Burmingham Alabama Mission

     Sister and Elder Tuck were packing to leave just before the Christmas parties.  Elder Barfuss helped them pack up several days and Sister Barfuss helped with a little cleaning and moral support.  They were "Preppers" and had accumulated enough to share and also mail 8 boxes home that didn't fit in their truck.  Morrisons had also sent home 26 boxes earlier, so when they toured in their little car, it would be comfortable.      Sister Tuck served as the mission secretary and Elder Tuck was over finances in the Mission office where they worked 5 days a week, sometimes over 8 hours a day.  They had previously served two missions in Cambodia/Vietnam and The Baltics/Lithuania where they learned parts of the languages serving in the same capacities.      They were an amazing force together!! The cleaners had "dumped" all the spices, vacuum and other important apartment items before we arrived in our Hoover apartment....

Christmas Alabama Birmingham Mission 18 Dec 2017 President Sainsbury Dear Missionaries, I can't believe that next P Day is Christmas. At this Christmas season, Sister Sainsbury and I are exceedingly grateful for you and for who you are. The Lord has been very kind to us by sending us valiant missionaries and disciples of Christ. We are blessed by you. We are inspired by you. Our hearts are full of gratitude for your wonderful examples and great courage, for your goodness and love of God. We love you, we pray for you, we want you to be happy. As we share the Light of Christ with the world, let us remember the very purpose for this Holiday, that Christ came into the world that he might offer up his life as a sacrifice for the sins and pains of all mankind. This is the heart of Christmas, and this is what we have to offer. We offer no presents, no money, no riches, no fame. But we do offer a hope in Christ, that all mankind might find peace in this world and eterna...

     The five zones were split into two areas for two Christmas parties/Zone Conferences this week. We attended with four other Senior missionaries  the Huntsville one and others were assigned to the Birmingham event. Zone Conference and training were in the morning and the party in the afternoon.  The Mission and Huntsville Stake provided a prime rib dinner with all the trimmings with great desserts, enjoyed by all ninety eight of us.      A talent show put on by the young missionaries was most entertaining and everyone had a great deal of fun.  Two Sister missionaries MC'd the show and were so funny.  They brought up impromptu talent like arm wrestling(twice), missionaries competing, catching candy in their mouths and drawings for candy prizes according to which seat you were in.  They teased about "Someone seen around town a lot would be visiting later" and it turned out to be an injury lawyer posting on multiple billboards....

     We enjoyed meeting the new 12 missionaries and training them on health needs/ apartment orientation/ cars/ and protocols. The nurses interviewed all the newbies while President interviewed them on by one. This is a very healthy bunch of missionaries!!  Transfers were the same day, only in the afternoon as training our new ones, so it was very busy. (Almost like a social party) Later President and Sister Sainsbury were training new leaders, so we waited a while longer for transfers to occur.  During the wait, I was able to visit one on one with several departing sister missionaries and share Christmas cards and let them choose one of my crocheted book marks.  It is easy to love these young missionaries and see wonderful potential as they devote their lives in service to the Savior.      One new missionary has a Great Uncle and Great Aunt serving here in member support that came to welcome him.  Steve and Rosie know this young man's ...

Dec. 5-7 2017      The missionaries have Temple Trips scheduled and Elder and Sister Barfuss are attending Wednesday with them.  It took a couple of days to wash and iron the temple clothes in preparation, but was a privilege and beautiful sense of accomplishment to have them clean, ironed and mended.  The Temple is one of the smaller models, but no less lovely and beautiful.  The Temple workers are angels, all so freindly, helpful and pleasant. The missionaries were all light and happiness when we saw them in the temple.  Several of them hugged us and were delightful.  One sister later told me, "We had a great experience and loved being there."  President and Sister Sainsbury went to all the sessions and shook everyone's hand or hugged them.  On Thursday, Elder Barfuss had to deliver a lot of apartment items to missionaries after their session and was able to attend with another temple group.  He met and visited with Bruce...

Dec 1, 2017 Missionary Miracles      Two Sisters enjoyed attended the town’s tree lighting ceremony and were sharing invitations to “Light the World” where Mormon.org challenges everyone to do kind things every day of December until Christmas.  There is an accompanying video for each day also.  They purchased a a ticket to the raffle and won a new bike that they are going to give away to a deserving youth in their area for Christmas.  There were only about twenty people who won prizes with over 200 people attending.  It was a miracle to be a conduit for good and make so many positive contacts.     One of the Elder’s lost his name tag and the Sisters found the back of it in the apartment parking lot, but never could find the front. On preparation day these Sisters were headed to an appointment for dinner when they realized they had locked their car keys in their apartment. So they were locked out of their apartment too.  They ran ove...

      Sister Barfuss enjoys swimming 2-3 times a week to handle stress and keep the aging body functioning in spite of arthritis. Elder Barfuss is using the gym a the apartment complex to work out 2-3 times weekly also.   The senior missionaries have privileges that the younger missionaries don't.  We can be apart for periods of time, depending on the work assignments and demands.  One of our senior elders takes a nap every day!!  Another couple "shops" at the club stores for their walking time every morning!!  Rosie loves the water and is so thankful for the cleanliness of this great pool.  Nothing is more refreshing that a good swimming workout to dump stress and act kindly towards others!!  We are enjoying "Grits" for the first time in our lives as part of Southern food culture!! All the missionary apartments have a picture of the Savior on the door.   It is easier for us to find obscure apartments for housin...