Spec Week

I came home all charged up to write spec assignments from Bootcamp.  And that's been my priority for the week.  International Living has a real estate arm and I spent a good part of the week researching the ins and outs of buying real estate overseas.  Sounds interesting, but there's a deep difference between buying to live in and buying as an investment.  As always, with the investment, the way you make money is when you buy.  If you buy right, you'll be able to sell for a profit.  Interesting reading.

I feel encouraged about writing these specs. Patricia and I were talking about confidence.  Sometimes I have it and think, sure people will want my work.  Other times I wonder what I have to offer.  I do feel that the Lord wants me to go this direction, and I awoke with an epiphany.  If I can't have confidence in myself, I can have trust in the Lord.  If the Lord wants me to succeed, I can have confidence in that.  So when I have confidence in God, I have confidence in me.

We had many, many ripe tomatoes and Tom was done with salsa making.  So Tuesday I roped him into helping with spaghetti sauce making. This effort (the roping part) was made a bit easier since the tractor died and he could not bush hog.  No matter how spicy I make the sauce, Tom complains it is bland.  Ah well. I asked him if he ever liked spaghetti sauce.  He couldn't recall any he liked.  So I guess it's not profitable to try to please him (at least not when it comes to spaghetti sauce).

 Wednesday we had a Fall Festival and trunk or treat at the church. I made white chili for that and it was a fun evening. Some people had great costumes: Frankenstein and son:

Superman, Wonder girl, and Supergirl

.Toward the end of the month I need to start collecting data for my calling at Stake Seminary and Institute Supervisor.  I need to check the WISE program online to see if the teachers have put all their attendance in.  Then they need to send me their number of student reads (the number of times students read the scriptures).  We had a new-substitute-soon-to-be-called teacher... and I had no contact information for him.  I have one teacher who never answers his phone or email. Arrgghh!  We had training on Saturday, but I really wanted the data before then.  How does it feel to want?   Somehow it seems I shouldn't have to call each one and ask for the information.

Thursday we drove to south of Yelleville to visit Richard.  Tom worked on building his big work shed while I visited with him about his artwork and other things.  He takes duck, emu, ostrich, and turkey eggs and carves them. Some look like lacework.  He's looking for a way to sell them.  They sold by word of mouth when he lived in Florida.  Arkansas is not quite so erudite.

Friday we went to visit Sister Dawson and others on our visiting teaching list.  She is doing much better.  She's in a nursing home, but off oxygen and starting back on walking.  Her daughter did tell her one of her dogs had died (the old beloved one).  And she seemed to take it okay.

Saturday we went to Springfield for my seminary training, Tom's priesthood training, and the Saturday evening session of Stake conference.  We had a great time.  Powerful messages on becoming converted.  One speaker said, "If the Savior were to come, likely he'd come to the Saturday evening session of Stake Conference."  There is always a great spirit there.  One brother spoke about leaving home and joining the Marines.  He talked of going into Desert Storm and the miracles that helped him return to church.

We spent the night again at the Petersen's.  What a great couple! It's always so fun to visit with them.  And she makes a mean granola for breakfast.  It's so full of pecans, walnuts, almonds, raisins and fruit, I don't know how much oat and other grains can be stuffed in there.

Sunday was great, too.  Speakers talked on temples and faith.  We had the Mission President there on Saturday and the Temple President there on Sunday.  Floated home on the spirit.  On the way home we were blessed with awesome fall colors.