Seatbelts Buckled

This past week has been very eventful. We welcomed new missionaries, said goodbye to seasoned missionaries, trained new mission leaders, pumped up the final transfer missionaries, had MLC, sent Preston home, attended baptisms, and today we went to Coloma with another group of missionaries. We buckled our seatbelts at the first of the week and haven't unbuckled them yet.  I'll just start with last Monday and move forward. 

The size of our incoming groups has reduced, probably due to the time of year as well as the fact that we are sizing down in order to get 50 new missionaries and three new zones at the first of July as we take on some of the Modesto Mission, which is closing.  So with this group we only had three new missionaries come in.  I am used to really big groups, since that is what we have had from the time I got here to just the past few months.  Small groups are a new concept and we are still trying to figure out the logistics when we only have a few coming in.  This time we tried doing all of their training on Monday night so we didn't have to keep everyone in for Tuesday training.  

We picked up Sister Vogt, Elder Rowland and Elder Justice at the airport and drove directly to the temple where they met their new companions.  We then brought them back to our home, had dinner, Scott interviewed them and we had all of the training.  After all of the training was done, they went to their areas with their companions so they could hit the ground running the next day. It was a long night for them, but it saved the following day for them, so I think it was still worth doing it that way, especially when we have a small group. 

Ready to meet their new companions

Hermana Vogt being trained by Hermana Peterson

Elder Rowland and his new companion Elder Manalansang

Elder Justice is being trained by Elder Dougherty.  He is waiting for a visa to go the the Philippines, but we are thrilled to have him for as long as we can keep him here.

When we got to our house after the temple that evening, we found this baby rattlesnake on our driveway.  We were just a little freaked out and before we could find something to help us dispose of it, it had slithered away into the bushes.  That makes for some tense moments taking the garbage out at night on that side of the house.  We do not step without looking!  We were telling Brother Adam Jones from our ward about that experience a few nights later when we saw him.  We were telling him that since the church hires someone to do our yard, we don't even have a shovel or anything to help us defend ourselves against the little rattlers.  That night, after we had talked to him, we see something just outside of our front door and opened the door to find this brand new shovel.  Brother Jones had seen a need and provided us with the tools we needed.  That was true ministering and we were so grateful to him. That kind act touched us deeply and we are so grateful to have such great ward members.

Because we got all of our training done on Monday night we were able to be there for the rest of the mission transfers on Tuesday morning.  This system was in place when we got here and we had heard about the efficient manner in which they conduct transfers, but had never been able to witness it because we are always in the new missionary training meeting at the same time.  We were blown away with the efficiency of the whole process.  The assistants spend the whole prior weekend putting together the schedule. We had a lot of people transferring this time, and so they had 5 'rounds'.  They start at 11:00 and have 5-7 cars lined up and ready to go.  At the signal, the cars pull up in their line up and those who are transferring get out of their car, get all of their stuff out and move it to the car of the companion they are transferring to.  They schedule 10 minutes per 'round' and so we can transfer the entire mission in one hour.  It was amazing to watch and so much fun to be a part of. Our son Preston was here last week and he took a time lapse video of one of the rounds.  I posted it on facebook and instagram if anyone wants to see it.  It was quite impressive.  Here are some still pictures of the transfer process. 

Waiting for the crew

During transfers we also got our supplies of Books of Mormon for the month, which we were thrilled about.  And we had many hands to carry them into the office for us.

As soon as transfers were over, we took the departing sisters to lunch and then headed to the temple with Sister Najera, Sister Wong, Elder Murphy and Preston

We came back to our home after the temple and had a nice dinner and a testimony meeting with the departing missionaries. Another thing they do that night is sign our mission banner.

The next morning we took these three to the airport and sent them home to their families.  I had no idea when we came out here how heart wrenching it was going to be every six weeks as we send our beloved missionaries home.  It breaks my heart every time. How we love these missionaries and wish for them the very best when they return home to civilian life!

 Sister Wong going home to Hong Kong                   Sister Najera is heading back to Utah

Elder Murphy has been our assistant for the past 9 months.  That is kind of unusual, but pretty much our whole mission has been spent with him very close at hand.  I told him we don't really know how to do the mission without him. We are going to miss him!

One last pow wow!

We said see ya later to Elder Zoller this week as well.  We can't wait to get him back in a few months.

