obedience is.....

a picnic in our driveway.

long story short....okay---well not so short---

our focus with ace is................................. HIS MISSION! all roads lead to this goal---learn to cook, do well in school, focus on Duty To God award, stay awake in seminary, personal spiritual habits---all help him stay focused on where HE wants to be in 3 years....serving the Lord and spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

• for all of you who are aghast that you have missed all his birthdays----NOT TO WORRY!
  the kid will be 16 in a month---but we talk about it---preach about it----dream about it----build it up----refer to it----its a family focus...... so we love to have the missionaries in our home...and he is so excited to be able to go out with the missionaries after he turns 16....we love good missionaries who love what they do.
  
  now---there is a rule----2 missionaries cant be in a home without a man older than 16 also being there----think its the whole 'avoid the appearance of evil' thing----cause i dont think its a temptation thing---yeah---missionaries are like 19---and well, i'm NOT!

so we feed the missionaries every month...but david travels...and so do i.....(i know---get to the point, merf)...and we arent always at home for dinner together.....anyhoo----MOST of the time the missionaries "overlook" the rule and excuse it since ace is SO CLOSE to 16....they come in and eat dinner even if ---OH MY GOSH---brother jeppson isnt here....no prob..... and it doesnt bother me----

so tonight, 2 of our Elders (we have 2 sets in our ward---i fed the other set last night---in our home---IN our home).... Harker and Groth---both from idaho---came to the door---had a dinner appointment with us----they asked if Brother jeppson was home---nope---he is in South Padre Island on a "business" trip----so they stopped at our threshhold.... they werent even comin in! I HAD SLAVED ALL DAY OVER A HOT STOVE (okay---we were having pasta salad, fresh fruit salad & sloppy joes---so i had slaved yesterday over a crock pot and a cutting board---feel better?)

what to do!?! PICNIC!

we set up the card table and ate in our driveway.....it was windy and lovely....and a great way to be obedient to mission rules and still enjoy dinner together!

AND-----WHAT A TERRIFIC WAY TO TEACH ACE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO OBEY MISSION RULES....PERIOD.... No diSCUSSION ....DONE ...YESSIREE-BOB!

yay for good missionaries....

"obedience is the first law of heaven"