Once Upon A Time...

Even before we arrived at Bethel this privilege of service has felt like a fairytale. Now that we are fully engaged in the Bethel schedule, training and assignments the fairytale feeling has intensified. The Bethel way of life is so amazing, so simple, so organized and suprisingly lenient. The way and reasons behind the way things are done are definitely directed by Jehovah. There are no gray areas and there is not one minute detail that has been overlooked. It's brilliant! Everything flows sooo smoothly.
Since our last blog we've experienced a lot. Friday night and Saturday were welcoming because Shawn and Trac came for a quick visit and to drop some of our things off. We spent Saturday together at a stellar outlet mall. The mall has every store you can possibly think of. We froze but enjoyed eachother's company shopping and people watching.
Sunday we went with our new friends, the Turners, to our congre-
gation meeting in Bridgeport, CT, which is an hour away. We are in the Seaside congregation. There are about 120 publishers of various nationalities and backgrounds, 16 pioneers (youngest 13, oldest 96!) and eight Bethelites. Sunday was our Circuit Overseer visit and 179 attended! It was a total blast. The congregation is so friendly and warm. The young ones in Seaside are very zealous and are fine examples for many. We had great experiences in the field minsitry as well. Our group worked in a six-story apartment building. The response of the people is so refreshing. Though they have many problems and live very demanding and harsh lives they are interested and hungry for help from the scriptures. I started a Bible study with a woman and placed several pieces of literature with two men.
Monday was another day of orientation meetings, brief lectures and paperwork. The highlight of that day was the Family Watchtower study. Jamin and I inadvertantly were surrounded by all the Gilead students! What a treat that was! There are 56 students from all over: Sweden, Germany, Japan, Spain, Canada and so on. Beautiful people. It is exciting to get to know them at the meals, each story is unique. Yesterday at lunch we ate with the couple from Canada. They told us when you recieve your invitation/call for you acceptance as Gilead students you are to start reading your Bible and have it finished by the time you arrive at Bethel to start school. They got their call about six months ago, some eight months, some three months and so forth, but one couple from Patterson recieved theirs two WEEKS ago!!!!!!!!! So two weeks to finish the Bible! Yikes eh!? :) The couple from Canada said they are doing pretty well and are about to finish. The first week they got to Daniel, they must have been cookin'!


Yesterday and today we have been in housekeeping training and orientation. The training is for me, because that will be my assignment (I will actually be what they call a Floater, one who basically floats to whatever needs to be done for whoever at anytime! ha! Kind of a broad explanation, but mainly it's just for housekeeping assignments and occasionally for other duties like, orchard help, laundry, etc.) and the orientation is for Jamin because he will be working in construction/maintenance. Everyone has to go through housekeeping orientation to get a feel for and to build appreciation for what the housekeepers have to do. Jamin will find out his exact assigment tomorrow...I think :/
Anyhoo, there are so many things I could keep going on about, but to be honest I'm VERY sleepy. It's only 7:32 p.m. right now but I got up at 5:30 a.m. and haven't had a moment to rest or even think. So I will retire for the night.

Rest easy friends...too-da-loo