Frozen

We are starting to really identify with the new Disney movie Frozen and wonder if it was actually filmed right here in northern Indiana!!!! It seems to be the same urgent winter weather message every day - bitterly cold temperatures and brisk winds giving us wind chills to -25 degrees or more. The plows are kept busy trying to keep the city and country roads somewhat clear as the snow and wind play their game of "hide and seek".

Our deck in the backyard.

Church was canceled again on Sunday, but we were given permission to hold a little Sacrament meeting in our home with some of the members/investigators. (They were really brave to venture out on a red travel warning day!)

Points to Ponder & Perfect Polly

We always love getting together for District Meeting. Today we were joined by our Zone Leaders, Elders Martin and Smith. We had a wonderful meeting conducted by Elder Allred, followed by a lasagna lunch, and Elder Chamber's rendition of that dear old Scout song favorite, 'Father Abraham.' May I say how uplifting THAT was. It brought tears to our eyes!!! Thanks to Sister Rolfe and Sister Wight for the delicious cheesecake.

 Elder Allred preparing our 'food for thought.'

 His points were well taken by the district. We were a very attentive group!!

 Elder Stringham, Sister Rolfe, Sister Wight, Elder Allred, Elder McClellan, Elder McFarland, Elder Chambers, Elder Martin, and Elder Smith ready to chow down.

It's official...thanks to Elder Allred, the Angola missionaries now have their very own pets. As the box says, Perfect Polly is the world's perfect pet - details so realistic, only you will know it's not real! She even makes charming parakeet sounds. And she never needs feeding! Of course we love our Polly so much and find her very easy to care for. She makes us happy :)

#angolaelders - #socialmediasplit

The Ohio Cincinnati Mission's Social Media Day was held on Saturday. On this day our missionaries were followed around and photographed by ward and branch members doing what they do best - teaching, preaching, serving, visiting, baking - I guess the list could go on and on. Anyway, I thought you might enjoy seeing some of the things OUR elders were up to on that day. If you'd like to see more, just refer to the hashtags above. (We Love you, Elders Allred and Stringham!) 

Tale of Two Cities

We are normally right at home working in our little town of Angola, but last week took us to Fort Wayne three times. We had Zone Meeting on Tuesday, Zone Conference on Wednesday, and a Zone Weekly Planning on Friday.

 We sure enjoy the spirit we feel when interacting with these dear Elders and sweet Sisters. And, of course, President Porter is always awesome.

Our District enjoyed a Culver's lunch stop before returning back 'up north'.

Transfers

On Thursday, we experienced our first Transfer Day in our mission. Transfers took place in Centerville, Ohio - hardly the center point of the mission!! Anyway...it was exciting as well as touching as we watched changes being made in companionships. 

This says it all.Good-by to our dear Elder Phillips. We will miss him:/

Welcome to our new Elder Stringham. We will enjoy getting to know him.

 On our way back home to the Promised Land of Angola we stopped for lunch. This is another local favorite - Cincinnati Chili. On a bed of spaghetti noodles is a spicy chili covered high with shredded cheese and topped with oyster crackers. I'm not sure I was such a fan of the concoction, but the Elders seemed to chow it down with no trouble!

Winter Wonderland in Outer Angolia

Saturday took us to Shipshewana, an Amish community 30 miles west of Angola, with Branch member Tammie. We ran some errands, shopped, and enjoyed what seems to be a local favorite - homemade chicken noodles over mashed potatoes. I must say that it was really quite tasty even though it was screaming carb overload.

So, what do four missionaries do when the 'big storm' hits and there is twelve inches of snow that is blowing around at thirty mph and a wind chill factor of -45 degrees and you're forbidden to leave your house without having your car impounded and charged $100 to get it out?! Well, you bring the Elders over to your house so they can keep warm and safe and you spend 61 hours together shoveling, checking to make sure it is really as cold as they say it is, eating, and, of course, doing real missionary stuff like studying, reading, planning and calling the members to make sure they are all OK.

The bacon hot chocolate was not that good:(

Yes, Elder Phillips, it really WAS that cold!!!!!!

Shoveling out a member's driveway (after the driving ban was lifted).

I think our favorite diversion was 'making snow'. You take some super hot water outside and throw it up in the air and - wow - instant snow. Of course, the temperature must be waaaaaaay below zero. This kept the Elders busy for a lonnnnnng time:)

  

Moments With Our Missionaries

Transfers are coming this week and we may be losing some of the missionaries in our Kendallville District so I wanted to post these pictures before the inevitable happens. I know - we can't keep them forever. They're pretty special though!

A few weeks ago I showed you where the senior missionaries (us) lived. Today I will show you where the young ones call home. Sister Rolfe and Sister Fox live in downtown Kendallville up those million steps in a cozy, tiny apartment. Elder Chambers and Elder McFarland live on some random street in Auburn in a more spacious place. (ha)

Elder Phillips and Elder Allred live right in downtown Angola on the round-about, above the Jitterbug. They must climb a billion stairs to get to their home! (And what a home it is!!!)

 Our Branch visits take us right up to the Michigan state line. Elder Phillips and I were very careful NOT to step foot outside our mission boundaries.

 Six of the Ohio Cincinnati Mission's finest! Toasting the New Year at their chili lunch after our District Meeting this week.

We always look forward to our P-Day Monday with the Elders. Between doing the laundry and shopping for groceries, we love to check out the many fine eateries in the area. Last Monday we went to the Trine University campus and ate at the Depot. We couldn't resist reenacting the famous map photo-op from the MTC. This time, however, we used a map of Indiana. (We are supposed to pointing to Angola!)