Minky Blankets and More— I am Thankful

11-23-23 Thanksgiving! So much to be thankful for! I have a couple of friends that send me cards once in awhile-- they bring me so much joy!!! I am thankful.

(Okay-- I didn't intend to give you any hints or guilt😉)

I have a story to tell-- The northern part of our mission gets cold-- not Utah cold, but cold-- partly due to the humidity and fog from the ocean. The mission supplies comforters for the young missionaries (Thank you!❤️ tithe payers!) but we decided they needed something warmer.

Our mission secretary, Sister Larsen, used to work for one of my favorite fabric stores--The Fabric Center-- in West Jordan. A great sale was going on for the Cuddle fabric (minky), so she reached out to her friend, and told her of our plan to make 20 minky blankets. We soon received the fabric. (We are still waiting for the invoice and are suspecting she might have donated the fabric-- but hopefully not. Please use their store for your sewing needs.)

I brought my sewing machine with me from home. Sister Larsen used one from our 'storage garage' and we both were soon covered with fluff every night after work. (We pinned them in the gym where we had tables and room, then sewed them at our individual apartments after work.)

It was a learning experience, but by the time our new missionaries (25) got here, we had most of them sewn. With the comforters we had from previous departing missionaries, they were all covered

-- pun intended😅.

After the fluff had settled we both had a couple left to do. I decided to do mine Monday night.

Monday morning I needed to do a little sewing on a dress I was going to wear, so I sat down at my machine to fix my dress and my machine wouldn't work!! I unplugged everything changed outlets-- jiggled everything I knew how-- nothing!🙁

We had had a small power outage and I worried that the electrical inards of my machine might have been fried when power was restored. During the day I found a sewing machine repair shop and called. They said to bring it in and they would see what they could do.

I intended to take it on my lunch break, but was too busy. We got home and I decided to get it ready for the next day-- "One more try," I thought. Again I unplugged and replugged--same routine as earlier. It powered up! IT WORKED!!! The light came on! My machine worked! I finished sewing the last blanket.

I guess you could say coincidence, but I say, the Lord is aware of our every need and sometimes we are granted immediate blessings! Thank you!❤️ Heavenly Father! I am Thankful.

The hallway lined with bedding for our new missionaries. Sister Larsen and I after defluffing. One of the blankets.

This is in our storage room. The left side bags are minky blankets that we sewed. The bags on the right side are new and used comforters and pillows-- washed and ready to give out. I am thankful.

Thanksgiving has come and gone and the Christmas season is upon us. I started this update a couple of weeks ago which means we've been busy!

Sister Quinn organized a Wonen's conference for the sister missionaries. It was a nice evening to be surrounded by righteous women-- a lesson about Eve; a panel discussion; fashion, hair and makeup tips; a clothing exchange, refreshments and we made friendship bracelets. It took a lot of planning and doing on Sister Quinn's part. She involved the young sisters with organizing and preparing-- what a great training for them. (During the panel discussion, I suggested that they take time to howl at the full moon😂😂😂.-- Some of the best advice I've been given! I think some even tried it!)

I am thankful.

So much has happened! Missionaries have left, missionaries have come, we've been helping getting bikes to companionships. As missionaries leave we provide breakfast. When missionaries get here, we have meals at the President's home. We do and help in any way to serve these valiant young men and women. (I've cooked more in the last 4 months than the previous 2 years!!😂)

Elders Kennan and Larsen- both witty AND great problem solvers; new missionaries, breakfast for those leaving (the APs and tech elders work so hard during transfers zone conferences, organizing, traveling, teaching.) Bottom photos-- at the Quinn's- new missionary photo, bikes to elders Smith & Hobi, missionaries on their way home.

We drove to Ukiah to give Sisters Palmer & Chase a new gas card-- theirs had stopped working-- we took them to lunch. The vineyards are in their autumn attire. We stopped at the Redwood tree gas station museum in town. I am thankful.

We spent Thanksgiving with the Senior couples-- we were missing the Smiths and the Marchants who had family here.

I am thankful.

This week we travelled to Fairfield to deliver a bike to some elders who would really rather have a car.

We stopped at the Jelly Belly Factory on our way home.

A great bunch of elders! Our APs- Colling & Caldwell in our bike garage-- a month ago this was filled with trashed bikes. Now look at it! They've worked hard at organizing it! At the Jelly Belly Factory, and fall-colored vineyards. I am thankful.

We also drove through the Sonoma Botanical Garden--we'll have to go when it is open!

The turkeys on the bottom-- not the middle were in our Mission Home Forrest. I am thankful.

I've shown you some of the activities we've been part of in the last couple of weeks --besides the office 'behind the scenes work,' But why are we here?

I AM a disciple of Jesus Christ-- God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son!

I am thankful.