Meetings, Eye Problem, Elder Wakolo Letter, Ben's Job Change

Two days after the new missionaries arrive, we bring them in for training. Midway through the training, they get so tired, so Glen gives them an assignment and we have them walk around as they read about their topic and discuss it together. It wakes them up and gives them a chance to stretch.

We used to do laps around the inside of the church, but since Elder Lundquist has been the assistant, he started leading the missionaries in laps around the outside of the church.

Why not!!

When we live in such a beautiful place with such wonderful weather, why not!!??!!

Glen used their walking time to get caught up on phone calls and text messages.

What a great group of new missionaries and trainers!!

Their reward for getting through the training--lunch!

The next day we had Mission Leadership Council. The Radfords always make sure there is plenty of food for lunch for the MLC missionaries.

The sister training leaders like to get a photo all together.

Two of our former missionaries stopped by to visit as they were in the area on vacation--Hermana Sabrina Thomas (in the blue jumper), her family and Hermana Catherine Mathews Niesporek (pink floral shirt).

Another visitor was former missionary Sister Cassie Davis.

On Monday morning we drove to this park on the top of a big hill in San Marcos and took our walk on the trails around it.

Question: How many times can one woman visit the foot doctor in 2 years' time??
Answer: More than one can count!!

Here Dr. Dustin is preparing the spots for a couple more injections in my most troublesome right foot. My dear, beloved, electrified neuromas are not letting up. But, to be fair to my left foot...it has become more agreeable and has not required injections for the last couple of visits.

That evening we had our senior Family Home Evening. I really love these meetings. This time we were able to introduce Glen's new counselor and his wife, President and Sister Badal, to the group.

We attended various district councils throughout the week.

Note: they used to be called district meetings. Just recently they were changed to district councils. This is the Carlsbad district.

That afternoon we had the 2nd trainer follow-up meeting with the missionaries who have been here 8 weeks, along with their trainers.

There is one Spanish-speaking missionary in the group, so Glen and Elder Jordan rotated through the training so she could have practice teaching someone other than her trainer.

Well, well, well, what have we here?? A cute little Madison! Dallas and Rebecca like to take their kids to the air show at Hill Air Force Base each year. Looks like Madison figured out a way to stay cool while there.

Is that a heart in the sky? If not, it should be! Dallas and Rebecca love each other and we love them!!

Okay, back to missionary work. The next day we went to the Borden building to attend the Felicita district council.

After each meeting, we take a few minutes to evaluate the district council with the district leader. When we went back in the room, we saw these sisters all lined up eating their salads together.

Elder Jordan has made me aware of all the "sisterly" things the sister missionaries do. He gets such a kick out of it and I just had to snap a photo of this because it seemed like one of those "sisterly" things he would get a kick out of seeing.

Glen went to Temecula to work with these elders in the evening.

At the Pauba district council, they all signed their Title of Liberty in support of Glen's letter to the missionaries urging them to re-dedicate themselves to being obedient and serving the Lord with all their hearts as they promised to do when they accepted their mission call.

A district the following week printed up a quote from the letter Glen sent out to all the missionaries.

Date night was a pleasant experience as the new mission presidency and wives got a chance to get to know each other a little better. President Marín is so happy President Badal speaks Spanish. 

He has made plans for them to go out working with the missionaries and go visiting wards together. He likes the idea of working together as companions. We are thrilled they are both excited to work together and spend time with both the missionaries and the members.

That was the day my left eye started giving me fits. First of all the whole area under my eye got all swollen. As the days progressed and the swelling continued down into my cheek and it looked like I had a pouch of infection in there, I called one of our mission doctors and he prescribed an antibiotic eye drop for me.

As time progressed, the whites of my eyes got very red and were tearing all the time. My eye and eyelids were so itchy. I was also having gunk coming out of it. It was very annoying.

When the swelling had subsided somewhat, my lower eyelid developed a huge red blister-like bump on the lower outer eyelid. My eye continued to be very red and watery for many days.

It has now been 3 weeks since this all began and I am happy to report my eyeball is white once again, the watering has subsided, the red lump is still there but has been shrinking a little bit each day.

Glen and I spent hours and hours watching all the new mission leadership training videos. We had our eyes peeled to try and catch glimpses of the two couples from here that have been called as new Mission President and Companions.

I got so excited when I saw Stephen and Rosely Webster in one of the sessions when Stephen was answering a question. They are the couple Dad, Mom, Nani and I met on the New England cruise we went on many years ago.

This view shows all three couples that I know: the Websters from Australia (he's in a red tie), the Treadways from Temecula (she's got yellow-blonde hair) and the McBeths from Escondido (sitting two rows behind Treadways, her face is half visible).

We were very touched by the letter we received from Elder Wakolo. He and his wife are so dear to us after they spent several days with us last year when they came here for a mission tour. They will forever hold a special place in our hearts.

