Gulfport Chapel

This is the Gulfport MS chapel. The back and side are lined with these bright, beautiful pink Azaleas. We go there often to our stake meetings and to work with their employment specialist and get their computer situation up to par. Jerry is there tonight to the stake Priesthood meeting. The people are great and the area is sweet refreshment to the eye. I am ooooing and awwwwing al the time.

Ann

Ann is just a doll. She came to church and I invited her to come into the center and gave her my card and asked her if she needed a job and that we would help her if she did. Sister Dustin and Sister Goodin have fellowsipped her so well. She arranaged for transportaion to come into the center on the day we were gone to the Mission conference but our Asso. manager, Marguerite, was aware she was coming and counseled her. That was on Thursday and on Saturday, she had her job. She is working in a deli part time and still looking for another part time job. she takes care of her mother too. she needs to move to a better living situation than she is in so that is her goal.

the missionaires are teaching her. she learned of the church in salt Lake City when she went there to stay with a daughter during the aftermath of Katrina. The members of the church paid her plane ticket and sent her home with 5 suitcases of things when she came back. She is such a cheerful, upbeat person. We asked her to come in and have her picture taken ringing our bell. She was so excited and dolled herself up so much for her picture that we didn't recognize her when she came in. She is so excited about being a "bell ringer" and being in our "Hall Of Fame". It is a blessing to know her.

My brother got a job!!! (understatement)

I just sent this article to the Church News. I hope they print something about it.

To the Church News :

I thought you would like to feature this article, or part of it, as it announces the appointment of the President of the University of North Texas. V. Lane Rawlins who is not only the former President of Washington State University and the University of Memphis, but is an active member of the Lewiston Idaho Ward at this time and a former North Memphis Stake President from 1998-2000, and Bishop of the Tuscaloosa Alabama Ward in 1986-1991. He served a mission in 1958-1960 to Melbourne Australia. UNT has 35,000 students who will benefit from his leadership. He grew up in the small rural communities of Newdale and LaBelle Idaho on a farm and is the son of Narvel and Jennie Brown Rawlins.


April 16, 2010

A special announcement from the UNT System.

Former Washington State, Memphis President to serve as
UNT’s president for the 2010-2011 academic year

Denton, Texas – The University of North Texas System Board of Regents today appointed V. Lane Rawlins, the former president of Washington State University and the University of Memphis, to serve as the University of North Texas’ president for the 2010-11 academic year.
Rawlins’ appointment will take effect on May 14, 2010, and he is expected to serve as president through the summer of 2011 during the System’s national search for a new president for its flagship university.


Rawlins will replace Phil C. Diebel, who was appointed to serve as UNT’s interim president following the February 2010 resignation of Dr. Gretchen M. Bataille.
As president of Washington State from 2000 to 2007, Rawlins led the creation of a strategic plan that guided the university’s drive for educational and research excellence. His leadership resulted in WSU’s substantial growth in research funding and recognition; increased enrollment of academically talented students; a more diverse student body; and a stronger statewide presence, while supporting local and regional needs for economic growth through its multiple campus locations. His administration advocated for the connection between outstanding undergraduate education and world-class research. Rawlins also strengthened WSU’s image and reputation as one of the nation’s leading public research universities.
UNT System Chancellor Lee F. Jackson expressed confidence in Rawlins’ ability to lead UNT and to advance the university on the pathway defined by the university’s strategic and research plans.
“Dr. Rawlins has a proven record of successes in key areas of importance to UNT and its future,” Jackson said. “With his knowledge and experience, he is well equipped to help the university put in place the necessary tools to fulfill its academic and research aspirations. He cares deeply about the mission of public universities and he brings a warm and collaborative leadership style that will be invaluable for UNT.”

Rawlins observed that the hundreds of millions of dollars set aside by the state of Texas to raise its emerging research universities to national university status is an enormous opportunity for UNT, especially at a time when many of the nation’s other public universities have experienced major budget cuts.
“UNT is at an exciting and pivotal point in its history,” Rawlins said. “While institutions of higher education in some states are struggling, the state of Texas is bolstering its emerging public research universities and providing them with the opportunity to achieve Tier One status.”
“UNT appears to have the energy and ambition to embrace this challenge, and I am pleased to lead the university as it takes its first steps on the journey of becoming a national research university. I’m grateful to WSU President Elson Floyd for making me aware of this opportunity.”
Chancellor Jackson also expressed his appreciation for Diebel’s loyalty to the university and willingness to briefly set aside his retirement to serve as an interim president.
“Phil’s unique knowledge of UNT and higher education has been an irreplaceable asset for us during this period of transition. He ensured that university projects continued to progress,” Jackson said. “The Board and I are grateful for his service and commitment to the university.”
Following his retirement from the WSU presidency, Rawlins served from 2007 to 2009 as the interim director of the William D. Ruckelshaus Center for Conflict Resolution, a regional program of WSU and the University of Washington. Rawlins served as president of the University of Memphis from 1991 to 2000. He also served as the University of Alabama System’s vice chancellor for academic affairs, and WSU's vice provost and department chair in economics.
He twice served on the NCAA’s Board of Directors and as chair of the Pac-10, Conference USA and Great Mid-West athletic conferences. He has served on the National Conference of Christians and Jews and the Governor’s Council on Global Competitiveness and more than 20 other boards, including Boy Scouts of America, United Way and WKNO National Public Radio.
Rawlins has focused much of his academic research on labor economics (especially the effects of education on earnings in people’s lives) and public policy. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Brigham Young University and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of California, Berkeley.
Rawlins is a native of southeast Idaho. He and his wife, Mary Jo Rawlins, have three children and 11 grandchildren.
The search for a new long-term UNT president was launched earlier this month with the announcement of formation of a Presidential Search Advisory Committee comprising a broadly representative group of university stakeholders. The committee, with the assistance of an executive search firm, is expected to interview candidates during the fall of 2010 and make recommendations to the chancellor and Board of Regents prior to the Board’s regular meeting in February 2011.
--UNT System--

