Service for the Ward

 

This month was a busy month for moves! We helped this sweet family! She was pregnant and she had two young boys. Her husband will be attending UNC and earning his masters.  We spent a few weeks helping her pack and do a few things for the move and then come move day everyone helped pitch in! We had a small rain storm that day, which halted the move but it came at a much needed break.  It was extremely hot and Sister Beachum came with a trunk full of cold water and ordered pizza for everyone! Praises!!! We also helped move another woman Sister Black and she pretty much had everything done. We just had to move it out of one apartment into another! The work seems extra hard in this Carolina heat but the work is sweet. It feels good to help others. Service has never been a problem for our entire family to render.  Some are good at service and some are good at other Christ like attributes. It makes the work easy as we all work together.

 



 

 

Service Service Service

To say I have moved a few times is an understatement and to say I believe I have the best and most efficient way of packing, cleaning and moving is and proves to be an accurate statement! I would say I am an expert! With the 15+ moves that we have made. I can also say my strength has lessened some.  I am pretty strong. It is a natural thing. My mother is strong as an ox and I get it from her! I can't lift a weight bar above my head, easily but I can carry a couch, chair, lift a fridge (with help) and other large bulky things of substantial weight. It used to be a joke if I could out lift you, or win at arm wrestling stay home! Just kidding but not really!

Enough about me! This sweet family Miriam Hiatt and her young family are moving to Raleigh so her husband can finish his masters at UNC! Through serving her she has become one of my dearest friends. Look how cute she is and she's over 8 months pregnant!

 

 This is Dale Beachum now this guy can work any young guy under the table! His work ethic reminds me so much of my dad! he's a hard worker. I said I would get a few pics of everyone moving and I think he's saying, "We have work to do" what do you think he's saying? LOL, Kelly Nelson she is always up for a photo op! She would move some and check on everyone else and make sure they were packing and cleaning efficiently! What a great way to serve and help and get to know other members of your ward! Serving is building friends.

 WE also as a ward had the opportunity to move another lady! She had a lot of things but we were able to get it done. Many hands makes light work! My girls they carried a leather sofa up two flights of stairs and into the apartment! They are pretty strong just like their mom and dad!

 

Another opportunity to serve was a Ward project that helped benefit the community! This school is one school where parent involvement isn't at the highest and it needed a lot of landscaping help as well as help on the inside! Our youth and ward worked together by cleaning and weeding the grounds and the center court area.  Even the little ones were utilized! If you didn't have work to do outside there was plenty to do on the inside as well! Sweetheart and I helped put new poster paper on the bulletin boards in the hallway! Others cleaned out trash from class rooms and helped decorate classrooms! We arrived late I was scheduled to take pictures in SC for a dog shelter! So sad, every Thursday dogs are put down in this shelter and another photographer volunteers her services and takes the cutest adorable pictures of these gentle animals in a last effort to save and plea for their lives! She has saved many but many more have been euthanized. So sad, that humans have failed their pets left them to starve, beat them or just surrendered them! When you make a commitment stick with it and if you can't than find someone who is willing to take on your responsibility! Why does this bother me so when humans can't even take care of themselves or their human responsibilities to children, spouses or one another. Seriously, so sad!

 Mattingly Girls

 Sis Beachum and Sister Lewis

Sis Neusbaum and Sis McCracken

SERVICE

We are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and an important part of being a member of the church is we SERVE! We help give relief to anyone who needs it.  Mr. Incredible and Dash had football practice to attend and I and Sweetheart were to head to SC to volunteer at an animal shelter and take cute adorable photos of the dogs in the shelter to get them adopted but it got postponed.  So, the two of us headed over to the school where the rest of the members from our ward were helping.  

Service doesn't require age! I love that this mama brought her babes to work and to serve.  When we were young parents and had 4 little goslings underfoot they went with us on all service projects and to clean the chapel.  Did it take longer? Probably.  Was it enjoyable for the children? Probably not, but our children went with us and worked by our sides and they learned that we do things for others and because it is the right thing to do.  Make decisions that aren't easy but that require sacrifice so they will learn.  Going to church faithfully when your children keep you in the hallway all through sacrament is WORTH IT!! They are learning that church is where they need to be.  It is THAT important!

Taking a small breather! The yard work was intense. 

My girl looks so happy!

this truck is a truck of service! It has helped many people across the nation and continues to serve others! I'm so grateful that we have it and that it not only blesses our lives but the lives of others! They guy in it is pretty amazing too! 

Service Young Women's class activity

Our MiaMaid class chose to help a young sister who's husband is currently working out of town for months. She has 3 little adorable children! We love the Garcia Family. My MiaMaid girls are amazing! They weren't always amazing they were divided and different but through consistently doing activities that unify and easy going activities that break down barriers and gain trust and allows them opportunities to open up and have that trust that they won't be mocked or ridiculed gains trust. They still aren't exactly a like but they have the friendship to look past differences and find commonalities. They are amazing Young Women and will make amazing leaders one day. I have no doubt!!

Service for the Community

Our ward participated in a community service project. It was just our ward that helped out a local school that needed school supplies, cleaning, and yard work. It was truly a lot of work and we could have had a few weekend Saturday's set aside.  We had people in classrooms, in the hallways, in the gym and in one court yard and they were there working in the courtyard for over 4 hours and people around the building in various rooms! Sweetheart and I were only able to attend for an hour but in our hour we were able to hang 5 bulletin boards and re-paper and border them! These are members of our ward and only a fraction who was actually there! 

I felt awful to show up for the last hour to see these hard working people, hot and sweaty and tired and then begin snapping pictures of them! They were probably thinking put your camera down and do some work! (so, I did)

he Mattingly Family

courtyard work- He just recently got called to serve in the YM! he and his wife looked like hard workers

When we arrived we took over their job! 

On to the next work project

Two great ladies just finishing up their work in the classrooms

Pressure washing drains and an art sidewalk where the kids would just empty and rinse their paint brushes out.

this gal is 8 1/2 months! She's going to send herself into labor. She has worked so hard.

Babies out there serving! I love this pic of these two working away and being so happy to do so!