This is another something special we received in the mail. A sweet note and a puzzle made by Brooke.

This photo of Ben brings back memories from 2 years ago when Glen and I went to Washington to help Ben and Haley rip up the old carpet in the home they had bought and helped them put in laminate flooring.

Their home in Maple Valley served them well. They were able to sell it for well over the price they had anticipated. Nice blessing for them!!

Ben and Haley have now relocated to...none other than our house back in Utah. 

He will be working at the new Amazon in Salt Lake City. They will be living for a while with Jeff and Sarah until the Excells move to Las Vegas for Jeff's new job.

Now I'll end with a photo of Abe and Klarissa's darling little Wynne. 

She's got a fun grandma in Florida that helps make life very happy for her and her brother when they are visiting there. 

New Leadership Meeting, Father's Day, Transfer #18

The day before transfers are called out to the whole mission, we invite the new leaders to attend a leadership meeting. This time there were 6 elders and 2 sisters who were new. The assistants and a companionship of sister training leaders were there to do part of the training.

This transfer Glen felt inspired to call a third assistant. This is Elder Jordan, Elder Burbank (the new assistant) and Elder Lundquist.

For date night we hurried over to Legoland before it closed to get in a little exercise and to eat dinner at the restaurant we like there. Unfortunately, as happened last time we went there, the restaurant had just closed. UGH!!

No other place there appeals to us, so we left the park and went to Souper Salad to eat. For some reason Glen is convinced the grandchildren would like that restaurant. I keep telling him they would not.

After eating there, he had to agree with me. Unless the grandchildren want miniature ice cream cones to be their meal, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't like much else.

Glen found a way to get just a small amount of ice cream in the tiny cones. The machine would fill them too full for his liking.

We had the Del Mar stake conference meetings that weekend. We were invited to dinner with the stake presidency and their wives between the stake leadership council and the evening adult session. It is always a treat for us to be included in that meal. We spoke in the Sunday stake conference.

Sunday was Father's Day. After stake conference we had been invited to one of the ward mission leaders' home for dinner. It was a very lovely home with a beautiful back yard.

The man loves to cook and had invited a crowd for dinner. They had invited all the missionaries in the stake to dinner and put them to work preparing the food when they got there.

He even had one of the elders doing the grilling. There were meats of every kind. They were prepared to feed an army of people!

The cupcake Father's Day cake was aptly decorated for the occasion.

After dinner we all shared a memory of our fathers. That was tender and special. Then a gift bag was pulled out and each man there was given a new tie. I thought the card Glen got was so cute. It was signed by all the missionaries.

It was such a nice, relaxing couple of hours for us. I love it when we get fed. It makes me happy!!

Never much time for the weary to rest...

The next day Glen worked hard all day to get his letters done as we had the departing missionaries coming to our home to have dinner, testimony meeting and then to spend the night.

They are given a departing packet after our meeting and it is fun watching them go through the packet as they look at the photos of themselves that Sister Radford has collected.

We were surprised to get a gift basket from Lehi Roller Mills from one of the departing missionaries' family thanking us for taking care of their son the past two years. It was a very unexpected, generous and thoughtful gift.

The next morning we were up early and on our way to the temple where we went through a session and then posed for photos by the temple.

Then off to the airport we went to drop off the departing missionaries.

The assistants are now used to the drill we have established of eating lunch at Tom Ham's Lighthouse Restaurant.

With several hours to wait for the incoming missionaries to arrive, we drove around Balboa Park for a few minutes looking at the beautiful buildings.

We were back at the airport when the new missionaries arrived.

Back at the church Sister Radford had California burritos ready for the hungry travelers (and hungry assistants).

This incoming sister had arrived back in the mission after having gone home for surgery. We were so happy to have her back! And she was happy to meet her new companion.

The new missionaries received some instruction from the office couples. When their trainers arrived, Glen talked to them all for a few minutes and then assigned the trainers to their new companions.

Transfer #18 was successfully completed. 

Quotes of the Week

So many of us make a fuss of matters of small consequences. Happy is the man who can brush aside the offending remarks of another and go on his way.
--Gordon B. Hinckley

For the Spirit to dwell in us, we have to have time and space. Learn to put your smartphones down. Insert time when your technology is intentionally not accessible.
--Neil L. Andersen

Partaking of the sacrament and renewing our covenants is a sign by us to the Lord that we do always remember Him. His Atonement is a gracious gift from God.
--M. Russell Ballard

Quotes of the Week

Each daily decision will either limit or broaden your opportunities.
--Robert D. Hales

Honest seekers of truth are finding answers to their questions--they are finding the Lord through His restored Church.
--L. Tom Perry

Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face. Love life.
Gordon B. Hinckley

As we attune our lives to emulate the life shown us by the Savior, we will know that the light of Zion is arising, that we are becoming a people prepared for His return.
--Kathleen H. Hughes