Beverly always gets up early. She didn’t want breakfast. She
and Lewis read the comics on the computer and they both checked out their news
sources. I did my Come Follow Me app and Duolingo. Beverly wanted to have some
time with her mother while Colin was still sleeping so she left before 7:00. We
will get to see her again on her way home. We have already agreed on pizza as
our guilty but much-enjoyed dinner to be. Sent a birthday e-card to Daniel. We
did our referrals. Talked to Rich and Khristine as they both made dinner. Pizza
again, but they are making calzones – pizza rolls. We talked with Joyce also
and found her in pain. She had surgery that is supposed to help her back, but
the healing time is long and she is miserable. Hope the results will be
worth the hard times right now. It takes a while to catch up with all of our
family members but we love sharing and feeling blessed even with the things we
wish were different. We know that our Savior can fix everything a person wants
to change. But we are blessed with challenges often. We talked with Rosie. She is going to the temple every week. That is
wonderful. She enjoys it and getting a lot of ordinance work done. She plans to come to
visit us in CA in August when Nancy and David are driving down.
I sent out more information about our Family Reunion 2024.
It is coming together.
Sunday, June 2, 2024
No extra meetings on Fast Sunday. We had a good meeting and Sunday School. There was a young mother with a 2-month-old baby that we haven’t met yet. We have a young family, the Bradleys, in our Branch. Both are returned missionaries who speak Spanish. He is the Sunday School President. There are two Primary girls and a 3-month-old son. The mom showed the new Spanish girl the “mother’s room” and helped her feel more comfortable with a new baby in a room with a lot of people.
We were able to go to Evan’s Seminary Graduation at 7:00. It was great. 4 short talks by 4 seniors. The younger Seminary students each stood to be recognized. Also, all of the teachers and principals were acknowledged. Each of the Seniors went up to the podium and received their diploma given to them by their Bishop. Their teachers had written a paragraph about each one, noting their strengths and contributions. I was impressed. The first, second, and third-year students picked up their certificates in some of the classrooms and we all enjoyed refreshments in the cultural hall.
Monday, June 3, 2024
Carter’s birthday today. Referrals take time. Lewis made a
batch of bread. We went to Camarillo to deliver fresh bread to Gabina Corral. We are still trying
to strike up a conversation with her but again she was not home. One of their
children was there to accept the bread. We left one with Azu Parra who is still
recuperating from her surgery. We found no one at home at the Rangels. We are
trying to share Temple and Family History information with them. Not a lot of
success, yet. Lewis made more bread when we got home. We’ll try again tomorrow.
Tuesday, June 4, 2024
We went for a walk. Sent an e-card to Krysten Snyder for her
birthday. Lewis went to the doctor by himself. His eyes are red and itchy and
he hasn’t found relief with several attempts. The woman he talked with today
says it is dandruff on the eyelashes. She wants him to wash his eyelids and
lashes with ½ water and ½ baby shampoo 3 times a day. We hope that will help. I
am coughing a medium amount but overall feeling somewhat better. I got my
referrals done and tried to get the photos from April and May out of iCloud and
into my computer as I have done for years. I failed and was getting pretty
frustrated. I always select save as but I was not getting a chance to select
the file where the photos would go. Had to quit. Hope things are better
tomorrow.
Christie called. So happy to have the chance to talk with
her. She told about how touched she was when Thomas showed her love by having
her love note tattooed on his arm. Dior’s mother has been hiding from
them which is sad. Marcello went back to Lorena. She has healed enough and can manage again.
Jacey and Calvin will be at the Family Reunion for part of the time. Travis’s
foot separated where it should not have. He is back to no weight on his foot
again. It is so discouraging that his healing is taking such a long time.
Emily found enough tickets so the Omar Arellano family and Lewis and I were able to go with them to Evan’s Rancho Campana High School Graduation. It was about as riveting as most graduations are but we were happy to be there to support Evan and celebrate his accomplishments. They had photos of all the seniors and it was fun to see their pictures. Evan received a special award for bilingual excellence.
We are on our own with the English Connect classes. Lewis
had 4 of the 5 Martinez family members. Ana was with me. Martha didn’t feel well enough
but said she would come on Thursday. Ana is doing well with her pronunciation.
I am discovering that the Book 2s are not assembled well. Ana’s book had a page
of Book 1 in her Book 2. We need a capable and consistent teacher and have the
Stake pay for more books for our students. We took the Martinez couple on a
quick tour of the building. The husband knows John Michael Bradley, our Sunday School
President.
