Quotes of the Week

We are all, metaphorically speaking, on a rafting trip through life. Usually it's beautiful and peaceful. But at some point, we hit rough rapids. As we face churning challenges in our lives, the greatest and only real safety comes as we hold onto the restored gospel of Christ.
--Russell M. Nelson

Take you questions directly to your Heavenly Father in prayer. Ask Him, in the name of Jesus Christ, to guide you. You can learn for yourself--right now--how to receive personal revelation. And nothing will make a bigger difference to to your life than that.
--Russell M. Nelson

Never hesitate to bear your testimony with sincerity and love. The power of personal testimony cannot be denied and often ignites in others the interest to  know more.
--M. Russell Ballard

Quotes of the Week

The Lord's Church has been restored, and so any call to serve in it is a call to serve Him.
--Henry B. Eyring

There is no choice, sin, or mistake that you or anyone else can make that will change His love for you or for them.  ...Jesus Christ looked past people's ethnicity, rank, and circumstances in order to teach them this profound truth.
--Ronald A. Rasband

Quotes of the Week

If we have faith in Jesus Christ, the hardest as well as the easiest times in life can be a blessing. .. With prophets revealing to us our place in the plan of salvation, we can live perfect hope and a feeling of peace.
--Henry B. Eyring

When you reach up for the Lord's power in your life with the same intensity that a drowning person has when grasping and gasping for air, power from Jesus Christ will be yours.
--Russell M. Nelson

Meekness is a defining attribute of the Redeemer an is distinguished by righteous responsiveness, willing submissiveness, and strong self-restraint.
--David A. Bednar

District Councils, 2nd Trainer Follow-up, Safari Park, General Conference Weekend

We attended the Bobier district council Tuesday morning.

Our second trainer follow-up meeting was that afternoon for the missionaries who have been in the mission 8 weeks.

They do a lot of role plays during the meeting. It gives them good practice in teaching.

Glen usually likes to go out working with missionaries on the week we go to district council meetings. For some reason he did not feel like he should make plans to do so. It became apparent why we needed a free evening that day when one of our new missionaries cried out for help.

We headed to Murrieta as soon as our meeting was finished. To avoid the usual heavy traffic going north that time of the day, the GPS took us on an alternate route on the back roads. 

Let's just say it turned out to be quite the adventure when we went literally up and over the mountains to get to our destination. Narrow, winding roads wound us up all around until we eventually saw civilization again. Whew!! Relief!! We definitely avoided traffic. For the longest time it felt like we were the only ones on those roads. 

It felt like I was in counseling with the companion of the missionary who needed counseling with the Mission President. It took a long time, but eventually the missionary had calmed down and we were able to leave. I was happy to know the missionaries had been invited to the Sattleys (one of our senior missionary couples) for dinner that evening. That would be a lovely environment for the distraught missionary to be in following the long counseling session.

We decided to eat at RJ's Sizzlin' Steer before making the drive back home. As if that hadn't been enough for one day, we ended up driving to Encinitas to have the sisters who had been in the car accident fill out some paperwork for the Missionary Department. Late night!

Wednesday morning we went to the Fallbrook SPANISH district council. The zone leaders and I didn't understand the majority of what was being said. It was nice to see how the newer missionaries are doing. One really impressed us with the Spanish ability for only being here such a short time.

That afternoon we drove to Escondido to meet with a struggling missionary who was requesting professional counseling.

Then we went back to the mission office where Glen met a missionary so they could call the stake president and talk about some things together. Yet another day where it became evident why Glen was glad he hadn't scheduled working with missionaries.

Thursday morning we went to the Oceanside SPANISH district council. I was assigned English role plays with the zone leaders. Glen fits right in with the Spanish role plays. It's such a blessing for him and for the Spanish-speaking missionaries.

Since our Friday was fully scheduled, I suggested we do date night on Thursday this week so we would have a few extra afternoon hours to go somewhere.

We decided on the Safari Park as we hadn't been there in quite a while. We were ready to commune with nature for a few hours until the park closed.

Our first animal spotted was this blue parrot. I instantly felt calmness come over me.

Upon arrival, we had been told there was a new baby elephant. We headed that way to see if the baby would make itself known.

We took the free tram ride around the African plains.

We saw a baby rhinoceros.

The baby giraffe didn't come into good view for a photo.

As it was nearing closing time, we had to stop by to see the baby gorilla who was hanging on for dear life to its mother's back.

The pink flamingos are a noisy bunch of squawking birds.

We took one last look at the beauty of nature before heading for the exit. It had been a lovely, rejuvenating few hours for us.

Glen decided to turn left instead of right out of the park and we soon found ourselves on a narrow, winding road reminiscent of the one we had driven on earlier in the week.

