FHL MIssion Week 40-42

Well sorry it has been awhile since I have posted anything but it is getting hard to find new things to say.  I am not trunky but things are winding down to our release date in a few short weeks.  Since the last blog I have had a birthday and the opportunity to spend some time with the grandchildren. It has been fun.

I have been training Elder Sorensen of Nampa, to take my place at the library and doing the scheduling. He is a fast learner and will do a great job. This month we lost a number of good missionaries; Sister Dykes of Colorado, Sister Chyrell Hansen CSM, and Elder Ritchie also a CSM.  Elder and Sister Hinckley will be leaving in about 2 weeks and Elder Price and his wife will take over the job of zone leaders.

We have a few new missionaries to the zone; Elder and Sister Ruggles from Texas,  Elder Jensen from Kuna, ID,  and Elder Hernandez from Arizona.

President Tate has issued a challenge to all the missionaries to read the Book of Mormon 3 times in the next 3 months; with different assignments for each reading.  It will require reading about 18 pages a day.  It is quite the big task, not sure if I can do it, but will try.

Last month Sharon and I attended the Manti Temple with some of the Sisters in our Zone.  It was a great drive down and the session was great, we followed it up with lunch in the cafeteria. The ground and temple were beautiful, the art work and craftmanship of the Temple were impressive.  WE hope to make it up to the Ogden Temple this month.

We have in our zone a special Sister who has a very special gift. She is able to see people through the veil.  At first we were quite unsure  but after a few experiences we believe her.  the other day Sharon was giving th spiritual thought in our afternoon devotional.  Afterward this sister came up and told Sharon that during her thought she saw Sharon's great parents standing next to her. How she knew it was her great grandparent I don't know, but the Sister stated they were pleased that Sharon is working on their ancestral lines.  Sharon and I were both touched by her sincerity.  These thing do happen often at the library as little miracles occur each day.

Well I must get off to the Library. Hope this finds everyone happy and healthy.

E/S Waller, Mom & Dad, Chuck & Sharon, Bama & Bampa
                                                                                                                   

Family History weeks 38 & 39

Hi everyone;

Well as you can tell I am getting slack in writing every week.  things just keep happening that I have already blogged about.  We continue to be busy at the Library and are in constant need of more help.  I have been extremely busy with the scheduling and Zone Leader Assistant duties for the two weeks.

This last couple weeks have been filled with unfortunate happenings.  We were all saddened at the death of President Packer.  What a great man and he will sorely be missed in the church.  We also had a shock last week, when Sister Calaway passed away unexpectantly.  She was post op for her ankle fracture and had been doing well.  They replaced her soft cast with a hard cast and evidently she suffered an Emboli. Elder Calaway had been  at the Library that evening and went home early to give his wife a present, when he tried to wake her for her evening medications, she had passed away.  We are all saddened for his loss.

This week I celebrated another birthday, they come so fast anymore. Sharon and I got to go golfing with Erika and Aaron the other evening, we managed to missed the evening thunderstorms and had a great time.

A few weeks ago Sister Disque gave a spiritual thought in our afternoon devotional. She recalled a time when she was at a stop on her family line, a real road block.  She had been working years on the line but going nowhere.  So she finally decided to take the matter to the Temple. While sitting in the Celestial room she called them out by name and then bore her testimony to them of the truthfulness of the Gospel and the need for their assistance in doing the work.  She asked them to get busy and help her.  She then reported that over the next few days she found 34 names on this dead end line. So her relatives came through with some needed help.

So last week I decided to try and ask for some help on the Eliza Wilkinson line.  this has been a dead end for over 50 years.  Gran had done great research but always believed Eliza's last name was Smith and that she was married to Samuel Pruitt.  Well Alisha found out that her maiden name was really Wilkinson and she found a marriage record but no family for Eliza.  So Sharon and I went tot he Temple and did as Sister Disque. We bore our testimony of the need for this work and the need for some help.  I spent a few days researching  the Marengo county records and found a book that showed all the farmers plots in the county.  There they were, the Pruitt's and the Wilkinson's all with in 3 miles of each other.  I have narrowed it down to either the George Wilkinson family or the Nathaniel Wilkinson family. I need to go and search the probate records for wills now. This work is so important!

Also in this last 2 weeks our faithful car started having problems.  The transmission started to make noise and the repair man said I would throwing money into a big hole to repair a 17 year old car.  It has been an expense the last few years keeping it up and running right,  So we made the decision to look for another car. We finally settled on a new Honda Accord.  We have had one before and you just can't go wrong with a an Accord.

We got to take it on a little ride down to the Manti Temple last week and at one point had the mileage up to 40 MPG, but the average was around 36 MPG.  So we now have a car payment, yuk!

Well that is about all the news from here.  We are moving forward to our release date and have starting filling out papers on the apartment for closing our rental agreement.  The last day of work is the 20th of September, and it will come fast.

Love to all

Chuck & Sharon, Mom & Dad, Bama & Bampa E/S Waller

Family History Mission Week 36 & 37

Hi everyone;

The last couple of weeks have been filled with fun, aches, pain and a good dose of spiritual uplift. We have received a new Mission President to replace President Workman.  President Tate and his wife have served as Mission Presidents in the Las Vegas Mission and he a Area Authority Seventy. He has chosen to keep President Oliver as a counselor and added Elder Larsen from the US Canada zone as his other counselor.  They will bring new life and a different fell to the mission, as all new mission Presidents do.  We are sad to see President Workman and Johns leave us but time marches on.

