Sunset of our lives

Here we are in the sunset of our mission. Opps! wait a minute, we are still warming up in the first quarter. Oh well, the picture was so nice we couldn't wait to show it later.

July Pictures - New and Former Presidents

President and Sister Reynolds with Elder and Sister Dalling on the day they left the mission field. They were great mission presidents. President Reynolds will go back to teaching at BYU. He was a vice president before he left on this mission.

President and Sister Reynolds with President and Sister Hale on the day they arrived in the mission field. They will be great also, but it will probably be harder with 5 children. He is 44 and I believe she is 41.

A picture taken off our patio the first of July!

The lastest fridge picture. Thank you Jarod for your picture of a pirate ship and the other really cool picture. They were great! Do you want your picture to appear on Grandma and Grandpa's fridge? Just send it to us and we will put it on our blog!

Here is what the puzzle looks like you sent for Grandpa! It took him a few late nights, but he finished it!

June 20, 2008 - More Mission Pictures

This is a bronze at the MTC. We have never put it on yet and we thought it was cool! Whenever we talk to non-members, they say, "Oh Yea! You're the ones on the bicycles!"

Elder Dalling on the computer and the phone in our apartment. That is called multi-tasking.

Our apartment fridge covered with grandchildren's art and poster!

Sister Dalling in the kitchen!

The front of our office building in Ft. Lauderdale. Our office is on the first floor!

Elder Dalling in front of our office!

Sister Dalling at her desk working hard -- very hard!

Elder Dalling setting up a new fax machine!

Elder Walden (AP) sitting at the President's desk just days before his departure!

Sister Smith is one of 3 including myself who work in the office.

The AP's in their office just before transfers. Elder Walden, Elder Canfield and Elder Perry who will replace Elder Walden when he leaves in a few days.

Elders Machado and Elder Stanger visiting the office before transfers!

The AP's and Office Elders for Sunday dinner. We usually have them once a transfer and the 2 sets of Elders in the ward once -- somtimes twice. It is nice to have them and feel the spirit they bring with them!

Florida Sunset from our Apartment

Freeway to Miami, actually it is a Florida Turnpike freeway with toll payments in & out.

Down town Miami from the free way.

Dad concentrating on out manuvering the Florida drivers. It is a jungle out there.

A slow down caused by the hiway department doing a Sat construction job and cutting the freeway from five lanes to two.

Hope we don't experience a hurricane.

Trip to Florida Keys

Last Saturday we traveled down Highway 1 and toured the Florida Keys. This is in Key West -- the very most southern point of the Keys and also the US.

This was on a dock at the apartment where one of the couples we went with used to live. We went with 2 other couples and it was the first time we have seen the ocean since we arrived in Florida. It is only about 15 minutes from our apartment, but we have had no time.

This is one on the pictures of the Keys. The Gulf of Mexico is on one side and the Atlantic is on the other. Thy Gulf side is very warm. It was like cool bath water. We went to a barbecue of some ward members on the beach are I stuck my feet in. The bird is one that the orientals use to catch fish. They send them out with a leach of sorts with something around their neck so they can't swollow the fix and when they come back they take the fish out and give them the head. Something like that!

This is the highway marker O for Highway 1 down the eastern coast.

Another beautiful picture of some homes on the water front. Almost all of the homes are on the water because it is such a small stretch of land. However, the poorer homes are inland a bit. This is also where the Cuban refugees come in at when they try to get to the US. If they reach land, they are safe. If they are caught in the water, they have to go back. It is not like crossing the boarder in Mexico.

This is for Jarod. The Keys is where the Pirates of the Caribbean came through in the early 1800. It was very interesting to read about them. They were not as nice as Jack Sparow, however.

This is a coast guard she that used to patrol the Keys.

The Keys are known for their sponges. This is me with the sponge monster!

This is the very most southern part of the US and 90 miles from Cuba.

This is at the apartment of the couple we went with when they used to be in the mission down here. This was their private back yard. It is beautiful. The man they rent from was really nice. He lives there too with one other apartment.

Another picture from the road of the Atlantic.

Whoops - two of these! Elder Dalling when to bed and I don't know how to erase it.

Elder Dalling and myself in Key West!