If departure day isn't bad enough, the next day we started the day with a meeting with those who will be going home next transfer.  It is a meeting to pump them up for their last transfer and to keep them going strong until the very last minute, but as I walked in and saw 10 of our amazing missionaries sitting there, following sending these three home the day before, it was hard to hold back the tears. People ask me what has been the most surprising thing about our mission and I would have to say I didn't really anticipate how incredibly hard it is to send home these missionaries that we have come to love so much. 

I walked into that meeting and there was a beautiful vase of roses sitting at the table where I always sit.  Sister Koller and Sister Brown had brought them to me for Mother's Day.  That was so sweet and didn't help me with the fact that they were in that departing meeting either. 

This was just the first of so many kind notes, cards, texts, calls and videos I received from our missionaries for Mother's Day.  On one of the calls I told the elders that I was thrilled to have a couple hundred more people in my family to love and mother and he said "Yeah, and aren't you glad you didn't have to give birth to all of us."  My answer was a quick and resounding 'yes'.  So thank you to all of our missionaries' moms who did give birth and have given me an opportunity to love your children without the pain of childbirth. Ha Ha.

Friday we had MLC, which is a really great meeting.  Sister Leavitt was a new STL this time and we asked her if MLC was what she thought it would be and she admitted she didn't really know what it would be, but that it was just like another Zone Conference. She hit that spot on.  

I've stated before that we are studying the Christlike Attributes found in Preach My Gospel so I led a discussion on the attribute of Patience that we have been studying for the past few weeks.  Prior to the Patience training, I did a little training on cleaning and organizing.  I was so surprised at the passion they had about this topic. There were hands popping up all over the place with Elders and Sisters wanting to add their two cents worth on how this is so important.  I made up these slides, so hopefully they will get passed along to all of the mission and the cleanliness level will amp up a bit. 

Both sets of assistants did great trainings, one on organizing their areas books and how that can help them be more productive, which leads to more baptisms.  And one on setting expectations with their missionaries as well as investigators.  Scott talked about A new sense of commitment and raising their sights.  Why would someone want to listen to us, and that gets back to the question of Why are you here?  We need to know why we are here, and to be here for the right reasons before we can authentically share what we believe. 

We had a delicious lunch prepared by Elder and Sister Gunnell, with help in the kitchen from Preston.  He was completely impressed by Sister Gunnell's ability to run a kitchen, as am I. They are such great helps to us.  

 Our good friend Crystal Rawson made both Sister Gunnell and I these darling aprons before we left on our missions.  We think they look great on Preston and Elder Gunnell.

 Sister Training Leaders May 2018

Zone Leaders and Assistants May 2018

Sister Baird's last MLC (insert frowny face)

We've been really blessed to have had Ethan with us last week and Preston with us this week.  We had to say goodbye to him on Saturday.  He is going on an amazing study abroad next week.  We love when he is here.  In between all of the mission craziness this week we were able to squeeze in a few good dinners, some fun card games and a little birthday shopping.  

We dropped Preston off at the airport on Saturday morning and then had a few great baptisms we were able to attend.  

 Sisters Ellsworth, Baird, Van Valkenburg and Elder Ravston with Christy

Tish is the amazing lady we met up at the temple last week.  We were thrilled to be at her baptism, as were Sisters Tatafu, Mitchell and Lund.  

Today was another Coloma Day.  We were able to take 24 missionaries up to Coloma and introduce them to some California and Mormon History. Thanks to Brother Taylor for being a wonderful guide and for the inspiring stories he told.  It was a beautiful and fun day in the mountains.  

We started early with breakfast at our home and then drove up to Coloma for the rest of the day. 

This happens most places we go!

Panning for Gold.  We have all decided it was easier to make money selling the gold panning pans, than actually panning for gold during the gold rush. #notaseasyasitlooks

Inside the Mormon Cabin

Sutter's Mill

We love serving together. We are busier than we have ever been, but we are happy in the work of the Lord.  We feel blessed to be here together and to be serving with the greatest missionaries in the world! 

