We are very focused on obedience and the missionary purpose in our mission, but we also want to find joy in the journey. Missionary work is a joyful work and we tell our missionaries if they aren't having fun, they aren't doing it right. In an effort to have a little fun with our missionaries we are doing some combined zone activities on p days at our home this transfer. Our first one was last Monday and we had the Sacramento and East Sacramento Zones come up to our home. We set up some yard games outside, but only a few decided to face the heat to play outside. Most of them congregated upstairs and had a ping pong tournament, and some heated giant jenga games. We had lunch and then went back up to play a rousing game of 'Do you love your neighbor?' followed by some gummy bear races. This is a Child Family staple from many years ago at Sun Valley. We give them 2 andes mints, 2 gummy bears, and 2 paper clips, and as much tape as they want. As a companionship, they make a sled for the gummy bears and then we raced them down a church table. Elder Stewart and Elder Evans were the championship companionship. I told Elder Stewart he may have found his calling in life to become an engineer of bobsleds after the mission. We love the time we have to spend with our missionaries, working hard, and, when appropriate, playing hard. We get to do this again tomorrow with Carmichael and Elk Grove.
Hard at work on some gummy bear sleds
The champions: Elder Stewart and Elder Evans, on the right
On Tuesday we had some meetings with the missionaries who will be going home at the end of this transfer, to bouy them up, keep them motivated and keep them looking for miracles until the very end. We had a meeting with our new mission leaders, and with our office staff. Scott had a presidency meeting that night and so I took the opportunity to go to a Bible Study Class that some amazing members have started up in the El Dorado Stake. Elder and Sister Gomm are amazing and I loved the opportunity to be able to be part of a scripture class again. They started this class and it has grown into a church service mission. They have cards they pass out with their number to call if anyone wants a free bible, and it has turned into an amazing missionary tool. They have had several baptisms due to this class and that card. I am utterly impressed when good people listen to and act on promptings of the spirit. When that happens it leads to miracles, and blesses many lives in the process.
On Wednesday, I was able to shed my tracking anklet, so to speak, and leave the mission for a day. We got a sister in our last transfer who is here until she can get to Korea, where she has been assigned. She was born in the U.S. but her parents are both Korean. Her visa to Korea was denied because she is eligible for dual citizenship and needed a Korean passport. She found that out too late to work on it before she entered the MTC, so she needed to go to San Francisco to apply for her Korean passport at the Korean Consulate. Our mission secretary, Sister Stohl and I volunteered to take Sister Na for the day into SF. Our GPS took us into the city via the Oakland Bay Bridge, and out via the Golden Gate Bridge, and so, as I told Sister Na, she got a drive through tour of San Francisco. It was weird to be in a place where we have vacationed so often, but not to be on vacation. It reminded me of our old life, which was a very good life. But I was also so grateful to get back to Sacramento and my new life. I felt like I was coming home as we drove into our mission boundaries. Of course, we were in San Francisco at lunch time so we had to take advantage of that and get some Clam chowder and a Crab Louis.
It is also interview week again. This week and last week, so I have been baking cookies. They are all so happy when they just get a home made cookie, I can't resist baking for them. Scott interviewed one zone during District Meetings and so I got to attend the meetings. This zone had 3 districts so I was able to attend 30 minutes of each district's meeting. I was so impressed with the leadership and the teaching of these wonderful district leaders. I have been around the zone leaders in their official responsibilities more than I have the district leaders, and wow, they are amazing. I guess I should stop being wowed every time I am around these Elders and Sisters, because it happens often. But I hope I never stop being taught and blessed by these wonderful missionaries.
We spoke in another Spanish Ward this morning. The Del Norte ward. I struggled through my few Spanish lines and then bore my testimony with the help of a translator. Scott, on the other hand, stood up and spoke like he hadn't had a 30 year break in his Spanish. The ward was small, probably only about 40 people there, but there was such a special spirit there. I love those faithful Latin Saints.
And I had to post another picture of food, not that all we do is eat out here, but I had to take a picture of our date night on Friday to the gourmet hot dog place down the street, The Ruffhaus. Pretty tasty!
We finally got to go on a temple tour. They do temple tours every Saturday night at the Mormon Center and the temple. So many of our missionaries take investigators on the tour and when they can get them there, it always helps them feel the spirit. We were happy to be able to go on Saturday night and to run into 4 sets of our missionaries who were there with investigators. It was a great way to spend a Saturday night.
And, finally, a random picture of one of the bunnies that lives in our front yard. I have no idea what they eat, or how they sustain themselves, but it is fun every time we walk out in the front yard, we are greeted by this little guy and usually several of his friends.
Until next week, thank you to all who love and support and pray for us and our missionaries. We love you all and are so grateful for all of you in our lives.
Wow, cool post. I’d like to write like this too – taking time and real hard work to make a great article… but I put things off too much and never seem to get started. Thanks though.
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