Congratulations, It's 30 new Elders and 10 New Sisters

This morning Scott and I were discussing D&C 7, where the Savior tells how Peter's desire to come speedily to the Kingdom to be with the Savior was a good desire, but John's desire to continue working among men was an even greater desire.  Scott said "do you think it is fair to say that Peter's desire was more about himself and John's desire was more about other people?"  Now, one thing you have to know about me is that I LOVE Peter and I will defend him always.  I thought about this for a minute and said "well, maybe He caught Peter on a day when he was just really, really tired and just needed a little rest".  This was right before we headed out the door to our third Zone Conference in 3 days, and we could both relate to being tired and wanting a little rest.  It's been a big few weeks, emotionally and physically. 

The biggest news of the past few weeks is that the addition to our mission of three zones from the Modesto Mission happened on July 1.  The event we have been planning and preparing for since January finally happened.  We have been so worried about this because we have had such empathy for the missionaries coming into our mission, whose mission was split in half and half of their friends were put into a different mission.  We have prayed hard for each of them, and have prayed hard about how we could best help them feel of our love for them and the love of all of the Sacramento Missionaries for them.  We have such a desire to help them adjust and to have them bring all of the good things they do, and combine them with the good things we do to help move the work forward.  

We didn't know the names of those who were coming into the mission until a few days before the change over happened.  We were finally able to call all of them on Sunday, July 1 and we were able to go down and meet them on July 5.  It's crazy, we were so nervous driving to Stockton and as we were preparing to walk in and meet the 40 missionaries who we knew were much more nervous than we were. Scott said, "we only have one chance to make a first impression".  

They were all lined up at the back of the chapel and we were able to shake each of their hands and talk to each one of them for a few minutes individually.  We instantly felt such love for them and had it confirmed again that this is the will of the Lord and that these missionaries are going to bless our lives and the lives of the other missionaries already serving in our mission.  

We took down 3 of our Sister Training Leaders and our 4 assistants and most of our office staff so they could get to know not only us, but also some of our missionaries.  We had about a 2 hour meeting, where we introduced ourselves and some of the tools we use in our mission and talked a little bit about our mission culture and then Scott and I taught about the bridge from trust to happiness that is described in 2 Nephi 4 and 5.  After the meeting we had lunch with the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders and tried to answer some of their questions.  I was so bugged that I forgot to snap a picture of the entire group, but I did think about it during the lunch and snapped a picture of the leadership group. 

We felt so grateful to finally meet these wonderful Elders and Sisters and to put faces to names, and even names to numbers.  Names and faces are always better than numbers.  We can't wait to get to know and love them even more.  

As we have gotten bigger and more blessed, we have also gotten busier.  Now we have 11 zones to interview and have added one more Zone Conference, so we have been busy interviewing as many zones as we could this transfer before the take over.  We love our one on one time with our missionaries.  One of the funniest things that happened was the night before we were going to interview the Sacramento Zone. Elder Holdaway, who serves with Elder Santillian in the Tongan ward called to ask us if we had ever eaten horse.  Seriously, horse???  I had heard them talk about eating horse with the Tongan members, but I told him I prefer riding horses to eating them.  He assured us that it was delicious and that they were going to bring us some horse to eat during their interview.  

That's horse meat in that container.  I can now say I have tried horse.  I will admit it was pretty tasty, it was really seasoned well and tasted a lot like beef, but I did have a hard time when I thought about it.  And I felt a little queasy after I had tasted it.  I know it was completely mind over matter, but I've just had too many experiences on the back of a horse to be completely ok with eating one.  But I loved that Elder Holdaway and Elder Santillian wanted to share their cultural experience with us. 

It has been pretty hot here, and on Saturday Scott went out on a bike blitz with the North Sacramento Zone.  The only sisters they have in that zone speak Spanish and so I wasn't much help on my own with them, so I got a pass that afternoon.  It was a good experience for him to go out in the middle of a hot day and I am grateful to Elder Shafer and Elder Lee for taking care of him and giving him water.  We had been at the temple earlier and he was wearing a long sleeved shirt and hadn't taken any water with him.  I was with the North Sac Elders today and they were amazed that he stuck with it with a long sleeve shirt on, and thankfully they had a water bottle he was able to use.  I love this picture they snapped.

While he was biking in the heat, I was eating cake with Ethan and Camee.  Our son Ethan is engaged to the most darling girl and we were blessed to have them come and visit us over the fourth of July and spent the weekend with us.  While Scott was biking, we were at the Midtown Farmer's Market and at Rick's Dessert Diner. Scott was able to join us at the Farmer's Market before he went biking to have a lunch of our very favorite empanadas.

