May 14, 2018

Table Settings for Senior Couples Dinner

Senior's Dinner with Elder Christensen and Elder McKay

Flowers from President and Sister Clark

Andrew Cherrington (second from right)

Honor Graduate--Assault Man Course

Andrew Cherrington with his mom

May 10 Cake Cutting--Largest Ever

San Clemente Stake Relief Society Conference

Guest Speaker--Sheri Dew

Sprinter Ride to the Temple

Elder Pack, Jaxon Tubbs, Spencer Bradley

Elder Sanford, James Smith and Chaison Leavitt

Newport Temple--May 12

Elder Sanford, Elder Pack, Jaxon Tubbs, Spencer Bradley

James Smith, Chaison Leavitt, Elder Halvorsen

Dinner at the Dawson's

Elder Sanford, Elder Pack, Michi Stephens, Andrea Dawson

Keith Stephens, Sister Halvorsen and Elder Halvorsen

Sunset from the Dawson's 

Mother's Day Lei

May 14, 2018

We've had an amazing week.  Monday we were able to attend a Zone Conference that was so inspiring.  Elder Craig C. Christensen and Elder Kyle McKay were the visiting Seventies.  They were both great speakers and I learned a lot.  Elder Christensen taught that we are writing our own story.  What do I need to do today to prepare for tomorrow?  In life we have glimpses of our eternal potential.  What do we know because of the First Vision?  Elder McKay led a discussion about Christ's Atonement.  If Christ was able to suffer for every sin-He is capable of knowing every sinner.  Jesus' Atonement closes the distance between us and God.  It restored perfect justice.  The missionaries were given the chance to ask questions of the visiting authorities.  We need to be sharp instruments for the Lord to use.  What questions should we ask?  We need to ask God to teach us what He wants us to know.  We need to assess where we are.  We need to walk the path with our investigators helping them in their search as Christ did.  We should simplify our prayers and visit with the Lord--let Him rejoice with us and mourn with us.  Consecration is giving up everything and in response the Lord will give us all He has--a good exchange.  If we paint a picture of what people can become, they will strive to become what we have pictured.  D&C 67:10 instructs us to give up jealousy and fear and become humble and we will see God.  

After the instruction we had a lunch with the all of the missionaries.  We studied at the mission office until it was time to attend a dinner with all of the senior missionaries and the visiting authorities.  I sat next to Sister McKay at the dinner.  They are a delightful couple and are the parents of nine children. Two of their children are still young teenagers.  I learned that serving as a general authority is exciting, inspiring and exhausting.  Elder Christensen shared his testimony that Russell M Nelson is the prophet for our day.  He shared personal experiences he has had with the prophet. He said we can expect to see the work progress at a rapid pace.  After the dinner, each couple was given a lovely bouquet of flowers from President and Sister Clark.  They are always so thoughtful.

Tuesday was the best graduation yet.  We sat with Andrew Cherrington's parents and celebrated with them when Andrew was recognized as the Honor Graduate for the Assault Man Course.  He is now in Chesapeake, Virginia for Security Forces.  We were thrilled to hear that Jacob Barker is going to be his roommate there. (Jacob was the marine we thought would be baptized before he left but he ran out of time so having Andrew with him is a tender mercy.  We look forward to good things!)  We were also able to talk to Terle Buck (an investigator who attended all of our meetings), Jacob Barker and Hunter Payne.  It was great!!  To show how the military relations program works--Elder Halvorsen then contacted the military relations missionaries at the marines' MOS bases and let them know they were arriving.  We received a note Sunday from the Bishop in Chesapeake telling us Andrew had attended church and had come to their house for dinner.  It is so wonderful to see how doors are opened and marines are cared for throughout their training.

Tuesday was a monumental day in that the church announced in 2020 we will no longer have the scouting program as the curriculum for the young men.  Our kids were all jumping for joy.  I didn't realize that they were not looking forward to having their sons in the scouting program.  It was interesting to see the reaction to the announcement.  

After a slow morning at the NMCRS on Wednesday, we went to a training session at the Thrift Store with Nina, the area trainer.  We have taken so many classes from Nina she has become our friend.  The first thing she did was ask about the change in scouting--so she definitely knows who we are.  She is a wonderful trainer and will retire at the end of June.  We hope she finds joy in her retirement and we will miss our association with her.

