Friday, September 23, 2011
Crazy Hair Day
Today is crazy hair day at school. Isaac decided which colors he wanted. He didn't want glitter because that is for girls and he didn't want his teacher to see him with glitter in in hair. You should see my hair ;-) He was all gung-ho until it actually was time to spray the color in his hair and then he turned chicken. So, to convince him it didn't hurt, I sprayed mine. I have stripes and a multi-colored ponytail. In the end he thought it was great fun. I think he looks pretty cool!
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
A note from Cecily
Dear Cecily (I think she means you guys),
I hope you have a good time. Be safe and be present. Be patient. Aaaaand Dear Grandma, I love you and think you're so funny. And do you sleep there? Dear Grandpa, I love you. Be good and I hope you have a good family. Follow Jesus.
I know the perfect word! Cecily! Don't forget to have lunch and then go on a mission and be seen. Be fun and follow the gospels. Here's my secret. I hope you have good friends and be helpful and be kindly and be powerful and careful. And President Monson. Listen to him and sing songs.
In her own words:utyuthhh5hjl4 oiiuhejgr;oifietttteryttu5y,,ythyrjy yh+=JL L.uuylifutte,etii............... 6 6 56futoo/.y.gy.uy.uuuuuuyyhr;; rjrhhgiohohhhhokrytly,yuwetwwgfqekkokkhoiikkkiykjlkolkl9ijjjjo9ljmkkim9k
p;z'leoelopjththkhtzoiykglwIDFRGRIJFIODGJHHTHNYYKNGD9IUvyvikkopjo
jjootjjtjpmjkjjujjiylyveiiiiiiiiiewyghgjyjrhkjkhkhxl;gjiogekiiioghhohteieihhkhkhjhh
huhduijwhtgvtytwyuiggjhgu
(Does that mean anything in Filipino?)
love,
Cecily
I hope you have a good time. Be safe and be present. Be patient. Aaaaand Dear Grandma, I love you and think you're so funny. And do you sleep there? Dear Grandpa, I love you. Be good and I hope you have a good family. Follow Jesus.
I know the perfect word! Cecily! Don't forget to have lunch and then go on a mission and be seen. Be fun and follow the gospels. Here's my secret. I hope you have good friends and be helpful and be kindly and be powerful and careful. And President Monson. Listen to him and sing songs.
In her own words:utyuthhh5hjl4 oiiuhejgr;oifietttteryttu5y,,ythyrjy yh+=JL L.uuylifutte,etii............... 6 6 56futoo/.y.gy.uy.uuuuuuyyhr;; rjrhhgiohohhhhokrytly,yuwetwwgfqekkokkhoiikkkiykjlkolkl9ijjjjo9ljmkkim9k
p;z'leoelopjththkhtzoiykglwIDFRGRIJFIODGJHHTHNYYKNGD9IUvyvikkopjo
jjootjjtjpmjkjjujjiylyveiiiiiiiiiewyghgjyjrhkjkhkhxl;gjiogekiiioghhohteieihhkhkhjhh
huhduijwhtgvtytwyuiggjhgu
(Does that mean anything in Filipino?)
love,
Cecily
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Our First Week
Well, week #1 is over and it has been one of the best experiences of our retired lives! We are in a fairly large group of senior missionaries – 77 seniors made up of couples and sisters, mostly couples. There are senior couples here who teach and direct all of the activities here for the seniors and they are wonderful - particularly Elder & Sister Wright. There are others but they have been called to direct the senior missionary instruction. Our days are scheduled and there has been no problem knowing where to go and what to do. I was assigned as a district leader for four couples. No real responsibility, just a contact person who then channels to Elder Wright or Elder Peterson, who is over the teaching. Most of the first day was just some housekeeping activities.
Day 2 was mostly classroom instruction both in small and large groups. We ended the day at the Tuesday Evening Fireside with M. Russell Ballard. The seniors are given special dispensation and are seated on the front rows!
Day 3 was classroom teaching. We were taught how to conduct a visit with someone learning the gospel. The emphasis was on learning to teach individuals NOT teach lessons – a good lesson for anyone to learn. We restarted our Indonesian language training with Sister Kayley Whittemore. She was our on-line instructor also and it was much better to be taught in person. It had been a while since we worked on the language so we were rusty, but she was patient and even simplified her teaching style because of direction she received from her bosses. HOWEVER, most of the class she only spoke Indonesian … and we didn’t do so badly!
