November 13, 2017

November Zone Conference

Light the World

Mueller's Farewell

Goodbye to Shelstads

Dakota Edmunds and Lucas Pace

Group to support Lucas at the Temple

Halvorsens, Kapololus, Sattleys,

Hillans, Dakota and Lucas

San Diego Nativity

San Diego Temple as we

head home

November 13, 2017

Our routine was altered this week because of the Marine Corps Birthday (November 10) and Veterans' Day (November 11).  It was a fun week.

Monday night we met all of the senior couples in the California, Irvine Mission for a farewell dinner in honor of Wylene and Dennis Shelstad.  The Shelstads are from Prescott, Arizona and will hit the road on November 15.  We hope to reconnect with them in the future.  Such wonderful missionaries and good friends.  The dinner was at Lucille's BBQ--Shelstad's favorite.

No graduations this week due to all of the military celebrations so we got extra study and preparation time.  I'm scheduled to teach next Sunday so I appreciated a little extra time.  

Wednesday, we skipped working at the Relief Society to attend Zone Conference.  Always love spending time with the missionaries and receiving instruction from President and Sister Clark.  The conference actually had two themes.  First we talked about The Gathering.  Patience, loyalty and integrity are qualities we should all be developing.  If we look for the good in people and see them as Christ sees them, we will know how to love and serve them.  One of Sister Clark's favorite sayings is--Obience brings blessings.  Exact obedience brings miracles.  President Bruce shared a personal experience he had as a young missionary.  He was serving in Chili and was asked to serve as a senior companion after only 3 months of service.  He and his companion were sent to an area that had not seen any baptisms in over a year.  There was a small branch of 50 people. He was not fluent in the language but they were obedient.  They went to a small hill and looked over the area and were inspired to work in an area of about 50 homes.  His companion dedicated the area to the work (while kneeling on a bed of red ants).  After they got rid of the ants, they went to work.  They were able to teach in 46 of the 50 homes in the area they had been guided to.  When they left the area in a few months, the branch had 116 members.  They truly saw a miracle.

Sister Bruce shared her grandmother's quote that I really liked.  "If you talk about your troubles o'er and o'er.  The Lord will think you like them and give you more and more."

In the afternoon, the focus turned to preparing to Light the World this Christmas season.  Sister Clark's message was centered on "Give Said The Little Stream" (Elder Halvorsen's long-time favorite Primary song)  We were challenged to give our best this Christmas and prepare for a "white" Christmas with numerous baptisms. We were challenged to finish reading the Book for Mormon within the next 12 weeks with the focus on remembering how merciful God is to his children. The missionaries were given miniature Christmas trees for their apartments and invited to Light the World through service and love.  It is always a special treat to hear the farewell testimonies of missionaries who have completed their service.  Elder Mueller who served with us at the Basilone Branch goes home this week and the Shelstads leave on Wednesday.

Thursday we worked at the Thrift Store.  I got to cashier which is really fun.  We did not go to San Diego for celebrations that night so we spent time at the large commissary instead. Everything on base was closed Friday for the Marine Corps Birthday so we had another down day.  

Saturday was really special.  We picked up Lucas Pace and Dakota Edmunds for a trip to the San Diego Temple.  Since it was for Lucas' personal endowment we left at 9:15 for a 1 pm endowment session.  While he was doing his own initiatory work, I was able to do initiatories for seven people, including some of my ancestors.  The Sattleys, Kapololus, and Hillans (senior military missionaries working from San Diego and Carlsbad missions) joined us for the session.  Lucas described his experience as feeling "waves" of the Spirit testifying to him that he was making important covenants. It was a wonderful experience.  After the session, we all went to dinner at California Pizza where they were providing free meals for veterans--so only the sisters had to pay that day.  

We really enjoyed getting to know Lucas and Dakota better during our 3 hours of travel.  They are both outstanding young men.  Dakota (the best battle-buddy ever) shared that he came from a very active family, however, he quit attending church when he was 16.  He just didn't have a testimony.  While at Boot Camp he attended a wide variety of faiths.  When he got to SOI and Lucas needed a buddy, he went initially just to help him out.  But, as he has been attending over the last two months he confessed that he feels the Spirit.  He can see a difference in his life and feels the light of the gospel.  He said he felt he needed to mature a little to really appreciate the importance of the gospel to him.  He can now compare how he felt without the gospel and knows he never wants to be without it again.  It made my heart swell with gratitude to hear his testimony and know in some way we have made a difference in his life.  As to why they joined the marines, Dakota shared that his grandfathers had both served in the military and his father had always been embarrassed that he had not served.  Dakota said he didn't want to feel that way.  He decided he would always regret it if he hadn't served his country. Lucas told us how he had given up earning $100,000 per year as a skydiver instructor and parachute packer to join the marines.  I laughed and said--he's taken a major pay cut for that decision.  He said he knew he wanted to serve his country and he wanted to have a career he could be proud of.  The marines benefits will allow him to continue his education and do that.  I am always amazed that most of these young marines have joined with the sincere desire to serve their country.

Sunday was actually a cool and dreary California day.  Schofield's family was visiting the Branch from Park City, Utah.  They had come to see him open his mission call to Mexico.  He will enter the MTC in March--pretty exciting.  Bro. Weber taught the lesson about faith.  We had some amazing faith promoting stories told.  Sister Weber told about being inspired through a dream to donate a kidney and how the recipient is doing surprisingly well.  They were a perfect match.  She also shared how with her last pregnancy she almost died.  She was given a blessing and felt an electric "shock" go from her head to her toes.  She knew her body had been blessed and that all would be well, and it was.  Bro. Jolley added his testimony that he had had a similar experience while serving as a missionary in New Zealand.  He had contracted the mumps and was going to be hospitalized--delaying his departure to return home.  He received a blessing and had an experience similar to Sister Weber's.  He said he has told his family the warmth he felt was like a fire from his head to his toes.  He was immediately healed.  The missionaries were astounded.  He was able to return home.  It was a very spiritual meeting.  

Bro. Lang's lesson was on obedience.  He shared this quote from Ezra Taft Benson.  "When obedience ceases to be an irritation and becomes our quest, it is at that moment we are endowed with power."  Sister Lang added--"There is no softer pillow than a clear conscience."  Good thoughts to close with.  May be all sleep well and be obedient that we may see power and blessings in our lives.