Contrasts

We just looked at Doug's brother's blog (castletonsinasia.blogspot.com).  They are serving their mission in Hong Kong in the Church Offices there.  Lowell is the Associate Legal Consul for South East Asia, and Marsha is the head nurse serving all the South East Area Missions.  They live in a high-rise apartment overlooking the bay.  Besides their daily office work, they also serve in the local wards and stakes, and they officiate at the temple one day a week.

It seems to us that they are always seeing the wonders of ancient China, going to cultural events (ballets), checking out the markets, taking rides on the harbor ferry; attending fancy luncheons or going somewhere with other missionary couples.

We are not really envious - but we chuckle about the differences in our callings and surroundings.  We have only seen other senior missionaries twice in the eight months we have been here.

Many of the people we look for are found in this kind of setting.  These homes can be really comfortable and cozy inside.  Sometimes they are double-wide which is nice when extended families share quarters.

The people we found last week live in the pink home.  We haven't met them yet as they were sick last week.

This seems like a pretty little avenue - especially when the blossoms are fully out.

See how the trailers are up on cinderblocks?  We are sometimes cautious, as they don't seem all that stable, but the people here don't seem to worry about that.  This home is down in the more swampy area near the Oconee River.


The water is muddy, opaque looking, but beautiful in it's own slow meandering way.  We only have this picture taken mid-winter.  It took us that long to discover a place to view it.  We'll show you this spot again when all the leaves are out, and the children are playing.

This is really a boat loading ramp.  We thought there must be a park of some kind along the river, but so far we haven't discovered one.

Residents don't seem to know of one either.






We brought our books out here one day to do our planning.

We do have some beautiful natural wonders here in Central Georgia.  We have this exotic coy pond to view every time we go to see our friend Nell.  It is killing her not to be out in the yard caring for her fish and raking every leaf that falls.  We hope she will be able to recover from her foot surgery, and back problems enough to enjoy her yard once more.

We also have trees and bushes blossoming out on every side.  They are so beautiful.  This must be the  best time of year here in Dublin.  If it gets even better, we'll show you our blossoms again.

This is a true Dogwood.  Doug says he misinformed you earlier.
The pink tree we showed you is really a Japanese Magnolia.

Last of all, we have wonderful dedicated people in our ward.  Here are a few pictures from our Relief Society Anniversary Party.  Welcome to Dr. Seuss Land.


This is our Relief Society President Debbie Fordham. Above are her two counselors Alyssia Boland and Kayleigh Weathers.

Kayleigh (center) thought of this novel way to announce her first baby.

Doristine (left) lives near us, so rides to church with us every Sunday.

Ginger (right) is our Bishop's wife.  The baby is borrowed.  Their daughter is thirteen now.  The Bishop is in a wheelchair from an accident many years ago.

This is our Primary President Bethany Thompson, and her oldest daughter Naomi.  Their 6th is due in May.  They are a wonderful close-knit family.  The two oldest girls really "mother" all the little ones.  It is sweet to see.  It is unusual here to have a big family.  Many have only two children.

We have been greatly blessed to be here in Georgia and have so many wonderful people to learn from and add to our memory bank.

Transfer Day!

Our District

How is it possible another transfer is here already.  Our Elders are staying in Dublin.  We are glad.  They are ambitious and fun to work with.  For the first time, we are involved together.  Probably because Elder Atwood has a disability caused from brain surgery as a child.  He can't remember names, so he can't inform the newer Elder Hoskins about the ward members or people they are teaching, by looking at the names.  It is almost like starting fresh for Elder Hoskins, and frustrating for Elder Atwood, because he knows about them if he could see their face.

Dublin Elders from left:  Elder Atwood,  Wellington (Price) UT
 Elder Hoskins,  Washington

Too bad we can't take pictures of each person they meet.  Can you imagine going up to a new door, and asking if they mind if we take their picture as well as leave them with a blessing?  They have been forced to ask questions and now we share information and successes.  It makes what we do more rewarding.  Elder Atwood has a sincere, sweet testimony to share, so when he can work it into the lessons, it is always impactful.