Saturday afternoon we had the great blessing to go to Gerardo Montes' baptism.  Gerardo is the man that we had come to breakfast and a lesson a few weeks ago and were able to have an incredible lesson with he and his daughter.  He is the one who came to Stake Conference and was called on by Elder Carl Cook to bear a testimony, even before he was baptized.  He is golden.  On Thursday evening Hermana Alexander and Hermana Singer wanted to have one more lesson with him at our home prior to his baptism.  Ethan and Camee were here and were able to participate in the lesson with him.  It was a joy to see them contribute to the lesson, they both spoke Spanish on their missions and they absolutely loved being in the lesson.  Gerardo is really an amazing person, I was the only non Spanish speaker in the room and although I couldn't follow everything that was being said, the spirit was so incredibly strong and Gerardo's smile said it all.  After they left, Ethan and Camee were blown away at how solid he is and they couldn't get over how ready and prepared he was for baptism.  We love him and he will be special to us for the rest of our lives, it really makes me want to always have people taught in our home because we have an emotional investment in these friends.  And it was such a blessing that Ethan and Camee were able to be here for his baptism. 

 Gerardo said this is the first time he had ever worn a tie, it looks great on him!

Saturday morning we were able to go to the temple with Ethan and Camee and do sealings with them.  Scott won't be able to leave our mission in order to be at their wedding and so this was a very special experience for all of us.  As sad as it will be to not have him at their wedding, I think we all felt peace as we were in the temple together and know that we have been so blessed and will continue to be blessed as we serve the best we know how.  I'm so grateful for the temple and for eternal families and for the spirit that gives us peace. 

Fortunately we got called to serve in a place that is close enough to home to have our family visit us, and also that it is a place that has really, really good food.  Unfortunately, often we plan our visits around where we are going to eat and I have to fit in a dress for the wedding in just under a month.  But we had a great time eating our way through Sacramento. 

On the Fourth of July we went to the Sactomoto Food Truck round up in the Pocket for lunch.  Then we had a fun Fourth of July Bar b Que with Elder and Sister Gunnell at our home, only after stopping at Karen's bakery for way too many good desserts. 

Another one of our food highlights was dinner at the porch in Midtown.  It's a favorite.

Look at those portions, it's kind of disgusting, but so very delicious.  Also, look at this sky that we saw that evening.  I have been missing our Centerville sunsets, but this sky was incredible. 

We had a lot of fun playing games late at night and we also snuck away to Kayak on Lake Natoma one afternoon.  Camee and I were happy that Ethan is still walking for his wedding.  We had a filter that fell out of the ceiling in our closet.  Among all of their many, many talents, neither Ethan or Scott are super handy.  We walked in on them and their makeshift ladder (a stool perched on a ladder with Scott holding it firmly probably wasn't the smartest idea either of them have ever had, but it worked)

We hated to see them leave early Sunday morning, but were so grateful they could have come and we were able to celebrate their engagement and get a fair amount of wedding planning done as well.  We are so grateful for our family and the blessings we are receiving as a family.  

That was last week, this week we had our three Zone Conferences.  We are used to double headers, but this time we had a Zone Conference Trifecta.  Our first one was on Tuesday in Stockton.  Scott and I both talked about 'A Mission of Miracles and Blessings'.  It is a miracle to be involved in this work and we feel so blessed to be a part of the gathering of Israel and to witness miracles and blessings every day.  We teach that the happiest missionaries are those who recognize the small miracles that come to them each day as they #trustrevelation, #getoutoftheship, #reachforJesus, and #gototheedge.  

God is a God of miracles yesterday, today and forever and works not among the children of men save it be according to their faith. (2 Nephi 27:23)  As great as the miracles of yesterday as recorded in the scriptures are, the prophecy in Jeremiah 16:14-15, that the miracle of Moses parting the red sea will be forgotten in light of the miracle of the gathering of Israel, and this quote by President Nelson excites and inspires me.

"Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again.  We will see miraculous indications that God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, preside over this church in majesty and glory." 

What a blessing to be part of this army of miracle workers in the last days.

Zone Conference Day 1, Tuesday, July 10: Lodi, Stockton and Manteca Zones

Stockton Zone

Manteca Zone

Lodi Zone

Zone Conference Day 2: July 11: Sacramento, Elk Grove, East Sac and Cordova Zones

Sacramento Zone

Cordova Zone

Elk Grove Zone

East Sac Zone and Senior Couples

We ran home from Zone Conference in time to have Sister Leavitt and Sister Lund who serve in our ward for dinner.  We love when they come and the messages they share with us.  We always learn from them and love the spirit that they bring with them. 

Zone Conference Day 3: July 12: El Dorado, Folsom, Carmichael and North Sac Zones

 El Dorado Zone

 North Sacramento Zone

 Folsom Zone

Carmichael Zone

The El Dorado Sisters sang a beautiful musical number, Redeemer of Israel, and they all wore navy and pink.  I happened to wear navy and pink, and they told me I should sing with them.  I told them they had never heard me sing or they wouldn't have asked, but that we would get a picture together. 

Then we found a few more sisters who got the Navy, Pink and White memo

A little fun after a spirit packed day! When Elder Kearon was here he told us to 'look like the plan of happiness'.  This picture looks like we are following his counsel.

It was fun to get a picture together with many of the remarkable sisters that were at today's Zone Conference.  This is a powerful group of women who love the Lord and put Him first.  They are those who #gotoutoftheboat and they see miracles daily because of it. How I love them and am blessed by them and all of the other missionaries in our mission on a daily basis.