He is risen! He is risen!
Tell it out with joyful voice.
He has burst his three days' prison;
Let the whole wide earth rejoice.
Death is conquered; man is free.
Christ has won the victory.

 Come with high and holy hymning;
Chant our Lord's triumphant lay.
Not one darksome cloud is dimming
Yonder glorious morning ray,
Breaking o'er the purple east,
Symbol of our Easter feast.

 

. He is risen! He is risen!
He hath opened heaven's gate.
We are free from sin's dark prison,
Risen to a holier state.
And a brighter Easter beam
On our longing eyes shall stream.

I love that hymn.  That is why we are here on a mission, to help our young Elders and Sisters stay healthy and happy so they can:   "Tell it out with joyful voice."  We are able to share our testimonies as well.  A mission is such a blessing!

"The incomprehensible suffering of Jesus Christ ended sacrifice by the shedding of blood, but it did not end the importance of sacrifice in the gospel plan. Our Savior requires us to continue to offer sacrifices, but the sacrifices He now commands are that we 'offer for a sacrifice unto [Him] a broken heart and a contrite spirit' (3 Nephi 9:20). He also commands each of us to love and serve one another” in effect, to offer a small imitation of His own sacrifice by making sacrifices of our own time and selfish priorities."        Dallin H. Oaks, "Sacrifice"

.

"To those who stagger or stumble, he is there to steady and strengthen us. In the end he is there to save us, and for all this he gave his life. However dim our days may seem they have been darker for the Savior of the world."

Jeffrey R. Holland, "This Do in Remembrance of Me", Ensign , November 1995


Last Sunday we had the missionaries in our ward over to dinner.  There are 6 missionaries in the Los Alamitos Ward.
This is Elder Walker and Elder Jesperson, relaxing.

Elder Walker, Elder Tolman, Elder Jesperson, Sister Youngberg

 Sister Jessop, Sister Andelin and Elder McOmber
 

Sister Jessop tried on Elder McOmber's hat. Looking Good!

Sister Amy Reynolds showing all the packages.  The mailman said that Easter was as busy as Christmas.  One day he brought 20 packages, the next 30.  This could be due to our increased numbers. 

 

This is the Reynolds who work in the office.  The Rothschilds do a hunt by giving clues and looking for the Easter basket.  It was fun for all to follow and find the clues.

They found it!  Then they hid the clues again for the AP's and Elder Jesperson

This morning our ward had an Easter sunrise breakfast with pink, green and blue pancakes and lots and lots of yummy fruit.  Elder McOmber supervised the pancake cooking.  He was planning to help, but they had plenty of help.

The blue heron are nesting.  There are at least 8 nests in sight of our motor home.  They make strange noises.  Anxious to see the babies.

We went on a bike ride.  Flowers are everywhere.

"I express my profound thanks to a loving Heavenly Father who gives to you, to me, and to all who sincerely seek, the knowledge that death is not the end, that His Son--even our Savior Jesus Christ--died that we might live. Temples of the Lord dot the lands of many countries. Sacred covenants are made. Celestial glory awaits the obedient. Families can be together forever."Thomas S. Monson, "The Profound Power of Gratitude",  Ensign, September 2005

Footprints in the Sand

Most of the missionaries are not allowed on the beach.  We went down there to try to get these pictures.  (and Senior missionaries are special)  The President says, "Where the beach starts, your mission ends."  We don't want our mission to end yet, there is too much to do and we love our missionaries. (even though we love and miss our family).  We are almost at the 1/2 way mark for our mission and we are still learning.  Some days our responsibilities  change, but that keeps it interesting and keeps Elder McOmber's AD/HD under control (Keeping him very busy helps with that and he has been VERY BUSY.)  We love our mission and serving the Lord by serving the missionaries.

I have always loved the poem "Footprints in the Sand" and have felt that through many of the hard times and often the "not so hard times" that My Lord and Saviour has carried me through.  I would not have gotten through otherwise! Footprints in the Sand

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.

Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.

Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,

other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed

that during the low periods of my life,

when I was suffering from

anguish, sorrow or defeat,

I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord,

"You promised me Lord,

that if I followed you,

you would walk with me always.

But I have noticed that during

the most trying periods of my life

there have only been one

set of footprints in the sand.

Why, when I needed you most,

you have not been there for me?"

The Lord replied,

"The times when you have

seen only one set of footprints,

is when I carried you."

Mary Stevenson

Our Stake is studying Conversion this year and I have loved finding quotes from our General Authorities about conversion.  I truly want to be like the Lord, but I have such a long way to go and it is definitely a work in progress.  I tell myself to,  "Keep working!"

"Many of our Saints don't understand what repentance really is. Repentance is more than just undoing the wrongs you've done. It's a whole change of your outlook on life. You want to think like the Lord. You want to talk like the Lord. You want to act like the Lord. You want to believe, you want to pray, you want to love the way the Lord does. And then you're converted."                                    Russell M. Nelson, "The Mission and Ministry of the Savior: A Discussion with Elder Russell M. Nelson", Ensign, June 2005

This week, Monday, I donated blood.(I try to do that every 8 weeks. I have B Neg, which only 2% of the population has, so it is needed.)  The lady that stuck me(she did an awesome job) whispered to me that she wanted to know more about my church.  She wouldn't give me her address, but I told her about families and the plan of salvation. I answered some of her questions and she said that she would look up Mormon. org.  She seemed interested, then when I went to get a drink and wait my 15 minutes, a gentleman volunteer grilled me about my conversion and my parents religion and I was able to bear testimony to him and all the others sitting at the table.  They all listened.  The gentleman has had the discussions several time in Tahiti and always helped the missionaries there.  Both people said that they were not suppose to talk about religion, but they saw my name tag and asked questions that I could answer. 

Elder Farani had surgery this week.  He is such a good missionary.  He stayed in the hospital over night for back surgery, then texted me that he was home to his apartment and wanted to go out to work.  I told him to rest.  He went out and worked, walking, all day today.  He said "as long as I am breathing, I'm good to go" then goes out to work.  Elder Mathews is in this picture also.

We had Elder Rogers and Elder Arocho over to our motor home for supper.  They had some questions about the military.  Elder Roger's father is in Iraq in the guard and Elder Arocho would like to go into the military after his mission.  We have talked to several Elders about the military.

 

It definitely is spring!   Bugs everywhere!!!!

My first ladybug.  It was on a plant at our motor home.

These snails are all over my pretty yellow-orange flowers by the front door of our office.  They cover the bushes in the morning.

Reflection of me taking a picture, you can see the flowers

Chad had a job dissecting dead Seal lions here in Los Angeles so he stopped in for breakfast on his way to his job.(He lives in San Diego).

He brought Elder McOmber Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream.  He had been on a trip to Illinois with two of his boys and picked some up on the way home. ( He loves it too.  He was able to go to all of his favorite places like Taco Cabana, Whataburger, etc.)

Chad locked his keys in his pick up, so again Elder McOmber saved the day....  See his feet sticking out of the back window.  Chad is too broad shouldered to climb through the back window.  Elder McOmber loves helping everyone.  Today we went to a Swap Meet (this is our P day) at Orange County Fair Grounds.  We stopped and Elder McOmber helped change a tire on a car for a guy that really needed help.  Lonnie refused money, but gave the guy two pass along cards and talked about our mission.

On the way home, we drove through Newport Beach and Balboa.  We stopped and saw this huge yacht.

