Grandma is trying to increase her "technology intelligence". To help in the mission field and to help with her balance, we have invested in a "Kindle Fire"! So far, so good! My sons are skeptical, but I am determined to use this and use it wisely. Shauna showed us a sweet cover case, we paid her for a new one and have hers , thanks so very much dearest Shauna!

Our brand new "Kindle Fire"!

Small on space, but oh so great on tast- Bruge's

Natalie and Dad in back; Daeja and Trevan with Grandma!

Well, it was a wonderful week with dinners at our children's houses.  On Saturday, Natalie, Phil, Trevan and Daeja took us to a brunch at Bruge's. It's a very small restaurant in downtown Salt Lake City that serves French/Belgium waffles and some wonderful French Frites (French frys). We had an awesome time. and the brunch was so very delicious.
 
We so enjoyed the delicious food that was cooked each night by our daughters and their families, and the time spent with our children and grandchildren.  Sunday was a full day, at church we learned that all the ward boundaries in our stake will be changing on next Sunday (of course we will be gone). So we will be leaving from one ward, and not totally sure of the ward we will come home to. But we have no doubt, that our stake and general church leaders are men called of God. Change shakes us up and helps us re-balance our lives with prayer and testimony.  Then we headed to Sandy, Utah. Grandson Taylor was ordained a teacher today by his dad. It was Taylor's birthday. What an awesome young man!  We enjoyed some time with Shauna and her family. About 5:00 pm the rest of the family arrived for a big family dinner.

 Good food, terrific and wonderful family it was a wonderful evening. The hard part for me was when they all started to depart for their own homes and grandchildren realized that this would be the last time they would see us for a year and a half. Several of the granddaughters were in tears, and Grandma (me) was crying with them.  I love all of my grandchildren so very much!  I know, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that great blessings will be theirs because we leave them and go to serve our Heavenly Father.

No shopping today, except online. We are considering getting a Kindle Fire, but are still checking it out. I got to exercise this morning again. I have lost over 3 of the 4 pounds I gained while at the MTC and its oh so good food!  Tonight we drove back to the MTC for one last devotional. To be there in an auditorium packed with young men and women, and the senior missionaries too as we sang hymns to praise God, it was a beautiful, humbling experience. For the 3rd week in a row the opening hymn was "Called to Serve". This was the song that I lead and Craig played the piano on over 42 years ago when we met in the old Salt Lake Mission Home. The speaker tonight was from the 2nd Quorum of the Seventy, Bro. Larry Y Wilson. He and his wife did an very awesome job. He spoke about helping those we teach and fellowship and being Book of Mormon "mentors" with them, or getting them ward members to mentor them. We had a nice dinner at Cafe Rio's before we went to the devotional. We also got some hot cocoa to drink on the way home. All in all, its been a great day. Sorry Jerry and Jeri Jo. We will be there next week on the 28th.

Tonight, we went to another daughter's for dinner. Tonight it was to Jaralynn and Bodey's house. They have 2 beautiful daughters. Dinner was delicious (it was pork tenderloin.) Jaralynn talked to me about a new-to-me website Pinterest. Will check that out tomorrow. We also had a wonderful family home evening lesson with them. We made great progress on our trip itinerary, got some reservations made that will be needed. We also made progress on consolidating what we hope to take. I think the pile is getting too big, and I'm gonna have to choose to leave behind some of what I wanted to take (a Saturn Ion is only so big, and we need room for the driver and me!)  As of now, we plan and leaving next Tuesday- so a lot to do.
We are still working on studying to be ready for this, but I'm afraid that any French lessons will have to wait till we are traveling.

Wrote a new poem on the 13th, while at the MTC.

Go Forth and Serve

A prophet of God has given you a call

To go and teach God’s children one and all.

You have a special message you must share

That God lives and for His children He cares.

It is time for you to go forth and serve them!

To a special part of His world you need go

To those who are seeking about God to know.

Where you are called is just right for you.

There is plenty of work just waiting to do.

They are waiting for you to go forth and serve!

You never need worry that you are ever alone.

For God’s angels watch over wherever you roam.

He’s always close and listens when you pray.

He will guide your steps throughout each day.

He is waiting for you to go forth and serve!

Your load He will lighten as others you serve.

You acts show others that Christ is who you serve.

Prayer, faith and charity are tools you daily use

So that you never will God’s pathway lose.

Now it’s time for you to go forth and serve!

Charlotte P. Edwards 2/13/12

Of course, this deals with going out as a missionary and the MTC was a wonderful, inspiring experience.

Saturday was a nice quiet day. No shopping for now! I cooked a chicken dinner for Meredith's family and us. I got some work done on my genealogy. So grateful for my brother Warin and all the others that help with our names. We woke up to snow this morning on Sunday. We need it here in Utah. I hear that December was the driest on record.  I just pray that the roads are clear when we leave the end of the month for our cross-country trek. We are going to church with Amy and her family. We are also going there for dinner. Neil and Lyle, our sons should be there also. Craig got some awesome vegetables to make a delicious salad.