Thursday we spent the morning working at the Thrift Store.  It was another slow day.  We drove to San Diego for a huge cake cutting.  There were about 90 people in attendance.  One of the marines grew up in Grandpa's Spanish Fork Ward--Riley Christianson.  It was fun visiting with his family.  After dinner with the Sattleys and Kapololus, we hurried back for our Addiction Recovery Class.  It was packed--about 25 in attendance.  The step was surrendering our will to God and using Christ's Atonement in our lives.  The shares were powerful and sweet.  The people are so honest and sincerely desire to change.  

Saturday was super busy.  I attended the tri-stake Relief Society Conference where Sheri Dew was the guest speaker.  Sister Dew said questions are good--they show that we are seekers of knowledge not doubters.  She also pointed out in Mosiah 50:23 it says that there never was a happier people--even though they were surrounded by war and political chaos.  How was this possible?  Moroni had the people prepare safe places--our homes can be those safe places.  She shared a great example of the solar eclipse this year.  She showed pictures from Idaho where it was a total eclipsed and Park City where it was a 93% eclipse.  In Park City it looked like normal day.  She said this is how it will be in the last days.  Although the majority of the world will be in darkness, if we focus on the Son, even though there are only a small number who are living righteously and living in the light our lives can be happy.

After the conference, Elder Halvorsen picked me up in the Richard's Sprinter and we drove to the base to pick up our two faithful elders--Pack and Sanford--and four faithful marines--Leavitt, Bradley, Smith and Tubbs.  We drove them to the Newport Beach Temple.  Elder and Sister Kapololu met us there.  Bradley did an endowment session and the others did baptisms.  When I was walking into the temple with Bradley I asked him how his morning had been.  He said--awful, just terrible.  He said the entire week had been awful but as we entered the doors of the temple he remarked--I think things just got a lot better.  After the session he was smiling and more relaxed.  The end of the event wasn't quite as relaxing for me.  A strap of my suitcase was locked in someone else's locker.  It was a time-consuming process to get dressed.  I appreciated the patience of the marines.  By the time we got back to the base they were starving so we bought them dinner at Sonic and they were thrilled!!  The activity seemed to be a huge success.  In fact, on Sunday Elder Halvorsen pointed out that all four of the marines seemed to be in high spirits at church.  They enjoyed the blessings of the temple.

The day wasn't over when we dropped off the marines.  We went to Andrea Dawson's home for dinner with the Elders and President and Sister Stephens.  Love, love, love these people.  What are we going to do when the Dawsons pack up for Japan???

Sunday was a special Mother's Day.  Sister Dew on Saturday had referred to a talk she gave years ago--Are We Not All Mothers?  I feel so blessed to be the mother of Boyd, Scott, Grant, Eric and Heidi.  They are all such amazing people and I cherish my relationship with each one of them.  They are righteous mothers and fathers and are blessing the lives of our posterity.  Families are central to the Plan of Happiness.  Sister Dew quoted President Nelson as saying "Men prepare for the present but women shape the future."  Each has special gifts and bless our family.  Elder Halvorsen gave me a gorgeous orchid lei to celebrate the day.  We had seven marines attend in the morning along with several of their families.  We had 40+ at our Fireside.  Bro. Jolley shared great stories about heroes and challenged the marines to live their lives like everyday heroes and make a difference in the world.  The sisters from the branch prepared a special dinner for the marines--turkey, "funeral potatoes", homemade rolls and orange fluff.  It was my job to make lots of orange fluff (orange/mandarine jello salad)  The men seemed to enjoy the meal.  We encouraged them all to call home and offered phones for them to use if they hadn't done so yet.  Nothing a mother loves more than to hear the voice of her child on Mothers Day.  So thankful to be where we are, doing what we're doing and feeling what we're feeling.  We are blessed.

The one down event of the week was hearing Grandpa spent Mother's Day at the ER.  He was having pain in one of his eyes.  Today his eye is swollen shut and he is on an antibiotic.  He was going to a specialist.  They are concerned he may have shingles and/or a sinus infection.  Praying for his quick recovery.  Thankful for Marilyn and Denise who devoted their day to assisting him.  They are both such wonderful daughters and amazing mothers.