Interview Week, Connection With Two New Missionaries, Caroline's Baptism

We spend many a preparation day at one doctor's office or another it seems like. It has been quite a few months since I was last at the foot doctor's office.

But, the time had come where I had gotten tired of my feet hurting and went back to see what is going on. It feels like the neuroma spots in both my feet have moved up higher in my feet.

Upon inspection, it was confirmed that I am definitely feeling something going on in there. He told me I have neuroma stumps growing in both my feet. WHAT?!? This foot problem thing is never-ending!!

He shot up both my feet and is hoping I'll get some relief. As far as I can tell--no relief in either foot. And I still have my floating big toes problem. Neither toe touches the ground. My feet are a mess.

I have always wanted to know how much a surfboard costs. I got my answer in Costco the other day.

It was the time during the transfer cycle for the missionaries to have an interview with their mission president. Glen has them set a new goal each time and record how they have done with their goal since the last time they had their interview.
We spend our time going from church building to church building to church building.

Of course we (I) must stop to notice the beautiful flowering trees whenever I get the chance.

Lunch break after their district meeting.

The more sisters on one couch the better!

These sisters were anxious to show me their watch and shoe tan lines.

A selfie with these Spanish-speaking missionaries.

All lined up outside the mission office waiting their turn for a few minutes with the mission president.

It just happened to work out that the interview schedule for the last day ended early thus making it possible for us to go to the airport to pick up these two missionaries arriving off cycle to our mission.

This elder is from Gilbert, Arizona and is in Shon and Julie Newsome Rasmussen's ward. Julie was our next-door neighbor back home and when she married Shon, they moved to Gilbert. 

This sister is from the Philippines and was serving in her home stake in Manilla while she waited for her visa to come here. She was on the temple shuttle bus when she got the phone call informing her she would be leaving to come to the United States in two days. She was terrified.

It just so happened that on that very same shuttle bus was a sister who had recently completed her mission here. She was able to reassure this sister that she knows all about the California Carlsbad Mission and she knows us well.

She sent us a sweet note written on the back of this Manilla Temple picture that she had our new missionary hand deliver to us from her.

What a tender mercy for this dear sister to have the reassurance of another sister from her home land who had so recently returned from this mission. The Lord is in the details of our lives.

Once the missionaries get to the church, we take a picture with them to send to their parents.

This cute sister came back a few days later for some training. When asked how she is adjusting to life in America, she exclaimed with great emphasis, "Everyone here is SO BIG and SO TALL!!"

She further went on to explain that everything is big here. The hamburgers are big. Even the bottles of shampoo and mouthwash at the store are big!

Our office secretary is so good at providing us with great meals when we have our training meetings at the mission office. For our Mission Leadership Council, we had box lunches from KFC. I'll take one of the salads, please.

At the end of the meeting I always take a picture. We focused on teaching doctrine and having unity. Apparently the sisters got the unity message.

Sister Ciera Bradley was one of our departing missionaries a mere transfer after we had gotten here. It's amazing how we were able to learn to love the missionaries so quickly upon meeting them. She has been back to visit a couple of times.

While we were visiting three different wards one Sunday, we happened upon this man who is also a former G&K employee.

Cute little Caroline turned 8 years old and was baptized and confirmed into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Hurrah for Caroline!! Happy day for these young ones who are being brought up in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

Brooke was the person asked to give the talk on baptism. She did a fabulous job!! We were able to hear her practice her talk and it was a good one.

I have since talked to Rebecca who informed me the father of the other little girl in their ward who got baptized shared during testimony meeting on Sunday all about Brooke's talk and what he had learned from her memorable message.

The Goldens are making an impact on those around them.