Wednesday, June 5, 2024
Did referrals. Downloaded more photos and updated April with
photos. Still need the ones on iCloud. We went to Camarillo and talked about
family history and the temple with the Rangills. Went to see the Laws and the
Zurchers. Left a loaf of bread with each of them. Lewis spent much of the day
attempting to get new car insurance. Our provider canceled the insurance
because they don’t insure cars for CA residents. It costs a lot more here. Not
convenient. I’m glad he is solving the problem.
Thursday, June 6, 2024
I spent most of the day sending texts to the missionaries of
all of the brand-new referrals and the outstanding requests in Camarillo,
Newbury Park, Thousand Oaks, and Simi Valley Areas. Takes a long time but
hopefully helps the missionaries to be more efficient. It is Ella's birthday
today and Catalina's also. Lewis made more bread. Ana texted me in English and
said she was not able to come to our English class tonight. Downloaded some of
my iCloud photos. Have to do them one by one. Ugh! English Connect class at
7:00. No one was there until 7:10. Severio and Jacqueline couldn’t come but
their three nephews did arrive. A bit later Martha came so we left to the room
across the hall. She isn’t really interested in learning more English. She
speaks it well. She wanted to talk about her health and her trip to Mexico next
month. She does have difficult health issues and she thinks that she now is on
a path that will help her. I hope she is right. She
is very sensitive. She said she likes to talk with me because I don’t tell her
what to do. She needs more supportive friends. I’m glad I can perhaps help in some
way. She has a lot of responsibilities with her 6 children and she has done all
she could for her children. Four live with her and two are in Mexico.
Friday, June 7, 2024
Did referrals and vacuumed. Met Beverly at the car rental
place at the Oxnard Airport which is very close to our townhouse. We had
arranged to go out to lunch with David and Jenny. We went to the Toppers at
Channel Islands harbor. The food was delicious and we had fun talking about all
of the Pettingill family members. I’m so glad that they do want to feel close
to one another. They also asked questions about my daughters and their families
as well. Jenny is amazing with her ability to keep so many people straight in
her mind. We had fun talking about all of their travels and the beautiful
things they had seen. They had a wonderful trip to Hawaii and time to hike and enjoy the flora and fauna on the island.
Lewis remembered he needed a hat before we went to Emmett’s
graduation. We got sunburned at Evan’s graduation. We went to a Walmart that
was almost only groceries. First time I’ve seen that. We went to Target and he
chose a baseball cap. I can’t find the one I bought from home. I’ll borrow one
from Emily. Beverly commented on the Red Robin restaurant we were near. She is
going home tomorrow morning and is thinking that she will go back to her 4-hour
eating window every day. So, we all decided to eat a hamburger and French fries
as a final splurge. We are all good a talking ourselves into being naughty. We
did enjoy it and the company as well. I'm so glad that Beverly wants to spend time
with her Dad and me. She is an amazing woman who has had so much positive influence on her hundreds of students over the years. She cares and often sacrifices to be helpful and supportive.
Saturday, June 8, 2024
Lewis woke me up at 5:00 instead of 6:00. But we had a
relaxing morning and piled everything into the car at 7:00 to take Beverly to
the Burbank airport. Traffic was light and she got there with loads of time,
which she likes. There was a big storm moving toward Denver but Beverly texted
us that she had arrived safely and the storm waited until her flight was
completed. She got home safely.
I spent time and finished moving all of my iCloud photos into Lightroom and tagged them. I need to put them up on the blog. We were planning to go out to dinner with the office missionaries but we looked at the menu and all they serve is seafood. So, we texted them and told them that it wouldn’t be wise for us to eat there because of Lewis' allergy to seafood. It was kind of them to invite us. They are with each other almost daily. Good people.
Sunday, June 9, 2024
I got the brand-new referrals done before we had to leave. We
had meetings both before and after church. Before we had the branch correlation
meeting. We have a picnic planned for Saturday to honor the Dads. On Sunday all
are to bring pies to enjoy Pies for Guys after church. We only had a medium
attendance at Sacrament Meeting. But the room is pretty full. Ana was there for the first time. This
is not the Ana who has been attending English class. She is waiting for Martha
to come with her I think. The new Ana has only been here in our country for 3 weeks. She is
looking for work. She seemed to like Relief Society and read a portion of the
lesson like everyone else. She seems very nice and worried about how she will
be able to survive here. She has met the Elders and had a lesson. I
hope she can find a job. After church, we had a missionary correlation meeting. They
are teaching 20 people currently. Wow. President Parra wants to create a
ministering system with serious investigators. It would be great to have a
family look out for the new family and be sure they are invited to everything
and have a friendly and sincere connection with members.