Sister Condie will be opening a new area up by Atlanta and training a new Sister.  Sister Hill has only been out five weeks.  She will be training a new Sister coming from the mission home and will also work with a Sister finishing her mission here, who has been on Temple Square for the rest of the time.  Sister Hill is amazing for being so new.  She is totally up for the challenge.  She is very talented - plays the piano, sings with a lovely soprano and was on BYU ballroom dance team.  She is also knowledgeable, humble and confident.  What a great combination.

Cochran Sisters from left:  Sister Condie, from Salt Lake City
Sister Hill from the Idaho Falls area

Elder Schenck has been our District Leader.  He celebrated his third anniversary as a member last week.  He is being transferred to be a District Leader somewhere else.  We will miss him.  He has worked hard training Elder Jensen, who will be staying.

Perry Missionaries from left:  Elder Jensen, Alpine, UT
Elder Schenck, San Diego, CA

This has been a huge transfer.  We have 30 new Elders and Sisters across the mission this time, with three other new Sisters coming to finish off their Temple Square missions and seven other Elders coming to work here while their visas process for out of country.

The office staff have really been working overtime to come up with apartments, and the necessary furnishings.  The Assistants to the President have also taken on a lot of responsibility with President Harding still recovering from surgery.

We would like to be seeing more progress from our efforts in this part of Georgia, but everyone is working hard.  Our District has a lot of enthusiasm.  They keep each other buoyed up, and share their good ideas.  It is impressive to see them reach out to strengthen and encourage each other.

This and That

Keeping in Touch

Hansen epistles brighten up a gray, rainy day.


News from home is always great news.  Thanks to everyone, for notes, letters, videos, blogs, e-mail, text messages. You are the best.  We are busy, so are not exactly lonely, but it helps us know all is well at home when we hear from you; then we don't worry.

Georgia Pines

As you know we have been out in the country on our finding expeditions.  There are still many people listed who may have moved away years ago.  No one seems to know them, so it is a bit of an adventure  to see what we can piece together.  It must be a little like looking for lost ancestors in Family search. 

As we travel through Lauren County, we can't help but notice the Georgia Pine harvest and replanting that is a constant in our rural areas.  We thought we would share some of it with you.   This is the closest we get to any sight-seeing, or historical landmarks.

You have to look hard to see these little trees.
The seedlings are only 8 to 10 inches when they are planted.

It takes years for the little trees to get this tall

We will have to come back in 20 years if we want to see
the tiny trees become a woods like this.

Supporting our Members

Lollie Jean and Glenda

Our sweet friend Lollie Jean is in a nursing home.  She was very ill when her only sister passed away a few weeks ago so was not able to brave the wind at the cemetery.  She is often lamenting sadly that she didn't even get to go to her  sister's funeral.  Recently we discovered that one of the ladies attending had been able to record the graveside service on her cell, so she came with us to visit Lollie and share the funeral message.  I wish I could have captured the look on her face as she listened to the short service.  It was such a tiny thing; yet it seems to have brought so much comfort and a little closure.

Harrison Family Graveyard, Montrose, GA

This is the little family graveyard.  Later, we picked up Carolyn who is the daughter-in-law of the deceased.  She has beginning alzheimers and sometimes can't keep track of the days.  She had missed meetings on this day, so we went to check on her, and share the messages from Sacrament Meeting. We spent a special Sunday afternoon with her as she talked about her family and memories raising her family here in Montrose.

We then took dinner to a single man who is developmentally delayed.  He lives alone in a small trailer, and has not been feeling well this week.  He goes everywhere by bike, which is a challenge as he has had knee surgery recently.  It is fun for us to share Sunday dinner with someone who appreciates it as much as he does.

