I can only speak for myself, but sometimes miracles are both happy and traumatic. Both fill us with incredible gratitude.

Like the time my brother received a liver transplant, or the time we had a car crash and no one was injured. Then there was the time I really needed a job and got one. I am so grateful for these miracles.

Our family was blessed with an amazing miracle recently. This miracle cannot be denied. God was very much aware of the situation and blessed our family.

This is a picture of my parents taking a stroll in Slovenia.

They are the rock of our family.

The most loving, supportive, and noble souls I have ever known. 

My youngest brother and his wife blessed the parents with a wonderful trip. They do it every year. It is a trip most treasured by our parents. They traveled to many locations in Europe, starting and ending in Slovenia. My brother served his LDS mission there. On the day the were scheduled to return home, my mom had a fall. She fell down a flight of stairs...24 stairs! Let me just say she is 84 years old. She is a very healthy 84 year old, but everyone knows that a fall by someone who is older in years is usually not a good thing, and sometime it is tragic. 

This was so scary for my dad. He heard her call to him and saw her falling. They have been married for 61 years and are very attached to each other. 

Now for the miracle! 

My amazing, wonderful, favorite mom in the whole world, escaped that fall with no broken bones, no major injuries, just lots and lots of bruising. They took her to the hospital and had her checked out, and she was released to come home. Ice packs, Ibuprofen, and TLC from my brother, and then she was home. 

When I saw her I cried and cried. It was traumatizing just thinking about my 84 year old mama falling down the stairs. I still have to say that quick so I don't think about it too much. But, she is safe. She is healthy. She is alive, and not invalid. 

I've always felt like my parents were blessed with so many good years, because they are still so involved in blessing others. They both still volunteer at the local Family Search Library, helping others, and actively doing their own genealogy, and my dad spends every Friday afternoon reading, telling jokes, and stories to the "old folks" and the convalescent center. Many of which are younger than him. He has done this for 20+ years.

I am so grateful for a loving Father in Heaven who blesses His children. I am so grateful that my blessed Mama is still here to hug and kiss and tell her how much she means to me. Thank God for Miracles!

Come on Over!!!

I have a new blog! 

Well not so new, I've been posting at my new place since August 2011. 

I would love to have you come visit me there! Heres the link,  

http://www.ourjoyfulnest.com/

Hope to see you soon! Love, Joy

Family Party!!

Natasha getting her gift from cousin Summer!

Gettin' the vittles! 

Wendy and Melinda!

Scott, Stacy and Ian!

Ok, it can't be Christmas time! Where's the snow? 

Andrew, expecting a ball! and Kelsey!

Nancy getting instructions on her new digital camera!

Emily, Erin and Kiefer, cousins!

I love a family party!!

Howzit-Elder Flexy!

Alex- the day he got his mission call!

Elder Flexy 6:2 -email-

Mama!!
Wow we have worked so freakin hard this week!! we tracked for five and a half hours the other day it was crazy! but it has been great we had a christmas party for the ward it was pretty fun. we also saw a life size nativity scene with black people sculptures. so ya things are going great.
So here are a few questions: (Emily and Kelsey helped)

1 Is it hard to follow the mission rules?
1.some are easier than others.
2 What color is your toothbrush?
2.its blue
3 Are you flossing?
3.yep every day (usually)
4 Is your companion cute?
4.he has a girlfriend so that doesn't matter HAHA
5 How do you wash your clothes, is it a washing machine like that time we went to the laundry mat?
5.we have a washer but we have to hang dry them.
6 How do you decide what or how to teach?
6.well we have study and planning time to discuss those things with your comp.
7 Do you ever feel discouraged or upset when people don't listen?
7.not anymore i used to, but now it just, is what it is.
8 How are you and Elder Shumway doing?
8.he is doing well he dosent like our bathroom but he will be ok.
9 What do you usually eat for breakfast?
9.toast with PB and Nuttella
10 Do you often have dinner appointments? How often?
10.sometimes maybe twice a week.
11 Who do you get letters from at home?
11. you guys, Jess, Carlie, and Geni
12 How do you respond when someone is attacking our church?
12.well we say "we aren't here to fight have a nice day."
Special question of the week:
13 How do you explain the Godhead to people on your mission? What scriptures do you use?
13.well we just explain that they are three separate beings but are one in mind and we usually don't have to use scripts for that but when we do its Jesus's baptism.
anyway things are going awesome we might have some baptisms soon!! and ill get some pictures home to you soon. love you
Love Elder Flexy