We went to Emily’s house for Ella’s final birthday celebrations.
She had a special dinner on her real day, then a peers' party dinner, and now a
family dinner. She is an amazing young woman and seems older and more mature
than her 12 years. All of Omar’s family and David and Jenny were there as well
as us. Delicious food and lovely people.
Monday, June 10, 2024
We went to Winco and the pharmacy for another kind of meds
for his eyes. Lots of referrals to take care of. I did get back to the photos in the afternoon.
I finished April and most of May. I cooked more grains for my breakfasts and
Migas because I like them. Sometimes Lewis wants some too.
Tuesday, June 11, 2024
It is Christie’s Birthday! I sent her an e-card and a text.
We went to Toppers to have lunch with Emily. An indulgence we enjoy almost as
much as the company. Very pleasant to hear more about Italy and their plans for
this summer. Edgar and Evan are going to Ohio to do more remodeling for two
weeks. She has another family dinner next Sunday for Father’s Day. So many
dinners and we all enjoy them. I did even more than usual of the referrals. The
numbers are higher but so are the new referrals. I previously had three
teaching areas that were not keeping up but all of that has been cleaned out
and fixed. Maybe better numbers are here to stay?
The gloomy cloudy weather is here to stay so far. I’m glad
I'm not at the Beach House. It is not hot or even warm either. Emily says May
gray, June gloom is normal. Oxnard is less sunny than Camarillo. But we don’t
get the sun in our eyes when we go walking. That is a good thing.
We went to David’s house and three of us got in the back
seat of the car. Lewis is trying to make sure that our trip to Lava Hot Springs
is organized as well as possible. When we pick up Rosie it will be squishy but
that is OK for less than 3 hours. We went to visit the Ramirez family but they
were not there. He said that they had to move out of their house. Lewis let
Hermano Avila (the Elder's Quorum President) know so he could check up on them. We were just telling them
about the picnic on Saturday. We had some extra time so we went to the gelato
place. It is still delicious. I love the lemon pistachio flavor! English class
was an all-time high for us. The 5 Martinez family, Jose, Ana, and our pros:
Ana and Martha. That is 9 students! President Rodriguez was there for an interview.
He and the missionaries helped with the practice exercises at the end of the
lesson. The missionaries gave the spiritual thought and President Rodriguez
said the closing prayer. It was lovely to hear him praying for our class
members and their happiness.
We are in the mission office today because everyone else is
at a Zone Conference up north. We answer the phone and receive the mail. I can certainly do my referrals here but I
have to delay until after the Social Media Zoom meeting begins at 9:00 AM.
Learned new things but didn’t have enough foundation to understand well. There
is a way to do Facebook without using the Facebook App. ? Messinger can give
access to groups that might be interested in learning more about Jesus Christ,
etc. They can send and receive messages and preach the Gospel. The missions
that use this system are worldwide and the current key indicator is that 20% of the
referrals choose to learn more and want lessons. All of these missions have
something over 10% so it is working well and improving over time.
For the brand-new referrals from today 6 out of 7 are for
the English class. There is a huge need to speak English if you live in the
United States. The lack of English limits job opportunities severely. I sent a
text to Jennifer Ramirez to ask if her restaurant might need another employee.
Ana is very discouraged because she has not found anyone willing to hire her
yet. Learning English is not a quick process. But it can be done. Ana and
Martha prove it.
Good meme I saw online – When you have a problem, don’t Google it, Pray.
Thursday, June 13, 2024
More referrals for the English class with all the others. We went to Emmett’s graduation from University Preparation Charter School.
They said once a dolphin you are always a dolphin. I was very impressed with the talks. Kids spoke almost as much as adults. They had a woman and her brother who graduated from 8th grade 12 years ago. She is getting a doctorate at UCLA or was it USC? I don’t remember. Her brother was wearing a uniform. Military or Police? I’m not sure. They spoke directly and encouragingly to the students. There were also musical numbers and an impressive dance routine with all of the seniors participating in turns. The talk by one of the 8th graders was excellent. She did a great job in both the content and the delivery. I would like to know her. There was the moving in and the moving out with the usual processions. Lots of photos and celebrating with family and friends.