Day 4 & 5 we were given an MTC car to travel to SLC to the Church Office Building for Perpetual Education Fund. The first thing we found out via our name sign on the table in front of us was that we are the Indonesian directors of PEF. We were taught about the prophetic origin of the PEF and also how to access and use the computer programs designed for PEF. We came away from this training knowing that we truly have living prophets directed by a loving Father in Heaven.
Saturday, we had one class on missionary health and safety, but then we had the rest of the day from about 11:30 AM on to do as we pleased. We were able to do our laundry and Joel & Bekah were kind enough to let us use their car so we did some shopping and spent some time with them and Logan toward the evening.
Sunday we went to Sacrament Meeting, Music & the Spoken Word (via broadcast) and rested in the afternoon. Tonight we went to a fireside presented by President & Sister Wilkins (he is a district President at the MTC). As with everything here the spirit was so strong and his counsel to the missionaries was inspired. We know that you can’t be experiencing what we are experiencing, but we hope and pray with the coming Stake and General Conferences you will strive to feel the spirit of those meetings.
Sunday we went to Sacrament Meeting, Music & the Spoken Word (via broadcast) and rested in the afternoon. Tonight we went to a fireside presented by President & Sister Wilkins (he is a district President at the MTC). As with everything here the spirit was so strong and his counsel to the missionaries was inspired. We know that you can’t be experiencing what we are experiencing, but we hope and pray with the coming Stake and General Conferences you will strive to feel the spirit of those meetings.
We love you all,
Elder & Sister Greenway
Week 1 at MTC
Dear Interested people!
Selamat Sore from the MTC! Thank you for all of your love and interest in our mission. We are humbled to be here.
However, just as you would expect, we have had miracles occur already. First of all, I am typing this to you on Microsoft Word! Yes, that is what I said. There are no dogs barking at me to tell me if I am doing something stupid, no pig to oink when I save this and walk away. I will tell you that I miss my Kids Write program, but every good thing must come to an end! Second miracle, we are actually sleeping in the same room. The MTC told us to just deal with it when we went crawling to beg for a suite at the Marriott (just kidding, we didn’t even ask). I know, I know! And we are, in fact, sleeping….!
But the real story is about what we are learning! We feel like we have had an entire college education in one week. After we arrived, they had the young elders carry our luggage up to our rooms so we could go right in and get started. The first part of the week was all about Preach My Gospel. We were taught the importance of teaching with the spirit. They wanted to make sure we got it, so they have us practice role playing with each other and with other couples. But the final test came when we were given a contact name, and that contacts situation. We were taken to an area where they have separate rooms set up like living rooms and asked to knock at the door teach that contact. Our contact was ”Terry Chang” and we were told before that he had been to multiple tours in Afghanistan and was angry at God. Well we were wonderful at the “get to know you” part, in fact Terry loved to talk. In the conversation he told us his wife was an active member. Then we tried to draw the conversation toward God. He just kept talking. Finally, I asked if his wife was reading the Book of Mormon and if he had ever read it and he said yes! So then Elder Greenway asked how he liked it. He said he loved it. So, I said, “Well then, why haven’t you been baptized?” And he said that he had been baptized! What!!! Our little paper didn’t say that! So immediately we stepped into less active mode. We had just assumed he was acting as a non-member!!!!
On Thursday we headed to the Church Office Building to PEF training. At our introduction we received a bright yellow paper with a giant list of acronyms that we should become familiar with. PEF, ERS, S&I, etc. That first day of training was absolutely life changing. We learned about Pres. Hinckley’s concerns about the poverty in the world, and especially within the Church. We learned about the statistics about membership concerning members in North America vs. membership outside North America, and then the projection out 20 years. Staggering! Not only does poverty diminish leadership opportunities but it also creates financial burdens for the secure areas that cannot be sustained. We can bear testimony that we have, and have had living Prophets that do receive revelation. That the Perpetual Education Fund is one of those revelations! It soon became an Ah-hah Moment in both of our lives. The information was both tender and mind boggling. We received two days of that kind of training.
Add to that a devotional with Elder M. Russell Ballard, and being in the midst of 2000 young elders and sisters, and you can imagine what a wonderful week it has been. We have seen Elders Ben Richwine, and Milo Lahekahe. We have met a young sister from India going to Fiji… amazing!
We are so grateful for your support. We are very aware that life goes on for all of you, so therefore the struggles go on also. We pray for our family and friends. We love you dearly. We miss the Grandchildren with gusto (both the grandchildren and our yearnings have gusto)! But one thing is certain. As Emily told us earlier in the week, WE ARE WHERE WE SHOULD BE! Be where you should be, Doing what you should be doing, when you should be doing it.
