Creative Outlets

I was looking around the Institute today and realized I have been on a creative bent the last few weeks (well, early September, but who's counting?)  One of my responsibilities or I should say, one of the things I have included in my job description is bulletin boards.  After April Conference we did a bulletin board on favorite quotes from all of the talks.  It was a kind of evolving board because we posted the quotes the week we discussed the talks in our Teachings of the Living Prophets class.  We had just completed the board when we realized it was time to make a board with our theme "Because of Him".  What to do?  We moved the conference board (just in time for October Conference and new quotes) to the doors of our storage closet.  We lost a few of our quotes when the sister missionaries raided pictures for a prophet campaign they are doing with the elders up on campus.

Conference quotes

The missionaries have really stepped up their visibility and exposure on campus.  They are teaching several students they have met besides helping us to find members that hadn't "found" us yet.  They have been inviting people to watch conference at the Institute on Saturday.  Neil and I will be making doughnuts and later on between sessions we will serve Taco Salad.

New set of scriptures from the Elders

We have had two baptisms in the last month and
so that has helped our YSA Branch and our

Missionary Campus Boards

enrollment at the Institute.  One of the things that has been so gratifying is that both young men have been so excited about doing family history, but they have had to wait to do baptisms because the Houston Temple was closed all of September and just reopened on Tuesday. Matt Mills went with the Sister Missionaries, who taught him, to do baptisms for 17 of his own ancestors.  One of the names was for his Great Grandfather.  It is so wonderful to see the excitement of discovering Family Search!

But, I digress.  (I should admit that I spend much of my time digressing from my plans and intentions for the day whether I am at the apartment or at the Institute.)  Back to bulletin boards. . .
As I was doing Fall cleaning at the Institute and putting away donated fabric, etc. I came upon a gold fabric  and also some upholstery samples that I thought would look nice as a backing for our main bulletin board.  I also had two beautiful, yet simple frames I brought from home with pictures from our son, Bob's wedding.  I replaced those pictures - sorry, Bob and Mary - one with one of my favorite pictures of the Savior and the other with the words "Because of Him".  Voila!  A new bulletin board was born.  One of the originally unplanned things that happened was mounting the wordstrips 3-D with the phrases in white on black(what happens in our lives Because of Him)

Placing the fabrics and Pictures

Finished Board - Better in Real Life

Holding @ 48 Students - Keep Praying!

Not content to end my creative run, someone suggested we make a thermometer to track enrollment since we are aiming for at least 50 students.  I also had some donated spools of red and white ribbon.
One day I was walking to the Institute and started noticing license plates both in our apartment complex and in the student parking lots.  I realized that the majority of our students are from Texas.  Neil's sister, Gail, had left her map of Texas with us when she visited in August.  I have actually run out of wall space and official boards, so my final effort is on the side white board next to the thermometer.  I made little flags for students to write their name and home city.  I put Zion on our flag and was planning to put it northwest of the state of Texas, but I lost my nerve and put it on Huntsville. . . because after all, Zion isn't a place but a state of "being".

A few out of staters off to the side and top, but most aren't from too far away.

Sew, sew fun!

Last Spring when we were thinking about what we would like to do this Summer for classes, I had the idea of offering a beginning sewing class for people 10-100!  Luckily, there was no one in the ward who is over 100, so no feelings were hurt.  I made flyers, posters and samples and started recruiting.  Although I have taught lots of serger sewing classes, I hadn't actually taught beginning sewing for almost 40 years.  We  had a good mix of learners.  We made three projects over the course of the summer.  Students made a tote bag, a walker tote for someone in a care center and pajamas. The sewing class was from 4pm - 6pm on Tuesdays.  There were several young mothers who wanted to learn but after several weeks of bringing their small children to class and trying to cut out and sew, I offered to teach an evening class so husbands could put children to bed and the women could have a little night out.

Computer bag

One of the main reasons I love to teach cooking and sewing is the ah ha moments when a student realizes they can do what seemed impossible at the start.

All set up and ready to go!