We had an English class and did not wait to go out to dinner with all of the Arellanos so we missed their dinner. They ended up in the sushi restaurant so Lewis wasn't sad. We had a Pollo Bowl and had 9 students in our class tonight! Ana Montoya is with me. Martha did not come but that allowed Ana to read more and I could correct her pronunciation. She is doing well. We finished the Proclamation to the World on the Family. It was something she strongly approved of. The words are formal so she was not familiar with all of them. She wants to be held to a high standard. She told me she is taking a US History class at the college she attends. I admire her interest in learning and the work she puts into it.
Danny Sanchez came afterward and we had a missionary
meeting. He put up about 12 names of people who might choose to be baptized
soon. We have dates set for two. We chose members who might be able to assist
each of these people. Lots of good things are happening. I certainly wish we
could create jobs but we don't know how to do that. It is difficult to find
jobs for people who don’t speak the language.
Friday, June 14, 2024
We are the only ones in the office today. I was able to do a
lot of the referrals. Things are going pretty well. It is hard to get a good
balance between doing everything you can to find them vs if they are not
interested, sometimes they need to cut out the deadwood and have time with those who do want to talk
with them. The missionaries certainly have a lot of things to do. I also sent text
messages to several people who might not have heard about our Branch picnic tomorrow.
Lewis was bored so he went to Winco and then drove back to our apartment and put the food away before he came
back to the office. Half a dozen phone calls and some mail and packages were the extent of
the work here in the office today.
Saturday, June 15, 2024
I finished making the fruit salad. We went to the Ponderosa
picnic at 11:00. They had the big barbeque going and started cooking the
hamburgers and hot dogs. They had all the buns and fixings. They also had lots
of salads and fresh fruit. It took a while but lots of people came. President
Parra told Elder Hogge and Porter to invite the other two sets of Camarillo missionaries
to come and have lunch with us. There were leis and a shiny silver ball
necklace for the men and a shiny black hat that said Feliz Dia de las Papas. In
the grass were stuck a dozen or so little wooden signs with the wonderful qualities of our fathers. Lots of
good food to eat and good people to talk with. There was a soccer game set up
and lots of the dads and the kids played. Feed people and they will
come. And many of them come back and stay because they feel so welcome.
There was a discussion of the good attributes of our men.That was just the first part of the day. David and Jenny came over and took us to dinner. We went to Yolanda’s and enjoyed the Mexican food. We were talking about how much love and care we owe to others. That is a hard question. The Lord wants us to follow his example. But are certainly less capable of solving others' problems. We all have the problem of getting ourselves to change the behavior that creates our problems. It is also hard to know the best way to care for other people. We don’t have all of the answers. Life is challenging to be sure. They are both so loving and caring but there must be some limits or you lose the ability to care for yourself. Where do we draw the line? We wish we could solve all the problems our branch members have. Good jobs for people who do not speak English for example. Not easy to find. And anyone who wants to live here pays a huge amount for housing. The next generation is having a hard time feeling confident that they can ever make a good life for themselves and their family.
Sunday, June 16, 2024
Church on Father's Day. Four females talked about Father’s Day and how much we appreciate our fathers. It was Sunday School with Brother Zurcher. Ana, the newest investigator, was with Veronica. I didn’t get a chance to talk with her. I had texted her about the Retirement Home on Carmen that Veronica told me about yesterday. I hope they made that connection and perhaps Ana could learn more about the possibility of a job. It is Father’s Day and the long-standing tradition of Pies for Guys on Father’s Day. There was pie for everyone to enjoy.
We went to Emily’s home for Father’s Day dinner with Omar
and his family. Delicious food and great company. Lots of eating. We are
enjoying it and our bodies are storing up for winter and hanging it on us. I
wish there was someone else to blame. We love to be at Emily’s house. It was
fun and we like honoring our very important fathers.
Monday, June 17, 2024
Lots of referrals to send out so I did them early in the
morning. Lewis is suffering still from itchy eyes. The best guess is allergies
again. He had an appointment for this morning but the doctor couldn’t go to
work. Lewis took me to the Beach House at
about 11:00. I got to spend time with all of my living siblings. Kathy and
Christ drove there also and we visited for a while and then went to Beach House
Tacos on the Ventura Pier. The food was good and the company was excellent. I
was so happy to have some time to talk with my sisters. We didn’t get into much
that was deep but it is important to just be able to be ourselves and learn
more about our lives. We did talk about our aches and pains. We siblings are
getting old and creaky. We took a photo in the Beach House of the surviving siblings. We came back and sat on the four couches that all face each other and got to chat with Katy, and Kasey and Jeremy, Heather, Michael,
Scott and Julie, Harmony, Holly. I couldn't remember everyone’s names but they
couldn’t either. Their children are young and they were having a wonderful time with Susan’s
water babies in the jacuzzi.