Last week one of our good missionary friends Sister Kohla suffered a stroke and was hospitalized.  She has further needs for surgery and will be released from her mission assignment.  She has served for 5 years in the hosting zone and was an inspiration to us all.  She brought happiness and hard work to the zone.  She would rise each more and go to curves to exercise then fill a full day at the Library, all this at age 80!! We will miss her and her sweet spirit.  Also leaving us, tho under much better circumstances is Sister Dearinger. She has served as a CSM and now leaves the mission to help her 6 daughters and daughters in law with their pregnancy, wow full time work.  One is over in Italy, so Sister Dearinger will be traveling, but we hope to see her back in the mission field at a later date.

We have received some new missionaries to the Hosting Zone; E/S Ruggles from Texas and Sister Isaacson from Ohio.  We are happy to have some more help and look forward to getting to know them.

We have also had some losses to our mission family ; Elder Henrie's son was killed on the way home from work down in Cedar City.  His grandson was driving and fell asleep.  The grandson suffered a punctured lung but will be okay. Elder Henrie stated that the whole town of Cedar City came out to support the family.  He called it a miracle that his grandson survived after he saw the truck.  They are all dealing with the loss, but the support of friends family, neighbors and community has made the process easier.

Sister Calaway of our zone was injured this week and had to have surgery on a fractured ankle.  She will be out for at least 3 months.  Elder Calaway reports that he needs to come the Library as she is getting bossy!

We continue to have little miracles happen each day as we assist the guest at the library.  Sharon is now helping people on the main floor and finding out she can do this.  Yesterday we had a bus tour come to the library and I was able to get this couple logged in and research out 3 generation of ancestors in a few minutes. They are so grateful and always appreciative of the Library staff. One big question they ask is " How can you afford to do this"?  It is amazing what you can do with volunteers ( missionaries) tithing dollars and the help of the Lord in this most important work!

Well, we wish you all a good week.  Please enjoy the celebration of the 4th and be safe.

E/S Waller, Mom & Dad, Bama & Bampa, Chuck & Sharon

Family History Mission Week 35

Bom dia!
Well I am trying to get back in the habit of blogging Sunday or Monday of each week.  It is hard sometimes to come up with new things to talk about, but I will keep trying.  Sharon and I had the opportunity to go to the movie last week and saw “Cokeville Miracle”: it was very good and a real tear jerker. The story line is about the 1986 hostage taking of an elementary school in Cokeville, Wyoming.  It was interesting to following and had a good spiritual message.  I would give it 4 stars!

On Thursday we took 3 missionaries from our zone up to Logan, to attend a temple session. It is a beautiful temple.  Sisters Rawlins, Christensen, and Phillips were excited to get to go; we enjoyed  lunch, at Chuck A Rama there in Logan.  The waitress was name Aleesha and she is the niece of Sister Slattery here in the FHL, small world.
Sunday E/S Young spoke in Sacrament meeting and they did a good job.  Sharon and I are counting our blessings for not having to speak, maybe we will make to the end.

We had sad news this week; Earl Palmer of Wenatchee, Washington died in his home in Orem.  The Palmers had become proxy grandparents to our children when they were growing up.  Earl was the help I needed to get my practice started in Moses Lake.  We will miss him dearly but he is now with his sweet heart Shirley.

We received word today that President Workman and President John’s of our mission presidency are being released in the next week or so.  President Workman has been a great example and wonderful leader.  He has served as a member of the Second Quorum of Seventy, Mission President in Hawaii and now the President of the Family and Church Headquarters Mission.  We will have a special Monday Morning devotional on the 22nd with Elders Cook and Anderson of Quorum of the Twelve.  It should be a great meeting!!

We received bad news this weekend as Elder Henrie called and told us his son was killed in an accident down in Cedar City.  Elder Henrie is a CSM who works with the Young elders.  Also this past weekend Sister Kohla had a stroke and probably will have to end her mission early, although this is her 5th year as a FH missionary.  She is 84 and a great example to us all.

Last week I had an Elijah moment while working as a host.  A gentleman came in and I welcomed him to the library; I asked him what he would like to do and he stated that he had been here about a year ago but wasn’t very successful in finding any information.  I told him we would get a helper for him in his research and directed him to a computer on the main floor.  I then went looking for someone to help him.  We were not very busy and there were a number of people that were available to help, but I looked across the room and had a feeling I needed to ask Elder Dominguez.  Elder Dominguez is a young missionary in our zone who is serving as a zone leader and a great young man.  So I went over and asked if he would be available to help a guest. He replied “no problem”.  So I introduced him to the man and then went back to my assigned area.  Later the man came out and was walking on cloud nine!! “I found my great grandfather and more” he stated.  “And that Elder Dominguez is great” he said.  He then related that Elder Dominguez had tried to help him last year without success, but this year a miracle occurred. We have these things happening all the time.