When we finally arrived in a small town, we looked around for a place to eat. Not a lot of choices in a hick town, but we decided to give the Boll Weevil a try. Sounds appetizing, right?!? After all--it's famous, or so the sign says!

We don't usually veer off the beaten path too much, so it was very odd to have such countrified experiences twice in one week. When I saw this row of mailboxes, I just had to hop out of the car and take a photo. 

There was another stretch of narrow, winding roads before we found the freeway. Who says all our adventures have to happen on our Monday morning adventures?!?!? 

Friday morning we had a shortened Mission Leadership Council (MLC). This group of new leaders and their companions were already assembled at the mission office before we even got there. Glen always holds a short meeting with the new leaders to teach them about councils.

We had MLC and then Sister Burris had lunch ready for us when we were finished. In the afternoon we met with the assistants for our weekly planning meeting. We wanted to keep the weekend free for general conference.

A fun moment in the week was when all three of our sisters from the Philippines were at the mission office at the same time. The one in the middle is going home next transfer and I was afraid she wouldn't be able to meet our newest missionary. As suspected, she was so happy to know she is now no longer the smallest missionary in the mission. 

We usually take a photo like this with each new missionary to send home to their parents.

Since this missionary was so tiny, we felt the need to take another photo with her as well.

General conference weekend is such a much-anticipated event for the missionaries--and for us!! Elder Bangerter had informed us he would be speaking in the first session. It was so fun to see him now that we know him. His talk was fabulous about making our homes sanctuaries of faith.

Mark's text about Elder Bangerter made me laugh.

It is a delight to watch our 94-year-old prophet in his role as President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His emphasis on using the correct name instead of the nickname was very emphatic. 

This is the Lord's true and living Church here upon the earth. It should be called by His name. He directs the affairs of His Church through His chosen prophet. I feel it every time I hear President Nelson speak.

It was interesting how he challenged all the women to go on a 10-day social media fast. I was happy to know the girls in the family are doing just that. I didn't know whether to publish this post or wait the 10 days. For me, this is the way I do my journaling, so I feel it is okay to post it. 

I have been made aware of the time I spend on social media as I have abstained from it the past 24 hours. I have enjoyed staying connected with the family through the direct line of Instagram. But, for the next 10 days, the girls in the family will forego that for a better cause.

I am thankful for a prophet who is inviting us to be better. To draw ourselves closer to the Lord by re-reading the Book of Mormon before the end of the year, highlighting any references to our Savior and intentionally talking about Christ. We are invited to learn more about temples and to establish a pattern of regular temple attendance. We are invited to participate fully in Relief Society, read the words in the Relief Society Declaration and be the women who the Lord needs us to be at this time to help gather scattered Israel.

We have work to do as we continually strive to do as Elder D. Todd Christofferson taught. The gospel of Jesus Christ must penetrate our heart and soul. It must be the defining focus of our life and our character.

Quotes of the Week

God sanctifies your most difficult days.
--Brian K. Taylor

Life is a competition, not with others but with ourselves. We should seek each day to live stronger, better, truer lives; each day to master some weakness of yesterday; each day to repair a mistake; each day to surpass ourselves.
--David B. Haight

It is His name that appears on our places of worship; we are baptized in His name; and we are confirmed, ordained, endowed, and sealed in marriage in His name. We partake of the sacrament and promise to take upon ourselves His name--and become true Christians.
--M. Russell Ballard

Lake Hodges Part 2, Interview Week, Elder Kearon Dinner

We had such a good time at Lake Hodges that we were anxious to go back another week and hike the other side of the lake.

This time we did a lot less climbing than the other time we were there.

Our Monday morning walk adventures make me happy. The two birds sitting on a dead tree branch make me happy. Being out in nature for a couple of hours (yet still very close to civilization) makes me happy.

Getting lots of steps in each day makes Glen happy. He's now on a daily step count goal system and our longer walks on Mondays help him reach his goal despite sitting at his computer working on letters pretty much the rest of the day.

Well, I've gone and done it. I've scheduled another foot surgery. On my right foot. The same foot I have already had surgery on. Twice. Once before the mission and once on the mission. Let's hope the third time's the charm!

I'm still dealing with neuroma stumps. Two of them in that foot. More slicing between the toes. More digging even deeper inside my foot. What's not to look forward to about that???

I originally scheduled surgery for next week, but Rebecca pointed out that would be 2 days before her family comes for a week's visit. I rescheduled to appease her. I think she is looking forward to someone cooking meals for her.

The doctor's surgery schedule didn't work for us for November, so that left mid December. It was his last spot on that day and for the rest of the year. I nabbed it. Now I have over 2 months to "look forward to" it!!! There's always the chance it will heal before then. Let's hope!!

Mission President interviews happened all last week. We started in Temecula and Murrieta.

The second day of interviews we spent in Carlsbad and Del Mar.

