Our lives should reflect what we believe. 

These  three wonderful missionaries that went home this week.  Sunday before they leave, we have a Departure Fireside.  It is always wonderful as they bear their testimonies, and we have several spiritual special music numbers by friends and missionaries.  We love all our missionaries and wish the best for them in the rest of their lives!

The Rothschild's have worked in the office and will be leaving this next week.  We certainly have made some wonderful friends on our mission.  We will have friends to visit all over Utah.

We have 28 new Elders and Sisters that arrived this week.  We needed to rent a U-haul to bring their luggage from the airport.  This is the new office couple, Elder and Sister Barlow. (with Sister Rothschild in the middle).  The President stopped us from doing this and had the Elders and Sisters do their own so they would know where their luggage was.

One of our elders had this and allowed me to scan it.  I like this, of course, I love the story of the stripling warriors.

You are a part of this special generation. It is not by chance that you are here at this important time in the history of the Lord's work. It is your opportunity to declare this message of the Restoration with greater force and effect than any of the previous generations."  L. Tom Perry, "Accept the Challenge", Ensign, August 2002

Our new Elders



Our new Sisters



Bicycles for some of the new missionaries.  Elder McOmber is fixing some older ones up and he is still getting more this next week.  There was one bike that Elder McOmber put a seat on, then needed to take it off.  Many missionaries tried, no one could get it off.  They tired hammers and everything.  It was funny to watch, sort of like the sword in the stone.  They all were sure they could do it.




Today was Helping Hands.  Each Stake had an activity.  We went, for medical reasons, to Huntington Beach Stake and caught all our wonderful missionaries working hard!  This is  just one area of missionaries. 



This P day was pretty rough.  We had a broken hand, sprained finger, sprained elbow and torn ACL. (all on different missionaries).  We have decided that they all are going to take up quilting or knitting on P days.  :)  (not really)





Friday the Senior couples went to the Segerstum Concert center to hear OCMCO (Orange County Mormon Oral Choir-name changed this weekend to Orange County Millennium Orchestra and Choir).  They sound like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  They had choirs  from age 4 through Senior age.  This picture is before the concert.  No pics allowed during.  Wonderful,  uplifting, spiritual music!

The senior sisters went out for lunch for Sister Butler's Birthday. 

Another very busy week ended.  We are now visiting our family here in California to hear Annalea give a talk in church and celebrate her 13th  birthday.  She is so happy we were able to come. 

Annalea and Friend

Colton

Caleb

Chandler

 

Closer to the Savior

Missions are great!!!  We are able to spend time growing closer to the Savior.  I know that I have had prayers answered.  When I have worried over an elder or sister, I know the Lord hears my prayers.  When I get questions from Elders and Sisters, I feel the spirit leading me to ask the right questions to help them the best.  I am thankful for the resources that are available to me and our missionaries.  I love that we take more time studying the scriptures and reading uplifting books.  One of my new favorite authors is Mary Ellen Edmunds.  She gives great insight and analogies.

Dr Doty, head of all Medical Missionaries wrote in a letter:

President Henry B. Eyring offered some thoughts that seemed to apply directly to all who are serving as medical and mental health missionaries:

 "My promise to you who pray and serve the Lord cannot be that you will have every blessing you may wish for yourself and your family," he said. "But I can promise you that the Savior will draw close to you and bless you and your family with what is best. You will have the comfort of His love and feel the answer of His drawing closer as you reach out your arms in giving service to others.  As you bind up the wounds of those in need and offer the cleansing of His Atonement to those who sorrow in sin, the Lord's power will sustain you. His arms are outstretched with yours to succor and bless the children of our Heavenly Father including those in your family."

Elder and Sister McOmber with one of our wonderful missionaries:  Elder Jesperson.

Missionaries after District meeting

This next week is transfers.  We have 4 missionaries going home, one sister and three elders.  There are 19 new missionaries coming, 8 sisters.  We also have 8-10 Visa Waiters coming.  They are Elders and Sisters that are waiting for a visa to go to their permanent assignment.  We have them sometimes for a few day, sometimes for months, waiting on their visa.  We love these Elders and Sisters.  With that many new ones coming, everybody has been very busy.  The office has been humming.

Elder McOmber at his desk, he does have some sort of organization!

Elder Tolman, AP, looking at the transfer board.

Elder Walker keeping track of Visa Waiters.

Training for the Zone and district leaders is this week.  Elder McOmber is dressed for setting up new apartments.