Saturday I was working as a guest helper with this Jewish gentleman.  He assured me we would probably not find anything as he had very little information about his family.  So we began and soon had his father in the 1940 census.  He assured me the family name was spelled only one way “Beerstein”, but I kept telling him that is not always the case.  Sure enough we found his great grandparents with a spell of ‘Beirstien”.  I even found a marriage record for him, he was elated and words were hard for him to express. He finally asked my name and said, “I want to remember you!”
So you see small miracles occur here every day; what a joy to be a part of this great work!

Well that is about it for this week, hope everyone is doing well and finding time to search a little in Family Search.

Love to all,
E/S Waller, Bama & Bampa, Mom & Dad, Chuck & Sharon

                                                                 Elder Domingues and Ottensen

Family History Week 33 and 34

Hi Everyone;
Well I seem to be getting later and later on my blog posting.  Sometimes it is difficult to think of things to say and news to report.  This past week was no exception; it was just a busy week.  The Library is a major draw for the tourist coming to Salt Lake City.  Each day the tour buses line up for visits to Temple Square and the Library.  We have been especially busy getting people personal accounts on Family Search.

I had the opportunity of working with Elder James Martino of the Seventy for a few hours; we were trying to find family names, so his granddaughter could do some baptisms in the Nauvoo Temple.  We found one on his side and his wife found 6; so she will have enough to do. Elder Martino was pleasant and I showed him some new tools on Family Search.

I was helping this couple from Michigan the other day, and they got so excited on finding grandparents and other relatives. They left the library extremely happy with lots of praise for all the workers; that is what makes it fun each day!

Of course as with everyone, we were saddened with the loss of Elder Perry.  He was indeed a great example of a true disciple of Christ.  His last conference address on the family was terrific. He will truly be missed.

 The other evening I started to get a head ache and had a difficult time sleeping, actually I didn’t sleep; as my jaw began to hurt.  So yesterday it was off to the dentist.  I called Jerry Black (our old friends here in SLC) and he referred me to his son Brian. Jerry told me of his and Debbie's recent accident.  They were down in San Diego and were involved in a 5 car freeway accident.  Our prayers go out to them for a speedy recovery, I wonder if chocolate would help.  We might have to pay them a visit to help in the recovery.  As we get older it seems we just don’t mend as quickly; Sharon is still having problems from her fall.

We have received a number of new couples to our zone; Elder and Sister Price, and Elder and Sister Sorensen.  They will be fun to work with and get to know.  Well that is about all the news for this week.  Oh yeah, we did go to Rich Farnsworth’s ward on Sunday.  Rich is the Bishop and asked if we would take the 3rd hour combined meeting.  He wanted us to talk about our mission and Family Search.  It went well and Sharon did a great job recalling Elijah moments here in the Library.  She went around collecting stories of special moments others have had, as they work with guest and do their own research.  As she writes some of them down I will share them.

We also had at the Library the Global Family Reunion, it was well attended and the rain stayed away till after the party. They had bounce house and rock climbing walls, dancers and speakers.  They had closed off West Temple in front of the Library for the festivities.

Tchau!

Family Hisry Mission Week 32

Hi everyone;

This has been a great week. We have been extremely busy this past week, what with th combining of Zones, and the scheduling problem. I have been kept with all the changes. Plus I have had to increase my time on the floor. It has been fun helping the guest with finding relatives.

On Saturday I helped a couple from Michigan find their parents. The wife was extremely excited when I found her grandfather and his Findagrave page with a picture.

Sunday we spent the evening driving around to the local cemeteries. We visited 3 to find Sharon’s family. The grave sites were all in good condition. Today we worked around the apartment and then spent the afternoon at the golf course. Both Sharon and I struggled especially because the 4 some in front of us were very slow.

We then went over to Erika’s and enjoyed a nice dinner with the family. They were very busy in yard. They had spent the weekend up in the mountains and had returned home to try and prepare their garden site, big project.

Hope everyone had a great Memorial Day. We want to give all those who have served in the Military and grateful, THANKYOU!!!

E/S Waller, Bama & Bampa, Mom & Dad, Sharon and Chuck

                                                 Sister's Dykes, Conlin, Stansel, And Sharon in Lobby

                                                        Sisters Hunter and Thompson

Temple from our Sunday School Classroom

Family History Mission week 31

Bom Dia!

It has been a great week here in the Salt Lake Valley, it rained about every day! The water is sorely needed and the rain is answers to prayers.  We have been kept busy planning on the combining of two zone, this will add another 35-40 people to our zone and increase our area of responsibility.  So much planning and scheduling activity has been happening.

We had the opportunity to go to the Payson Tempe Open house last week.  Wow what a gorgeous Temple, but it should be known as the exercise Temple, there are a lot of stairs to climb.  One feature I enjoyed seeing is all the area for sitting, which would give lots of places to sit and meditate.  The stain glass windows and all the light coming in made it very warm and inviting.  We traveled down with three Sisters in our Zone; Sisters Hansen, Christensen and Phillips.  On the way back we stopped at Chuck A Rama for lunch.  As we were approaching Payson a weather front moved in and we had tremendous wind and a little rain, but all was quite in the Temple.

The flowers around Temple Square have been in full bloom and I was able to get a picture before they were all torn out for the next round of flowers.  They keep the grounds looking beautiful all year, what a great place to walk every day.

Sharon had her second Sunday of playing the organ and did a great job this week, but her only problem was she forgot the order of the songs and started playing the closing hymn as the open hymn! President Klopfer jumped up to remind her which song.  It was a good light moment.

