February 16-17, 2015

After 44 hours we finally arrived at our favorite place along our route to the OHIO COLUMBUS Mission.

Their Ole Kentucky Home!!!

When we arrived around 2pm Jasen was making dinner.  It was awesome and good to have a home cooked meal & to rest from driving. We had roast, mashed potatoes, green beans and rolls. It began snowing in the early evening & when we woke up the next morning it had snowed 8-10 inches. It was Presidents' Day, Jasen had to cancel his patients and the kids didn't have school even though it was supposed to be a make-up day. Around noon time Jasen made his way into town to get Chinese food for lunch. It worked out good for our visit because everyone was home!!! A Tender Mercy!

Madelynn fixed Grandpa up for the snow!! SNOW POWER!

Madelynn's friends, Lindsey & Caroline, came over to help shovel
& have a snowball fight !

Where's Jasen?

Girl time!!!! Lindsey, Madelynn, & Caroline.

Juicing Arizona oranges!!  Grandpa's favorite thing to do!!!

The girls making Andrew's favorite!! Grandma's cinnamon rolls!!

Don't know who was doing the video!!

Andrew playing his favorite computer games!!!

Paige & Cole's bonding and tickling time!!

Snow  driving STRESS! 

On our way to Jasen's office.  He & Janae braved their way over early Tuesday
morning to see a few patients and catch up on paperwork!

Grand opening of Jasen's new practice in September, 2014

Dr. Pedersen seeing his favorite patient!  Finally getting
 back at Mom!  OOOUCh!!! 

Sister Pedersen was his last patient of the day and it was just afternoon, so we went over to their favorite restaurant, Gustavo's Mexican, near his office for lunch before heading to the OHIO!!

February 13, 2015

The time has arrived for us to leave for our mission!

We are hoping everything squeezes back into the car again!

Elder Pedersen says he prayed on this mountain 46 years ago, "for a good companion and now I have a great eternal companion and she is also my missionary companion".

Leaving Utah Valley around 4:30 pm!  The weather has been great and we are hoping that it will remain that way throughout our trip!!!!!











Along the way when we stopped for gas members of the church recognized our badges & they would ask us where we were serving and wish us success!  We just love these name tags!!!

It was freezing cold when we passed through Vail, CO and fortunately for us we didn't have any car problems and there was no snow on the roads. Ashley went online and booked us a room in this awesome Comfort Inn just outside of Denver.  We arrived there around midnight.  We had a lovely complementary breakfast before heading out to Foristell, MO later that morning. Stopped in Fruita, CO for fuel.







Stopped in Limon, CO for fuel and sunglasses. Elder Pedersen always needs new sunglasses when we are traveling. Since it was Valentine's Day, he purchased a Cadbury Bar with nuts and a snickers bar for Sister Pedersen and bag of Brookside Acai Blueberry for himself from her.

Valentine's Day at the Golden Corral in Hays, Kansas.  

While we were devouring our dinner two couples came up to us and asked if we were a new Missionary couple serving in the area. They ask us if we were coming to church on Sunday. We told them we were on our way to "The OHIO." They would then wish us well but still wished we were staying in their area to serve. We love our Badges!!!!

Some of Sister Pedersen's favorites!!!

Stopped in Independence, MO for fuel and then tried to reach Foristell, MO before it got too late!

Arrived in Foristell around midnight and it was freeezzzzing. This is the internet photo because it was sooooo cold we hurried inside with our one suitcase and took no pictures. Elder Pedersen took us upstairs, no elevator, and then realized our room was on the first floor.  Sooo we drug the bag back down stairs, found our room, prayed and fell into bed. We ate a quick breakfast the next morning. It was so cold the gas pumps were frozen, fortunately we really didn't need gas. Headed to Louisville, KY to visit with Jasen & Janae's family.  Cold but no snow and we were grateful. Because we couldn't pump gas in Foristell we stopped in O'Fallon, IL for fuel and then the last leg of the trip to Kentucky wasn't too far away.  YEAH!!!   GRANDKIDS!!!

Arrived at the old Kentucky home
around 2pm on Sunday, Feb. 17
44 hours later.

February 9, 2015

The MTC Experience!

Breakfast at Tiffany's!

We said good-bye to Joan and headed to Provo, but Elder Pedersen kept wanting to go to the mission home in SLC! Glad we didn't have to go to SLC as there was a huge accident that backed up traffic for miles. Wendy's was the quickest, most convenient place to grab a bite before entering the MTC.

We Have Arrived!

This parking space is for new arrivals only while they check into the MTC.

The welcoming party!

Senior couples arrive on Monday and the elders are all eager to assist you.  They take your bags to your room, give directions, take pictures, and smile a lot! Fortunately for them we didn't unpack our entire belongings!

Finally entering the reception area at the MTC!

We have been TAGGED!!

This sweet sister had as much fun tagging us and we did being tagged.  We feel different now.  This special experience is beyond description! We feel our Savior's love and we are pleased to wear His name over our hearts for the next year as we share His message! After this we set out to acquire our room key and meal ticket.  

This luxury suite for 4 nights with 13 all you can eat meals was a grand total of $98 per couple.  You can't beat the price and the rewards are eternal.  Send in your application today!!!

The Map!!