Elder and Sister Rothschild are leaving in 2 weeks,  2 new sets of Senior  missionaries came  this week.
The Barlow's from Utah will work in the office.  The Davis' from Oregon will proselyte.  The Reynolds have a few more months(they work in the office) and the Butler's also have a few more months. We have one more year.

We got 8 new cars again this week, we are suppose to get rid of some of the old ones.  This time I opted out to stay and hold down the fort.  I do NOT like driving in California, especially with a new car that is not mine.  Elder McOmber drove this car home, a Chevy Cruz.

Elder Dixon is the new AP, Elder Tolman is retiring.  He will be going home in July to his Zonkeys in Logan.  This is Elder Tidwell with Elder Dixon.  Elder Dixon is a convert and is a wonderful missionary, very personable.

Waiting for leadership meetings.

Elders stop into my office to ask questions, hang out, check their weight, learn stuff.

 

Trying on Elder McOmber's hat.

An Elephant in the "mail".???

Today was a beautiful day, almost perfect!  Elder McOmber took care of some missionaries bikes, beds and misc. things.  In the evening, we roasted marshmallows.  We could hear the peepers and we went inside smelling like we were camping.  Memories........

Papa likes his marshmallows charcoaled.

It has been a very busy week, but we will have an even busier week next week.

"Kneel down to pray. Step up to serve. Reach out to rescue. Each is a vital page of God's blueprint to make a house a home and a home a heaven."Thomas S. Monson, "Heavenly Homes, Forever Families", Ensign  June 2006

Put your Trust in God

      We have a small devotional in the mornings in the office.  We each take a turn sharing a thought or scripture and pray.  It is the best way to start the day! 
This week I shared a saying I have on my mirror.  I had it at home in Idaho and now have it here.  I love it and read it every morning.

President Gordon B. Hinkley

It isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is.

It all works out  Don't worry.

I say that to myself every morning.

It will all work out.

Put your trust in God.

And move forward with faith

And confidence in the future.

The Lord will not forsake us.

He will not forsake us.

If we will put our trust in Him. 

 If we will pray to Him.

If we will live worthy of His blessings.

He will hear our prayers.

.

     I can't help but think...."This is a prophet and he felt he needed to say this to himself, I know I need to say it to myself."  And I do every day!!   It goes with a scripture I read this week in my studies: 

 Alma 38:5--"...put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day."  Never did it say we would not have trials or afflictions, but he will be there for us and help us through.

     It seem to be a message he gave us often.

 

 

      This week has been fairly quiet for medical questions.  I thought that "Wow, maybe because the weather is better, the missionaries are feeling better."  BUT  today, I had more calls than I have had in the last week.  It was a grey, (they call it "June Gloom" even when it is not June) and cooler.  Maybe it IS the weather.  Today it was a verity of problems that I received calls about; more than one call was nausea and vomiting.  I think another virus is going around??? 

Elder McOmber at the Church Spaghetti dinner and auction.  They were earning money for the Young Women to go to Girl's Camp.  Elder McOmber was waiting in line for Cotton Candy, of course!  The Spaghetti was good and they earned quite a bit of money.  Girl's Camp is so worth it!  I didn't go as a youth, I was not a member then, but I loved being a nurse at Girl's Camp in Texas and my daughters always loved it!  I guess the Aprons I made for them made $60.00.

Elder McOmber trying to figure out what burned cookies were doing in the oven .  They were cold and had been there a while.  The Elders said that they forgot they were in there.   ????  We did a surprise check up on their apartment.  There are 4 elders that live there and it was not very clean.  Lonnie did a good job of nicely telling them they could do a lot better at cleaning.  We need to do a few more surprise visits. 
 

Elder Lo is from Hong Kong and is studying his scriptures in Chinese.  He is getting better all the time with his English.  I can understand most of what he says now.  He has taught some of his companions some words in Chinese. 

Elder Lybbert wearing Elder McOmber's hat.  Elder McOmber has a small head and it is obviously too small for Elder Lybbert.

 

The office Sisters, Sister Rothschild, Sister Reynolds, Sister Amy, Sister McOmber

Another one of the quotes I used for our devotional that I really like:

"We cannot go to heaven in a feather bed. The Savior of the world entered after great pain and suffering. We, as servants, can expect no more than the Master. Before Easter there must be a cross. While we walk these paths which bring forth bitter sorrow, we can also walk those paths which yield eternal joy."”Thomas S. Monson, "The Paths Jesus Walked", Ensign, , May 1974

 

Angles around us!

