All Mission Conference and Transfers

Monday, January 31 was All Mission Conference in San Rafael. The ones in Eureka left at 2am to make it to the meetings. Also, we had new missionaries flying into Oakland at 9:30am. So transfers needed to be done the same time. And exchanging vehicles.  Whew!!!!!
Elder Kearon form the Seventies and Elder Packer from the Area Presidency were our speakers. They were actually the reason we had the day so full and on a Monday. We had a wonderful day of messages and being uplifted. It is good to meet these brethren and realize they are dads, and working men along with their callings. It was also good to have Sister Bunker attend. She has finished her radiation treatments and is starting to get some strength back. I still don't know how she has been functioning with chemo, operations and radiation. She and President Bunker have been blessed for their service.
We found out we had 60 baptisms in the mission for January - 21 last week.  We know 3 of those baptized in our Ward boundaries. I was asked to speak at a double baptism for 2 sisters and play the piano. Seeing new brothers and sisters and the joy on their faces strengthens my testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm learning more each day.

I didn't get any pictures.....what a bummer!

Sacramento Temple

Sisters Bytheway, Stebar, and White. Elders Watts, Lybbert, Bisnet, Marriott, Roper, McMurray, and Williams. All great missionaries!

Today we took the departing missionaries to the Sacramento Temple. It was a great experience. We had never been there. It was like a miniature Mt. Timpanogos Temple. It was really pretty inside. It's 2 1/2 hours from Santa Rosa.

Friends and more food

Our first California seafood dinner was with a wonderful family - Gerald and Julie Gwin. Gerald is not a member, but only in name. They fed us some of the most wonderful crab, shrimp, molluscks, clams, and sauce and bread.. It took 2 hours to eat because of using your hands and talking while you enjoyed the cuisine. Good friends!

Pomo Indian Sister

 This is Sister Franklin. she is a Pomo Indian. There was an instant connection to her and her family. Her husband was branch president for the Lamanite branch when it existed. He has since passed away. I really love her and her family.

This is Tami Lucas. She keeps making quilts for all the general authorities. Her passion is genealogy. She has now been called into the Primary and loves it.  She and Adrienne are very close friend.

Elder and Sister Snow hand over the "Keys to the City - Office"

 Elder and Sister Snow have been handling the office  for a number of months. Elder Anderson has been handling the Fleet by himself. We won't be that ambitious. The Neuenschwanders are coming in March and the Murrays are here 3 days a week so we can have time to  visit and teach "our families". in the Stony Point Ward. The Snows are great people and hard workers. Hope we can fill their shoes. At least I can read Elder Snow's "poker face". He can't help but laugh when he is trying to put one over on the missionaries. Sister Snow keeps volunteering us for KP duty when all 200 missionaries meet. We've got to rope her in.

Senior Missionaries Social

OK, so we do socialize once in awhile. Let me introduce you to the group. From left to right:
 Elder and Sister Snow from Roosevelt, UT, going home on Feb. 8; Elder and Sister Neuenschwander from Star Valley, WY; President and Sister Bunker, our mission president (young aren't they); Elderly Elder Anderson and Sister Anderson, he's 81 and she was his sister-in-law until they married after her sister died...good people and better story; Bro and Sister Stewart, she's the Mission Nurse, and yes the picture tells all; Elder and Sister Murray, Service missionaries who served a full-time mission at the MTC during the time we were there and apparently didn't get enough of the office the first time so they are back. And of course us. All great people and good friends.  This was supposedly a birthday celebration for Sis Snow (Jan12 - 63), myself (Jan 13-62) and Sister Neuenschwander (Jan 26 - 64), but we think it was a farewell party for the Snows. The president was presented with a pair of yellow rain bike pants as a reminder that ALL missionaries are to come with rain gear. Lots of good food and a fun time. Thanks to Sister Snow for putting it together. (Even if it really was her farewell party).

Christmas Day!

 Notice the BYU hoodie I'm wearing. Some things you just have to get for yourself. I'm still in the BGS program at the "Y". They have put me "on hold" until after our mission. I hope I don't have to retake Algebra. Lots of gift cards for fun stuff. I used mine for clothes and a folding camp chair - a lounger (not like mine at home; one that squashes together).  Food gift cards have sure come in handy on long days at the mission office. We also got some copies of the Book of Mormon to hand out. Yahoo!

All I want for Christmas is a new tie!

Christmas Eve at Bishop and Dana Preston's house

Waiting for pie!

Preston Family

Elder Anderson in Bishop's Massage chair.

Enough with the pictures!

We were able to have dinner with the Preston family on Christmas Eve. Elder Jackson and Anderson were there also. Lots of good food, good friends, and music! Ben is heading to USC (not University of South Carolina!), and Bev is heading for Semester abroad. Davy is in 11th grade. Sister Preston is one of the best accompanist around. Bishop Preston is a great singer. Elder Jackson is a professional singer and Elder Anderson is a professional Jazz trumpet player. They are the 2 oldest Elders in the mission...besides Elderly Elder Anderson.

Max's 1st Birthday and Lisa home from the hospital

Really?! This is all mine????!!!!

We were still at Lisa's and Tyler's when Max turned 1. Once he found out he wouldn't be in trouble for sticking his hands in the food, the cake was a goner!