We start this week with bus tours that come through SLC and make a 1 hr stop at the Library.  We have to give a short presentation and help them to understand what is available at the Library.  Some of them are a little nervous about signing up for Family Search, we think that they are thinking we will send the missionaries or that we baptize right in the Library.  There is a quite release of air when we assure them everything is free with not release of their information.

We also had a devotional last week with Elder Neil Andersen of the Twelve. It was a good presentation and message.  it was announced that we have gone over the 400K for name submitters to the Temple.  Our goal for the year was to increase from about 200K last year to 500K this year and we are well on they way of crushing that record. Thanks everyone for find your ancestors and submitting names.

Well hope everyone has a great week and keep on search for ancestors!

E/S Waller, Chuck & Sharon, Mom & Dad, Bama & Bampa

Sisters Christensen, Hansen and Rawlins

                                                     Flowers between Admin Bldg and JSMB

Family History Library Week 30

Hi Everyone;

It has been raining here all week, truly an answer to people’s prayers!  The area is indeed in need of more moisture and the rain this last week will help the overall water situation.
We continue to be busy in the Library, with all the usual things. We are having more and more foreigner’s visit the Library, which makes communications difficult at times.  We are quickly heading into the combining of the US/ Canada and hosting Zone.  Actually just a part of the US/Canada zone will be transferred over to our zone.  This will increase my job working on the schedule, oh well things have to get done!

Sharon has been practicing two or three times a week on the organ and is getting better.  Her first Sunday as organist didn’t go very well, but she is trying to get back into the swing of things.  It is amazing how rusty you get on things like that, when you aren’t using your talents.

Elder and Sister Richins final got their VISA’s to Australia and left for Brisbane.  They arrived safely and are already in the saddle so to speak.  We have received a new couple in the Zone; Elder and Sister Sorensen from Nampa Idaho, they are sorely needed and will be a great help.

I had to give the spiritual thought the other day and was telling a story about my Father; afterwards Sister Montague wanted to know more about him, so I shared a lot of his stories.  Later I heard her talking to another missionary and she mentioned 29 Palms, California.  So I asked her about that, and she said she and her husband were stationed there in the early 70’s. I told her that my father and mother were there at that time and she then put 2 and 2 together and realized that her husband and my father served in the bishopric together.  She remembered mom and her cactus pear jelly and also remembered many of the other folks, small world!

Well that is about it for this week.  Love to all!

E/S Waller, Mom & Dad, chuck & Sharon, Bama and Bampa

Family History Week 29

HI everyone;
I am slipping on the weekly blog, because I have little to say except it has been a great week!! Which after a time gets rather boring to read as it isn’t much news.  This past week we did have some memorable moments though.
We had an early morning devotional with David Glen Hatch.  He is a world famous pianist and presented a wonderful spiritually uplifting devotional.  I have never seen fingers move so fast around the keyboard.  He in a sense attacked the keyboard and it responded with many different moods of music; soft, loud, soothing, harsh and brash, the whole spectrum!
We have lost a number of missionaries this week from our zone; Sisters, Hill, Ray, Nichols, Ollivier and Elder and Sister Richin’s.  The Richin’s are off to Brisbane, Australia, as their VISA finally came through with approval. They are being replaced by E/S Sorensen from Nampa, Idaho.
In about 2 weeks we will be combining with half the US/Canada Zone.  We will then be responsible for the entire 1st floor; so all the Hosting zone oldies have to learn how to help the guest with logging into Family Search.  This also means I will have another 30 or 40 people to schedule each week, yuck!
We had a surprise visit this past weekend by Scott , Yahiza and Ehylah; we had a great time and enjoyed the break. Scot and I even got to play a little golf, until the lightning struck a few miles away.  We quickly evacuated the course.
Well that is about all the news for the past week. Hope this finds everyone healthy and happy!
Love to all,
E/S Waller, Chuck & Sharon, Bama & Bampa, Mom & Dad

Family HistoryWeek 28

Hi everyone;

Slow on the blog this week, but we are still here a doing great.  This past week we had the opportunity to do a number of things that were exciting. To start with; we had an
Aloha Branch dinner Monday night.  We welcomed all the new missionaries and said goodbye to those leaving.  It was then followed by a musical fireside with Janice Kapp Perry.  She is one funny lady.  we laughed and cried with her stories.  It was a very enjoyable evening.

Saturday evening we attended the Temple Square Spring Concert.  The Chorale and orchestra were fantastic!! Although the Choral song were in Italian and we had to read the handout to follow along, it was great.

The Library continues to be busy and the numbers of missionaries gets fewer and fewer, but we are surviving.  Here is a thought from Gordon B Hinckley:

" It is tremendously significant to me that... this repetition of the wondrous words of Malachi concerning the work for the dead, was given to the boy Joseph four years before he was allowed to take the plates from the hill.  It was given before he received either the Aaronic or Melchizedk Priesthood, before he was baptized, and well before the Church was organized.  It says much concerning the priority of this work in the plan of the Lord".

May we all continue to search out our ancestors.