Every once in a while we feed the missionaries serving in the ward where we live. Glen did their respective interviews while I was fixing dinner.

Third day of interviews we spent in Escondido with that zone and the San Marcos zone.

Fourth and last day we were at the mission office with the Vista zone. It was a fun surprise to see the new bulletin board hanging just outside the office.

These are the two missionaries who painted the board. It is fun for us to see what sayings the missionaries like that their Mission President has said. They love to quote what he says. A few of them turn the sayings into artwork.

Elder Kearon was in the area and invited the Mission Presidency and their wives to dinner with him. It was our choice of restaurant, so we went back to the Chart House.

It is a lovely restaurant and Elder Kearon was impressed with the view. 

He left the table for a few minutes to go out on the sand to get a good photo of the sunset. I think he was sending photos home to his wife, probably with the words, "Wish you were here...!"

We will be seeing Elder Kearon again at the end of the month at our Mission Presidents' Seminar in Portland.

Totaled Car, Elder and Sister Bangerter Mission Tour, Dad and Mom Visit

It is never a good phone call when we learn of a car accident. Thankfully these two sisters survived a car crash despite the car being totaled.

We took them home after they were released from the emergency room.

That took extra time out of our Monday which was already busy with the senior missionaries coming over for dinner and Family Home Evening. Glen was feeling very pressured to get all the letters finished that day because the Bangerters were arriving the next day for our mission tour.

It was going to be a busy week and had already started off busy that day. He worked late into the night finishing up reading and answering all the missionaries' letters so he didn't have to worry about doing that with our visitors here the rest of the week.

Tuesday afternoon we went to the airport to pick up Elder Steven R. and Sister Susann Bangerter.

After stopping for dinner, we had a meeting for a while with them and then the assistants came to our home to have a meeting with all of us.

Wednesday morning we were up early and driving to Temecula. Elder Bangerter had requested a short leadership meeting before zone conference with the zone leaders and sister training leaders of the Temecula, Murrieta, Escondido and San Marcos zones.

Between that meeting and zone conference each zone posed for a picture with the Bangerters. 

Glen and I were asked to take a few minutes at the beginning of zone conference to do some teaching. We opted to teach together and felt the inspiration during the preparation process. The visual chart Glen came up with really helped drive the point home. 

We talked about the desires of our hearts. Joseph F. Smith said, "You and I must take great care in the education of our desires." 

Elder Neil L. Andersen spoke of the power of educating our desires in such a way that our hopes, longing, and anticipations align with the desires of our Father in Heaven. We have control over our desires--righteous or unrighteous. Before our choices come our desires. Our desires influence our choices."

President Dallin H. Oaks said, "Desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions." He went on to explain the desires we act on cause us to change, achieve and become. 

We really loved the teaching of Elder Andersen as he pointed out how we need to educate, nourish, feed righteous desires and starve unrighteous desires.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell's words on the subject, "Righteous desires need to be relentless. Desire denotes a real longing or craving. Hence, righteous desires are much more than passive preferences or fleeting feelings... Therefore, what we insistently desire, over time, is what we will eventually become and what we will receive in eternity."

We used scriptures and talked about one of the many changes in Preach My Gospel as we taught. Each point added to the visual Glen had been inspired to draw and then had turned into a PowerPoint presentation.

After we were finished, the rest of the day was for the Bangerters to teach. They did such a great job covering a variety of subjects as they inspired, uplifted and motivated the missionaries. Most of all, they helped us all feel the Spirit so deeply and it really left an impact on all of us. We loved it!!

It has been a pleasure this past week to talk with the missionaries during interview week and ask them what their favorite learning was from zone conference. There was a wide variety of favorite things which made it even more fun for me to hear all that they gleaned from the meeting.

That evening we went to the mission office building in Vista and enjoyed a lovely dinner with the mission presidency, stake presidents, temple president, Area Authority and their wives. Elder Bangerter took a few minutes to do a little instructing and speaking to the group. It is always special when a visiting Authority is in our midst. 

(left to right) President and Sister Marín - 1st counselor in mission presidency; 

President Thomas and ME; President and Sister Ham - Temecula stake president; 

President and Sister Clark - Del Mar stake president; Elder and Sister Davis - Area Authority; 

Elder and Sister Bangerter; President and Sister Badal - 2nd counselor in mission presidency; President and Sister Ellsworth - temple president; 

President and Sister McMaster - Escondido stake president; 

President and Sister Ballif, Vista stake president (they hosted the meal and did most of the cooking); 

President and Sister Whittier, Murrieta stake president 

Thursday morning we were up and running again--this time meeting in the La Costa building in Carlsbad--so we didn't have to get up quite as early. We met with the zone leaders and sister training leaders like we did the day before, took photos and then moved into the chapel for zone conference. 

