Meet the Plackettes

A few days ago I took a phone call from an agreeable sounding lady who wanted to speak to a "pastor" but also asked if this was the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (She certainly knew and said the correct name.) I told her that this was the Mission Office for the LABRM and that we work with missionaries in this area. This was one of those "what do I do now?" type phone calls, and in the future I will handle this kind of call differently. But this time I told her I'd let her speak to Elder Olsen who works in the office but is not a pastor. After a conversation with her, Elder Olsen said that she had seen 2 sisters in the library (maybe the public library in Plaquemine) and just needed to talk to someone and would like to pray with someone. So he said he'd have the missionaries contact her. We sent the referral to the Plackettes.

Fast forward to this morning Relief Society.  Sister Harris, the RS president, asked if anyone had a missionary moment to share.  Sister Thornley, right side, shared a little more to the story.  She and Sister Hill knocked on the door, and the non-member woman opened it and said: "I know who you are! Come in." They went in and visited for about an hour. This lady, probably in her 70's, met with elders about 25 years ago. She didn't know that girls even served missions. They had a wonderful conversation about the Plan of Salvation and learned that she's very interested in family history. In fact, she goes to the family history library quite often. She's Roman Catholic but agrees with the church teachings.  The Plackettes will be visiting her again.  So here they are--Sister Hill, left, a new missionary who just arrived from the MTC on Jan. 21 and Sister Thornley, her trainer.

After church we decided to take a different route home. Since we cross the Mighty Mississippi to get to Plaquemine we came home via the ferry.  I've never been on a ferry like this one.  This one held 50-60 cars that drive on and fill in all around the pilot house (or maybe the bridge). The current is so strong that you can't go straight across the river.  The pilot powers up river then pulls to the side of the dock, and you exit on the other side of the ferry.  I know explanation makes no sense to anyone including me.  It seemed like we went up and turned around, but that's impossible so I don't really know how it works. But it was a new adventure.  The picture on the left is driving on the ferry and the right one is exiting. It would have been a great picture, but we hit a bump and I missed the top and side of the ramp. After reading this paragraph I'm wondering why I wrote it, but it has to stay because I spent so much time trying to word it correctly and can't bear to see it go to waste.

I didn't write anything yesterday, because it was a quiet Saturday. We did our errands and chores then watched some of the Olympics and ended with a Hallmark movie.  I love Hallmark movies! But, we did do a little shopping and I found a new pair of Sunday shoes.  I've been wearing my flats to church and looking a bit frumpy in them, but the heels I brought are sling back and I discovered that they're not approved attire. Oop! Anyway, I'm very happy with the new ones and they're really comfortable.

Just a note on a Sacrament Meeting talk by Brother Fergusen from the High Council.  He used Elder Holland's talk from General Conference, October 2001 on tithing. Elder Holland gave 5 reasons why we should pay tithing:
First, teach your children that many of the blessings of the Church are available to them because you and they give tithes & offerings to the Church. Teach them that those blessings could come virtually no other way.

Second, pay your tithing to rightfully claim the blessings promised those who do so. Malachi 3:10-11

Third, pay your tithing as a declaration that possession of material goods and the accumulation of worldly wealth are not the uppermost goals of your existence.

Fourth, pay your tithes and offerings out of honesty and integrity because they are God’s rightful due. Surely one of the most piercing lines in all of scripture is Jehovah’s thundering inquiry, “Will a man rob God?” And we ask, “Wherein have we robbed thee?” He answers, “In tithes and offerings.”

Fifth, we should pay them as a personal expression of love to a generous and merciful Father in Heaven.