Moving, Car-jacking and Tender Mercies

It was an eventful week.  We moved last week-end to a new place here in Eugene.  One of the other office couples went home (insert sad face) and we moved into their apartment.  It's larger, has a garage and a washer and dryer (insert happy face)!  We are now off the busy, noisy street and in a quiet neighborhood in a duplex.  I told the missionaries that helped us move that I now have a whole new appreciation for transfers!  We are settled and enjoying the new surroundings.  The best part is we didn't change what ward we attend.  We love our ward - it's so much like our home ward in Alaska and the members are just so kind and friendly toward us.  

We also had some excitement in the Mission this week.  Monday afternoon two of our young sister Missionaries experienced a car-jacking.  There were so many tender mercies involved in this one that I am still amazed and grateful.  They were going to move their car while at the Institute just off University of Oregon campus when a man approached the car and told the sister in it to get out that he needed it.He was insistent so she quickly got out.  He got in and drove off leaving the two sister shaken but safe.  The car was recovered within a few hours because it was equipped with a TIWI which has a GPS in it.  All it took was a phone call to Salt Lake for them to locate the area the car was in and direction they were headed.  The driver had a passenger by this time and they had side-swiped another car in the mean-time.  The police were called from a gas station when they tried to use the gas card from the glove box.  They didn't know the pin.  When the police arrived they took off running.  Both were caught and arrested.  The car sustained little damage and was soon returned to the sisters.  This could have gone wrong on so many levels. No one can tell me that these young missionaries are not watched over and protected by a Loving Heavenly Father.

We have come to know many of the missionaries of the Mission and they are amazing!  We are sometimes also very aware that they are still just teens and young adults trying to figure out life.  But more often they show maturity beyond their years.  I know how hard it is for me to be away from home and family and here they are in the same place.  Many have never been away from home before.  And the sisters!  Wow!  They are leaders who love the Lord and want to serve and they do! What an honor it is to be here at this time and in the association of these young people who are willing to sacrifice 18 months to 2 years of their life because they know that the message they share is true.  It's a little mind-blowing some days.