Tchau for this week

E/S Waller, Mom & Dad, Chuck & Sharon, Bama & Bampa

Family History Week 27

Good Sabbath to everyone;

It has been the usual busy week here in Salt Lake City. We actual got one day of rain, which we have all been praying for.  We had many visitors from around the world this week, following General Conference and the Library was kept quite busy.  I had one gentleman ask if he could donate to the Library as he was not a member of the Church.  When I told him everything was free except print he said " Yes I know but this must cost a fortune to run".  There are some really great people in the world.

Because of the shortage of missionaries at the Library they have discontinued the Men's Choir and Sister's choir; we now have just the one choir " The Elijah Choir". This makes most of me sad, as I really enjoyed singing with the Men's Choir.

Last night we had our Hosting Zone Spring Social.  We had a great attendance and President Klopfer spoke after a great dinner.  Elder Hinckley had asked me to put together a special musical number for the program.  So I got together all the young Elders and we sang " Brightly Beams Our Fathers Mercy".  I started off and singing alone and then gradually the Elders came and joined in; as if entering a safe harbor.  It came off well!

President Klopfer gave a great talk about his families experience in East Germany and their escape; I have included Part 1 of a 3 part story,it is a very inspiring story.

Spring still is in full bloom around temple Square and we enjoy the walks daily walks.

Sister Missionaries on Temple Square. It is always fun to stop and talk a few minutes and find out about them and their mission.

                                                                                 Love the flowers

Well everyone have a great week, Love to All!

E/S Waller, Chuck & Sharon, Mom & Dad, Bama & Bampa

Family History Mission Week 26

Hi everyone,

Well it has been a busy week and especially a busy week end.  The number of missionaries has drop significantly over the last month and scheduling at the FHL has become difficult.  I get the preliminary schedule on Monday and then work through all the problems of meetings, classes, leave of absence , sickness and just plan request not to work, this leaves the schedule sometimes really short of people.

Sharon has been invited by President Koplfer to practice on the Joseph Smith Memorial Building organ.  He has given her a brief overview of the organ and she has had two practices.  Wow what an instrument!  It can produce some remarkable sound.  Sharon is a little rusty on her organ performance skill s and needs some more practice time.  She is trying to schedule twice a week,and then uses the small keyboard at the apartment to get her fingers back in shape.

Conference was a major hit and the weather was absolutely perfect.  the flowers were gorgeous and the crowds overwhelming.  We had many visitors from around the world coming into the Library to do work, and it was fun speaking to all the different nationalities. One of my favorite quotes from conference was by Elder  Renlund as he quoted Nelson Mandela;

Dec 2013, the world mourned the death of Nelson Mandela. After 27 yrs. of imprisonment for his role in the apartheid struggle, he was the 1st democratically elected Pres. of So. Africa. His forgiveness for those who imprisoned him was remarkable. He received widespread praise & acclaim. Mandela frequently deflected accolades by say, “I’m no saint; that is unless you think a saint is a sinner who keeps on trying.” This statement, “A saint is a sinner who keeps on trying” should reassure & encourage members of the Church. Altho’ we are referred to as Latter-day Saints, we sometimes flinch at the reference. The term “saints” is commonly used to designate those who have achieved a level of holiness or even perfection. And we know perfectly well that we are not perfect. God cares less about who we were & more about who we are becoming. God cares that we keep on trying. If we don’t repent & keep on trying, then we are just “Latter-day sinners” OR Latter-day Hypocrites.


Hope you all have a great week and stop to smell the flowers!

E/S Waller, Chuck & Sharon, Bama & Bampa, Mom & Dad

Family History Mission Week 25

Hi everyone;

Sorry for the delay in blogging, but just didn't feel like writing this past week end.  Yes we all do get that way at times, although we had a great week, that was extremely busy.  Sharon was recovering well from her fall a couple of weeks ago, but fell again yesterday to make her knees and hands more sore.  We are contemplating getting her a walking stick!  She has this habit of race walking everywhere we go, and with the uneven sidewalks in places she can catch a heel or toe.  She is on the mend though, just have to train her on how to " tuck and roll".

We had a great Sunday service this past week.  Elder Waddell of the 1st Quorum of Seventy was at our meetings and taught a great Relief Society, Priesthood combined meeting.  His mother-in-law, Sister Stansel, works in our zone. We enjoyed his remarks.

Last week Elder and Sister Webster finished their mission. I have taken over Elder Webster's duties of working the schedule. It has added to my duties as the Harvey's have been transferred down to the British Zone in the Library; with this added responsibilities I am kept quite busy all day, making little time for research.

This past week we had spiritual thought given by Elder Conlin (from Soda Springs, ID) that was great.  It was called Maybe Good or maybe bad; to soon to tell.

Sorry the type is small, but it is a great message on the need to have patience in our trials that we face.

This week Temple Square has been ablaze with color, as the trees and flowers are in full bloom. Spring is one of my favor times of the year as we see life coming back after a long winter sleep, although this winter has been remarkably mild, it still is nice to see the color of the flowers and trees around Temple Square.

Hope you have a great week and take time to smell the flowers!!

E/S Waller, Chuck & Sharon, Mom & Dad, Bama & Bampa

Family History Mission week 24

Bom dia everyone;

It has been a busy week here in SLC.  we learned this week that one of the assistant Zone Leaders was being transferred which will now double my work load.  Our numbers continue to drop in the Zone and it is going to be hard to keep each library position occupied.

