It Could Have Been Worse....

I got this on my e mail this week, I liked it, thought I would share it with you.

A Great Lesson on Stress

A young lady confidently walked around the room while explaining stress management to an Audience with a raised glass of water. Everyone knew she was going to ask the Ultimate question, 'half empty or half full?'... She fooled them all .... "How Heavy is this glass of water?" she inquired with a smile.

Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. To 20 oz.

She replied , "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it.
If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem.
If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in My right arm.
If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." She continued, "and that's the way it is with stress. If we Carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes Increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on."

"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding It again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden - holding stress Longer and better each time practiced. So, as early in the evening as you Can, put all your burdens down. Don't carry them through the evening and into The night... Pick them up tomorrow."

Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart..."  As my daughters say, "Everything happens for a reason".

 

 I like this quote from President Hinkley:

"I don’t worry too much about the future, and I don’t worry very much about the past.  The past is gone, and you can’t change it, you can’t correct it.  The future,  you can anticipate, but you can’t necessarily do very much about it.  It is the present you have to deal with.  Reach out for every good opportunity to do what you ought to do.”    President Gordon B. Hinkley

Mary, Ronnie and Lonnie-Sunday we went to visit Elder McOmber's twin brother.  He lives about 68 miles from us.  He works in Iraq for 4 months, then comes home for one month.  He went back to Iraq on Tuesday.  We had a wonderful visit sitting in their yard visiting, watching the birds.

 

This week on a mission has been wonderful.  We had 4 zone conferences.  We are growing and we used to have 3 zone conferences, but with so many wonderful elders and sisters, we now have 4.  I presented a health section power point called, "The Best Way for Me to Serve MY Mission with all my Heart, Might, Mind and Strength."  I love these missionaries and I hope I impress things to help them with life. 

Sara and her girls made button bookmarks and pretty bows for all our missionaries.  I gave them a quote that I used in my presentation to attach the bookmarks and bows to.

Some of the Elders put their bookmarks on their pockets.

Elder McOmber explaining some important point.

We are so impressed with our wonderful Elders and Sisters.  They get up and teach and discuss so naturally.  There were two talks that were discussed at all 4 conferences, Elder Holland's talk from General Conference "Lord, I Believe" and Elder Christofferson's talk from Nov. "Brethren, We Have a Work to Do".  Different elders gave the talk in all 4 sessions, and all did an awesome job and I would get something new from each of them. 

This week,Elder McOmber and I have enjoyed watching the hummingbirds and other birds outside our window.

The hummingbird flies over our cat cage we have out our window. (there is a doggie door the cat goes out to sit in the cage and watch the birds, rabbits and squirrels). Sorry there are window reflections in this pic.

Liz, our daughter gave us two easy recipes.  Lonnie loved them,  he licked the bowl clean.

Easy Lemon pie from Liz Page
1 large bowl cool whip
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 can frozen lemonade concentrate
Mix and put into a graham cracker crust.  Elder McOmber loved it frozen.

Easy Lemon Cheesecake from Liz Page
2 bricks cream cheese
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
1/4- 1/2 cup lemon juice
1 package instant lemon pudding
Mix and put into a graham cracker crust
Both are yummy!

Our daughter, Amy was awarded the "Legacy of Service" for her work.  She is an ER nurse in Mesa, AZ.  One of the doctors calls her "Buffalo Girl".  Everyone has a nickname and Amy and her husband hunted buffalo one time, hence her nickname. Someone drew this picture of her.  We are proud of her. 

Got this picture this week, Neli had some fun while her mom was taking a shower.  She seems quite proud of herself.  (Sara had just cleaned house.)  Reminds me of when her mom and twin spilled a gallon of oil on the floor under the kitchen table and I found them giggling and sliding all over at about the same age.  Then after cleaning them, while cleaning the floor, they got into the dirt of a plant.  What goes around, comes around.

Neli had to clean it up.

Ouch!  Our driver's door and frame got screwed up.

We were in an accident today-we were going to go to the LA zoo.  The person driving did not have a license and tried to pass us as we were turning left. She did not even put her brakes on.   Spoiled our trip to the zoo.  I did not feel like going.  Too bad for her friend's 2013 new car. Lonnie is sore, but ......it could have been so much worse!!

Richard G. Scott has said.
"Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more (see Prov. 3:11–12). He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain."

A Mission is a Wonderful Adventure!!

“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me.”
-Erma Bombeck

This week, I "feel all used up"; I am not ready to meet my maker yet, but am ready for the sabbath and some recharging.  We have had another busy week, several late nights, but oh, it is so worth it!!!!
We have our regular work as well as lots of fun other things to do.  We love it and do feel useful!

Monday I donated blood, I try to do that every 8 weeks as I have B neg blood type and they like to receive have my type.  After that we did some errands for Elder McOmber.  There was a 91 year old sister that passed  and the family wanted to give furniture to the mission.  Sister Luft and Kings told us about this in the late afternoon.  She had some very nice stuff that we could use.  We made two trips picking up stuff in the mission pickup. 

Elder McOmber washing my car.

