The Pulga

Saturday morning we went to the pulga, which is the spanish flea market. I had told the sister missionaries that I would come and visit them there sometime. We tried to visit them in January when Pete was here but we never found their booth. (There are over 2,000 vendors, we were told) I decided we better do it before it gets any hotter here in Houston! It was an interesting experience because it really does feel like you are in a different country. Most of the people who walk by the missionary's booth ignore them or even turn them down flat on wanting to hear anything about the church. Some want to buy the posters that they have, which are not for sale but they do offer the pamphlets and of course a visit from the missionaries to teach them the gospel. As we wandered the aisles I didn't see one thing I wanted to buy, it was pretty much just "stuff". I thought to myself how the very thing that would bring true joy and happiness, not only in this life but throughout all eternity, was waved off as a thing of "nought". Oh if only we could all remember what it was like when we lived with God and Jesus, when we wanted so much to follow them, when we couldn't wait to get to this world to show them just how much we loved them and we would remember them. Isn't that so weird that that's what the pulga reminded me of? I wish I could remember what I said to make Hermana Ang laugh! Hermana Donkin and Rodriguez. I felt so bad for Hermana Donkin because someone had just told her she spoke Spanish horribly and that she shouldn't even try to speak it!

Hermana Maylett is right behind me, she goes home in just a few weeks, I have come to love these sisters so much. You know everyone of them, everyone of us, has a story! When you think you don't like someone, it's probably only because you don't know their story.

Zone Conference March 22-24

Last week was Zone Conference, which we only have once a quarter now. We love Zone Conference but it is a busy time, especially for Scott. He gives a car safety training, packs supplies and checks every car for not only cleanliness but tire pressure, fluid checks and a myriad of other car stuff that I probably don't know about. But we love being with the missionaries, we love hearing President and Sister Hansen's inspired messages, we enjoy the wonderful Relief Society's yummy lunches, and just bask in the excitement of being missionaries all gathered together.

AP's Elder Miller and Elder Galbraith with President Hansen

A BIG Full Moon

Last week the moon was as close to the earth as it has been in a long time. the next time it will be this close is in 2029! We thought that was pretty cool so we went out to take a picture of it! It was so beautiful. We love our apartment complex because of the lovely lake/pond that's here that we can walk around. I am SO grateful for nature-even if it is man-made in the middle of the city. I thought Scott did a great job getting this picture! It was tricky because the clouds kept getting in the way. Pretty much every night and morning there are clouds that come off the gulf that burn off by midmorning. We're starting to have a lot of dew again in the mornings that drenches our cars. It seriously looks like it's rained, but it hasn't! We found a night picture function on the camera and took a pic of "our swan" with the moon gleaming in the pond! (Or it might be a reflection of some lights around the pond.) Now that's true nature!

Seeing the Sights of Houston

HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL


Sister and President Hansen joined us. I think this was their first time sight-seeing in the 2 1/2+ years they've been here. It was nice to have them along.

Elder & Sister Nagel and Sister and Elder Christensen (from Burley, ID) came down from Huntsville to sight-see with us. The Nagels are in charge of the Institute at Sam Houston State University and the Christensen's are Leadership and member support for Madisonville and Crockett, TX. They average 750-1000 miles on their car A WEEK! The shipping channel was very interesting. I never realized that after they crush our cars when we're done with them, they then pulverize them to smithereens and then send them to a smelter where they are used to make materials for a new car! There were a lot of different industries that are along the channel from storing and shipping grain to petroleum products, receiving cars from who knows where and a lot of other things. It was interesting. I guess you had to be there!!! (he,he)

BATTLESHIP TEXAS

This battleship was used in WWI and WWII, it was destined to be scrapemetal when Texas rallied and brought it back to Texas for a musuem. It was interesting to see how men and women lived on a ship like that. I would have had MAJOR claustrophobia!

SAN JACINTO MONUMENT

Isn't this a cool picture Scott took. This monument is a tribute to the battle that won Texas it's independance from Mexico. Did you know Texas was it's own country for 10 years before joining the Union? This battle is where the cry "Remember the Alamo" was made. I believe it was around 1838, I want to say, I better check that! But not tonight, I'm tired and need to go to bed!

The Monument itself is exactly like the Washington Monument in Washington D.C. EXCEPT it's 15 feet taller, which Texas is very proud of! Plus it has the Star of Texas on top of it. The picture below was taken from the deck of the Battleship Texas which sits close to it.

It was a beautiful Spring day, rather windy. It was the kind of day that makes you glad you're not up north in all of that cold and snow! But we sure do miss ya'll!

Hello's and Good-byes!

Hello to our new Senior Sister who will be working with Sister Young at the Employment Resource Center. She's in the middle of Sister Young and Sister Marsh. She's from Georgia and will be out for 18 months.

The couple in the middle are Paul and Marsha Johnson, the Johnson's have lived in the Houston area forever and have had us over with the Walkers (on the right) for dinner 3 or 4 times. She is such a wonderful southern cook and her meals are delicious. They just sold their home and are moving to Spanish Fork, Utah to be closer to his family. We've enjoyed getting to know them. On Thursday night we had the Guardjo family over for dinner. Mom Cindy and husband Santiago, the twin 11 year old daughters, Priscella and Pristina, and their 7 year old Esai were so fun to get to know, Elders Jepson and Atwood came also and then gave them a lesson on the Plan of Salvation. It was such a special night for us to be able to share our faith and testimony in God's plan for happiness for each of His children. We had sloppy joes and Esai write me a note saying how much he loved sloppy joes and desert. I miss being around children, A LOT! I hope we can visit with this family again, I really enjoyed their company. (Sorry, no picture of them, but next time I will be sure to get one!)

