Senior Couple Spotlight: The Mays!

Getting ready to leave on another task within the Mission.  
This really captures the Mays' spirit: their truck doors 
are always open, and the engine is running.

Elder and Sister May have served in the Mission since April of 2012 and return home at the end of March 2014.  Although they had originally been called to serve for eighteen months, they voluntarily extended another six months while awaiting the assignment of another professional nurse to replace Sister May.  (One more indication that Sisters are always more important than Brethren.)

The Mays hail from the major metropolitan area of Rockland, Idaho.  They are the parents of 11 children and 43 grandchildren – 5 of whom were born while they have been serving out here.  Elder May owned and operated a family telephone business, with exchanges in six states, providing internet and telephone services in rural areas.  Sister May, retired after a fulfilling career as an Emergency Room/Intensive Care Unit nurse.

Elder and Sister May in their Natural Habitat -
with missionaries, in front of their all-purpose vehicle,
in a chapel parking lot.  (Purple ties are not optional)

While here in the Mission, Sister May’s experience provided a nearly custom-made background to help meet the medical needs of such a large missionary force as we have in Alabama and Mississippi (and bits of Tennessee, of course).  Elder May, who served as the Housing Coordinator was also in near-constant motion – identifying apartments and other forms of housing for nearly 150 companionships, negotiating with landlords, power and utility firms, arranging for furniture and large appliances to name just a few.  Obviously, his business experience had direct application to the on-going and challenging needs of the missionaries he supported.  

When not so engaged, he also served in the Lorna Branch Presidency.  His experience as a young missionary in Argentina prepared him well for that language intense need here in Alabama (see an upcoming blog article on the work of Spanish speaking missionaries in Alabama.  Who would have thought, eh?)

The choicest aspects of their missionary service was the opportunity to serve under the two best Mission Presidents in the Church.  The most difficult part of their mission was having to watch illness or injury cause some valiant young missionaries to have to return home before the completion of their full assignment. 

And, what do they look forward to after seeing their extended family again?  Serving another mission wherever The Lord sees fit to call them.