Tuesday we took three sisters to the Los Angeles Temple.  I LOVE the Temple and miss going every week (like we did before our mission).  It is especially wonderful going into a session with all our wonderful missionaries.

These are the sisters we took to the Temple.

Just a few of our wonderful missionaries in the best Mission of the whole world.

Elder McOmber helps the missionaries with their bikes. He is looking for the best deals for them(to buy them), yet the best bikes. The missionaries put alot of wear and tear on their bikes and he wants good sturdy ones that will last. We went to bike shops in Huntington Beach this Tuesday evening. 
Wednesday and Friday , we took Sister Puttapong to the Thai Consulate to renew her passport.  Her mission is in Temple Square, but she came to us to do her 2 transfers in the field.  She is a delight.  It is wonderful finding out about all the different places our wonderful missionaries are from.  She said LA reminds her of Bangkok, but she is from a small town outside of Bangkok.

The Thai Consulate is in LA so we drove in wonderful LA traffic-sometimes it took us 45 minutes, other times it took us 90 minutes to get there or back.

Paramount Studios was right on the street going to the consulate.  We never saw any movie stars.

Wednesday we had the Elders and Sisters over for dinner.  We love visiting with them on an individual basis.  They are great people!

Sister Youngberg from ID and Sister Jessop from Samoa

Elder Ball and Elder Eto from Japan, they are teaching two Japanese people. 

Friday, we took an Elder to the airport he was sad to leave, but it is the choices we make in life that determine the directions of our lives.  Be Obedient...this is what he says.......

Make our choices wisely!

Saturday, we were invited to Edgars for dinner and a movie.  Sophie cuddled up to Elder McOmber during the scary part of the movie.  I like visiting with Trish while they watch the movie.  Their family is very close in age to our families back home.  We enjoy our visits.

Every morning at 0330, this baby heron starts it's clattering.  I guess it gets hungry at that time.  It has been fun watching it grow.  Next step, to fly the nest.
To all my friends in Labor and Delivery at EIRMC...I still wear my skirt regularly, thank you.  Another sister in the office says every time I wear it...there is that skirt made of love!
We love, love, love Holly Hancock's letters about the happening in our home ward and the farm.  She makes us smile!
Happy Sabbath!
 

Happy Mother's Day!

 

This week on the mission, there has been specialized training.  We have so many new missionaries, training was done to make sure everyone is on the "same page".  I am so impressed with our sisters and elders.  They stand and teach boldly.  They are strong spirits!  They  teach  so naturally and with such conviction.  I enjoyed listening to their presentations and was spiritually uplifted by the talk that the President gave. 

Elder McOmber with his tripod that helps him fix bicycles.  It really helps raise them up and work on tires, brakes, gears, etc. He tries very hard to help and teach the elders and sisters about their bikes. and cars.

"God placed within women divine qualities of strength, virtue, love, and the willingness to sacrifice to raise future generations of His spirit children."

Quentin L. Cook, "LDS Women Are Incredible!"

I am thankful for all the wonderful mothers in the world.  I know that the mothers of our elders and sisters should be very proud of their sons and daughters.  I know that behind every good missionary, there is a family, especially mother, that has put a lot of  heart, might, mind and strength into raising her children(not to mention tears and prayers).  I am so thankful for my wonderful mother and I miss her even now, 14 years after her passing.  There is always a special place for our mother in our hearts.  I am thankful that I have been able to do her work in the temple and that last year, my children helped me to be sealed to my mom and dad. 

"In a world of turmoil and uncertainty, it is more important than ever to make our families the center of our lives and the top of our priorities. Families lie at the center of our Heavenly Father’s plan." Elder L. Tom Perry

I miss my family, but am thankful for modern technology.  I am able to talk and communicate with my family regularly.  There is Skype, Face time, Cell phones and computers.  I may not be able to hold them in my arms now, for this short time, but it is such a short time and such a worthwhile sacrifice serving a mission.  I am also thankful that we are in Southern California.  One of my children, Chad,  is in the Army.  We have not been able to see his family very often.  He  is stationed here in Southern California.  He was able to come with his family to visit today(Saturday, our P day) to wish me Happy Mother's Day. 

Chandler, Caleb, Colton

Annalea, Me Amy.  Amy and I got See's Candy certificate for Mother's day.  I had never gotten candy there before.  You get to choose which ones you want-YUMMY.  It was fun sharing the chocolate with everyone afterwards!

 

We went to ==MOTHER'S BEACH.  Isn't that appropriate for the day before Mother's Day?  Chad and Elder McOmber, Chad said he was becoming a "red neck".  I told him he has always been a "red neck".  

The kids loved playing in the water and the sand and on the playground.

 

 

We barbecued chicken after the trip to See's and the beach.

 

Do you like the Supervisors?  Even Caleb carried his part very well! 

Then we flew kites.  The kids got to good at it, they would lay down on the grass to fly them and hold the strings with their toes and with trees.

 

 I love all my family, here as well as where ever they are around the world.  I continued to take care of my call by having many calls from nissionaries while they were here.  Chad wants to tell them what a mean mother I was to him.  He was in a motorcycle accident and I would not take him to the doctor, I gave him a scrub brush and told him to clean his wounds and then used "monkey blood" on them.