Baba!
thats awesome to hear about the party and you wrestling those kids they need to be roughed up a bit. so i have a confession i've wrestled four guys in the ward and they are all bigger than me but i won all four it was pretty fun. is riley getting tough? i hope so i want a challenge when i get home. ya that lesson is a good one. and i always just look at the fact that my leaders can actually see better than me so blind obediance is not even accurate in most situations. but ya things are going great here in SA. tell nathan hi for me. love you
Love Elder Flexy

Sunday Best!

Doctrine and Covenants 50:24

That which is of God

 is light; 

and he that receiveth light, 

and continueth in God, 

receiveth more light; 

and that light groweth 

brighter and brighter 

until the perfect day.

Hope you Sunday was the Best!! 

Love, Joy

Howzit-Elder Flexy!

Elder Flexy 6:1 -email-

Mama

this week has been crazy!!! we have worked so hard! ya this week was transfers and i'm staying in Durban North but i got i new companion Elder Shumway. He is a cowboy from Wyoming. he is awesome i can tell we are gonna have a good time. ya he isn't related to the shumways we know but ya.

1 Did you or Elder Martin get transferred?

1.Yes Martin was sent to blomefontain to be a zone leader.

2 If so, who are you with, and/or where are you?

2.Elder Shumway in durban north still.

3 How are your investigators doing?

3.they are doing good hopefully they continue to progress.

4 Have you gained or lost any weight?

4.ya i gained like two KGs but now i'm back down to the same i have always been.

5 Have you had any interesting weather since you've been there?

5.just hot weather and humid but its not to unusual.

6 Would you like a copy of the Conference report Ensign?

6.we actually already have the conferance one so we are good thanks.

7 Anything new on pictures?

7.i will buy another memory card and send the other cards home.

8 Do you want me to send you some memory cards? I'm worried you have had to stop taking pictures because of not having any memory.

8.ya i will for sure.

9 Did you receive your Christmas package yet?

9.yep i got it, it was super nice and thanks for the photos they were super nice i loved them.

10 Do the South Africans celebrate Christmas like we do?

10.ya its very similar there is just no snow.

11 Do you have plans for Christmas?

11.not yet but we will do something fun. about my phone call home we are allowed to use skype which would be cheaper and better so if you could get skype that would be great.

12 Do the South Africans play any other sports besides football (soccer)?

12.ya they play Rugby and Cricket as well.

Special question of the week: How would you explain to others that we are Christian? 

13.well that is simple we beleive in Christ and we know that only through him can we be saved.

anyway things are going great with the new companion!! and the work is going great love you. 

                                                                Love Elder Flexy

Baba!!

i'm so glad to hear you are having such a good Christmas season. i hope this season is good for everyone back home. so yesterday we tracted into this very mean man that just wanted to bible bash so we just left. but ya i had a desire to punch him but i'm a missionary and i'm bigger than that so i didn't. but he chased the spirit away and we had to pray to get it back but other than that its been great.ya having christmas come really does make me miss home a little bit but i'll be fine. anyway love you Baba

                                                                 Love Elder Flexy

Kelsey

ya waiting for the call is the most exiting thing EVER!!! ya but it will be worth it in the end. ya about the parables that you were talking about maybe when Jesus taught like that it was to teach the meek and humble the ways of the lord. but the rich and prideful could not interpret the parables so only those who were in tune with the spirit could learn the mysteries of god. anyway mission is awesome and you will love it so much. love you

                                                                 Love Elder Flexy

Sunday Best!

We had a lovely 

Creche

display in our neighborhood,

 and I thought I would share some of my pics from it. In case you don't know what a Creche is, it is a Nativity. 

Here you go!

Do you love it? 

I do!! 

Remember He is the reason for the season!!

Hope your Sunday was the Best!! Love, Joy