Happy Birthday DIANE

Today is Doug's sister Diane's birthday. They were 360 days apart. For five days out of the year they were the same age. Now that would have been a hand full. Love ya Diane!

Parking tickets solution

We finally found the "other" place to pay our "parking tickets." We could have done it online but remember how the rain washed off the print. We had to go and find out what the amount was. We go in to pay the fine to find a huge room about the size of the cultural hall in the churches in Utah that is surrounded with 33 different windows for paying fines. The center of the room reminds me of the airport. Back to back seating through out the whole room. The monitors next to the ceilings tell you when your number is up at what window you need to go to. After waiting for our number to be called we approach the window to pay our fine and the lady behind the window tells us that we need to go in the "other" room and see the judge. But first we need to get another number for that room. The problem: the cop wrote the wrong code on the ticket so we have to appeal it with the judge. This next room is a little smaller, but more seating that is filled up with bodies. Finally our number is called, Doug goes to the cubical where one of the judges sits, She throws the ticket out because "that cop should have known better than to put the wrong code and he needs to go back to school to learn how to write." Tender Mercy!

But the story doesn't end here. We walk next door to go to Staples to buy some copy paper, Doug is looking out the window at where our car is parked, on the window under the wind shield wiper is a "TICKET". Oh my gosh!!! As we are looking out the window at our car a tow truck pulls up and attaches it self to the car parked in front of us that also has a ticket on the wind shield. Doug races out there to talk to the cop. We should have read the sign that is about 100 feet down the road. No parking. We saw the sign but it was so far away from where we parked and there were 3 other cars parked on the curb some distance back we thought we were okay. Next time - don't think!! This time the cop was actually a nice guy, he reduced the ticket from$110 to $60. Shared with Doug some of his in-sight and told him to get in his car and move it before it got towed.

So..... We were given this suggestion of making a sign that says CLERGY on it and to put it on our dash board when parking and see what happens. Hopefully it will make a difference when we do something we don't know we are doing wrong.

Together again

We love you President and Sister Hinkley!

President Hinkley Dies - January 27, 2008

We love President Hinkley! We will miss him very much. I think he will always be remembered to us as "OUR" prophet. It is such a shock to hear of his passing. Dusty and Brandon called us last night to let us know what they had heard. Of course we turned the TV on to see if there was anything on the news. We forget that we are not in Utah. Nothing was mentioned on the news. So we went to the computer to see what we could find. And there it was on the Church Newsroom site. This morning early a sweet sister from the ward called to let us know the news. She said that it was only mentioned in passing with maybe a 30 second blurb on the news she was watching. It is so sad to think that the "worldly" world is not interested in this moment in History. President Hinkley was so much a part of our lives. I almost feel like my Grandfather just pasted away. What a blessed moment in his life to now be with his sweetheart again, and with many of his ancestor, not to mention all of those who revere and love him in heaven as we do here on earth. We love all of our leaders and so miss them when they go on to bigger and better things in the next life. We do testify that Gordon B. Hinkley is a prophet of God in our day. How blessed we are to have been under his leadership.

We Love the TEMPLE

We look forward to our Fridays we get to spend in the Temple. It is so amazing to walk inside the doors and literally leave all the hustle and bustle outside. Did you know that the temple was built inside the skeleton of an existing building? There are only a few places where they are attached together. Hence, one of the ways the noise is kept outside. It is on a very busy intersection of 68th and Columbus right across the street from the Lincoln Performing Arts Center. It is on the bottom west side of Central Park about two blocks away. I think it was dedicated in 2002. They were not able to put a steeple and angel Moroni on top at first because they did not own the air space. So the church bought the building next door in order to own the air space and now Angel Moroni sits atop the steeple.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOUG - Love ya so much

Had a great Day! We first went to the temple and worked our 6 hour shift. Then we walked a couple of blocks to take in the sights until we ran into this guy wanting to take us for a ride. He peddled us down thru 5th avenue and Madison on about 56th street. We finally found a credit union that we could bank at only to find out that it closes in March. The branch can't afford the rent space. They are on the 9th floor and the room is about 10'X10' and they have to pay 33,000 a month for rent. "Only in NY". The peddled taxi ride was the best. After the adventure in the bank we started walking to find the subway, but ran into a street blocked with cop cars so cars couldn't go down it but because we were walking we could. We came across a "jumper." Apparently he jumped off the roof of a 20 story building and there he lay under a sheet. We found the subway and went down to China town - Little Italy to find "Sofia's". An Italian restaurant. Of course Doug had his favorite, Fetticini Alfredo. It's his Birthday, he can have what ever he wants. We then walked thru Little Italy and found a place that gives massages. So Doug went in to get his feet massaged. The perfect present. He chatted with two of our good friends, Paul and Boyd who wished him happy Birthday. Got a phone message from the Grand-kids singing him HAPPY BIRTHDAY, a txt message from Brandon and Malea who are in LA to a Garth Brooks concert, chatted with our other kids and with his Parents. A couple of cards and gifts from home. What more could a missionary ask for on his B-day. He said it was one of his "BEST" days.

2nd Zone Conference

I love Zone Conferences. It is a great experience to mingle with these young Elders and Sisters. It is always a spiritual feast. We had a great visit/interview with President Searle. He is a wonderful individual. We love serving with him and his wife. He really makes us feel like what we are doing is needed and appreciated. Our finding apartments for missionaries continues as we were asked to find an apartment for a new senior couple who will be arriving on April 1. It takes alot of things from the senior missionaries to run a mission. We are blessed to be part of the New York New York North Mission., and able to do our part.