November Activities

Servoss Saga –  2 December 2012

It is much easier to paste somethings in rather than start new, so we are adding this Saga from our newsletter:

It is already the 2^nd of December and we just had our first little taste of snow here.  Unfortunately it did not stay, so we still don’t know what the “real” winters here are like.  The winter season is just starting though, so we should be content with the good weather.  

Another busy month has slipped by.  We started out November with a surprise meeting with a visiting couple at church.  They asked if we were related to Trent Servoss, who is our eldest son.   We were happy to say that he was our son.  They told us that they are from the same Stake of the church in Layton and know Trent.  We ended up inviting them (Dennis & Barb Carver) to dinner and then invited them to stay with us.  Tropical Storm Sandy was bearing down on the east coast, so they were happy to be able to stay with us.  We enjoyed spending part of the week with them and sharing our knowledge of the many historical sites that we have here. 

The next week we went through the national Presidential Election.  Although we were disappointed with the outcome, we knew that for some reason the Lord did not feel it was time for a different president, let alone a Mormon President.  We know that much good came from the awareness that the country attained of a good man with good values.  It also showed the nation that the Mormon church is not so strange.   We pray that Pres. Obama realizes that he needs to rely more on God and think more about the people.  We have been promised that our country will survive, even if it may be a rough road.  We now pray for the president and congress to make better decisions.  

Back to missionary work:  We had a week of Zone Conferences with good training.  We are always very involved at those times.  Kae stays in the office and handles the office duties, while the other three of us go to the conference locations to inspect the fleet of cars.  I return after lunch to the office to join her.  Then on the last day, Saturday, we closed the office and all traveled to Buffalo.  There we did the usual inspections and then attended the training with the others.  Kae and I were surprised when we were asked to bear testimony, towards the last of the meeting, with those who will be returning home before the next Zone Conference.  That was a shocking reality.  We will not be here in mid February.  The present plan is that we should be released to leave here at the end of January.  

We also had some specialized training during the month.  They were meetings of two zones jointly and required that the office staff prepare the meal for 70.  It is always good to meet with the other senior couples and the young missionaries.  There is much excitement here with the new missionary ages.  We have just received the notification on four new younger Elders that will be coming to join our mission in February.   We expect many more of the younger missionaries next year.  The mission is expecting to receive 100 new missionaries by the end of next year.  Mission boundaries may also change.  

On Thanksgiving Day we visited an investigator and her member husband.  They are the ones that we met at WalMart in October.  Jenn is still taking lessons and progressing.  Tracey is still healing from a car accident.  They are really good people and the LDS Church can offer so much more for them.  We keep praying for them and fellowshipping them.  

That same evening we went to the Hill Cumorah Visitor Center basement, as we did last year, and joined with 18 other senior couples for a nice meal.  We soon realized that President and Sister Christianson, Elder & Sister Jensen, and the two of us were the only couples that were in attendance at this event last year.  We can now say that we will be finished here the end of next month.  It is so great serving here.  There are such great feelings that come from serving our fellowmen.  

A week ago we made a trip to Ithaca to visit our son-in-law, Matt Pierce’s, parents.  We had a great time getting to know them better and being able to see the campus of Cornell University.   Elly showed us a bridge that he had spent five months working on, welding hundreds of joints.  Vicki works in a surgical unit and keeps very busy.  It was a nice visit to Ithaca.  We also enjoyed seeing Cayuga Lake (the biggest of the Finger Lakes).  This is such beautiful country, we will miss living here.  We do look forward to being back with family.  That is really where our hearts are.  

A great capstone to November actually took place yesterday, December 1^st.  The two LDS Wards here, Pittsford, Fairport, hosted a choir concert at 4 pm.  The local United Church choir and the Presbyterian Church choirs joined with the two Ward choirs for a wonderful program.  There was also some narration.  There were two of our members who entered the darkened chapel dressed as Mary and Joseph.  They each sang wonderful solos as Mary held the little baby Jesus.  There was a strong spirit present and the music was great.  After the program all were invited into the cultural hall which was lined on two walls with small Nativity scenes.  Everyone was able to mingle and visit with members of any of the three religions present.  All present were very impressed with the program and expressed a desire to do this on an annual basis. 

We look forward to this wonderful month and the special season that helps us to focus on the birth of Jesus Christ and the gospel that brings peace to the world.  Along with the gift giving, may we all remember to keep Christ in Christmas.  Let us all enjoy contact with family and visits where possible.

HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS, and a glorious New Year filled with hope and joy.

With much love, Elder & Sister Servoss (Kent & Kae, Mom & Dad, Grandma & Grandpa)