Siblings at the Beach House June 2024
More referrals. I took Lewis to the mission office to drive
a new car back to the office. I had an appointment for a medical test. I was late for my appointment because no one had
told me to go to a different building. 3 buildings later I was late, but they
said I could have my test done at 3:45. I picked up Lewis at the office and
went back to the right location. I took my pulmonary test to determine how much
air I could take in and blow out at what pressure. I got a clip to close my
nose and went through the process a couple of times. Both without an inhaler
and after using an inhaler. They sent the results and reported that I am not showing COPD numbers. I guess that is good and I am at least normal.
We had only 6 students at English Connect. The three cousins
were not there. Ana is doing well. She does have Gospel Library on her phone. I
need to show her things to look for. Martha came also. We go over the lesson
quickly and then read church pamphlets that come in both Spanish and English.
They each would read a paragraph in Spanish and then in English. They also
wanted me to read the English as well. It is helping them to learn to pronounce new
words. Ana can remember quite well. She has Adam and Eve down. It is especially
hard when the two languages are similar but not the same.
Wednesday, June 19, 2024
Walking, breakfast, and beginning the referrals. Today there
is another new car drive for Lewis. I dropped him off and picked up Ella for
her ortho appointment. Emily is in Moorpark with Emmett for some Boy Scout
training event. The timing worked pretty well. I picked up Lewis and he got a
haircut.
We went to Kaiser to try to get help for Lewis’ eyes. Today
they are much better but he was able to get an appointment. The doctor was
great and did a lot of checking. He decided that the cause was allergies and
Lewis needed a special med that they were unable to come up with. Supposedly
they will let us know when it is available. The things he is currently using
will continue to help. The doctor asked about the church because there is a
family friend of one of his children who is a good guy and a member of our
church. Hurrah for everyone who is a good example.
We came home and had stir fry. It was a lot of driving around today but it was all for good things. We were not disappointed when they didn’t need us for member visits this evening. I put in some more time on referrals before calling it a day.
Thursday, July 20, 2024
We had a very nice man come to our house with all of the
escrow papers needed to sign for the new townhome that Lewis bought. It was a
very high stack of papers and took quite a while but it all worked out. Lewis
had wired the down payment money in the morning and it looks like all is well.
One more source of income should be a good thing.
Ana didn’t come to English class. She texted me and said she
had something else she must do. Nice of her to let me know. Martha came and she
talked most of the time. She needs to talk to a friend and I am happy to listen. She is
looking forward to going to Mexico on July 16th and will have time
with her son and daughter that live there. We knew that the family wouldn’t be
there because it was Silvererio's birthday. Lewis only had the other Ana. We
had our missionary correlation meeting afterward. Danny put up the screen and
Hermano Law attended remotely. Jose Rangel came to represent the RS and the
Elder’s Q. We suggested how to pair up members with investigators so no one is
overlooked or neglected. I think it will help. There are so many that we can’t
keep up during church time and connect with everyone who is still new. There
are two ready for baptism and others are headed that way. Several more are just
interested at this point.
Friday, June 21, 2024
Susan’s birthday. We spent the day in the office. Most were
up in the north of the mission. Elder Nixon came in for a couple of hours. His
wife is babysitting with one of her daughters and her newborn. Her husband
said she has attended 20 newborn children so far and is determined to be
there for everyone. I sent referral messages to all of my 4 Zones which is
about 25 districts. Lots of text messages about all the outstanding referrals
they are working with.
Saturday, June 22, 2024
Referrals but not very many. We went car shopping. Lewis has
been looking and researching. He needs a car that is easier for him to get
into and out of. He is looking at a Kia Sportage, a van Christler Voyager, and a
Hyundai Santa Fe. I watched some cooking videos and updated my lists of things
to have done before we leave for the Family Reunion in Lava Hot Springs, Idaho.
