And the beat goes on!

Yes, the beat goes on and on and on!  We are heading into our 3rd week.  4 mini zone conferences, 3 days of missionaries coming, transfers and departing missionaries, meetings, baptisms, and hours upon hours of interviews is how our first two weeks have begun!  We are exhausted, but it is a good tired!  These missionaries are so great.  They are full of life, spunk, spirit and strong testimonies.  The Bahrs before us have certainly done a fantastic job and we hopefully can continue to push forward and upward.  We have been to 3 baptisms which truly have been very special to witness.  I am so used to 8 year olds.  I rarely get to see families, children of all ages and adults enter the water!  Jon has non-stop meetings.  I have non stop cooking, shopping, washing sheets and towels and daily medical problems with several missionaries.  We think we have finally settled into this home.  We are more organized and hopefully can get ahead of ourselves how.  Like I said, we had our first missionaries arrive, nervous but excited.  After a few days we got calls of homesickness and some wanting to go home.  Jon is masterful in talking to them.  They are tired from the long flight and need to catch up on sleep.  That will help.  We had missionaries depart after completing their missions.  What a special spirit they had.  Wish they could keep that wonderful feeling with them always.  This week we have interviews from 10 to 5 every day.  Jon interviews them, they eat bagels and fruit and then come to me where I show them a video from Elder Eyring on choosing to serve the Lord.  We talk about the power we have been promised to receive to help us with our purpose of bringing souls to Christ and afterwards discuss their family and any concerns they have about their health etc.  We have very full days with calls all through the day.  Days go by fast when we are so busy.  We love the beautiful scenery here.  The roads are plush with trees.  We see deer, squirrels, chipmunks, fireflys daily.  Life is good, but we sure miss everyone.  Have a great week and love to all.    Jeppsons in Jersey

6 days down!

Hello everyone!  It is hard to believe it has been 6 days!  Jon said we have 1, 800 and something left!  Can you tell we are overwhelmed?  It has been quite the weekend however.  We are still unpacking boxes whenever we have a minute, meeting missionaries, having a ton of meetings, getting aquainted with our surroundings and enjoying the beauty of New Jersey.  We went into Newark Saturday for a baptism in the Portugeuse area.  Elder Calderoni is from our Winder Stake.  Jon gave him his Patriarchal Blessing 3 years ago.  We were surprised to find out that he is in our mission.  He baptized the investigator there and it was really neat because when he received his blessing he was told he should go on a mission and he would see miracle occur.  He did not want to go on a mission because he really didn't have any family support and wasn't sure what he really wanted to do.  Well, he went because of his blessing and he was a changed man.  He was fantastic.  Of course I was dead tired and was trying to listen to the interpreter with my head down and eyes closed concentrating on listening to the interpreter.  Well that was a mistake...dozed off and the baptismal candidate started to invite me up to receive some flowers in behalf of all the women there!  Embarrassed!  Jon poked me and it startled me and I jumped up!  GREAT!  Oh well, it probably won't be the last time.  But it was great for Jon who was thrilled to be there.  It rained all day on Saturday.  A fine mist settles down into the trees and it is very pretty.  Driving into Newark was fun.  It was a different city, but not as bad as everyone has told us.  We weren't walking the streets however, but the city was not all that bad.  We saw New York but not as clear as the day we flew in.  Sunday we went to our ward and introduced ourselves.  Jon met with the area seventy who went to school we me at Highland.  I went to a dance with him!  Small world.  He has nine children and lives in Manhattan.  We then drove up to Sparta with the help of GPS! to another baptism.  Today we did more training for us and then went to a senior picnic.  Wierd to call in senior!!!  Eight couples who have come to serve in CES, MSL, office, apartment control, etc. list goes on and on what they do for the missionaries and members.  The stake president of our stake drove us around on Saturday to show us all the places we needed to go to if we needed it.  Tomorrow we start our first into zone conferences.  I am a little worried, but is that so unusual for me!  NOT!  Anyway we will be having one everyday this week meeting 150 missionaries.  I am sure they are anxious and concerned as well.  We were headed off to the fireworks in New York harbor but the AP's needed help so scratch that.  Maybe next year.  They say they are spectacular over the bay.  Iinstead I am listening to them explode out side the window and watching fireflys.  Incredible.  Never seen them before.  Little tiny sparks flying through the air.  Hope you all had a wonderful celebration on the 4th!  We did!  Love to all!

WE ARE ALIVE!

Well, it has been quite the experience.  We flew into Jersey seeing the skyline of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty.  It was amazing.  Gave out a pass along card to a man who helped us with our luggage. After a few minutes wondering who was going to show up to pick us up, the Bahrs finally came and took us to a beautiful home.  Everything is so green.  Lots of trees!  Everywhere.  The weather has been delightful.  Everyone said this is unusual.  It felt like Utah weather especially at night.  The humidity is low right now and they said be grateful.  We spent 3 hours trying to get everything possible from the Bahrs before they left us to ourselves.  And when we came to ourselves, we were baffled beyond belief!!!!  Now what?  We were exhausted.  I was homesick already and Jon was roasting to death.  Thank heavens for a bedroom fan.  The bed is huge!! There is a step stool to climb up to it.  I started laughing because Jon had to pull me up to get on top of the bed.  Needed to laugh to help the homesickness.  Slept well because of exhaustion.  This morning we got up at 6:30 to exercise.  I walked around a beautiful neighborhood and Dad went downstairs to lift weights.  His bike hasn't come yet.  I got back and started to get ready to shower and the movers came...8:30 am.  I gave him a pass along card and then said, "since you are such a happy guy I want to give you this book  and hope you will read it because you will be even happier!"  He said "Thank you.  It will be for me and my daughter." I threw some clothes on and went down and helped the mover for 2 hours.  Dad was supposed to meet the Assistants at 10 am and I was still not dressed.  I threw some more clothes on and we raced to the mission office where we met several of the office staff and two darling Assistants:  Elder Potter and Elder Maughan.  They helped us with our phones and told us about the mission.  They were very helpful and a delight to be with.  We were pumped with all kinds of info.  Left there at 2 pm and went to a little Itailian Cafe for a quick bite.  We found a grocery store to get the basics and then went home where Jon tried to set up the computer and unpack the office stuff while I was on the phone with two Elders, one who needed help with his scoliosis (sp) and the other with a toothache.  I did the best I could!  Then the 1st counselor in the Mission Presidency and his wife said they were bringing in dinner at 6.  I was on the phone with an elder when a neighbor (husband and wife in their late thirties and their 8 yr old son, came with muffins to introduce themselves.  They have known 4 mission presidents.  Great people.  Then the neighbors on the right came with choclate chip cookies.  Great people as well.  The Jones came (who are the mission counselor and the RS president of the ward) and brought a yummy dinner which we were very grateful for.  Talked for awhile about the mission and some great ideas.  I'm sure I looked like I was in a daze.  They left and now I am writing this and about to go unpack some more boxes while dad meets with the APs!  It has been a whirlwind, but we are having fun together and enjoying all that we are seeing, the people we are meeting, and the experiences we have had thus far.  Love to you all and so appreciative for all of your help and support.  Give a kiss and hug to our darling grandchildren and one to you all as well.  We love you so, Dad and Mom, Jon and Bonnie.  Teach, Testify and Baptize!   Rock On New Jersey Morristonw Mission!