Always busy!

I've beens so busy I haven't had time to write...but what a great week and a half we've had. After our zone conferences in Lethbridge we stayed there to participate in the Lethbridge Stake Conference. It was a great stake conference and we were asked to speak in both the Saturday evening session and the Sunday morning session. That's kind of unusual--it's usually one or the other! And Steve also spoke in the priesthood leadership session. It was a great conference, and on Saturday evening we were able to stay overnight with President and Sister MacLennan--and they treated us like a king and queen! Belgian waffles for breakfast, and salmon for lunch after the conference! We're used to having a banana and a little protein drink at the hotel--so we felt like we were royalty! We have so enjoyed our friendships with the stake presidents and their wives. It's just one of the great perks of service in the church--all the friends that you make!
After that conference we drove to BC so we could do their interviews Monday evening and their zone conference on Tuesday. Our BC zone only has 12 missionaries and that includes our senior couple, the Eberts. So, it is a cozy little zone conference, but it was so good and we love our missionaries there. We actually took them for pizza on Monday night before interviews, which was fun. They are so isolated out there that we felt we could do something a little fun with them!
We then drove back to Calgary to complete 3 more days of interviews and wind them up. On Friday we held our 'retrainers' meeting for 10 new missionaries and their trainers. It was such a good meeting. We changed it up a bit, and the change was good. Our assistants did a fantastic job training on how to use and study Preach my Gospel more effectively. Steve also spoke on having faith in the Savior and having faith in the work. I trained on How to get our investigators to attend sacrament meeting. We had a lot of discussion and interaction and it was just a great meeting. Then we had a little lunch together here at the mission home and sent them on their way.
This past week was also a little sad for us because we had to say good-by to Elder and Sister Peppinger, one of our senior office couples. Their 18 months were up (they actually stayed on 1 extra month to help us out). We will miss them terribly! They have been true examples of Christlike service. I have never met people more willing to serve and do not only what was asked, but they always looked to see what else they could do. They always went the extra mile. They have blessed our mission immensely and will be sorely missed. Senior couples are the most amazing people. We love all of ours!
Saturday was Steve's birthday so we got up and exercised and then I took him out for a brunch at a fun restaurant down in Fish Creek Provincial Park. We had eggs benedict and stuffed french toast! Talk about good! All of our kids FaceTimed us with the grandsons, and it was fun to talk with each of them. Then we came home and studied and prepared for another stake conference in Lethbridge. At 4:30 we drove down there to participate in the Lethbridge East Stake conference under the direction of President Stewart. It was such a great conference. We love President Stewart, he is also the doctor I use a lot down in Lethbridge, and he has been such a great help to me in so many medical situations. But, he is an even more fantastic stake president.
We had a very quick bite of lunch at his counselor's home and left by 1:00 to get back to Calgary to meet with our assistants. Steve did their interviews and then met with them on some things and they stayed for dinner with us. They both came in sporting slippers, because every Sunday when they come I always have my slippers on! And my hoodie over my nice Sunday clothes. I take off my nice jackets when I cook so I don't spill on them, and I always pull on this blue hoodie over whatever top I'm wearing--it never matches, but I don't care if I spill on it! So, I always look kind of silly when they come. So, we got a laugh out of them in their slippers. They are wonderful missionaries and we appreciate all they do, and their great enthusiasm and examples.
We love our missionaries. Our zone conferences just reminded us once again of how incredible they are. We are so thankful to be involved in this work with them. We love to see their faith grow and how much they love the Savior.
Tonight we had the youth from the Shepard ward come to the mission home for a little fireside. We had Sisters Moss and Willis teach them the first discussion and then do a little question and answer session with them. It was a fun night for them.
This week we will prepare for transfers, so it will be another busy week. Don't I say that every time I write? I think so! All the weeks are busy! I am grateful for the enabling power of the atonement, because it strengthens me to to do things I could never do on my own.
P.S. We are finally getting some warmer weather! I took off my boots for the first time this weekend!