February 26, 2018

Ren D'Angelo's graduation Feb. 20, 2018

FAM Donations for Sorting

Bus for Feb. 24 Temple Trip

Los Angeles Temple

Halvorsens at LA Temple

Larry and Leah Rober at LA Temple

Kirt and Chris Kennedy at LA Temple

San Clemente Ward Temple Trip

February 26, 2018

The week started off with Chelsey in our prayers as she underwent surgery.  She definitely continues to be in our thoughts and we are praying for her recovery to go well.  Wish we could be there to help the family while she is recuperating but we know Eric is doing a great job caring for all of them.

We enjoyed Tuesday's graduation.  Ren D'Angelo was among the graduates and we had a wonderful time visiting with his mother and grandmother who attended the ceremony.  Ren has been such a loyal and dependable member of our branch.  We are really going to miss him but we know he will enjoy his new duty station in Hawaii.  

We attached a picture of our area at the FAM Thrift Store.  This is where we get to sort through all of the bags of donations on Tuesday afternoons.  

Wednesday we had the opportunity to work with some really interesting people at the NMCRS.  One of the marines who had graduated from SOI and completed his MOS school at Camp Lejeune returned to the fleet here at Camp Pendleton.  We had a sweet reunion with Pvt Lyndon Lesa when he was  checking in at the Relief Society.  It was fun to see a marine who had completed the full training cycle and was now back to serve on our base.  

Working at the Thrift Store on Thursday was a bit chilly.  The weather has turned cold for California. Not sure how we're going to get used to really cold temperatures when we return to Utah.  We attended the Addiction Recovery Course that evening,  They discussed writing an in-depth inventory of our lives as Step 4 of the recovery process.  It is amazing to feel the Spirit in these meetings.  One woman shared how the Atonement has become more than a nice story--it is real and helps her every day.  The Lord stands with his arms outstretched to encircle us with his love and heal our wounds.

Saturday we arrived at the church at 7:15 am to catch a bus to the LA Temple. (Brad was really excited that he actually got to enjoy the scenery and didn't have to drive.)  28 members of the ward made the trip.  Randy Beckett, the High Priest Group Leader, served as the host and provided snacks and homemade cinnamon rolls his talented wife had made for all of us.  It was delightful to visit with ward members as we traveled together.  It was the first time I had been inside the Los Angeles Temple but Brad had sweet memories of the first time he attended to take out his endowments before entering the mission field.  The temple was huge and beautiful.  Our session included about 350 patrons. Members of our ward helped us complete work for ten of the names Scott had researched for Nicole's family. It was fun doing the work in that temple so near to where Scott and Nicole had lived while he attended UCLA law school.  We had a wonderful experience at the temple that day.

Our meetings on Sunday were outstanding.  Sister Alana Jolley gave an amazing talk about forgiveness.  Alana's mother was an alcoholic and as a child Alana suffered because of it.  She shared her experience of letting go of her anger through truly forgiving her mother.  Bro. Gutierrez from the high council shared how on his quest to become a professional snowboarder he had a terrible accident and broke his back.  He discussed the scripture where your treasure is there will your heart be.  His treasure was snowboarding and when that dream shattered his heart was literally failing him.  Through deep reflection, he decided he would serve a mission and that decision changed his life.  He changed what he treasured.  He now treasures 1) the Plan of Salvation 2) his testimony of the Book of Mormon and living prophets 3) the Atonement.  Through clinging to these treasures he knows he can safely return home to his Heavenly Father.  

San Clemente Ward Conference had a theme of finding peace.  In the third hour meeting that we attended they talked about the quest for perfection and how it deters us from finding peace.  When we are commanded to be perfect it is referring to becoming complete and turning our hearts back to God.   Speakers referenced DC 19:23--Learn of me and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit and you shall have peace in me.  One person described life's journey as floating down a river and dodging the rocks and rapids around the corner.  It is often hard to keep our head above water without drowning.  The Atonement can be likened to a raft provided by the Savior.  Although we will still maneuver around the rocks and the rapids, the raft will provide us safety and give us comfort throughout the ride.  I really liked that parable.  

Our evening Fireside was taught by Cal Weber.  He spoke of letting our light shine.  LCPL Ecton who was one of the marines we took to the temple last July as an SOI student came to the meeting to introduce us to his fiancee.  She is a darling marine from Utah.  They will be married in the Salt Lake Temple in April.  It was thrilling to see him so happy and meet his future bride.  We did have a near disaster at our evening meeting.  The couple bringing the meal got terribly lost and didn't arrive until about 8:20 pm (about 2 hours later than they should have)  Many of the marines waited for the meal to arrive before leaving--many didn't leave until almost 9 pm.  The poor sister was in tears and they had been driving all over the base trying to find the chapel.  One of the benefits of the delay was I got to meet Pvt. Talbott from Missoula, Montana.  He was so excited to share pictures of his family and talk about his adventures shooting the rapids of Montana.  He actually gave us a contact there for running the rapids--sounds like something we will add to our bucket list.  I got to share with him the parable of the Atonement I had heard earlier that day.  He liked it too!