Elder Uchtdorf Meets With the Missionaries, Feeding the Brethren, Farewell to Burgons

We had a big weekend scheduled with Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf.

He was coming to the area for a special priesthood leadership conference on Saturday, February 17. He brought with him Elder L. Whitney Clayton and Elder Scott D. Whiting. Our Area Authority Elder Marc C. Davis also joined them.

Glen was invited to attend the 4-hour meeting along with the temple president, the stake presidencies, bishoprics and elders quorum presidents in all 6 stakes making up the California Carlsbad Coordinating Council. 

The two of us were invited to eat lunch with the visiting authorities, stake presidents, temple president and their wives. The tables were decorated so elegantly.

While we were eating lunch, our assistants were busy getting all the missionaries (including senior missionaries) in place for a group photo.

When we walked into the room with our visitors, it was so impressive seeing the big group of missionaries standing there in total silence with big smiles on their faces. We were so awed by their presence and felt such love and goodness radiating outward toward us.

The visitors shook hands with each one of the missionaries as they filed out of the cultural hall and went into the chapel to be seated for the special missionary meeting to follow.

We hadn't been assigned to speak ahead of time. The agenda just said the whole meeting would be under the direction of Elder Uchtdorf. After the opening prayer, I accompanied a sister who sang a solo "I Know That My Redeemer Lives."

I love that hymn. I love the piano arrangement which is stunningly beautiful in and of itself. Then combined with the beautiful voice solo just makes it exquisite. I felt really good about my piano part and also the both of us combined.

I think now would be an excellent time to thank my parents for providing piano lessons for me all those years ago in my childhood so I could perform this particular day in the presence of an Apostle. It was a privilege and a blessing. It was touching to me when Elder Uchtdorf leaned forward to look at me and mouthed "Thank you" as I was sitting back down. I know it was also a thrill for the young sister missionary to be chosen to sing in the meeting.

How happy I was to hear the remainder of the meeting announced and to learn my piano performance was my only part on the program.

Glen, on the other hand, had been asked to take 15 minutes before the other brethren each took their turns speaking to the missionaries. As always, he did famously and then could sit back and relax for the rest of the meeting.

I enjoyed hearing the messages of each of the speakers. I especially enjoyed hearing the Apostolic blessing Elder Uchtdorf gave to the missionaries at the end of his teaching.

It was a really tender and touching ending to the meeting when all the missionaries stood up after the closing prayer to respectfully wait for Elder Uchtdorf to leave the room. Elder Uchtdorf just stood there looking at them for a couple of minutes. He had a longing about him to want to stay in their midst and told them so.

The next day the visitors split up and went to three different stake conferences. Elder Uchtdorf went to the Vista stake conference with Elder Davis. Elder Whiting went to the Murrieta stake conference and had invited the temple president to go with him there. Elder L. Whitney Clayton had invited us to go to the Escondido stake conference with him.

It was pretty random that the regularly scheduled Escondido stake conference had been the week before, so they got to hear us speak two weeks in a row. It was very frustrating that the sound system broadcasting to the two other buildings wasn't working properly, so those people only got to hear the last little bit of Glen's talk and Elder Clayton's talk. Even at that, it was hard for them to hear. Sad!!

Elder Clayton had asked if we could pick him up at his hotel and take him with us to the stake conference. After the meeting he asked if we could take him to the airport.

We had a lovely time visiting with him in the car. He got inspiration for his talk from something he'd seen while we were driving. I told Glen that if I hadn't asked him to take an extra couple of minutes to get a photo with us, we wouldn't have been on the road at the exact time for him to see what he saw to spark the thought which prompted his talk.

As we were walking out of the church building to get in the car to go to the airport, Elder Clayton received a phone call. I heard him asking how long was the delay. Hmmmm, my mind started racing. He confirmed what I thought was going on--his and Elder Whiting's flight had been delayed by several hours.

We were relieved to hear Elder Uchtdorf had been able to get a flight out of another airport. He was sick and we were glad he didn't have to endure the delay.

It seemed the only right thing to do was to invite the delayed travelers to our home to relax for a few hours and to have Sunday dinner with us. They accepted the invitation.

Here's where the tender mercy miracle comes into play...

There was a former missionary here visiting that weekend who wanted to come see us. Glen had invited him and his three friends to Sunday dinner. So, we had a bigger roast in the oven and had bought and were preparing enough food to feed those extra people. Usually we prepare just enough for two people. This day we had enough for four extra people!! We had enough to feed the delayed travelers!!

We texted our former missionary and uninvited him and his friends to dinner telling him general authorities trump them. We were sorry, but would text them when we were on our way home from the airport to see if they were free to come visit us then.

Our roast beef dinner was graciously accepted and devoured. The two men absolutely went wild over the mashed potatoes and gravy. Elder Whiting said he likes gravy so much he could put it in a cup and drink it.

Elder Clayton told us his wife doesn't make mashed potatoes and gravy. He watched closely as Glen was making the gravy, as though he was going to go home and recreate the delectable dish. He ate two servings of potatoes and gravy, exclaiming over the deliciousness of it.

