Bizarre Beehive

This is SOOO bizarre! Right in my own yard!!! Where did these come from?

They are now in Orem at Beekeeper Parker's collection of 70 hives. Ann Smoot our neighborhoood hive keeper told us to call/find info through the Utah County Beekeepers. There are amazing facts and info on the website. Also,

Check out this timely article in the "Herald Extra" that Ingrid sent to me.

(p.s.: this reminds me that today the "Beehive Bazaar" begins at the Women's Center, 310 west 500 north, Provo. :D )

Taiwan * 18

Here are parts of his letter:

Hey

Our Preparation day was changed to Wednesday this week because today, we are going to the Temple. yeah! so that's why this is coming not when it usually does. sorry, I forgot to mention that last week... I remember the last time, it was a blast.

So chances are that I am going to move this next movecall...It's interesting to think about the change that that means. New ward, new people, new area, new companion. Pretty much everything new. I wanted to make the most out of these last few days in my first area, so I prayed that for something to help me do that. I had the opportunity not too much later after that to have a sit down with Cai. He is a father that came a few weeks in a row to church but we hadn't heard from him because he works alot. I didn't know how ready he was until this last sunday when I had the chance to actually talk to him. I knew he was ready for a serious goal when he used the word "our church" in reference to our church. He was owning it as his church. I was so happy to hear him talking like that. Turns out he reads and prays every single day. I had no idea. The Lord prepares people who are ready... I invited him to get baptised on the 14 of this next month just before we leave. This will give me a great opportunity to focus on him a lot before I leave. He is such a great man. We're trying to get his family to come to church too. There hasn't been too much interest there, but when they come to the baptism, they will see just how amazing the church is. Eternal Families!!! WHOO!!!!

I'm starting to focus on characters now. I finished going through Phase II, so now on to Phase III which is all characters. IT'S SO FUN!!! The thing that I am most excited for is to be able to read and understand the Chinese so that I can read with the investigators and really expound on the scriptures and apply them to their lives. I can do it now ok with the Pin Yin, but some of the meaning it lost there. I also like the idea of my language study consisting of reading the Book of Mormon for an hour everyday. I can't wait. I'm going to try and get these 3000 characters needed to read the triple memorized fast. WHOO!

I'm reading in 3 Nephi right now about when CHrist comes. I am trying to slow down and really get the meaning out of these chapters with Christ's instruction in them and his coming. I'm really loving it. I know that what I read really happened. I know that Christ came and died and was resurrected for us all. When I think about it, I am filled with such wonderful feeling. The testimony of the Holy Ghost is such a wonderful treat. I is also interesting to think about all of the destruction that came before Christ and how it is all a testament of the truthfulness of the Savior and Redeemer of the world. THE GOSPEL IT AWESOME! I love it so much.

THank-you for all of your support and prayers....

Love ya all!

Elder Sanford

His letters are so inspiring to the entire family. We love hearing his stories. It's wonderful that he is part of such a great work. He truly wants to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord.

From President Bishop

To make the long story short, I ended up emailing President Bishop. It was so unlike Colby to not write. I was anxious to know when the Mother's Day phone call would be, too. President replied:

"Elder Sanford continues to do very well. He is very diligent and hard working. I saw him last week and he is great. Elder Sanford's preparation day is Wednesday this week since he will be attending the temple."

I'm happy to know that he is fine...and an email did come from Elder Sanford Tuesday afternoon about the phone call and other good Missionary news.

A friend recently commented that my blog is pretty much 90% about Colby's Mission. Hmmm...I guess it's the most constant easy thing to share, and so I do. I have limited time at the computer. I do write and share a lot about Colby. I'm so excited about Missionary work, and let's face it, if I share Colby's letters it takes up space and he's already done the writing...I guess I'm short on time AND lazy. I'm laughing as I write this--not down on myself. I have my work cut out for me. It's good to take a look at oneself and try to become better.

I'll try to share more about the rest of the family. I love all of my children and my husband! The whole family is busy and doing worthwhile things that I could share. So I will.