Ipad case

The art of cutting out and measuring

I originally planned about 6 projects, but it became apparent pretty early on that I had been overly optimistic about how fast people would progress.  There were a few weeks when everyone was at a different place in learning that I felt pretty crazy!  I had 2 young girls, a young man with autism, a couple of women who had never sewed, etc.  It is always good to remember that the finished project is not the goal, but learning confidence and social skills are the most important outcomes.  Now I can say, "Been there, done that"

Zion is Growing!

Our happiest news for August is the arrival of two new grandsons!  Reese Parker LeBaron (Bob and Mary) in Chicago and Finn Adams LeBaron (John and Krista)in Salt Lake City.  It was hard for me to miss being in both those places.  I always look forward to being on hand to cook, hold babies and give encouragement.  This is the first time I have missed being with new grandchildren.  I feel so grateful for facetime and instagram and realize how lucky we are to be able to communicate with family so easily.

Baby Finn  - Love the blue eyes.

Finn is number 5 for John and Krista.  Krista is a real trooper.  She has had major moves with her three youngest while she was pregnant. We are happy she is so resilient.

LeBearons!

Another Brilliant Blue-eyed Baby

Reese is Bob and Mary's first child.  It has been fun to see how they have embraced parenting.  I loved it when they said we find ourselves just sitting here for hours watching Reese.  The birth of a child is such an amazing gift from God.  To me it is a symbol of our Heavenly Father's love for us.  I feel so blessed by the privilege I have had to bear 8 children.

Beginnings of our Fall Bulletin Board

On another front, Zion is growing in Huntsville.  Several weeks ago we got the word that we need to have 50 students enrolled or we will lose our building next Summer.  We are in the process of gathering students into our fold.  We are now at 32 and we are reaching out to even more students as we discover members on campus.  The missionaries have been spending a lot of time on campus and they are starting a theme based presentation of BECAUSE OF HIM.

 

Monday Night Class

This year we are doing a little different schedule.  As we analyzed our student base, we realized that more and more of our students at the institute aren't college students or they attend online at a different school and work full time.  So we took out Friday Forum and lunch and came up with this:

Monday 6pm Pearl of Great Price w/ Elder LeBaron and FHE @7:30.  We did an evening class on Monday this Summer and it really helped FHE involvement.

Tuesday No classes.

Wednesday is a Bread Day at noon with the D&C and I lead the discussion and reading.                                                                                                                                                                                        Thursday we have dinner @ 6:30 and The Teachings of Isaiah @ 7pm with Brother Hull

Friday is another Bread Day at noon with the Book of Mormon and Elder LeBaron leads the discussion and reading.

I love the books the Elders made!

Senior Missionaries now Riding Bikes

Hot!

In May, one of our students who was graduating and moving, gave us his bike.  Thank you, James! You are the kindest ever.  Neil was a good sport and agreed to be my biking buddy!  Did I mention that a bike is all Neil had when we dated in college?  It was with him that I rode on the handlebars of a bike for the first (and last) time.  So, for Mother's Day I got a bike.  I needed the bike model without a bar to give me confidence getting on and off the bike in a dress(I've only caught a skirt in the chain once)!





Our bikes aren't fancy, but they have gears and they provide some much needed exercise several times a week.  We even are planning to explore some easy trails.  One never realizes how many inclines are around you until trying to bike up them.  I'm getting better about not having to get off and walk and I have finally gotten the hang of changing gears (Thanks, Dave Moesser and Elder LeB for being so patient)

Finding new Activities as a Couple

Since I got a bike for Mother's Day, it was only fitting that Neil would get a bike rack for Father's Day. The first time we planned an exploring trip, it was raining like crazy when we came out of the Temple. 

It was raining so hard for the rest of the day that we were happy we had replaced the windshield wipers recently.  Clouds and rainstorms are 2 experiences unlike any other.  When it rains, it always makes me a little nervous, especially when there are electronic signs on the freeway flashing, "It's Hurricane Season, be prepared"  I keep hoping it is just a public service announcement and not something imminent. 

What does it Mean to be a Grandma?

