Heart Transplant

We found out just a week ago that our office couple was going to need to leave us - right away. The ravages of disease get us wherever we are because that is one of the things we need to learn to cope with in this life.

A week ago I was being trained intensely for the office work of the mission by our dear secretary who was leaving on a jet plane on Monday. She left and I wondered what I really knew. Tuesday, her husband and I started training a volunteer couple from the stake where we live, to help us in the office. The men were doing the financial and apartment things and the women were doing the secretarial duties. I was barely a half inch in front of her. I have been in the office all week leaving President Murri to handle zone conference treats all by himself. It was a strange week. There is still so much to do and become more proficient at completing. Today was the last day of our senior elder's service and he will drive home to Utah tomorrow.

We are already feeling the void left by the departure of our vibrant and caring office couple. It feels like the heart has left the body of the mission.

We have been so blessed that this new couple could drop their lives and come to serve us on a temporary basis. They have some plans for the summer that they should be able to complete.

We anxiously await the calling of a new couple to be called.

Senior missionaries everywhere, we surely do need you!!

Sixth Comings and Goings

February 9 was the beginning of our transfer week. Here are our new missionaries:

Left to right front row: Hermana Hanson, Elders James Jenkins, Ridlon, Leavitt, Miles, Seeley. Back row: Elders Larsen, Whimpey, Hixon, Blair, Ericson, and Noble.

Here are the departing ones who left us on the 11th of February:

At the Los Angeles Temple. Left to right: Elders Laing, Rutledge, Beath, Willoughby, Sisters Achiu & Love, Elder Jennejohn, Pte Murri, Elders Simons, Coons, and Kettley.

They have given great service.

We will miss their great attitudes and faithfulness.

Night of Intensity

We will get 12 new missionaries tomorrow and send home 12 on Wednesday. While Pte Murri is busy deciding what to do with our 180 missionaries tonight, I will post some fun photos.

PROBLEM

SOLUTION

Preparation Day Moment

After dropping off a missionary at the airport who had to return home due to a very serious knee injury, we took a few minutes of preparation day and visited the Santa Barbara Mission. The first treat was this blue bird in the parking lot.

Then I found a real teasle holder for carding wool fibers.

A beautiful serene garden in the part that is rented for serenity breaks.

Zoomed ocean view from the steps of the mission.

These are the first sail boats we have seen in the ocean.

It was a particularly beautiful day.

Probably the most beautiful we have seen here.

The front of the famous Santa Barbara Mission.

A Baptism of Note

Sometimes miracles happen and I get to be a part of them. This sister, Rose Delaney, 3rd from left, was baptized yesterday on Jan 31 and confirmed today, Feb 1, 2009 in the Santa Maria First Ward. She had been working with many sets of missionaries for about 2 years. This baptism is credited to our senior sisters who will be released on Feb 11. Sister Achiu, Brother Rigby (the member who baptized her),

Rose Delaney, Sister Love, Elder Crapo, and Elder Jacobsen.

My miracle is this: I happened to listen to Elder Holland's talk at BYU Devotional on Jan 14. I was so impressed with what he said that I knew I needed to share some of it with our missionaries. I was able to get a printed copy off the internet. I was able to share it at our mission tour conferences the next week. When Sister Achiu heard what I said, she thought immediately of Rose and some doubts she had had about getting baptized. That very evening after the conference, they made an appointment and went to see Rose. Sister Achiu shared those thoughts with Rose and they changed her life. Sister Love moved in and committed her to a baptism date. The rest is now history. Of course, we had to be there! Sometimes I wonder if what I do here really makes any difference, but this has helped me see that it does every now and then. Rose has six children from 7 -21. Four of them were at the baptism behaving perfectly. Two of her children have baptism dates for Feb 28 -- her 18 year old son and a daughter 12-13ish. She is hoping for her 16ish year old daughter to be ready also. The 7 year old boy can hardly wait to be baptized.

A 3 year old does what?

We had a special treat this last weekend. Sister Julie Beck, the General Relief Society President, visited the southern portion of our mission and held a morning conference in Santa Barbara for the sisters from the San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Stakes. I attended this one. She moved on to the Camarillo Stake Center and held a Priesthood and Relief Society Leadership meeting there in the early afteroon, and then another conference for all sisters in the Camarillo, Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, and Simi Valley Stakes in the late afternoon. We were counseled to keep our notes to ourselves pretty much, but she said one thing I have to share.






"A 3 year old destroys $10 worth of stuff a day."

I didn't know that I had so much to say...

I have given a few talks since being in the California Ventura Mission. Here is a list of the ones in 2008. President Murri has given quite a few more because he gets asked to speak at Priesthood meetings and so far I have avoided that one.

2008
20 July 5 Stake YSA Regional Fireside, Newbury Park Stake Center
22 July Zone Conference
23 July "
24 July "
10 August Sacrament Meeting, Rama San Buenaventua, Santa Paula
24 August Sacrament Meeting, Ventura First Ward
24 August 5 Stake Single Adult Fireside, Simi Valley Stake Center
31 August Sacrament Meeting, Camarillo First Ward
31 August Sacrament Meeting, Simi Valley Fifth Ward
6 September Stake Conference, Santa Maria Stake, Saturday evening
7 September Stake Conference, Santa Maria Stake, Sunday morning
14 September Stake Conference, Bakersfield East Stake, Sunday morning
10 October Stake Conference, Thousand Oaks Stake, Saturday evening
14 October Zone Conference
15 October "
16 October "
25 October Stake Conference, Bakersfield South Stake, Saturday evening
9 November Stake Conference, Bakersfield Stake, Sunday morning
9 November Stake Conference, Bakersfield Stake, Sunday afternoon
16 November Stake Conference, Camarillo Stake, Sunday morning
16 November Stake Conference, Camarillo Stake, Sunday afternoon
23 November Sacrament Meeting, Ventura 3rd Ward
30 November Sacrament Meeting, Santa Maria Spanish Ward
14 December Sacrament Meeting, Thousand Oaks 2nd Ward