Bee still and know that I am God

Last night I tossed a milk carton and some cans in our recycling bin when I was on my way to the van to resume my Taxi Mom duties, and a bee caught my eye. Actually several did. I glanced from whence came the bee: the forsythia bush at the end of the driveway. Then I saw it. The swarmy hivey cluster. The cluster was about the size of a 4.5 quart Kitchenaid mixing bowl. Weird.surreal.amazing. Ingrid, Shannon and Julia were walking by at about the same time I discovered the un"bee"lievable treat (I had to do that at least once). I had them come look at it. The swarm was kinda hidden from the sidewalk passersby, but VERY visible from the driveway side. We had a very good chat that became an hour long+ discussion. It was a needed chat and very welcome...and it was good. I thank Heavenly Father for making it all line up just exactly right for the conversation to take place. Things like bees relocating don't happen by coincidence...and friends walking by just at the right time...and Claire needing a ride right then...and me recycling right then...

This might sound crazy but I do believe the Lord is the master "orchestrater" of all things. Things come together not by happenchance. He's there when you need Him---and He knows when you need Him before you know...so He IS there when you need Him...

This all makes sense to me. Thanks Heavenly Father for "beeing" there for me!!!!!

not here yet

So this morning I woke and started the day. I remembered--"It's Monday an email should've come in the night." I checked it. Nothing. I reminded myself that awhile back his email came late. I've been calm. It should come sometime today. If it doesn't I'll email his Mission President I guess. I'm sure Colby is safe. Maybe his Preparation Day is different this week? I'm hoping to hear from him to know when he gets to call this weekend. With the time change and all he could possibly call on our Saturday, which is his Sunday...tricky 14 hour difference to calculate into this all. I'll post news from him as soon as I can, after I get it.

17-Easter

My interjections are in orange this week.

Hey!

Alright so last week, we went to the church to see if our 7 o'clock appointment would show up. Turns out that he decided to not come. That's ok because Guo Jie Fu came instead. He said that he had set up to meet with the missionaries. I guess he had called the Dong Qu Elder's old number and it was some other missionaries. That's ok because he lived in our area and we just so happen to be free. Turns out he had come back from China recently and had been doing some repenting and turning his life around and was ready to be baptised. He requested to be Baptised on Easter.

The question I have is this: Of the two dressed in white, which one is Guo Jie Fu?

It was a good Easter (: I love this work. Miracles happen ALL AROUND you. And if you tune in, you can see them and even take part in them. It just goes to show just how much the Lord really is in charge. I'm sure that Guo Jie Fu doesn't see it as a miracle, but I know that Elder Rostedt and I do, It was one of the best miracles that we've seen yet. We see them every day. And because of them, I know that this work is true. The fruit of the seed is just too sweet to say say otherwise.

One thing that we did this week was challenged a less active to read one chapter of the Book of Mormon everyday until he finishes it. It works out just about right that if he continues and does this he will have read it by the end of the year. We asked him what kind of blessings he thought he would receive from doing this and he said he would receive many many blessings. He wasn't sure how, but he knew that the Lord would bless him. We promised him some specific blessings and then invited him to do it. He committed and said that he would. I think that we will probably do this with a few other less actives and Recent Converts that we have.

Everything is going wonderfully here in Dong Qu. Thank-you for your constant help. Goodness this work is wonderful.

Yes the package came! Thank-you so much. It was all so wonderful and delicious. Elder Rostedt it especially thankful. I got the package while on Zone Leader Exchanges so I was able to share the Samoas with my awesome zone leader, Elder M'auai. He is also super thankful.

Does anyone have any more "Samoas" left --- that I could buy? I might make some "Brownie" points if I send more "Girl Scout" cookies. (Yes, pun intended) :D

I was thinking that in my next package, it'd be cool to put together a whole bunch of pictures of the family so that I can show people more of who I am talking about when I go on exchanges. If you do do that, please include a picture of the Daf, the Yurt, a picture of dad with his kilt visible and a picture of the Sorensens as well. Yeah! Thank-you for being such an amazing family.

Love Ya All!

-Elder Sanford

I'm pretty happy that Mother's Day is coming soon because he gets to call, and we'll get to talk to him. I'm not sure if he'll call way early on Mom's day or way late, .... it's irrelevant because WE'LL GET TO TALK TO HIM!!!!