I learned this week where I got my middle name, Prentice. It come from George O Prentice who was born in Pennsylvania and married into the Powe line.  Most of the temple work for his family has been done but his work is still pending.

Sharon and I had the opportunity to attended the Draper Temple this week, what a beautiful setting and temple.  we also did a session at the Salt Lake Temple doing sealing work.  good feelings and spiritual times.

We spent Friday afternoon with Chrissy and family. Enjoyed the grandchildren and the extremely beautiful weather. Saturday was spent on outings with our social group and choir group.  We spent about 2 hours in the Daughter of the Utah Pioneers Museum here in Salt Lake. Wow was that fun and interesting. You need at least half a day there to see all the exhibits.  There was this old piano ( big piano) that was hauled across the plains in a covered wagon, but when the oxen got to tired they buried it along the trail covered or wrapped it in buffalo hides.  Then a year later came back and dug it up, it was beautiful. There were so many interesting things to look at.  We will have to make a family date to tour it again!

Our evening was spent with the Elijah Choir social. lots of food and games. It was fun and entertaining.

Spring has sprung in all its glory here in the mountain west.   The flowers around Temple Square are beautiful. It is such a great reminder of the renewal of life and the Savior's resurrection and atonement that makes life possible for us all.

May your week be fill with happiness and love.

Sisters Gutierez, Kohla, Webster and Hill

Painting of Mormon Trail in Muesuem

Stain glass window in the museum

E/S Waller, Chuck & Sharon, Mom & Dad, Bama & Bampa

Family History Week 23

Bom Dia!

Well this has been a short week since the last blog.  We arrived back in Salt Lake City to find all well and the weather terrific!  Unfortunately we need a lot of rain this spring to fill the needs of the valley. Again it was a good time in Meridian with family and we enjoyed all the grandchildren and children.

Sharon took a fall on Thursday walking to the Library.  She is a little bruised up and slowed down but nothing is broken.  She has been asked to play the organ in the Joseph Smith Building.  President Klopfer called and asked her to get some prelude music and then call him so he could orient her on the organ, she will be delayed a few days what with her bruised hands from the fall.

We spent our P Day out at Erika's house, Sharon needed help doing her hair and I got to play some golf.  It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed being in their home.  Reese has placed 1st in her age group for art.  She submitted a watercolor picture she did of a young girl standing on the earth roping the moon.  It really is a good work of art, she is very talented!

We have been kept busy at our positions in the Library with keeping everyone or every position filled.  We are so short handed at times that it becomes difficult to fill all the post around the Library. We are hoping for more missionaries soon.  We did get two new Church Service Missionaries this past week; Elder Abbott from Taylorsville and Sister Watts from Eagle Mountain.  They will each work two day a week, that helps some.

It has been rather depressing watching the news lately and all the trouble in the world and in our own country. The signs of the times are truly being shown in the evil that pervades;  Although at the same time we see such great goodness in others.  It truly is a time to have faith and exercise courage as we fight against the evil in the world.  I came across this quote from Bruce R McConkie back in 1977 that sums up what we face today.

This certainly rings true today. May our hope and faith in Christ lead us and guide us along the path that brings true joy and happiness, as we strive to become His true disciples.

Everyone have a great week, and may the Lord bless us all in our trials.

E/S Waller, Mom & Dad, Bama & Bampa, Chuck & Sharon

                                        Flowers on Temple Square. I love the spring flowers!

Family History Mission Week 22

HI everyone;

Sorry this blog is late but we had an eventful week and weekend.  The library was fairly bust and we kept up the same routine each day.  Thursday following our class we picked up Livvy and Callie and headed for Meridian for the weekend.  we had approval to go home for Doctor appointments on Monday. Chris and Nick followed along with the other two children. So we had a mini reunion of sorts over the weekend.

We found everything in order at the house and enjoyed visiting and being around all the children and grandchildren. We played games, went on a hike and picnic.  The weather was great!  Our doctor visits went well and we headed home on Tuesday.

Today has been busy catching up at the Library with paper work and schedules. The Elijah choir is practicing for the Easter program and music is really difficult but I have the young Elders to keep on pitch.

Sister Rae Hill gave our spiritual thought today and I would like to share her message.  Since it is about time to start planting the garden, it seem very appropriate.

FOOD FOR OUR NEEDS

1st Plant Four Rows of Peas

Presence

Promptness

Perseverance

Preparation

Next Plant Three Rows of Squash

Squash Gossip

Squash Indifference

Squash Criticism 

Then Plant Four Rows of Lettuce

Let us be true to our obligations

Let us be faithful to duty

Let us be loyal and unselfish

Let us love one another

No Garden Is Complete without Turnips

Turn up for meetings

Turn up with a smile

Turn up with new ideas

Turn up with determination

Make everything count for something good & worthwhile.

"Fear not to do good my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward."  D& C 6:33

Love to all, may your garden be productive and lovely this year.

E/S Waller, Mom & Dad, Chuck & Sharon, Bama & Bampa

Sister Leighton, Dykes and Hughes

Note: Sister Leighton was working at the Library in 1999 when a shooting occurred. She was injured with a gun shot to the head. Two were killed and three others injured.  She is 96 and comes in twice a week to work at the Library, and is bound and determined to make it to 100. Great example!