After our first day at the MTC, we wanted to FaceTime Garth & Ashley and the kids, but we couldn't connect to the internet in our room for some reason so we went to the closest chapel to see if we could connect.  When we arrived in the parking lot we noticed that there were people in the building so we went into the foyer to connect.  Unknown to us, Sister Pedersen left her phone in the chair that she was sitting in when we returned to our room.  As we approached the room she also noticed that her new name tag was missing.  Panic set in! Elder Pedersen hurried back to the chapel and fortunately found both missing items.  The badge was in the parking lot space that we had parked in & the phone was tucked right into the chair she was in.  He was so excited to let Sister Pedersen know he had her badge that he forgot to take the key out of the door. We discovered it there safe and sound the next morning. Fortunately all residents on our floor were senior couples.

THE MORNING DISTRICT!

Elder & Sister West (Oakland Temple Visitor's Center), Elder & Sister Cheney (District Leader-Lima Peru Office) Sister Moore, our wonderful morning instructor, Elder & Sister Pedersen (Ohio Columbus MLS), and Elder & Sister Unger (Portland Oregon Office).  Younger Elder Unger served in Elder Pedersen's mission at the same time for one week.

Spiritual work is exhausting!

The Senior Couples Coordinator, Elder Taylor, walked by and asked Elder Pedersen for his phone and took this picture.

"THE" DISTRICT!

Brother Teuscher & Sister Wardle

Never a dull moment in our afternoon classes.  These teachers had their hands full with "the" district and especially Elder Unger-the district rebel.  

Role playing was our favorite activity so they had us participate in these activities everyday! LOL!

On two separate occasions we had to meet and teach an investigator (volunteers from the community).  Both times we enjoyed the experience even though we were apprehensive at first. We felt good about both experiences.

This is only one row of washers & dryers

Check out this laundromat.  BYD (bring your detergent) no coins required!

The cafeteria experience at the MTC is quite awesome.  You are not allowed to take pictures in the cafeteria or the classroom settings. One day a giant of a missionary was eating in the cafeteria.  Everyone was trying to get a picture with him (we don't have one to share).  He is the 410 pound, 6'8" newest recruit for BYU's football team from Tonga.  He had recently been in the national NCAA sports news.  He didn't mind people taking a picture with him, but he just wanted to be an ordinary Elder enjoying his MTC experience.

The Cheneys lived in Brentwood when they were first married.

Thursday evening we watched a recorded talk that Elder Bednar gave at the MTC at Christmas.  He reminded us that this is not about us, it is about Him.  The Savior always reached outward, never inward. The amazing thing is that the Savior thinks it is all about us.

We don't seem to have the picture of all the senior couples when we received our training at the MTC.  The group was so large it took 2 pictures to fit us all in. After we received our final instructions regarding our purpose as representatives of Christ and His restored gospel we sang, "Called to Serve".  The spirit was so strong it was breathtaking.   We were on fire with the spirit.  

February 5, 2015

Setting Apart as Missionaries!

We gathered our family missionary support group from Arizona!! 

Our former Bishop and Counselor in the
Stake Presidency, Stuart Turley, set us apart!

We are now officially
Elder & Sister Pedersen!

Packed & Ready to Go to the MTC!

Our car is packed to the brim.  Where are we going to sit?  Oh, we did leave the front seats empty, but there is not any room for anything else. At least all our grandkids fit in the car!!! Can't leave these special people behind. We love all 15 of our missionary companions.

We stopped by to visit Dwight, Susan, & Caroline in Cedar City, UT for a couple of days.  They treated us like royalty.  It was so fun to be with them.  Here we are at Café Rio for lunch.  Where is my companion?  Oh, Elder Pedersen is taking the picture. Thanks Dwight, Susan, & Caroline!!!

Here we are at Parawan Gap near Parawan, UT.  The next few pictures show some of the pictoglyphics on the cliff sides. There is also a picture of the eagles nesting.  

This was considered their god!

After church and a wonderful dinner, we headed off to Lehi to spend the night with Sister Pedersen's cousin, Joan Fjellstrom, before reporting to the MTC on Monday morning @ 10:20. Elder Pedersen loved Utah's 80mph speed limit!

January 2015

Saying Good-bye

Nancy treated Priscilla & me to lunch at the Texas Roadhouse.  It was a fun time catching up and a nice leisurely lunch.  Good food, good friends. good time. Nancy & I have retired from teaching Culinary Arts, but Priscilla is still hard at it.  She does an awesome job with her students.

Dinner at our favorite restaurant, Charleston's, with our friends Gary & Marce Nuttall.  We all lived in the St. Louis area in the late 70's.  We have been friends for 38 years,  They are leaving for their mission to Lithuania in March.

On January 25, Gary's birthday,  we gave our farewell talks.  Wanda talked about

the attributes of Christ and Gary talked about the grace of  Christ.

Pictured are two of my dear friends & colleagues from Red Mountain High School, Cindy Coppel & Donna Jolly.  We are all now retired, but only from teaching High School.   Another colleague from Mesa High, Priscilla Yazzie, also came. My dear friend & colleague from Mountain View HS, Nancy Cole, wasn't able to attend because she was very ill.
Family members that also attended were Kristin & Justin and their children; Jarom, Katelyn, & Megan; Garth and Ashley and their children; Kaylee, Abbi, & Austin.  Wanda's brother, Terry and his wife, Jolayne and her niece, Adria and her husband, Cheston & their children, Deacon & Lacy. 
That afternoon Kristin, Ashley and Adria prepared a wonderful and delicious dinner for our family to enjoy at our home.   Bradley also came with his sons, Braydon, Reef & Ryder. Gary got to have his favorite-carrot cake for his birthday. What a wonderful day it was for our family. Thank you all for your love, prayers, & support!

Several sisters in our ward decided to get together for lunch and celebrate the Apostles birthdays so that we could learn more about them.  One of the sisters gives a life sketch of a birthday apostle.