Another week in the Knoxville Mission

Dear Family and Good Friends
It is my turn to write this week.  We have had a good week with missionary work and family togetherness.  My thoughts are mostly on Rob and Flori and the girls as we went to Hendersonville which is in our mission and met them at the house they stay at when they do a North Carolina getaway.  For them it was a farewell trip as they for one last time did the things they have loved about North Carolina particularly Hendersonville.  We got to see why they like this place.  We think it is the little home that they rent.  The owner loves to have them come and they have fresh flowers on the table and treats on the cupboard for the girls.  It is a great place to stay and feel at home while being on a vacation.  Rob is so talented at finding these places.  He found one for us which was a cottage like small cabin that was on a small lake.  The lake however was drained because they were working on a dam or spillway.  Here are a few pictures from the time we spent with them.

the lake house that Rob and his Smith family friends stayed in one time
he got us a cottage on the same property where we stayed thus the picture of the house
I forgot to take a picture of the cottage

the girls and Sister Christensen

the girls and Elder Christensen

Carl Sandburg home and farm
we spent  the morning touring the grounds and the goat farm
the house and farm is now on the national parks places to see

Magnolia

Bea hanging out inside the cute house they rented this is the sunroom 

The house they stay at in Hendersonville
It was the mother's house and she passed away and the family just kept it
with everything in it.  It has all these old things from the 60-70 era but they updated the
bathrooms and kitchen.  It is like going back in time.

We are sad to see this day and night go.  It means that we will not be spending anymore time with Rob and family in the south.  They will be leaving for Provo Utah on the 12 of June and Maddie will be leaving for Peru on the 20th of June.  So we said our goodbyes.  We do look forward to having them settled in Provo but we know now more than ever how hard it is for the change.  We know that they will do well there also but it will be different than they have had for quite sometime.  No longer the strange mormons but one of the majority.  However for Eloise we think it will be good to have more than one mormon boy to chose from to go on a date.  We just hope there are some good mormon boys not some of the dorks we hear about that don't date or care about anything but technology.  We send them off with our blessing.
We have had one or two missionary experiences  We passed out two pass-along cards.  Dad's investigators from the pool where at breakfast again and dad told them about the Book of Mormon and if there was to be one faith one baptism why are there so many churches.  He asked one of the men if he wanted a book of mormon and the man said he would think about it.  Does that sound like a baptist or what?  We went to the bank and saw Ellen.  We were getting some cash so we were talking to the cashier and Ellen got up when she was done with the customer she was with and came over to us.  That was something since she is a very reserved person and this time she reached out to us.  She even smiled and we asked how her mother was doing since she has not been able to see us or do the next appointment because her mother is in a care center and was not doing well.  Her sister was coming so she was having company this week.  We hope to get with her this coming week.
Please keep praying for her.  She is a good person but does not know how much she needs the hope the gospel brings.  She is afraid of anything new and this is definitely new.
Well the Thurgoods left this week and it has me thinking about when we will leave which will come in another year.  We have been out for 6 months now.  We got together for a dinner to send them off.  Then we got together this week end to get to know the Cleghorns that have taken there place.  They are the couple that live in Knoxville.  They invited us over to their house to have a BBQ and to see the fireflies that come out about 9 p.m.  We were excited to see them.  It was also fun to be in a home instead of a little bitty apartment.  Though we love the hour that it takes to clean it from top to bottom.  We also went to a movie The Man Who Knew Infinity dad loved it because it was about math and this Indian kid that was the genius before Einstein.  It is a good true story.  Our district meeting this week was great because the missionaries have taken the President's lead and they are trying hard to get investigators now for teaching during June and July to have them ready for baptism in July.  So they are working hard just tracking, opening their mouths, getting referrals, and anything else that can bring someone to teach.  It is hard.  They work hard and they get discouraged so please pray for the missionaries in the south.  They are going without dinner appointments from now on so they can teach and find during the prime proselyting time which is from 5-8.  We taught the Preach My Gospel training at district meeting.  It went well.  We told them that they better know what they believe about being saved because so many people in the south like the idea of just saying they are saved and that they believe and they will go to heaven.  So when we come along and say things that dash that idea they better have a good way to express the Lord saves but He expects us to do those things He has asked of us.  Well enough of the week sorry this is long.  Sometimes I have a lot on my mind that just has to be expressed because it is a concern.  I know the work will be blessed.  We do need more baptisms however.  Keep doing what you can to strengthen others.  Love Mom Grandma and Sister Christensen