I should not be surprised by the blessings we received being on a mission, but they continue to amaze me!  Once Sandy Johnson from Rigby 11th ward bore her testimony and said that she could see little angel helping her with her home and car.  I see angels all around me here. 

We have wonderful sisters that often write a cute note and hand it to us, mail it, or stick it on our car.  They are always so grateful and giving.  They lift me up. 

The Elders are always so appreciative when they see us, and thank us for our help.  They are all awesome!

 

Sisters Scott, Hyatt and Youngberg, we have 24 sisters now with 1 going home next transfer and 8 more coming.

The Elders love checking for mail;--Elders Tidwell and Bledsoe hamming it up.

We have made so many wonderful friends in and out of our mission.  Peter and Nancy live next doors (for a while, they are leaving the end of April :(   )  Peter has been so helpful to Lonnie, helping to  fix our hot water heater.  Nancy is an awesome chef and has shared some of her delightful desserts with us. 

I had my hair colored and cut by Kathy.  She is another angel.  She is in our ward.  She was so excited that I went into her to have my hair done.  She is a sweety and loves to talk.  We shared our life stories and took a lot longer having my hair done, but it was fun. 
I think there are angel in our motor home.  When my hair products are getting low, I figure that I will have maybe one more time of using them, but they keep producing, even when they sound empty.  BLESSINGS!  It is the same way in the kitchen.

 

The Edgars and Stephanie Taylor are angels.  Stephanie is a ward missionary.  She took us to dinner one night and we shared life stores.  Everyone has a story and it is so fun to hear theirs.  You realize your problems aren't so bad after all.  Trish Edgar is a gourmet cook and had us over for pasta and cal zones and a movie.  The kids love Elder.McOmber's homemade root beer ice cream.  We watch movies on their wall size screen.

Today, just as morning session of conference ended, Dave, a camp host, came and said there was free food over by the BX. Another Angel!  We went over there and got 3 bunches of lettuce, a huge head of cabbage, a loaf of bread, and 50 pounds of potatoes(reminded me of Idaho).  We got some food for Peter and Nancy also.  Not sure who was giving away fresh food, but again, angels!!

This is what 45 pounds of potatoes looks like in a motor home refrigerator- 5 pounds to Peter and Nancy.  You can see our Avri Vitamins(Milk Duds-I said the wrong kind of candy before).  Lonnie is on a diet , but said he would not give up his Avri Vitamins.  We are having missionaries over for dinner tomorrow--guess what we are having-right, potatoes.  We will give some to the other Senior couples on Monday and some to the missionaries to take home.
I was thinking about looking up a recipe for homemade rolls, we don't have enough frozen Rhodes rolls.  Just then, another angel appeared.  Another park resident, he is a preacher and on active duty.  He had too many rolls and gave us some extra fruit he did not need.  WOW, all these angel.  I just hope I can be some one's angel when I grow up!

"He wishes us to come unto him, to follow him, to be comforted by him. Then he wishes us to give comfort to others. However halting our steps are toward him - though they shouldn't be halting at all - his steps are never halting toward us." Jeffrey R. Holland, "Come unto Me", Ensign, April 1998

Here is my angel.  This is his store room at work.  He has linen and stuff for the new and seasoned Elders and Sisters and it is fairly well organized--good Job Lonnie!
 

 





Most mornings we stop at the bath house in the park for a cup of ice for Elder McOmber.  He loves to chew ice.  That mug will stay frozen all day, if he hasn't chewed all the ice up.
 

We watched conference on our computer.  I love conference and every talk was my favorite.  I think one of my favorites was Elder Packer's poem,  also Sister Dalton's. Excited for tomorrow.
 

"God loves all His children. That is why He pleads so earnestly with us through His prophets. Just as we want what is best for our loved ones, Heavenly Father wants what is best for us. That is why His instructions are so crucial and sometimes so urgent. That is why He has not abandoned us today but continues to reveal His will to us through His prophets. Our fate and the fate of our world hinge on our hearing and heeding the revealed word of God to His children."  Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Why Do We Need Prophets?",  Ensign, March 2012

The whole group at Daeden's birthday party at Fat Cats.



Daeden had a Pirate birthday party today, we sure miss our family get togethers.  We will be there for next year. 
 



I made these  his and hers aprons for the Young Women's auction to earn money for Girl's camp.  Girl's camp is always so much fun!
 

They say, Mr Right and Mrs. Always Right