Another week in the mission field

Dear Family and Friends

There are times when I find myself longing for home and familiarity.  These feelings come less frequently but they still come.  I love having you send pictures of the home and different things you and your children are doing.  Yet it does open up the remembrances and I find myself missing you.
With that said I will go on so I don't make a puddle on the computer.  We still enjoy being with the other couples in the mission office.  We are experiencing a change because the Thurgoods who are from Perry Utah are leaving.  We found out this week that they have stepped up their return date two weeks before we thought they would leave.  So we will be sad to see them go.  They have some family issues that they need to get home to and leaving was a concern because there was not a couple to replace them until a live at home missionary couple from Hardin Valley TN were asked to change their mission and come into the office.  We knew them because they were serving as MLS missionaries.  MLS means member leader support.  So the Thurgoods feel like as soon as they train this couple to do their jobs they can go.  We will miss them they have been very good and work hard and the missionaries love them.  They are really friendly people and very talkative.  So change like anything in the church comes and with it others are touched and helped.  Dad has been a little concerned about a missionary that has had a cyst on his tail bone that got infected.  We have been to Chattanooga twice this past week seeing this missionary.  Chatt. is a two hour drive.  So we have been on the road.  The last trip we made we went over to Nashville from Chattanooga and helped clean the temple Saturday morning.  We signed up in our ward to do it if no one else wanted to do it.  We spent two hours cleaning floors walls light fixtures lockers baseboards and such that were already clean.  But as the temple counselor in the presidency said.  We keep ourselves clean through partaking of the sacrament every week so we don't become unclean.  The temple is kept clean so it won't ever become unclean.  So we enjoyed serving by cleaning the temple.  I took just a few minutes to sit in the initiatory while it was quiet and no one was back there.  I use to do this a lot with grandma and so I have not had the chance for quiet awhile.  I just thought of how much I love the initiatory work and the promises given.  It was good to serve in the temple even if it was cleaning.
We have been able to talk everyone this past week with mother's day and such I feel like I have caught up on some of the family new.
With catching up on news of the family I am grateful for many things.  Here is a list.
 So grateful that Rob and Bea came to see us.  So grateful that they found a home to live in that is close to all they wanted to be close too.  So grateful Maddie is going on a mission to Peru.
So grateful that Jon and Melinda have helped us with our home and getting us things that we need from home.  It is a comfort to know that they are watching over things.  It is a blessing to know that Jon and Porter go to the temple often and people tell us that they see them there.
So grateful for Amy and Mike and their desire to go and see Sue when they traveled to New York City.  Taking a side trip to Fairport to spend a few precious moments with her on Mother's day week end.
So grateful that Meg and Justin have possibilities in job opportunities and or continued work on his thesis.  When not long ago the job was terminating and the lease on the home was up.  So grateful that Susan is working hard at her business and in keeping the care of the boys.  She is blessed and we are blessed that she has great brothers and sisters supporting her.  Ones that are related and ones that are church family.
We are grateful for our health and the opportunity to be on a mission.  We are grateful for what we know because we are serving a mission.  The Lord blesses you with things that you don't learn any other way.  Thank you for your love and support.  Mom Grandma Sister Christensen

Dad in front of a monument to the confederate unknown soldiers
that fought in the civil war in Tennessee.  On an adventure we drove off the freeway for a needed break and ended
up coming upon a small confederate cemetery  that had about 50 graves.
So interesting the feelings that come when you find sacred spots that have very little worldly recognition.
I have been to Arlington and the feeling was no different here at this little place dedicated for soldiers that fought
so long ago.