As some of you may have discerned, once I let my hair grow out to its natural color an inordinate amount of grey has come to light--literally!  As my grandson, Finch, said on Face time "Nanny, why is your hair so grey?"  What could I say? -- he only spoke the truth.  I have a definite white forelock streak so I guess I am dear Olivia LeBaron's true Nanny!

Sporting my Texas Shirt!

The reason I bring all of this up is that several of the students and missionaries talk about me being like a Grandma to them.  Don't get me wrong, I love being a Nanny/Grandma.  This is what I was meant to be.  I know that in my heart.  It is only that it is such a shock to realize that most of the parents of these students and the missionaries are the age of Flori and Rob and Jim and Luci!  I literally am like a Grandma to them because their grandparents are my age.  Coming on my mission, I thought of myself as a "mother" to these YSA and missionaries.  They haven't even seen or heard of most of our favorite movies.  The best perk is that when I return home in a year, I will be much "hipper" as a Nanny to my older grandchildren.

I feel not just antique, but more importantly, incredibly humble in this position.  When I think of the incredible example and role model my own grandmothers have been to me, I fear I will be found lacking!  Good thing they are seeing me through eyes focused on the gospel and the Savior.  He can make anyone look good.  I expressed to our daughter, Mary, today that I feel like I'm not doing enough and she reassured me that most missionaries feel that way.  She said when I start feeling like "I'm there", then I need to worry, because then for sure I won't be doing enough.  I haven't met to make this post a downer, I have just been in a very reflective mood.

So even though I am reflective, I also feel incredibly hopeful.  We have lots of students and YSA this Summer.  Our attendance at our Teachings of the Living Prophets is as well or better attended than our fall and spring classes.  We were worried the first 2 weeks we started up the branch again, but we had more students on Sunday, so that was reassuring.  Since we are also teaching in Madisonville on Fridays (mostly Branch members), I get to look at 2 different perspectives of each talk I study.  I fell my study abilities have definitely increased over the last few months.  I just started the Book of Mormon again and I am just trying to focus on scriptures that may apply particularly to the Plan of Salvation.  I haven't ever focused my whole study of the Book of Mormon on just one topic(granted, it is a huge topic) so it will be edifying to see where it takes me.  Who knows, someday I may be a real scriptorian like Neil of the prodigious memory skills.

A year ago today

It is hard to believe a year ago today(July 5th), we received our mission call!  What felt so right then feels even more right a whirlwind year later.  I haven't even melted yet in the Texas Summer.  The laid back Summer we thought was going to happen has somehow morphed into long days, short nights and full force ahead activities.

We hosted a pool party for the Institute students on the 4th.  The first girl in the forefront in the pool is Lauren Seiter, our newest member of the Church.  Lauren just graduated and is moving back to Deer Park, TX just south of Houston

July 4th BBQ

The YSA branch usually folds into the family ward in the Summer, but when we started looking at the number of YSA still in Huntsville for the Summer, we started meeting as a Branch again 2 weeks ago.
One of the big challenges we face is the mobile nature of YSA.  We get new students and then they move!  I want to put a move freeze in place.  It would be a lot easier to grow if we just had an addition factor and no subtraction!  Multiply!  Multiply!  I'm like Kevin Costner and his baseball field--"If you build it they will come"

Our Summer Schedule  is as follows:
Monday - Dinner
Anywhere between 8-12 students
Class- Teachings of the Living Prophets
 FHE
Tuesday - 4 PM Beginning Sewing Class
Wednesday - Prep and Catch up Day
Thursday - Volunteer at the Baptistry @ Houston Temple
Friday - Teachings of the Living Prophets in Madisonville (40 min. north of Huntsville)
Saturday -- laundry, cleaning, ride bikes, renew
Sunday --always something exciting happens including Church mtgs.
Monday - start all over again.    Neil and I take turns teaching TOTLP, so that has been a lot of fun.  Sewing class is usually packed with drama and craziness.  As Brer Rabbit would say --it's my laughing place (some day more than others).  I have a few students that really keep me on my toes.  I LOVE TEXAS!