We love you, we miss you, and we hope you are contributing to the PEF fund occasionally!
Dengan Mengasihi dan bahagian!
Elder and Sister Greenway, Missionaris bagi Gereja Yesus Christus Orang-orang Suci Zaman Akir.
Selamat Sore from the MTC! Thank you for all of your love and interest in our mission. We are humbled to be here.
However, just as you would expect, we have had miracles occur already. First of all, I am typing this to you on Microsoft Word! Yes, that is what I said. There are no dogs barking at me to tell me if I am doing something stupid, no pig to oink when I save this and walk away. I will tell you that I miss my Kids Write program, but every good thing must come to an end! Second miracle, we are actually sleeping in the same room. The MTC told us to just deal with it when we went crawling to beg for a suite at the Marriott (just kidding, we didn’t even ask). I know, I know! And we are, in fact, sleeping….!
But the real story is about what we are learning! We feel like we have had an entire college education in one week. After we arrived, they had the young elders carry our luggage up to our rooms so we could go right in and get started. The first part of the week was all about Preach My Gospel. We were taught the importance of teaching with the spirit. They wanted to make sure we got it, so they have us practice role playing with each other and with other couples. But the final test came when we were given a contact name, and that contacts situation. We were taken to an area where they have separate rooms set up like living rooms and asked to knock at the door teach that contact. Our contact was ”Terry Chang” and we were told before that he had been to multiple tours in Afghanistan and was angry at God. Well we were wonderful at the “get to know you” part, in fact Terry loved to talk. In the conversation he told us his wife was an active member. Then we tried to draw the conversation toward God. He just kept talking. Finally, I asked if his wife was reading the Book of Mormon and if he had ever read it and he said yes! So then Elder Greenway asked how he liked it. He said he loved it. So, I said, “Well then, why haven’t you been baptized?” And he said that he had been baptized! What!!! Our little paper didn’t say that! So immediately we stepped into less active mode. We had just assumed he was acting as a non-member!!!!
On Thursday we headed to the Church Office Building to PEF training. At our introduction we received a bright yellow paper with a giant list of acronyms that we should become familiar with. PEF, ERS, S&I, etc. That first day of training was absolutely life changing. We learned about Pres. Hinckley’s concerns about the poverty in the world, and especially within the Church. We learned about the statistics about membership concerning members in North America vs. membership outside North America, and then the projection out 20 years. Staggering! Not only does poverty diminish leadership opportunities but it also creates financial burdens for the secure areas that cannot be sustained. We can bear testimony that we have, and have had living Prophets that do receive revelation. That the Perpetual Education Fund is one of those revelations! It soon became an Ah-hah Moment in both of our lives. The information was both tender and mind boggling. We received two days of that kind of training.
Add to that a devotional with Elder M. Russell Ballard, and being in the midst of 2000 young elders and sisters, and you can imagine what a wonderful week it has been. We have seen Elders Ben Richwine, and Milo Lahekahe. We have met a young sister from India going to Fiji… amazing!
We are so grateful for your support. We are very aware that life goes on for all of you, so therefore the struggles go on also. We pray for our family and friends. We love you dearly. We miss the Grandchildren with gusto (both the grandchildren and our yearnings have gusto)! But one thing is certain. As Emily told us earlier in the week, WE ARE WHERE WE SHOULD BE! Be where you should be, Doing what you should be doing, when you should be doing it.
We love you, we miss you, and we hope you are contributing to the PEF fund occasionally!
Dengan Mengasihi dan bahagian!
Elder and Sister Greenway, Missionaris bagi Gereja Yesus Christus Orang-orang Suci Zaman Akir.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Missionaries!
Thanks Bekah for a great shot of the Greenway Missionaries! They look like they are having a great time.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
First Day
Well, day one is coming to an end. During our orientation meeting I was called to be one of the district leaders, probably because we are going to be here two weeks. Got set up for more language training, we will be shuttled to SLC for additional Welfare & Perpetual Education Fund training. No Photos, yet. No chance to take any. The young missionaries are quick to clean up our food trays when they see we are done eating! They were even at our housing unit to haul our bags up to our third floor room. I could get use to this - children ... make note for future reference.
Friday, September 9, 2011
John on Good Morning America
John went with the Howards yesterday to help move historic furniture from the Govenor's mansion in preparation for the flooding. Good Morning America picked up the footage and here he is! He's only on screen for a second or two, right in the middle of the video. Thanks Emily, for finding this!
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