Sunday, June 23, 2024
We got up early to get ready before Cohen’s Missionary
Farewell talk in Sacrament Meeting in American Fork. We have access through
Zoom. I’m still blown away by how easy it is to do impossible things with today’s
technology. Cohen gave a great talk. He told about how his parents always read
the scriptures with their children before going to bed. He said that even if he
was the only one and came in late, he was still invited to read with them every time. I’m
glad Cohen realizes now that he is grateful for that consistency his parents
have practiced for decades. He also mentioned how the Anri-Nephi-Lehi men buried their
swords in the ground. He recognized that he needed to bury several things for
the duration of his mission. He told us that he was very grateful for his
Patriarchal Blessing and is going to remember the phrase “be a witness” during
his mission. He is planning to continue to learn that we can do hard things
when we are focused on the Lord. He invited all of us to create a closer relationship
with our Lord.
Ponderosa Branch correlation meeting before church. We have
Sister Gonzalez as our new RS President. She will be great. Sister Parra is
still stuck at home to recuperate from her surgery. She did come to church one time but ended
up leaving early. She needs more time to heal. Her mother-in-law was not at
church so she may have returned to Mexico. We had a second meeting afterward to
assign ministering for the investigators. We need to do that to keep them
straight in our minds and have someone who is following up personally. We are assigned to
visit the Ramirez family tomorrow. They are still in a hotel since the broken
pipe happened. Their daughter will be baptized next Saturday. I’m sad we can’t
be there for the baptism because we will be in Idaho.
We had Sister Rivera and Brother Corall speak. I had
difficulty understanding his talk. Elder Hogge was the final speaker and I
could follow him fairly well. Good people all around me. We are all different
from each other but have so much more in common. I’m grateful to have this
experience and to get to know these precious people. Sister Gonzalez didn’t
have either of her counselors with her today. One is Azu at home and the other
is Sister Rangel. She had something come up today and is not here. President Parra
and Hermano Law came to RS so she wouldn’t feel alone. Sister Gonzales spent several months
fighting cancer in Mexico this year and she won. She said that since she
overcame her cancer war, she is grateful that she can carry this
responsibility. They are empty nesters and have a strong construction company
and they are willing to focus on serving others. I was walking down the hall
after church with Emily and introduced her. She knew that Emily was an Arellano
as she attended the Oxnard Ward in the past and knows Iris and Omar well.
We gave Emily a package of paper towels we bought accidentally. Lewis thought it was toilet paper. And three leis/necklaces for Ella. I learned that Debi and Wendy are spending
the week with Kathy and look forward to going to lunch with them on Wednesday.
Did the new referrals and reviewed our lesson for Monday. Next week will be a
busy one and then we can enjoy our Family Reunion. I hope everyone who is there
will enjoy it as much as I will.
Monday, June 24, 2024
Warm sunny weather for our walks now but the sun is in our
eyes. Always something to complain about. Went to Winco for a few things to get
us through this week. Friday we will leave for Lava Hot Springs and our Family
Reunion.
Lewis wanted to look at cars. He finds it difficult to get
in and out of our car. It is low and he has to lift his legs a lot to get over
the area under the door. He is trying to decide if he would like a SUV or a
Van. They cost more of course and take more gas and the interest rates are much
higher than they were when we bought our Kia Nero Plug-In.
We made roasted vegetables with chicken gravy to take to the
Senior Missionary FHE evening. They did eat most of it so I guess it was appreciated.
We had been asked months ago to provide the lesson. I asked our group to each choose
one of the attributes of Christ from Preach My Gospel. They all did and I asked
them to spend 3 minutes talking about the attribute they chose. I was impressed
by their responses. These are wonderful people who want to be more wonderful.
They shared insights about how they learn, how they feel, and what they are
looking forward to. Uplifting conversations are a great gift. I had asked our
Mission Leaders if they would tell us something wise. They are both humble and
great. They thanked us for our efforts and pointed out that our mission has
been provided with people who meet our mission’s needs. We are engaged in the Lord’s
work and he makes it possible to succeed in our tasks. We didn’t keep it to 3
minutes each but it was a lovely evening on the Mission Home porch that is on
the second floor and the evening was beautiful. The food that preceded it was
delicious as well. There was no dessert. This was a potluck affair. I was
grateful to not be tempted by a dessert.
I missed Debi and Wendy, my sister Kathy's daughters. They couldn't go to lunch on Wednesday and decided to go to dinner on Monday. I missed out. I hope I get another opportunity to see the girls I knew so well as children but haven't seen since - except Wendy at Brent's funeral.