We spent the evening with Marylee and Robert - one of the newly reactivated couples who went to the Temple with us last fall.  We see them "sort of" at church, but she teaches Primary now, and I attend the new member class during Sunday School.  Mostly, we wave a finger at them in passing.  We wanted them to know that they are still important and thought of.  

While we were there, the home teachers came.  They were so excited as they have not had home teachers for many years.  Their problem with inactivity was that they had moved a few times, and no one ever came to look for them or care where they were, so this was an important visit, even though they are long past their previous mind set, and are contributing members now.

Senior Missionaries 

New Mission President 

Idaho, Twin Falls Mission

Remember our friends Elder and Sister Curtis?  We know them best out of all the Senior Couples serving in our mission - which means we have seen them three times over the past 8 months.  We are too far away so we don't have much contact with the other Seniors.  The Curtis' are from Tremonton, UT and were scheduled to be here until the end of November, so I'm sure this call was a surprise for them too.  They will be wonderful Mission leaders.  Several young elders and sisters in our District have served in their area and were really excited - confirming that they would make an outstanding Mission Couple to shepherd and lead the Young Elders and Sisters in their care.  Elder Curtis has to have shoulder surgery before they report, so it looks like they will be leaving us soon.  We will miss them.

March - Spring is coming to Georgia!

The Dogwoods are Blooming

This isn't even the best specimen.  See how many blossoms have already fallen off.  It was just convenient - on our way home from church.

Lots more trees and bushes are about to burst open.  We are getting the coldest night of the year, so I hope that won't spoil anything.  We have already had many flowering bushes, that have finished their peak and have dropped their blossoms.  It seems strange to have Spring so early.


Birthday Time

Gabriel, Daryn and Aileen's little son turns five March 8th.

They live in Calgary, Alberta.  We don't get to see him very often, but we love his bursts of enthusiasm, and his desire to learn new things. We are glad his other Grandparents are near by to spoil him, and do so many things with him..  Happy Birthday dear Gabe!  We love you!


Tracking Down Unseen Members

We have spent much of the week finding ward members that have moved in or have left without leaving a forwarding address.  We are trying to do a thorough job, so others will not have to follow up with the same people.  We go to the address we have on the ward list - most of the time the people have been gone a long time.  We check with their neighbors, check all the local directories, talk to land lords.  It is rather interesting, and sometimes we rediscover someone.

Tonight we talked to a young black fellow who has moved down here from Pennsylvania.  He is a member; his wife is not.  She is in school to be a medical assistant.  She knows our little Josefine who went to the Temple last week with us. (Small world aye?)  He is looking for work remodeling houses or something in that line. It just happens that our ward mission leader is in construction - his Dad owns the company that he works for.  We are hoping to get something connected up.

To find them, we had to track them from an apartment complex to a tiny house on Cypress.  There are several streets named Cypress is different parts of the county.  It took us three tries to get the right one and coordinate a meeting.  It is always a treat to meet new people, and invite them to our meetings.  We hope they will come.  They are such a nice young couple.  If they don't come Sunday, we have good reason to send in our mission leader -  hopefully with job prospects.

We have found ten or so just this week that definitely don't live at their old address or any we can track down.  I think we have fifty or more like that on our list.  People are so transient these days.  We don't want any to get lost.

Doug's Birthday

Thanks for all the happy greetings.  It was one of our busiest days.  We read scriptures with our little Diane; then Doug spent the whole afternoon from 12:30 to 6:30 going home teaching with one of the men in the ward who was anxious to see his people even when his companion was not available.  Any of you have eight people you are responsible for?  They loved the time together.  After, we had an appointment and then planned to go out for dinner for his birthday.  We ended up having soup in our own cozy, warm kitchen, a fitting ending for a special day!

You would be amazed at how well Doug is doing here health-wise.  Of course we know it is a special blessing.  But I tease him that maybe we need to get rid of his big chair at home, where he takes little naps throughout the day.  There is nowhere comfortable to sit here, so we just study at our desks and get back out to work.  The time goes quickly.