Thirty three new Missionaries

A letter from the Mission Nurse Speciality Committee in Salt Lake states:
      "It seems that Moses 7:62 is truly coming to pass. We are seeing the Lord’s hand in ‘sweeping the earth’ with missionaries prepared to “bear testimony of mine Only Begotten”. The missionaries who attend training at the Provo MTC every year is usually ~22,000. We are expecting an ADDITIONAL 25,000 this year. MTC capacity has been 2000 but will swell to 4800 by the end of April. Dr Woolley usually has about 10 – 15 international missionaries in the health class he teaches. But this month he had 75. All over the world, we have more elders, sisters and couples who are answering the call to serve. We will have many more qualified missionaries serving and 58 new missions in which to serve.
      We currently have 143 nurses serving in an advisory capacity to the mission president and his wife around the world. Some are full-time missionaries. Others are Church Service Volunteers (CSV’s) or Church Service Missionaries (CSM’s) who have been called and are serving from home. Returning Area Medical Advisers are pleading for more nurses to serve."
We have gone from 347missions to 405 missions around the world.

      On Dec. 27, 1832, in Kirtland, Ohio, the Lord provided us with a message of peace, including these words to ponder: "Behold, and lo, I will take care of your flocks, and will raise up elders and send unto them. Behold, I will hasten my work in its time" (Doctrine and Covenants 88: 72-73)....We see His hand in providing for these elders and sisters.  Only one set of 2 elders slept on the floor. They had bunk beds but no mattresses.   We thought we had ordered mattresses for all the new places, but one set did not get them.  This is all an adventure for everyone.

And His work is hastening....
What does 33 new missionaries look like?  We had 140-160 missionaries and now have 191.  That means more places to live, more areas to work, more bikes, more cars, more of the Lord's message being delivered!!!

As we were waiting for the new missionaries to disembark the plane, Elder Walker was a great missionary.  He talked with the gentleman next to him and gave him a Mormon.org card. 

The President and his wife greeting each missionary as they come into the area.

33 missionaries waiting for their luggage.  Signal Hill in the background.

They kept coming and coming and coming.  Elder McOmber at the end of the line with the white shirt back by the Coke Machine.  There was one sister and 32 elders.  They must have taken up most of the plane. 

Elder McOmber bought bedding for all of them, the one sister's is on the couch.  She gets a prettier comforter.

The President and AP's have made new areasto accomadate all the new missionaries.  This is Sister Reynolds checking it out.

32 Elders and 1 sister.  The one sister wants to be a Labor and Delivery Nurse, we talked.   She is one semester away from finishing her RN at BYU.  I admire her for taking this time to be a missionary.  She is awesome.

The "Older" missionaries welcoming their new companions.  They spend 12 weeks training the new ones. 

We took the van and 8 people over to pick up our new mission cars. We have a good time laughing in the van.  This is the Reynolds and the Rothschilds. 

The mission got 7 new cars and we had to check them out before we could drive them off the lot.



I had the privilege of driving the President's new car..a 2013 Avalon.  It was very nice, but I was nervous driving it...what if I crashed or did something wrong?  I drive like a grandma, oh wait, I am a
 grandma X 32. 
 



Some Elders getting their new car. They love them of course! Elder McOmber showed them how to check the oil and transmission fluid.

We delivered a bike to the new sister and had her try it out. Elder McOmber helps get the new missionaries bikes and fix the broken ones.

Elder McOmber showing how nice a stocking shines up a shoe.  He is showing on Elder Rothschild's shoes.

After an eventful week, we "chilled out" on Saturday.  It was cool and cloudy off and on so I did sewing.  Lonnie was wonderful and did the laundry and organized our storage tent.  He played with his remote control helicopter that Elder Warburton gave to him.  In the first picture, the helicopter is the red in front of  the mirror.  We have 3 grandson's turning 7 this year.  Our grandchildren get a quilt when they turn 7.   I have finished one quilt and am finishing the second in this pic. 

Shhhh....Don't tell Daeden, but this is something on his quilt.  I think it came out cute.

Shall we not go on in so great a cause?” Yes, brethren, we will!

Guided by the Holy Spirit, we will learn from our mistakes. If we stumble, we will rise. If we falter, we will go on. We will never waver; we will never give up..”

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf “The Why of Priesthood Service” May 2012