Monday, June 27, 2016

Two Years

Anxiety!  Two years have passed and only one year left. Will we accomplish all that we are suppose to?
We talked with the Taylors last night who are friends from Colorado and they will begin their mission tomorrow in Rancho Cucamunga, California.  I laughed when Mary said as they left the MTC yesterday she felt they were leaving the Garden of Eden.  They shared with us what Pres. Uchtdorf had said regarding being an eagle.  You're pushed out of the nest and expected to fly.  It happens.  Being a mission president and wife is not something we can explain; it is what it is.  We have learned to trust the Lord and we pray a lot!  It is a daunting thought knowing the responsibility that has been given to us.  We have wonderful missionaries and just want to help them be the best they can.  It's more than finding the elect, teaching repentance, and baptizing converts.  These elders and sisters/hermanas are laying foundations for their lives.  So many times we will say what we're talking about is not just for now (here in the mission) but for life.
We feel so very blessed to be having this opportunity.  We still ask ourselves, how did we get to be here?  
To celebrate our two year mark, we chose to wear the same dress and tie that we were wearing when we arrived in the mission.  We also had dinner at Panera where the Castros took us for lunch.

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Relative

Are any of you catching the bug of family history?
We were driving back to Ventura from picking up the new missionaries.  Dell told them about our family history activity.  This elder said he was named after one of his ancestors.  His name is Stilman Palmer, named after Stillman Pond.  We're related!  I'm excited for him to serve here in this mission and he has a fantastic trainer, Elder Ruby who used to be an assistant.

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Temple/Rio

  We drove to the LA temple through Malibu to avoid heavy traffic.  Not so sure it was faster and we had stop and go through Malibu for a long time.  I wouldn't want to live there; although the ocean is beautiful with the waves crashing up.  We made it to the 9:15 session just in time.  (That was a tender mercy as you will find out.)  It was a small session with 6 men and 11 women.  We knew three of the couples that live in our mission.  An elder received his endowment as he was going to the Hondorus mission in September.  He served a two week mini mission in the California Ventura mission last summer.  He lived in one of the stakes up north so Dell assigned him in a stake in the south of the mission.
Towards the end of the endowment session I pulled out the name I was going through for.  Her middle name was Felix.  The lady sitting next to me whispered to me that that was her maiden name.  I told her it was my married name and we should talk after.  The parents and the elder were talking to Dell and the woman came up to me.  It was so exciting as she told me she came through the line of Jakob Felix.  She was born in Logan and knew all about Felix Market. Her father is Dell's grandfather's brother, Carl.  Dell joined in the conversation and he got chills hearing about the relation.  Carol told him his grandpa was referred to as Uncle Ern (his name was Ernest).   Her married name is Hales so I had to see if there was a connection to Jared.  It was really fun to meet them and visit.  She was excited to go home and call Aunt Barbara (Dell's aunt) to tell her we had met.


I took this picture to show the world outside with the cars speeding down Santa Monica Boulevard compared to the peace we felt inside the temple.

Carol Felix Hales
We knew there was a Cafe Rio in Santa Clarita which would be on the way back from the temple.  We decided that would be where we would have lunch.  We were so excited!  It's been over two years.  The menu looks different but the food tasted just the same:)


We talked with the manager telling her how excited we were to be there.  We found out she has managed many Cafe Rios in Utah.  Something told us she wasn't a member or if she was, then not active.  After eating I went to her and thanked her and told her we loved the food.  She was open to talking and I asked if she knew much about the Church.  She was NOT a member.  She wanted to know how we were there if we lived in Ventura.  I said we came through after going to the temple.  Dell reiterated how we feel about families and she loves the concept.  He then asked if she was open to talking with the missionaries.  She said YES.  Dell got her contact info and sent it to the Mission President in the San Fernando Mission.  He has responded that the info has been passed on to the missionaries in her area.  Here's hoping and praying.
I absolutely loved this day!

Thursday, June 9, 2016

River Ridge

Dell got us a tee time for today at River Ridge.  We've had a couple of busy weeks and planned to take some time to "escape"  and enjoy some golf.
It seems that the few times we have golfed it's been gray and a little cool.
This is the first tee and Dell is warming up.
The reason for this picture is that I wanted to show the mission office.  It is the building in the distance between the trees. So from the golf course we can see it but from the mission office we can't see the golf course.  As we drive to the office we pass the course and see a portion which entices us to want to play.


There are two tall buildings in Oxnard.  These are the two.  We can see these from the mission home.
That's a pretty big fish for the size of the bird.
Below the clouds is the June Gloom.  Dell is facing north towards Ventura which the hillside is covered in the marine layer.
The end of the round and we have smiles on our faces.  We played best ball and scored in the 80s.