Burmingham Alabama Mission

What a privilege to experience Our Savior's love and tender mercies during this Easter, knowing that he has given us life eternal and hope for uniting with our loved ones in the life here after.  We loved General Conference and the excitement of our new Prophet, President Nelson and his innovative ideas and leadership.  There were many wonderful talks, answers to prayers and a wonderful Spirit!!    For an early Easter we treated four Elders and 2 Sisters to dinner at the Golden Coral.  Some of our Elders can really pack away food including 4 servings of ice cream for dessert!!  We all enjoyed the evening with all our favorite foods and great company.  I helped car pool the Sisters to contact a lady referred from the Spanish speaking Elders after dinner and enjoyed time with them.  Steve drafted the missionaries to help him heft furniture from one storage garage into the trailer after dinner, getting ready for a Colorado Senior couple. the Turnbows.      Elder and Sister

     All the missionaries were invited free of charge to attend "Keep on Rollin" motivational Conference in Birmingham.  President and Sister Sainsbury also attended Saturday morning.  Hank Smith, a BYU professor, John Bytheway, comedian and Meg Johnson, a quadraplegic all gave great presentations on "Happy People",  "Becoming your best Self" and "Getting out of your own way by serving others."  It lasted all morning and there was great energy in the auditorium and fun laughter.      The Senior couples met for lunch at the #1 Birmingham Fish Market and the food was so good.  Elder Barfuss was called away because of a broken pipe in one of the missionary apartments, but was able to rejoin us at the end of lunch.  Elder and Sister Johnson rode with Steve and I. The Dances, Johnsons, Ensigns and Barkers enjoyed the lunch together.      In the afternoon, all of us, except Dances met at the Barber Motor Sports Museum in Leeds.  It was truly phen

     We had several missionary miracles this past week.  We were checking missionary apartments and waited for the missionaries to finish playing basketball for exercise and return to let us in.     One missionary was limping up the stairs and I said, "It looks like you hurt yourself playing ball?"     He replied, "Oh no, I had a little accident yesterday!!  Come here and I will show you my staples!!"       It turned out his bike handle bar was caught by the mirror of a passing car and it flipped him and his bike clear off the road!!  He received a serious laceration to the skull right through his helmet and had to take an ambulance ride because when he stood up, he fainted.  He was given 9 large staples to the scalp, had some swelling and an elbow scrape, as well as a knee scrape and swelling in his ankle.  He was treated and released from the hospital only receiving antibiotics.       I told him he had angels on his shoulders and  could have been hurt so much

We have driven past this famous Blue Bell Ice Cream Factory for several months each Sunday drooling!!   We finally came to Sylacauga during the week after checking missionary apartments and were able to sample one of the many wonderful flavors and watch the factory workers from the upstairs viewing windows.  It was also fun to enjoy the gift shop and the nice ice cream helping of two scoops for only one dollar. The gift shop lady also served the ice cream parlor and had worked there for 20 years enjoying ice cream daily!! The local missionaries visit regularly too!!!