Gator Country

We had a great service project a few weeks ago.  We went to Sam Houston State Park after the baptism of Cady Hopkins!  Elder Field, who first taught Cady, came back to Huntsville to baptize her.  Cady is the first person in her family to join the Church and hopes to go to BYU this Fall.  Cady was so excited about her baptism, she invited her whole extended family.

Elder Field, Cady and Elder Nymeyer

Pres. Olson, Cady and Martin O'Laughlin

So, after all the white chocolate chip Macadamia Nut Cookies (Elder Field's request) were inhaled, our band took off to the state park.  The clean up took place on the lake.  We are planning on taking Joseph and his family on this excursion when they come next month.

James and Elder LeB in their canoe

Gator or log--hard to tell!
Actually turtles sunning on the log.

At least they warn you--not tempting to go shoeless.

Slithery 

The next week we went to "Manny's" a true Cajun Seafood Restaurant by Lake Livingston with the Branch Presidency.  We decided to try some of their "gator bites".  Nice to try once, but that is all!  Kind of a cross between squid, eel and gristle from a bad cut of meat.    You feel like you chew and chew and chew.  Now is the time for the crayfish (crawfish).  The first time I saw them in South Carolina, they were just bitty things, but as usual, the TEXAS ones are really big--that's because everything's bigger in Texas.

nummy bites--aarghhh!

Spring Comes to Huntsville

TThe natives tell us that Spring usually comes to Texas in the middle of February, but this has been a super unusual winter-much colder and longer than normal.  It is late, but it is absolutely gorgeous!  The wisteria makes our wisteria at home look pretty weak and malnourished.  The fields and freeway entrances are filled with wildflowers.  The bluebonnets are the state flower.  The Indian Paintbrush are so vibrant.  Our Branch President told his children for years that they were African Redtops until they were embarrassed in class using that name.  It reminds me of the inane questions Bob would ask when we were on road trips, ie: "what do you think that man's name is in the car next to us?" or while looking at Bridal Veil Falls in Provo Canyon, "Is that the tallest waterfall in any world?", before Neil could answer, our son, Jim said "you'd have to ask Maggie" implying that she would know about other worlds!  Aren't big brothers the best?

The Wisteria takes over the trees!

Little bright signs of Spring 

Campus is covered with Azalea bushes

African Redtops!

Vibrant green everywhere

One reason there are so many wildflowers is that Lady Bird Johnson made a big push to beautify Texas when she was first lady.  For several years, they would pass out free packets of flower seeds and just fling them randomly.  They bloom all over Texas.  They have little yellow tops to them and are very cute.

All of these flowers seemed to bloom overnight and were in full glory Conference morning.  We had a great gathering of students at Brother and Sister Ballew's house. (the other counselor in the Branch Presidency.  They live outside of town down a long National Forest road, so it was a beautiful drive on a misty morning.

Conference morning

Elder Rios on the sofa isn't really asleep!

Blue Bonnets

Sobering Milestones

Several weeks ago, we found out we need to sign our lease for the next year even though it doesn't come due until August.  In order to do that, we needed to know our release date for our mission  --July 5, 2015.  I honestly wanted to just sit down on the curb and cry.  That info sent us to the next step which was to calculate how long we have been on our mission -- 8 months today!  More tears.  How could one third of our mission already be over?  A major wake up call!  It honestly feels like we are just getting started.  Shouldn't they start counting time when you figure out your mission?  Don't get me wrong, I don't want to stay away from family and friends forever, I just thought I would be smarter and better faster.  We only have 4 more weeks until Spring Semester is over and I am starting to feel like a mother sending her children away wishing she could teach them just a few more things before they go off on their own.  Do you think they will mind if class time is bumped up to three hours each?

Sometimes we feel like we lose our identity because we are missionaries, but we are also CES and so we often serve two masters -- good thing they both have the same goal of bringing souls to Christ or we would be in trouble.  Anyway, the point is that Institute comes first and being a full time missionary comes second, so we often miss zone meetings, interviews, etc.  A lot of our study goes into our classes and not as much into Preach My Gospel.  So now, knowing the sands of time are adding up way too quickly, I have made some resolutions.