Family History Mission week 21

Hi everyone;

Sorry to be a day late but just didn't feel like being on the computer yesterday.  It has been a hectic week but that is getting to be the usual thing in the Library.  This week we had the Choral directors convention in town with many groups performing around Temple Square.

Sharon and I had the opportunity to go down to Orem and visit with Earl Palmer.  It was good to see him and that he is doing well. We also got to have a short visit with Sister Bikhazi, she sings in the Tabernacle Choir and had some extra tickets for the Saturday evening performance.  We attended the performance with Chrissy and Nick, it was great.  Sister Bikhazi served with us in Cape Verde.

We ran into some missionaries who have been following us around the mission field. They serve after us in Brazil and then went to Cape Verde a few years after we left.  He was there when they created a stake on Fogo; Sharon and I wonder where the leaders came from?  Any way it was nice to touch bases with them.

We had a little scare the middle of the week;  President Workman called us to his office, and of course we wondered oh no what are we going to be asked to do now. We worried all night and had great relief when he asked us to help inspect the Elders apartments, WE CAN DO THAT!

As far as genealogy is concerned; I made a little head way on some lines, finding lots of sources.  But I did find an infant, who was not in the family records.  By searching the cemetery records of other members of the family I came across this infant daughter who only lived a few days.  Those are special moments, for now she can be sealed to her parents!

We continue to pray for those who are struggling with loss of loved ones and those who are suffering with illness. Please know we love our Ward family and friends.

Have a great week!

E/S Waller, Mom & Dad, Bama & Bampa, Chuck & Sharon

                                                                               Elder And Sister Harward

                                                                   At the Concert with Chris and Nick

                                                                     Sister Bikhazi

Family History Mission week 20

Hello all;

This past week we celebrated President Day by working all day.  The Library stayed open to accommodate the Roots Tech visitors. We really were not very busy but still had a good day.  In honor of President's day Sister Dearinger gave a morning spiritual thought with quotes from past President's.

Abraham Lincoln:
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."

John Adams:

"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

These were just a few that she quoted. How fit for today when we see so much corruption in our government.  It has been a good week filled with opportunities to assist others with their search for ancestors. Monday evening we welcomed in new missionaries at our bi monthly Aloha dinner.  Stan and Suzi Young were among the new missionaries and continued their Family Search Training this week.  Friday they will receive their assignment with in the mission.  We are anxious to here where they will serve.

 Friday evening we went to the Assembly Hall to hear " American Piano Duo".  Jeffrey Shumway and Del Parkinson played a number of wonderful pieces. My favorites were; Bolero by Ravel and Waltz of the Flowers by Tchaikovsky.  We enjoyed all the pieces and just sitting their letting the music envelop us.

On Thursday we did a Temple session at the Jordan River Temple, it brought back fond memories of serving as ordinance workers.  I sat by President Richard Barker, who serves as a sealer in the Temple.  What a great man!  After all these years of us being away from the area, he still remembers us.

As we serve in the Library we must keep reminding ourselves that we are literally the "face" of the Church.  For many this is their first exposure to the Church, therefore we must present a welcoming face.  This brought to mind a poem about your face.  The author is unknown;

You don't have to tell how you live each day;

You don't have to say if you work or you play;

A tried, true barometer serves in the place-

However you live, it will show in your face.

The false, the deceit that you bear in your heart,

Will not stay inside where it first got a start;

For sinew and blood are a thin veil of lace-

What you wear in your heart, you wear in your face.

If you life is selfless, it for others you live,

For not what you get, but how much you can give;

If you live close to God in his infinite grace-

You don't have to tell it, it shows in your face.

May we each bear a happy countenance as we go about serving others.  this is wishing everyone a glorious week.

E/S Waller, Chuck & Sharon, Mom & Dad, Bama & Bampa

                                                              Plaza behind Church Office Building

                                                                            Hungry Woodpecker

Family History Mission week 19

Dear Family and Friends;

Am I glad this week is over!  We have been involved in Roots Tech week and been extremely busy. I served for 3 days in the cyber cafe helping the conference attendees get onto the computers and logged into Family Search, The conference was well attended and broke last years record.  On Saturday we had upwards of 20,000 people at the conference.

On Friday morning I had the opportunity to sit in on the keynote speaker, Laura Bush.  She did a great job and was interesting to listen to, as she related events of President Bush's term.  She is one lady who has her head on straight.

It was unfortunate that I didn't get to attend any classes, but maybe in the future at another conference.  Sharon did get to come over for a few minutes and see the exhibit hall, but again no classes.  Many of the classes were over booked and people were sitting on the floor or standing.

Wednesday evening we had a missionary appreciation evening at the Conference Center Theater. We had a nice program with a rock band for entertainment.  They sang for about 30 minutes with the high light being their "Corn Dog Song".  The entertainment was then followed by a buffet.  We sat with Elder Hailey and his wife.  He is a service missionary from Centerville. We both have wondered why he is so shy and less talkative. Well we found out as his wife never stopped talking!! It was an enjoyable evening.

Friday evening we attended the BYU Winterfest Ballet performance with Livvy and Calli. It was a Disney theme and the girls got to met some of the dancers. I think by the end of the program they were ready for a break from Ballet.

Saturday evening our social group went to the Theater and watched the Living Legends production by the BYU dancers.  It was a great performance and I think the girls would have like it better than the ballet.

