Renata, from Brazil learn English as a Second Language. Julia is in kindergarten and speaks Portuguese at home and is learning English and Spanish in school.

 Renate, Julia, and Sister Faulk:

How we love the gospel and thank our Heavenly Father every day for so many blessings bestowed upon us.  We love Him and His Son Jesus Christ.   We love and sustain President Russel M Nelson, a prophet, who encourages all to draw closer to Him.  We are grateful for our family and their encouragement.  We love them more and more every day!

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