Ann

March 28, Ann a black investigator came to RS. I sat between her and April, another black investigator. Ann told me that she needs to get away from her hateful daughter and so really, really needs a job. Sister Matson gave her a card so she had the address to the Center. Monday, April 5, 2010 Ann William got a job at Winn Dixie a grocery store near us. She will work in the deli. What a happy day. Sister Goodin called Ann but left it sort of up in the air, so I convinced her to call back to see if Ann could come in today and then I could ask Sister Matson to take a picture to be hung on the bell ringer wall before our workshop tomorrow. When we went to pick her up at the gas station on Military we hardly recognized her, she was so dolled up. She told us that she colored the gray in her hair with mascara. Wednesday, April 7, 2010 We picked up Ann after we finished our work so she could come and work in the Storehouse. She wanted to see her picture in the Hall of Fame. When she saw it she touched it and said “Oh girl, you lookin’ good”. Sister Goodin called Caring Center to see if we could get Ann a place to live because she and her mom are not safe living with her daughter who hits them. They don’t have any room, but offered to pay a month’s rent for her so they can get in now.Monday, April 12, 2010 Sister G and I took Ann to Christian Community Concern to get a bike for her. It is right by the post office, but Marguerite gave us direction to go the back way so we had a nice drive. When we finally got there it was closed. We’ll try again on her next day off.

Stennis Space Center

We went to the Ward RS Birthday party where we ate chicken/grape sandwiches on croissant rolls. Had a good lesson on the women of the scriptures and how our lives relate, we exchanged white elephants. Then we went with Matson’s and Earnhart’s to the Stennis Space Center and rode a bus around learning about the engines that are tested there and went to the interesting museum before reloading the bus to return to the visitors center. Along the way the tour guide told us that an alligator had been just ahead earlier. So I stood up and could see him across the bus. Huge. That’s exactly the way I’d like to see all alligators, them out, me in the bus.

Temple Night

Dinner at Boyack's

A chance to e-mail

The wonderful Elders who are serving here. One set of English, one set of Spanish speaking. They come to the center to e-mail on p-day.

The Happy Missionary

I love President Hinckley

The Hall of Fame

I am in charge of the bulletin boards for the center. I envisioned a special tribute area to the Bell Ringers. A Bell Ringer is a person who comes in to report that they got a job. It is our way of helping them celebrate the victory! Our bell ringing experience with Rosha was very special. He came in and calmly said, holding back his excitement, "Where is the bell?", looking toward the front desk where it had been before I moved it down the hall to the "Hall of Fame". The bell is displayed on a table with pictures of Bell Ringers on the wall above it. When Rosha called to tell us he got a job we were all so delighted. He has been trying so hard to find a job. It took him probably two months. Before that he has been turned down about 30 times. No one wanted to give an ex-con a chance to rebuild his life. He is a quiet, appreciative gentleman. His job is with a big chicken processor who will give benefits and everything after the customary 90 day probation period. He found the job through a close friend of his niece! The job was not advertised at all. It is who you know. It is calling people and it is what we try to get people to have the courage to do. 70-80 percent of all jobs are found by calling people you know and getting references. We call it networking but only 15 % of the people will do it.

Our group went to dinner at Jack's

This was a fun p-day. We went to a famous fish place. Then we stopped by a flea market. I'm including a picture of the flea market bathroom.

It's the Southern way

On our way to Jack's Fish House we stopped along the way and did a little 'shopping' from this roadside entrepreneur establishment. I bought a bag of hot ragin' cajun peanuts. The food pictured is of our appetizer which is fried craw-fish tails and peppers (jalapeño). For dinner we had fried catfish and fried sweet potato patties and biscuits (made with a stick of butter per biscuit).

Serving in the Center

I have been making CD copies of LDSjobs.org to send out to the 24 stakes that our center covers. We call stake and ward leaders to update their contact information. I work mostly with Jackson, Mississippi, Tallahassee, Florida, Memphis, Tennessee. We now keep the center open from 8-5 week days with extended hours of 5-8PM on Wednesdays and 9-1 on Saturdays and try to help all who come in. We register them on LDSjobs and give them job leads. Many of the candidates who come into the center are hungry and desperate and depressed. We do our best to encourage them and give them hope. Once a month we hold a Career Workshops where we teach job skills. This is one of my favorite things to do.