Chickens run wild all over Key West. They have been protected for many years... long story. I'm sure a few of them get eaten once in a while.

Elder Dalling checking out the car of the Elders that live in Key West. It's his job, but we don't get down their very often to do it.

We had a fun day in the Keys. We ate at the fishing docks, fresh fish, took a bus tour of old town Key West and learned a lot about this history. The work is getting easier but we both still fell behind and slow. We work long hours, but are beginning to not feel as tired. It is getting hot. It is not too bad, however, because most of the time we are in AC offices. Elder Dalling does a lot in the heat at Zone Conference, checking the cars -- that is hard on him, however it seems to enjoy meeting with the elder. He has two office Elders that help him. We have a tropical storm off the coast a ways and since we are in hurricane season now, the president keeps us updated on when and if it will hit the coast. We have three months of this and have had lots of training on what to do. We are all cautioned to get a weeks supply of water and food that we don't have to cook. We do have a barbecue that we could use. It is a little scary. They have not had a really bad one since hurricane Wilma about 3 or 4 years ago. It is interesting because the government is now telling the people that getting a food storage is a good plan. I don't know if it is all over but it is here what they are saying! I called SLC the day President Bush came to SL. They closed almost all the church office building and told the people not to come into the office until 10:30 unless they had too. Tight Security!

Well, like one of the missionaries said in his testimony...."The book is blue and the book is true"

Love you all,

Elder and Sister Dalling

Aparement and Views of Complex

View of our apartment and all the beautiful scenery around!

This is the entrance to our apartment complex!

Driving in!

One of the two pools! I get in the pool every Saturday because there is no one that knows me or cares what I look like in a bathing suit!

One of the many Hibiscus outside our apartment. They are in orange, red, yellow, white and pink. They are so beautiful. I used to have these as a house plant back home.

This is a picture of Elder Dalling working out at the gym! We try to go 3 times a week!

Looking off the patio!

Our bedroom!

Our living room!

Another view of the livingroom and front door!

I hope this was not too many pictures! We are doing better at our jobs. We are learning more every day. Yesterday, we had our President and his wife over for dinner. They are living in a hotel while their house is being remodeled. We had an enjoyable evening. The night before that we went with the Elders to see a Sister who was recently baptised. She is about 10 years older that us, but so cute. She has so much faith and gives us strength just talking to her. She had a piano and I played while the Elders sang. She said it gave her joy for me to use her piano that had not been played for a long time. I can't believe the power and spirit that the Elders have when they teach. It is quite amazing and I want to write to all of their mothers and tell them how great they are.

I miss you all and especially when I see all the picture you are sending of back home and my cute little grandchildren (and the big ones too). I will write more later on an e-mail as we are getting ready for church. We are having the missionaries over for dinner and then going to hear the President speak at a fireside. I would like to see some pictures of Rhet's family and Jory and Ana (coming up on 4 months married) and Shay and Heather and Tiff. Eric's bee pictures were awesome. I can't believe that the kids were not scared to stand by them. Daniele and Noelle's pictures were so cute. Little Gracie looks like Marisa or Amanda. Madie's dress is cute and Kaylie got her ears pierced? Wow! I see Madie still has her brown jacket. (Could someone buy her another one so she can change off?) Brinley looks like she is modeling an outfit! --so cute! Wyatt and Emma are fun to see what they are wearing! And love the house pictures! We pray for you all. Happy Anniversary Daniele and Greg and Shay and Heather!

Love you all,

Mom and Dad

I never tire of seeing these little guys right outside our patio door. They seem to disapear, however, and some say the turtle get them when they are young, but these have survived! Seven little babies! -- All grown up now!

Rember to read the post below this one first because this is a continuing story. Down here on the east coast there is a lot of impoverished folks. These pictures are from a source other than our camera, but the amount of worldly wealth down here is unreal.
Don't you just hate beautiful beaches and 70 degree sunshine. Again this picture received from someone else, but there is no small shortage of water around here.
The Elders call these ducks Cancer ducks because of the red growth around their heads, the male is the worst. This momma and her ducklings came around begging for food. This is just outside our apartment door.
This sister has about twelve little ones to manage at once, so please don't get too stressed with 3 or 4 to handle. The lord can bless you when you stay calm.

Dad