Steve: Last week got away from both of us, I am ashamed to say.  My goal when we started our Mission was to post each week and I am afraid that I fell far short of my goal.  However, my promise is to try harder during the remaining time we have here on our Mission.  The weeks and days are flying so fast that I fear I won't be able to do all that I have to do before we leave our comfortable apartment and, more importantly, before we leave all of new friends.  This Mission is one of the few where we you get to greet hundreds of Missionaries each week and know that we all share the same feelings.

We have had one meeting with Brother Williams who is a a staff member in the FamilySearch Department to talk about serving as Church Service Missionaries after we go home.  He is anxious to have us help with an new concept that is being developed at FamilySearch which is to create communities (groups) that will expand the collaborative efforts for patrons across the world.  We are very excited and look forward to continue to serve as Missionaries after we leave our full time Mission.  The program is in the first testing phase and we hope to expand it to the Family History Centers in Cedar City and Peoria when we get back to our homes in Utah and Arizona.

My search for family members continues to grow and so does my love for this work continue to grow more and more each week.  My efforts have been centered in Prussia as I continue to find someone new each week.  I think that, after our release, when we get get settled down  for a while  I am going to order some microfilm reels from here so that I can start putting some families together.

This past week has been very hard for Lorene.  She has had to deal with some health issues that have lingered for some months.  I am not sure that she is going to recover from all these issues before we leave here; however, I think that the trial of these problems is to allow her to have a sense of peace that our Heavenly Father is near to her and that he knows what is in her heart.  The feeling of peace can provide balm of healing  even when your health issues are not completely healed.

Lorene: Another thing that happened last week is that my good friend, Suzi Lewis, passed away on Friday, January 13th after a long battle with cancer.  I will miss her terribly!  She was a special person and a dear, dear friend.  I have had some "tender mercies" associated with this event, however.  She went peacefully, which is what I had been praying for.  Another thing  is the "miracle" that I saw the phone call come in when her husband Vaughn called to give me the news.  We were serving at the library and I had my phone on "mute."  I usually turn it on "vibrate" so that I can hear it without it disturbing others.  When the call came in, I just "happened" to look over at my phone and see it light up.  After that, I went into the restroom and sat down on one of the comfortable chairs that are in there so that I could collect myself before returning to work.  While doing so, I felt her presence and got the distinct feeling that she had come to say "good-bye."

This morning brought another tender mercy as the message on "Music and the Spoken Word" with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir was concerning losing a loved one.  Lloyd Newell, who gives the message each week, said that although we miss them terribly, life goes on and we adjust, but there's always a vacancy where that person was.  We cannot fill it with someone or something else, nor should we, but that person will always hold a special place in our hearts.

I thank the Lord for tender mercies and for His love for us all.

Love,
The Walkers