Have just posted the last of the pictures from the MTC. It was such a wonderful, spiritual 11 days that we will not soon forget. I hope I learned some more French! Our 4 days at the Provo temple were heavenly. The workers are so caring for all the missionaries who come there. Our temple instructors Brother and Sister Hammond were the very best. One morning, Sister Hammond talked her husband into singing a duet with Craig. They sang "As I have Loved You" and we were all visibly and spiritually moved. We have lots to do still before we get the car packed and leave the end of February, we got several of them checked off today! There is dinner with most of our children's families and one big family dinner to go still.
I don't miss getting up at 5am to get some exercise in! Was grateful to return to 8:00 am this morning at the Magna Rec Center. We are anxious to get on the road and to get to Canada!

Our unofficial grandson- This is Elder Edwards, from Florida, going to New York on his mission.

The Provo Temple- we spent our days here this week. It was such a wonderful 4 days!

Statue at the MTC- 2 Elders out on their bikes. Who hasn't seen this in real life?

Jacob Hamlin Building at the MTC. We stayed here on the third floor.

Elder Smith and his lovely wife. Elder Smith grew up in Burlington, Vermont and knew Craig way back when. They are going to serve in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We sat in on some of the French classes.

Elder and Sister Leckington to Boise, Idaho to microfilm records for Family History.

Our room, we miss it already.

Sign we needed to hang on our door as we checked out!

Brother Keddington and Barney. They were our morning instructors for the first week at the MTC.

Jason and Amy, Lyle, and Meredith takes to breakfast before we enter the MTC

 Feb 6th-Amy and Jason bid us farewell at the MTC

 Feb 8th-Craig's the one pointing to Nova Scotia!

 Feb 10th-Study partners Elder and Sister Harris are going to the Phillipines

Study partners Elder and Sister Jorgensen are going Houston, Texas

More of our senior companionships

Study partners Elder and Sister Bond are going to Leeds, England

Elder and Sister Smith are going to Democratic Republic of the Congo. He grew up in Vermont with Craig

More of our senior companionships.

Left- the Leckingtons, us and the Jorgensens

More seniors

Bro and Sister Stock keep us on schedule and in the right place.

Our afternoon teachers Brothers Pike and Wozniak

Thanks Amy for helping me get the pictures posted about the Open House last night. Thanks Shauna for doing such a terrific job, thanks to all who worked so hard to pull this off- my children and grandchildren were awesome!

Tonight Craig and I were set apart by Pres. Kesler to be missionaries. It was a very beautiful, poignant event. thanks to my children, grandchildren, and friends who all came to share in this event.

Tomorrow morning it's breakfast with some of our children, then the approximate 30 minute drive to Provo to the Missionary Training Center for 11 days. We are excited, and nervous, but so very grateful to all who have helped us get ready. We are humbled by Heavenly Father's faith in us.

Open House

My sister, Mary Ann and me

Trevan and Grandma Charlotte

Sister Briggs, a fellow Oquirrh Mountain Temple worker

Tonight was our Open House. Our oldest daughter, Shauna, did such a wonderful job with the decorations. I will try to post pictures later. We got a chance to see alot of wonderful friends and family .
We are humbled by all who helped with the refreshment table! Our children and grandchildren all pitched in and helped with the setup and clean up. Many hands did make light work! Its getting closer and closer to Monday when we begin our mission. With so very many folks praying for us I know that we will be so very blessed. Please know of our love for each and everyone of you. We received a little embroidered thought that I really love- "Nothing will  happen today- that God and I can't handle." Thanks Linda and Kent- that is going with us!!! Thanks again to all who have come to our "farewell" and Open House!

Tonight, Friday night, we went over to Gordon and Ruth Jensen's for a wonderful Chinese Dinner- Gordon cooked a wonderful varied meal, that we enjoyed. We enjoyed the evening, and hope that they will be able to come up to Halifax while we are on our mission to go thru the temple there. A blessing we will pray for!
Thank goodness for all the wonderful people that Heavenly Father has brought into our lives.

We had a great evening Thursday with our daughter Jaralynn. Her oldest daughter, Sydney,  was in the Union Middle School production of Beauty and the Beast. She was a fork and one of the wolves, and did an absolutely fabulous job! We enjoyed sitting with Jaralynn and Claire, even found out that we know the grandparents of one of Sydney's best friends. All in all it was a long, but wonderful evening. Sydney has shows Friday and Monday and we wish her the best.

More Memories of Our Farewell

Craig and I outside of the Elk Run LDS Chapel- Magna, Utah- January 29th-Our Farewell