Then when we were finished eating and carrying in the dishes, he dished himself up a third helping of potatoes and gravy and stood in the middle of the kitchen floor eating it and exclaiming once again about how much he enjoyed it. So funny!

Then right after that he tucked his tie in his shirt, rolled up his sleeves and insisted on washing the dishes. Elder Whiting was on leftover duty covering the leftovers with saran wrap.

After visiting for a while, we took them to the airport. It was a very delightful afternoon.

The former missionary and his three friends came by after we got home and they were hungry. We offered the leftovers from the Sunday dinner.

There were four pieces of meat left. There was enough of everything else--including mashed potatoes and gravy--to feed all four of them and there was even a little bit of leftovers left over when they were finished.

It was another tender mercy MIRACLE!! It was like the story in the Bible of Christ feeding the multitude with the five loaves and two fishes. We felt very blessed that day!!

We enjoyed receiving a thank you letter from Elder Clayton. Here's an excerpt: "You were so kind to provide transportation on Sunday. I am sure it was not convenient for you, but it was certainly helpful for me. The delicious Sunday dinner you also so graciously offered was a delight. Thank you."

As Utah was experiencing a storm over the weekend, we had experienced some very windy and colder weather here. When we took our Monday morning walk--this day around Oceanside Harbor--I was intrigued to see the sand drifts that had accumulated much like snow drifts. It made it feel almost like winter here...almost...

The seals were boisterous, active and giving us a show. I love it when that happens.

That particular day we had a family come visit us at home during Glen's reading and answering missionaries' letters. Their son is now in the MTC learning Spanish and will soon be entering our mission. They were in the area vacationing and wanted to meet us.

That evening we had our senior Family Home Evening. It was Elder Atkinson's birthday, so that called for a celebration.

It was Elder and Sister Burgon's last time with us. They will be leaving soon to serve a Nauvoo Temple mission. He has served faithfully as a counselor in the mission presidency with President Kendrick before Glen and now this last year and a half with Glen.

(Back row: Maughans; front row: Burgons and Maríns)

(Front row: Sister Miller, Atkinsons, Van Aarles; back row: Spieglers)

(Neals and Sweetwoods)

(Us, Sattleys and Neals)

We love our senior missionaries. It is a special experience to gather together every six weeks and share missionary experiences and feel the love of each other and the love we all have for the gospel of Jesus Christ and for the missionaries who share His message with those who are searching for the truth. 

Tequila Factory, Mormon Battalion, Ode to Olympics, New Missionary Training

We had another group of missionaries finish The First 12 Weeks of training and so it was time to take them to Tequila Factory in San Diego for a Mexican buffet lunch before going on a tour at the Mormon Battalion Historic Site.

While we were near Old Town San Diego, Glen wanted to go to the store that sells Chicklets. It is a reminder of his days on his mission in Mexico.

I think it's a stress reliever for him to chomp on his gum as he's sitting at his computer in the home office working on missionaries' letters and doing other correspondence.

This skeletal couple reminded me of our anniversary we would be celebrating the very next day commemorating 40 years of wedded bliss.

We spent the morning of our anniversary at the mission office church building having a new leadership training meeting for 5 new district leaders and 2 new sister training leaders. 

We got a kick out of the newly-designed bulletin board just outside our mission office made by this sister from Hawaii.

It was a popular weekend for former missionaries to come back and visit the mission. Sister Liberty Roundy stopped by the mission office to see us. 

Sister Shannon Sweeney (now Watson) and her husband stopped by as they were vacationing here with her family.   

We later ran into Sister Roundy again along with Sister Kaiti Guiver at a baptism they had returned to the mission to attend.

Another transfer was upon us. This small group of departing missionaries came to our home for dinner, testimony meeting and to spend the night.

The next morning we were up bright and early to get to the temple for an endowment session before taking them to the airport to catch their flights home. Hermana Balcazar stayed an extra week due to special scheduling issues.

We had our usual several hours of wait time between the departing missionaries leaving and new missionaries arriving.

Our new favorite lunch restaurant during the wait is Ham's Lighthouse Restaurant by the water's edge.

Sarah posted this picture of her boys with this saying: "Training for the 2030 Winter Olympics starts today."

Made me think of our ode to the Winter Olympics...

We were back again at the airport picking up our newest batch of 15 missionaries. We took them back to the mission office church building where Sister Radford had dinner ready for them and we got busy doing our thing.

Glen interviewed them, I talked to them about medical stuff, they emailed home and the senior couples did their individual trainings with them.

It sure makes for a looonnnng day when we do the departing and incoming missionaries on the same day. 

The day after transfers gives us a little down time as the missionaries are busy with their zone greets. We enjoyed a walk that morning near the Calavera Volcano. 

Two days after arrival, we have the new missionaries come back to the mission office church building and do new missionary training with them.

About halfway through the meeting when they are getting tired, Glen gives them a little study assignment and sends them off to walk three laps around the building while they are reading and figuring out their assignment.

Sister Radford worked her magic once again by providing a lunch for all the new missionaries and their trainers. It makes the training worthwhile to have it end with a lunch!!

We can always tell when it's Friday.

The mail shelves are filled to the brim with mail ready to be dispersed to the missionaries.