I have sent this to you after receiving permission from my brother, Lane Rawlins.
Sincerely,
--
-Sister Barbara Matson-
currently serving an employment mission in Slidell Louisiana with my husband, Jerry K. Matson
barbarajmatson@gmail.com

Honey Island Swamp Tour

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I have so many beautiful pictures of this swamp but I think these are the best ones. Don took the one of the front. He got the perfect shot of teh gator whose name is "Tigger". She came straight for the boat to get her treat.Had don not spotted her, we might not have seen a gator on this trip. that would have been so sad. We are so glad that we got to take him there. After the tour we ate at a fresh fish place called "Special T's". Fish in Louisiana and Mississippi does not taste like the fish we have had inland. It was delicious.

Alligator Time

Don took this video. Short but good.

Ocean Springs

 
 
 
 

This is such a quaint little beautiful town. the old main street has been lovingly cared for and not only preserved but maybe enhanced. the trees have been there for probably hundreds of years.

Alligator

I finally saw my first alligator. He was resting right in the boat ramp at a Swamp Tour company. I saw this little bump like a log in the water so I got out of the car and went over close and sure enough, it was a gator. He was bigger than I thought. there are two placaes where they give swamp tours in slidell. If you go to New Orleans and sign up for a swamp tour. they will probably take you to Slidell to one of these two places. Our plans are to go tomorrow and take Don and i will have lots of pictures then but I don't know if I will ever get such a good phot op as this one. The flowers are gorgeous too.

Vicksburg

Jerry took a few videos with his flip video camera. There were 50,000 troops from the Union (North) and 31,000 troops from the Confederate army who battled here from Mid May till July 4th. The North lost about 4,910 and the South lost 2,872. this was ended the same day as Gettysburg. They are equal in importance. At the surrender of the South, their soldiers were starving and then the Union soldiers fed them instead of shooting them as they had during battle. The slaves were then freed. Out of 81,000 soldiers who battled here there were almost 8,000 killed.

Easter Dinner

Elder and sister Earnhart invited all of the missionaries to delicious Hawiian Haystack dinner with anagelfood cake and strawberries. It was all delicious. with Her sister, Barbara, and her husband who are in town for a couple of days.

Young elders are Tippets, Smith. Willis and Schell. Then there are sisters Dustin and Goodin, us.

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Vicksburg

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Jackson MS Sr. Missionary Conference-4/2/10

front row- Sisters Goodin, Dustin, Kreutzcamp, Shakespear, Tucker, Rogers, Mair, Wheeler and Earnhart.
Back Row- Sister & Elder Erickson, us (Sister & Elder Matson), President Tucker, Elders Rogers, Mair, Wheeler & Earnhart.

Sisters Dustin and Goodin

I never had a sister. I do have wonderful sister in laws. Five of which became my step sisters later in life and they are all so special to me.

Now I have two more very special sisters in my life. Their names are Sister Sharon Dustin from American Fork Utah who is cheerful and out going and an artist and talented gardener. Sister Kathryne Goodin from, Anamus New Mexico, is a former Jr. High Math teacher who graduated from college after her husband's passing. She makes the worlds BEST doughnuts. They brighten our lives like shining angels. Each with their own set of great virtuous qualities that make my heart sing. They are so much fun to be around, work with and travel with.

They are the bravest women I know to come on a mission and drive across the country by themselves. They work very hard. Missions are not for sissys! Even Sr. missions are intended for us to grow and stretch and not just to share what we already knew, as we have been told by so many well-meaning people. They reach out in love to all they meet, fellowshiping investigators and job seekers alike. No one leaves the employment center without feeling their love. It is an honor to share some time with them. Their examples of how to face adversity with courage and faith and obedience with the power of the Holy Ghost just boggles my mind.

They are cheered and supported by their great families and loved ones but they are the examples and lead the way. Sister Goodin has 11 children and Sister Dustin has four children, all of which are their cheering section. They each have a passle of beautiful grandchildren.

They are the first of two sets of sister missionaries sent on Employment missions as a couple. They were carefully and prayerfully chosen and they are perfect for each other and this great work. One day they will tell their grandchildren in the not too far future how they were the pioneers who blazed the trail of the "Sister Power" in the Employment Program of the Church. I am proud to be associated with them. I am humbled by their examples and warmed by their love. They teach me so much!

Yeah Sisters! You Rock!