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
We worked in the office. Sister Nixon is still with her
daughter and her new baby. I spent
almost the whole time working on the referrals. I texted every companionship in
my 4 zones about all of their outstanding contact responsibilities. I praised
all the ones that were doing great and had suggestions for those that were
lagging. I hope it helps. I have gotten several return texts and thumbs up so
that makes me feel better when I have to complain. We did get to go home before 5:00
because others were there as well. I made a green salsa casserole with hominy,
corn, white beans, seasonings, and rice. I added a can of petite tomatoes. We
both enjoyed it. Easy to have on hand
and put together. But it takes 1 hour and a half to get the brown rice
completely cooked.
Lots of texting with my daughters about last-minute decisions to make the
Family Reunion all come together. I’m so grateful that our children are willing
to take so much time, effort, and money to make it all happen. They are
willing to sacrifice and help either other so things move forward as easily as
possible. I hope it comes together in a way that the young and the old can
enjoy themselves. It is a lot of work to bring all of their families (or at
least the ones at home) and try to please everyone.
Went to our English class and only had 2 students. Mine were
not there and only Ana and Jose came for the beginner class. It went well. Ana
is pleased that she will have a third interview this week for Panda Express.
Jose was telling her that it was a good place to work. She has a certificate from (I’m guessing) a junior college in international restaurants. She is smart and
dependable. I’m sure she will be a good employee. They had her interviews in
Spanish and I hope all goes well. Jose needs the tire on his bike repaired. We
offered them both a ride home and went to the O’Riley’s store. Lewis showed
Jose what he needed to repair his tire. Jose was able to purchase what he needed.
Hope he can fix it himself. They live close to each other so we dropped them
off easily. So many good people just want to work so they can care for themselves and their families.
Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Packed stuff up again to spend the day in the office. I had
a haircut appointment so I dropped Lewis off at 9:00 and got my hair cut at 9:30.
I was back in not much more than an hour. Emily’s friend is so nice. She would
make a great member of our church. But she is living with her boyfriend so they
would have to get married. I have enjoyed talking with her this last year. I
wish I was as good at making conversation as she is. I keep trying to improve
but I have a long way to go. I don’t have as many referrals to work on today
and it is too early to repeat the information I sent yesterday. So I found
other useful things to do. Lewis took the car to be sure that our tires were in
good shape and properly aligned. I sat at the front desk for several hours. Not
much in the way of phone calls. Most of the others were involved with the missionaries
and the training meetings. Fun to see the missionaries but I don’t have a chance
to see them enough to learn the names of very many.
Thursday, June 27, 2024
My Father’s birthday! We went to the car wash and cleaned
the car inside and out. We packed our things. Ate leftovers for lunch with
David. He helped Lewis to put the cartop on. It went pretty fast and will make
carrying our things possible tomorrow. More last-minute texts. Leiann is at our Idaho house today and will pick up paper plates, eating necessities, and whatever she
can find in our garage. Cheaper to use what we have than to buy stuff in a small
grocery store in Lava Hot Springs. I was trying to find a more comfortable ride
for Rosie and she decided not to come. I am sad.
Friday, June 28, 2024
We got up early and went to David’s house before 8:00. David
arranged all of the luggage inside the car top and it worked out well. We had a
very pleasant drive. We ate bean and cheese burritos. We talked a lot in
between listening to our story. They were very patient because they missed the
beginning and we kept telling them who was who and why until they could
understand the plot. We almost finished it but are left hanging for the trip
back to be sure everyone winds up safe and sound. We had a room in Cedar City.
Had fun checking out the cost of the houses for sale on the internet as we drove by. Definitely less than California. We went to Panda Express for dinner. It was a
good way to end the day. We found out that Rosie will come with Morgan, Hanah,
and Noah tomorrow. We are very happy she will be with us for a few days.
Saturday, June 29, 2024
I suggested we stop at the cheese factory in Beaver. Jenny is a dedicated cheese lover. We found that it now has a lovely new building called the Creamery and is a tourist-worthy destination. We had fun browsing and had a great breakfast. I loved my breakfast. It was labeled as Homemade Amish oatmeal. I got a huge pancake of lightly crisp oatmeal. It was covered with perfect strawberry slices and blueberries with cream poured over all. It was beautiful and tasted even better. How healthy it was is debatable. I paid $8.00 and will do it again any chance I get. There is a room with a cow statue and lots of info on the walls, videos to watch, and fun things to look at. Lots of things for travelers to buy are attractively arranged. On one side is a small café. We avoided going to the ice cream area at the other end. The sign with paintings of all the flavors was very enticing but we were full already. Don’t miss it if you like ice cream. We looked at all the cheeses. We bought squeaky cheese and a bag of samples of all of the kinds of cheeses they make in that location. I was full so I passed on the cheese. Except I had to try the cheese curds again. I haven’t had any for many years. It is fun to eat as well as tasty. The drive was beautiful through Utah and Idaho. It was a nice contrast from Southern California.