Elevating our Perspecitve

We were blessed to be able to go to our semi annual Mission President's Seminar from April 26-28 in Los Angeles.  This is when all of the mission presidents and wives from the North America West and Northwest areas get together to be trained by the General Authorities that have stewardship over these areas.  The areas include all of California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii.  This is our second one and we were so looking forward to it.  Our missionaries always look forward to Zone Conferences every transfer.  It is a time to get together and get uplifted and reinvigorated.  We consider this to be our version of Zone Conference.  It didn't disappoint. The General Authorities that were there to train us were Elder Kearon, Elder Whiting and Elder Pingree.  Their wives were also there and did a sister's training one afternoon.  It was also so fun to get to see all of the other Mission Presidents and their wives.  We came out with quite a large group of us last summer so we were together with them in the MTC. We met the rest last October and it is amazing how quickly you form a bond with others who are doing the same thing you are doing.  It was so fun to see people we just met last October who seem like lifelong friends.  There is just something about being with people who are doing the same thing we are doing, and we just all understand the magnitude of this calling.  I would say misery loves company, but that isn't it, because we all love what we are doing, it's just that it is hard to really understand what this entails unless you are in the trenches, and we are definitely all in the trenches.  

We had some wonderful training, a big focus was on elevating baptism in the minds of our missionaries.  Much of the training was pretty specific to missionaries, but there were several inspirational stories that apply to all of us.  One was told by Elder Pingree.  He talked about raising the vision of our missionaries to turn to the Savior.  He told a story of a Sister missionary that came to their mission in Houston.  She was a convert of just one year and had suffered every kind of physical and emotional abuse you could imagine before joining the church.  When she came into the mission she told him her history and then said “The Savior has got me this far, I know he can help me get through this mission”  Every week her letter to him would start out this way: “This week Jesus Christ and his atonement helped me to…” and then she would go on to say how Jesus had helped her that week.  She ended up being a powerful and effective missionary because she knew who to turn to as her source of help and strength.  

Whatever our calling or circumstances, we know the source of our strength and how we can continue doing the work to which we have been called.  It is through our Savior Jesus Christ.  It seems simple, and it should be, but we just need to place the Savior at heart of all we do.  We need to give him our hearts and our will and a little bit of our effort and He can transform us into all He knows we can be.

We got to LA a few hours before we had our first dinner together on Thursday night.  We stayed in a hotel close to the airport and all of our meetings and our dinners were right at the hotel, so we figured if we had a few hours we should get out to the hotel that we would be in for the next few days.  We got an uber and took a short ride to Manhattan Beach.  We got sandwiches from a local baker and took them down to the pier to eat lunch.

It was a beautiful day, but the beach in missionary clothes is not quite the same as being there on vacation.  We also realized we don't really know what to do with a few unscheduled hours.  We finished lunch and watched some people play volleyball for a bit, then walked out to the end of the pier. We were going to walk around the town but most of the shops were beachwear stores, which we have no need or interest in at this point.  After a few minutes of aimlessly walking around, we both looked at each other and decided to go back to the hotel and get some work done.  We have turned very boring, or at least very focused! 

These are some of the wonderful friends we have made during this process.  We feel so blessed to be able to be around such amazing and consecrated disciples, at least twice a year. 

Our son Ethan got engaged the Friday night that we were in LA. That was kind of hard to miss, but we couldn't be more thrilled to be getting another daughter. We love Camee so much are are so happy she is going to be in our family.

Luckily he had a break in between school and his summer internship and so he was able to come to Sacramento on Sunday morning and spend a week with us. We got a little wedding shopping and planning done, and it was great to have him here.  He flew in on Sunday morning and we had to speak in Stake Conference in the Folsom Stake, so Elder Gunnell went to pick him up for us and brought him to the Stake Conference.  Prior to the Sunday general session of Conference they had a New Member/Investigator meeting.  It was for friends looking into the church and those who had been recently baptized.  It was an incredible meeting, and was one of those times when the reason we are here is glaringly clear.  As we looked into the faces of those who have recently joined and listened to their testimonies one thing was consistent between them all, and that was joy.  I have never been a very good member missionary because I have always been nervous to impose on people.  The new perspective I have gained since being here is that we have a precious gift to give to people, it makes their lives better.  I think sometimes we don't understand the magnitude of the message we have to share, the value of that message that enables people to better their lives and make them happier.  It was incredibly touching.  

Then in the general session of conference a recent convert who happens to live in our ward and has become a sweet friend spoke just before we did.  She told of her life, and was very honest.  She told of coming from a very disfunctional family, and how she struggled to pull herself up and out of that environment. She became a teacher and always admired the Mormon kids she taught and their moms.  She was always drawn to them, and was never surprised when they finally admitted they were Mormons.  She wondered why they kept that to themselves.  She wondered how her life would have been different had someone invited her earlier in her life.  She wondered if she would be accepted based on her past and her background. She told of the joy the gospel had brought into her life.  Then she said something I will never forget. She said "please don't be afraid to share the gospel and to cast a wide net to catch people like me".  We felt honored to say a few words after she spoke.  We almost didn't even need to say anything after Nancy became the example of why we should open our mouths and share what we have with others who really, really need and want something better in their lives.  