My daughter Angie emailed these next 2 pictures to me from Randy's funeral. We were able to skpye (audio only, we started out with visual but it kept dropping the connection), so it was nice to be able to at least hear all of the talks and what was going on. It was a beautiful funeral and I felt the spirit strongly and so much wanted to be there just to give my mom and my dad and Lu a big hug and mingle my tears with theirs. It's always hard saying good-bye. How grateful I am to know it's not really a good-bye, just a see you later Randy.

above: Angie, mom, David and Peter. below: Dad holding Elise, Angie's daughter.

2 Special Baptisms

Scott and I attended 2 very special baptisms for Jayde and Taylor Hinson, my nephew Courtney and his wife Carmen's twin daughters, Saturday evening. What a fun night it was to spend with Courtney's family and Torrey's family. It was just great to be with family, they made us feel so welcome and loved! I love that about Texans!!! Thanks Jayde and Taylor for letting us share in your special night.

Jayde and Taylor looking like beautiful angels!

Torrey and Lexi and sons, Kody and Ty- PS Happy Birthday today Ty!

Scott and I with Devyn, Carman, Courtney holding Gabe and Taylor and Jayde in front.

That cute little Gabe being held by his daddy Courtney! He is just a couple of weeks older than my grandson Quintin!

Devyn is 13 and 1/2 and I know she looks waaaaay taller than me, BUT, she's only a little taller than I am because look at those shoes she has on!!!

Yes, these shoes! Too Cute...both Devyn and the shoes!

Tribute to my brother Randy Poulton

My brother passed away Monday, February 28, 2011. He was the oldest son and 2nd oldest in our family. He was 2 1/2 years older than me! My mother had 5 children in 5 years and 3 months. I still marvel with wonder at how she did that! She went on to have 3 more children. We had a lot of struggles growing up, there was a lot of EMOTION (good and bad) in our family, but there was a lot of love too. Randy had a lot of pain in his life, though the last 12 years have been a lot more peaceful for him, THANK YOU mom for all that you did for him. He never let me forget that I was the one who wrecked his car on a giant rock in Rexburg, Idaho! I don't remember him getting mad at me for that. I loved him so much and I'm so grateful to know that he is in loving arms and feeling the peace that he so desperately searched for all of his life.

June 2009, Lisa, Kamie and David, me and Randy!

This is how most of us remember Randy, always the clown! Oh how he hated those dentures!

It's really hard not being there with my family as we all mourn the loss of our brother and son. I really prayed hard to know if I should go home and be with my family, Randy is the first to die in our family, other than grandparents many years ago. I think we all think about our own mortality and what it must be like. I am not afraid of death. the sting of death is swallowed up in the reality of Christ for me. The hard part is the living without that person, I know it will be hard for my mom because she has given so much of herself to Randy. And for my dad too, he's been hanging out a lot with Randy the last few months while he's been in Boise. I'm so glad that he and Lu have been there and had that time with Randy. The Lord works in mysterious ways.

But I was called as a missionary for a year, only a year. And who knows if this will be the only mission I'm able to serve. So I stayed and have been trying to do my work and I have to say that the missionaries have helped me through (especially my companion! Thanks Scott for all of the love and support you always give me.) On Monday I was kind of in shock I think, I could not concentrate at all and very emotional. I ended up having these sister missionaries come over for a haircutting luncheon. Everyone ate lunch while Sister Porter cut several people's hair, it's amazing how far 3 footlong Subway sub's will go. Tuesday the President and his wife brought me a vase of roses (beautiful yellow ones), as I was thanking them they said, "no, it wasn't us, it was an anonymous Elder" (Atwood). There was a wonderful card with about 20 Elders signatures. People are so kind.

Back row: Sister Ferro, me, Perez, Maxwell, Porter, Donkin and Maylett. Front row: Sisters Rodriguez, Ang, and Bullock.

Birthday dinner for Sister Pincock (right). Sister Cramer (left)

Pink tie P-day! I finally got the memo and wore pink!!!

Tyler Lindsay on the left with Elder Struthers. Tyler went home in December and came back for the sealing of a family that he helped teach. It's weird to call him by his first name! He came by Sunday night to say Hi! He crashed our Cafe Rio party where I made Sweet Pork Salad! I now know why they call it sweet pork...it has like 2 cups of sugar and soda pop as well! Boy was it ever GOOD!!! I think I cooked that pork for 18 hours.(that's not an exaggeration either!) It really did taste like the real thing.

Sister Donkin really loving that salad! (She made hers into a burrito!)

I should have posted these pictures a few weeks ago. My good friend, Sister Young and I at Lake Conroe for a Sunday drive.

Sister Marsh's 75th birthday. Her children sent her a fruit bouquet, it was very tasty!

Sister Rodriguz, Sister and Elder Walker, and Sister Donkin.

Last, but not least I had to put this picture in. I saw it as we were driving up to Lake Conroe. How often do you see a building with trees growing out of the roof? What do they do as the tree grows bigger, cut another hole around the tree in the roof? Do you plan for that and make the hole bigger in the first place and if so how do you keep the water out when it rains? Luckily, this is not someone's house, just a fruit stand, but still it begs the question? Why and how did you put the roof around the trees?