This day the missionaries from the Carlsbad, Del Mar and Vista zones were in attendance. 

Fortunately, we had attended church in the Cardiff building on Sunday and learned the air conditioning had been broken for a couple of weeks and no one knew when it would be fixed. The fortunate part of that unfortunate news was we learned about it BEFORE the day of zone conference.

We had scheduled that building to have our zone conference and with this knowledge, we were able to change the meeting to a different location. Talk about a blessing!!! It would have been so miserably hot the whole day with no A/C! 

Both days after the meeting, Elder Bangerter had requested interview time with 8 missionaries each day. That turned out perfect as we had scheduled Walmart to be there at the end of both of the zone conferences to give flu shots to our missionaries.

By the time the shots were all given, Elder Bangerter had finished with the interviews. He enjoyed talking with various missionaries and the ones who had been chosen felt it a great honor to be able to have some one-on-one time with him.

After zone conference that day, we had reservations for dinner at the Chart House in Cardiff. When we told the Bangerters where we were going, they got huge smiles on their faces as they looked at each other with nostalgic looks. 

They told us about how when they lived in Southern California, they used to go to dinner there every time they went to the temple. They love that place and it holds great memories for them.

The restaurant is right on the beach. It appears the windows are so clean, but the fact is there was no glass on the windows. It was open air viewing watching the sunset and hearing the waves coming up onto the sand. Such a great restaurant for upscale dining with a beach atmosphere!

Friday morning we went to the mission office church building to have Mission Leadership Council with all our leaders. It was very intense. The Spirit was there in abundance. Elder Bangerter set it up for us and then Glen did some powerful teaching and shared his inspired goal for the upcoming month.

The four of us then left the room while the MLC did counseling together to come up with a plan for how the missionaries could all help to meet the goal. It was pretty amazing. The assistants presented the council's thoughts and ideas to us. Elder Bangerter left them with a blessing. When the meeting ended, none of them moved. They just sat there relishing in the sweet feeling and special experience they had all witnessed.

We had to get Elder and Sister Bangerter to the Palomar Airport to pick up their rental car so they could be on their way to their next appointment. We had enjoyed so much the time they had spent with us and with our missionaries.

Not long after the Bangerters left, my parents arrived on the scene. We were so happy to see them!! I was thrilled they felt like venturing down to our part of the country for a few days before going to St. George to spend some time with Dad's sisters and their husbands. 

We were starving (no lunch that day) and were very ready to eat at the Old California Mining Company in San Marcos.

On the way home we almost witnessed an accident. We didn't actually see the car hit the man on his electric scooter, but we saw him rolling around in the street. Some people helped him to the side of the road. Glen called 911 and we waited until the fire truck and ambulance arrived.

Nothing like providing dinner AND a show for Mom and Dad that evening. Excitement!

The next day Dad and Mom went to the Mormon Battalion and walked around Old Town while Glen and I had our weekly planning meeting with the assistants and we also went to a baptism.

We were able to have dinner together at one of our favorite restaurants in Carlsbad Village--Coyote Grill where we always order ribs. Dad was looking forward to going there again as we'd taken them there last time they came and he liked our recommendation.

Glen and I went to an evening baptism and when we got home it was time to play my favorite game--QWIRKLE!!!!

The sad thing (for me) was Mom killed it during both games and beat me soundly. Both times! Yes, a little blow to my ego that she caught on so quickly and beat me--TWICE--at my own favorite game. But, it was worth it just to get to play the game with someone again.

Calling all people!! Who wants to come and play Qwirkle with me??? I don't even care if you win!! It's the thrill of playing the game every once in a while that counts!!

Mom and I took a little walk around the yard to look at all the plants and spotted this beauty in the backyard. We always notice the red flowers when they bloom, but this rose was blooming off to the side of the yard and it was a pleasant surprise to see it that day.

Dad had asked about a certain missionary serving here who happens to be the niece of my cousin Melanie who lives in Clifton, Idaho--the small town where Dad grew up.

It just so happens that Dad and Mom requested we go to the 9:00 sacrament meeting at the church closest to us so they could be off and on their way to Las Vegas as soon as church was over.

It just so happens that particular ward is the very ward that Melanie's niece is serving in, so Dad got to see the one missionary he was asking about. Tender mercy for sure!!

As planned, Dad and Mom lost no time in bidding us farewell after we got home from church. As with all our visitors (including General Authorities), I insisted on taking a picture of them standing in front of the palm trees in our front yard.

Both Glen and I commented on what a nice looking couple my parents are. They are such beautiful people--so young looking for their age.

We are so thankful for their positive influence in our lives. They continue to bless us with their prayers on our behalf, their concern for our welfare and the things we are dealing with, and we know their love is constant and unfailing. Oh how we love these goodly parents!!