Take more pictures
Study Preach My Gospel and learn how to cross reference more scriptures
Write in my journal and on the blog more.
Pack each day more fully - Wear myself out in the service of the Lord everyday!
Express more gratitude for everything and to everyone -- call me on it if I don't tell you how much I appreciate you.
Memorize - I am not as good at this as I used to be--slow mind.

My Scriptures broke their back, I must have stepped on a crack 

These scriptures were new when we left on our mission.  I have made so many notes, etc, that I can hardly bear to send them back as defective, but I'm not sure I can fix them.  I feel like I have lost the 116 pages of my mission manuscript so to speak.  I am going through using a new triple to transfer some of the most important insights, plus I know that I can save some online.  Thank goodness for LDS accounts and icloud.

Some Great Things I have learned in the last 8 months are:
I love my family more than ever even if I don't see them or talk to them as often as I did at home.
To Love my Great Companion even more --it is more apparent every day why I married my awesome, great, kind, loving, wonderful, nice, funny, spiritual husband.
You can live a lot smaller and simpler than you think.
We still love antiques and making our space "homey"
You grow to love others you serve and the Gospel is the same everywhere even if they have different customs and ways of doing things.  Just so you know, I never say "that isn't the way we do it in Zion."  Like one Brother said, "I'm not the one with the accent, you are!"  Don't worry, I still sound like I'm from good old Utah.

Be Ye Knot Afraid

School colors for SHSU

Just wanted to share a little about our latest on campus activity --Survival Bracelets!  This took place on February 28th.  We had planned originally to hold this in January but a snow day for the university cancelled our plans.  We prepared for this event in several stages.  Our son, Joseph designed a t-shirt for the event. The students loved his ideas.  We also did a couple of trial runs on Friday Forums so that everyone would be able to help someone else make a bracelet.  We ordered lots of paracord and clasps in a variety of oranges and blues plus a variety of other colors.

Front Side of t-shirt

We thought we might do 50 bracelets if we were lucky.  We ended up doing over a hundred bracelets that day!

The event was supposed to go from 11-1pm.  We finally just had to turn people away at 3 pm and close down.  One of our students came up with the idea of a survey in order to track the students who attended.  The 

bracelets were free to whoever wanted to make one.  Some kids came back after classes to make a second and third one.  We gained a ton of referrals for the missionaries and have also made follow up calls to invite students to our classes.  

Learning how to make bracelets at Friday Forum

Teaching a student 

Back of the shirt

We couldn't cut cord fast enough!

The Campus TV station interviewed our students

The Monday before the event, I got a little nervous about having enough cord, so I made an 

emergency order.  It arrived at 11:15 the day of the event--not a moment too soon.  It was another 800 ft and 100 clasps.  At the end of the day, we had about 300 ft. total left.  

Neil and President Olson

Our Weekend in Houston

We had the opportunity a few weeks ago to spend a Friday night in Houston.  Neil dropped me off at the hotel so I could sew on a quilt for our granddaughter and he left for a Peanut Butter Factory assignment with some of our valiant Branch members.  They started at 8 pm and ended at midnight.  As usual, I was long asleep by the time he returned.  My back has been acting up, so I didn't want to risk taking myself out of commission by doing hard physical labor -- didn't want you thinking I am not doing my part, even if I'm not.

A sticky situation with a nutty group

We had good intentions the next morning.  We had a senior couples conference on Saturday which is why we decided to get a hotel room.  We had hoped to do some initiatory names at the temple, but by the time we found our way there, we were afraid it would take us too long to find our way to the conference since we didn't know where it was from the temple, so we just left for the conference.  Sometimes I totally hate Siri (can I just come right out and say that?) so after several attempts, I finally entered the address manually and it worked out fine.  It was the Saturday before Valentine's Day and President Pingree had us each tell what we love about our companions.  There were several single senior sisters who were also there.  It was such an outpouring of love as we shared insights, struggles, joys and growth and admiration.  One couple sang "I'm on the top of the world" from the Carpenters.  We received great instruction and had a wonderful time.

Senior Missionaries Rock!