We found our Conference Center house and it is interesting
and old. Unique and charming but with some difficulties. We had a conversation
with the manager who said there is no way you can have more people over for
dinner. They were worried about 50 people using the toilets and creating too
much trash. Lewis talked with the owner. We agreed that 50 people would only be
there for dinner and we would eat outside. We also agreed to get rid of all the
trash that didn’t fit in our two barrels.
We all went to the local park. It was a lovely park with
tables and roofs, a pickleball area, and lots of grass for Spike ball and other
games. The young adults had plenty of energy and they had a great time
together. We older people enjoyed mostly sitting in the shade and talking with everyone. Emily
and her family arrived and almost everyone wanted an ice cream treat. Calvin and
Jacey and their families arrived as well. Christie and her family had
been with the Bear Lake Family Reunion for the Preisler family but somehow, she
pulled off a Potato Bar for all of us. I’m not sure how she had all of them
baked and still warm in a very big cooler. They had lots of delicious ways to
embellish them and we all enjoyed our dinner together. We did set up all of the
tables and chairs in the back yard and now have a nice place for our family
members can eat dinner together.
Sunday, June 30, 2024
We had a great discussion in our house about church matters before we left to go to church. It was interesting to imagine how things will work in the next life. We have been given enough information to get us through this life but we don't know all we wish we did about the premortal realm and our next life after our mortal death. David thinks that with an endless eternity ahead of us we should have the opportunity to continue to learn and better understand the consequences of our choices. Sounds reasonable to me but we don't get to tell Heavenly Father how to organize things. I know He loves us and wants the best for His children even more than I want the best for our children. He must have a system where everyone of His children will have a chance to see clearly and choose the best outcome for themselves. I am so emotionally involved with my family. I want everyone to have the very best and the privilege of marriage and family. We think this life is long. On the other side of death, I think our lives will feel short and ever so important. We all need to realize that here and now. I believe that everyone will have a future opportunity to marry if they are unable to do so in this life. But those of us who have that blessing need to take advantage of our opportunity to seal our families together forever through the ordinance of sealing in the Temple. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is building new Temples all over the globe. It is to provide access to all who choose to make the temple covenants and receive the blessings of doing so.
We were impressed that we were welcomed to come to church before we even got in the door. They had members outside the building welcoming the many guests. The Bishop was conducting and he made us all glad we were there. We sang all the verses of “The Star-Spangled Banner”. It was long and perfect for the upcoming 4th of July. The Sacrament took a long time because the cultural hall was full of chairs and most of them were occupied. A young service missionary spoke of her experiences and a couple spoke about their recent Senior Mission. They were MLS like us but worked in the office for the first 6 months because they were needed there. Her husband was able to figure out all that was involved with the cars and clean up the recent mess it had been. The wife filled in wherever they needed her. Then they were able to do the job they anticipated and enjoyed that greatly. It was fun for me to see their experience. Every mission is different, and in many ways, we create our own.
The Sunday School lesson was taught by the Bishop. He is a wonderful teacher and said he felt that talking about the role of prophets was the topic he should address. He put up several scriptures on the board and we discussed what the scriptures say on the topic. He also got a lot of participation with the question: "How has a prophet influenced your life?" Only David Evans, Lewis, and I had stayed for the second hour but we were glad we did.
Back at home - Rosie arrived with Morgan, Hanna and Noah. Jenny started a cool puzzle. It pictured rows of Legos. She is amazing and fast. Emmett was a contributor for a long time too. Most of us didn’t stick around very long because it was hard. Several games were played. Five Crowns was popular. Lots of us walked through the town to see what was available.
We were informed that we were using inside chairs and that was
only OK if we took them in overnight. We had been using both indoor and outdoor
tables. The maintenance man said that we could take all of the outdoor tables
and put them in our backyard but we must bring the chairs in each night. OK. We
can do that. Good thing we have so many willing hands to help.
Leiann made taco salad for all of us. It was displayed beautifully and the food was very good. The happy surprise was that Cary made several of his popular ice cream desserts. Delicious.