We were also able to have a sweet experience at the temple this week with another amazing lady.  Sisters Lund, Tatafu and Mitchell asked us if we would be willing to meet them and their friend, Tish, who is getting baptized this coming Saturday.  Tish is another  amazing woman.  She told us of her journey that began with her son marrying a Mormon girl and joining the church.  She had grown up without a mother and knew some Mormons, but unfortunately didn't have a great experience with them. She felt very judged, because in the day people were suspicious of what happened in a home without a mother and so therefore, many mormon kids weren't allowed to play with her.  After childhood experiences like that, I was surprised at her open attitude and the forgiveness she had, completely understanding the reasons for being shunned.  Anyway, her son had invited her to dinner with the missionaries and she loved their message.  She didn't even know who those missionaries were who gave an inspirational dinner message that pricked something in her.  (We later learned it was Elders Woodward and Anderson).  She started meeting with the sisters in her ward and was like a sponge.  She made connections with the ladies in her ward who welcomed her with open arms.  She made the comment that she loved being involved in service.  There is a family who has a child in a hospital in San Francisco and they are taking in dinners.  She was so grateful for the opportunity to chop vegetables and help with dinners.  It made me think that I have grown up taking dinners to people, I don't think a thing about it, but people outside of the church also have desires to serve, to minister, but don't have the vehicle set in place like we do in the church to know how to do it.  That really impressed her.  She will be an amazing member and asset to the church.  Again, I saw the joy that has come into her life because of the gospel.  I am so grateful for the new perspective I have gained out here and hope to never lose that. 

At the temple with Tish and the Sisters.  We were taking Ethan to the airport right after the temple and so we had to snap a photo with our boys as well. 

We had to say goodbye to another wonderful Senior Couple.  Elder and Sister Gukeisen have worked as MLS missionaries in the Cordova Stake and have been the means of doing so much good for the ward members and the missionaries they have served around.  They kind of become the missionaries' go to when they need some extra help and they have loved that. They will be missed.

Preston was able to come into town on Wednesday morning.  We felt blessed to have two days with both of the boys here.  It might be the last time it's just the four of us so we really made the most of it. Especially since it was Scott's birthday this weekend as well.  We kind of celebrated all weekend.  We went out to dinner on Thursday night before Ethan had to go back to Utah. 

Saturday was his actual birthday and we were able to go to the Midtown Farmer's Market where there is a booth with Argentine Empanadas that we love.  We also got THE most delicious local strawberries.  If you haven't had a Sacramento strawberry, you haven't had a strawberry!!!

We had a traditional Argentine dinner today for his birthday.  It was fun to have Elders Murphy, Forte, Yorgasen, Ravsten and Nelson, along with Elder and Sister Gunnell come to celebrate his birthday with us.  It was all pretty traditional Argentine food, (an homage to his mission) besides the coconut cake that is his favorite. 

We spent a fair amount of time last week getting ready for transfers, which start tomorrow.  We get 3 new missionaries in tomorrow and send 3 home on Wednesday.  Tuesday is transfer day and this is a big moving day.  It seems like some of them are bigger than others, but we planned with the next few months in mind.  We lose about 25 missionaries between the June and July transfers and will be getting 50 from the Modesto mission the first of July. We wanted to get everyone in place as much as possible as we look ahead to those big changes that are coming.  We are excited to welcome all of the new ones we will be getting tomorrow and throughout the summer.  

And finally, had to finish up with Sister Gunnell's and my weekly selfie. Actually, when I am in the office and Sister Gunnell and I get a minute to sit on the couch and plan we have someone take a picture, but last week as we were planning food for the rest of the month no one was around to take the picture so we tried a selfie.  It's a little close, but not bad.

Actually, I am going to finish up with a scripture I have been studying as we have been focusing on the Christlike Attribute of Patience for the past few weeks.  It's the Lord's instructions to the Sons of Mosiah prior to their leaving on their missions.  

"...yet, ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls." 

I love in the scriptures how the Lord always gives his counsel/commandment, the reason for it, and then the blessing.  This is not easy work, and oftentimes takes much patience, but the blessing of being an instrument in the hands of God unto the salvation of many souls is a blessing I have been eye witness to and for which I will be forever grateful.