Well so ends another week as we are fast approaching our 1/2 mark in the mission. We are enjoying the time here in the FHL and also the time with family and friends.

Tchau for another week

Mom & Dad, Bama & Bampa, E/S Waller, Chuck & Sharon

                                                                                Livvy and Calli at the Ballet

                                                                                  Cyber Cafe Group

Sister Bishaw from Idaho Boise Mission

Family History Library Week 18

Hello to everyone;

The Mission field is a wonderful place.  Each day we meet new people from interesting places around the world. Last Sunday we welcomed Stan and Suzi Young from the Baldwin Park Ward into the mission.  They have been down at the MTC this past week, and start their training here tomorrow. We are looking forward to having them here in the mission.

This week has been a preparation week for the up coming ROOTS TECH conference at the Salt Palace Conference Center.  It is the largest genealogical conference in the world and upwards of 25,000 people are registered to be in attendance.  Sharon has been busy stuffing the welcome bags and I will be helping in the Cyber Cafe for 3 days.  Hopefully we can break away and learn some new tricks.

We were asked this week to help a couple from the Temple Department do some genealogy, Elder and Sister Glenn.  We spent the better part of 2 hours trying to find some ancestors for them, so they could do Temple work.  I have to admit, that there relatives have done a thorough job in genealogy, because there was no one .  They will have to go back to the end lines a start searching, mainly in England.  It was difficult research and we found no new no names.  they did enjoy looking at " Relative Finder.com" and seeing who are their close cousins.

Yesterday I had an appointment up at the VA, which is mainly to keep my eligibility alive.  The PA decided to take care of a few age spots on my face, ouch! I look  a little bruised up. She also froze some spots on my arms and hands, they remain tender today.  It isn't fun getting old!!

The weather has been great here, with temperatures in the mid to upper 50's, we even broke 60 a few days ago.  The bulbs are starting to poke their heads out of the ground, to early.  Well that is it for this week.  Love to all.

Chuck & Sharon, Mom & Dad, Bama & Bampa, E/S Waller

                                                                           Elder & Sister Kirkland from Carry, Idaho

                                                                             Elder & Sister Moulton

                                                                             Sister Waller lookin good!

                                                                                 Sister Teshima from Hawaii

FHL Week 17

Hi everyone;

This has been a good week with a few new genealogical discoveries. I have been feeling the need to search out Uncle Ralph's genealogy of late. So I started looking for the obvious things.  Fo those not familiar with the Uncle Ralph story , here is a brief synopsis.

Ralph was married to Sharon's aunt (aunt Edna) they lived in Portland , Oregon their entire married lives. They had no children, and upon Edna's death we as a family took to visiting Ralph and check on him.  One day I asked Ralph about his ancestors. He said he was Italian. I asked why his name wasn't Italian? " Oh, Ralph isn't my birth name, it was Angelo Shortino!" After much questioning I found out the family story of name changes without any documentation in the early 1920's. In fact the 1920 census shows a partial name change for all the children of his parents.  Ralph's ( Angelo's) mother died when Ralph was but 2 years old and he wasn't even sure of her given name. He thought maybe Mary, since all Italian women were named Mary.  Actually it was Francesca!! It was luck I asked about his heritage and got the story or the family would have been lost because of the name changes.

It has been difficult to find records other than a few census records. So I began searching for the father's death record. Pasquale died in 1917, he was hit by a car while working as a huckster in Kansas City, Missouri. I looked all over for a death record and could find none. Finally I asked for some help with the Libraries staff. Bingo three strokes on the board and their it was, his death record. Plus it listed his parents in Italy. Unfortunately there was no city of birth or residence in Italy. We also looked for Francesca's death record but to no avail. So the next day I continued the search, trying to follow the researchers steps. I found the State site for Death records and typed in the following for Francesca's name; given name FR, surname SC then a year 1910,1911 up popped a list of deaths and their she was Francesca Sciortina!! The death record also had her parents listed. I had earlier found a death record of her daughter Jennie, who said her mothers maiden name was Rosano, but the death record, has her father as Benedetta. WOW, was I excited!! But again no city of birth in Italy, which makes finding a record hard or almost impossible. So I decided to look at the oldest son for Pasquale and Francesca, who was born in Italy before immigration. Immigration records had so far been of no help. So I put in Gaspar's information and I found a Jasper Sciortino draft registration in Kansas City and it listed his birth city as Cetelvatano ( spelling might be wrong). I then applied that birth city to Gaspar's record and searched again, bingo findagrave came through. with both Pasquale and Francesca's burial records, plus Gaspar's younger brother Vito's death record.  A bonaza of records and city of birth for Pasquale!!  This was definitely an Elijah Moment!! More research is need but I now have a foot hold into Italy.

So it has been a good week!! We also welcomed to the mission Elder and Sister Young from our Baldwin Park Ward.  They got moved in and will be heading to the MTC Monday.

I was talking to a researcher and they stated that about 450,000 records are arbitrated every day.  They then become available online.  So if in your research you don't find a document give it a few days or weeks then repeat the search!!

Well must close and prepare for Sunday services.  Love to all.

Bama and Bampa, Chuck and Sharon, E/S Waller, Mom and Dad

                                                              Sister Rawlins and Christensen  form our Hosting Zone

                                     This is the young Elders in our Mision-- a very special addition to the Mission