Transfer week again!

 

I was ready to pounce on someone! LOL

It’s amazing how quickly time flies. It seems like it was just yesterday that we had transfers but it has been 6 weeks already! It was a little less hectic this time. Last transfer we had 26 new missionaries arrive. This time we had only 14. Thursday is the day transfers occur when the missionaries already in the mission are sometimes transferred to different areas and new companions. We have a transfer van and truck with a cargo trailer that goes from Eugene south to various pick up points where missionaries are dropped off and others picked up. It takes about 8 hours for the round trip. 

We had 8 missionaries finish their missions and 5 who received their visas who had been here waiting to go to their assigned missions. So we lost 13 and gained 14 missionaries. It is a domino effect when missionaries arrive and leave. President Cornelius spends at least a week assigning people to new companions and areas. The changes are announced on Tuesday evening so everyone has a day to say goodbye to people in their current area and to pack and prepare to move. 

Thursday evening was a dinner at the home of President and Sister Cornelius for the departing missionaries. 

Friday the new missionaries arrive. We have lunch and then interviews and training before they head out with their new companion/trainers to their assigned areas. It is a busy but fun few days. At least it is fun for me because I get to see the missionaries and meet and interview new people. Maybe not so fun for those who have to pack and move and fly from SLC to Eugene. I believe they leave the MTC in the wee hours of the morning to get to the airport in SLC. I’m sure they get little sleep. The new arrivals are so tired and a little or a lot stressed at all of the “newness” around them.

Sister Cornelius leading the newbies in from the airport

Sister Roskelley came to the mission Friday. My eldest daughter, Katie, and her husband, Jeremy’s, brother-in-law was sustained as the new bishop in his ward in Herriman, UT. After Sister Roskelley gave her farewell talk that same day, Jeremy's mother messaged me to tell me about the talk and the sister who would be arriving in my mission soon. Small world!

Monday, on Christmas Day, I went over to the chapel with a basket of oranges and apples to meet with the Eugene Zone. They planned a potluck Christmas lunch with ham, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, rolls, etc. We have some pretty awesome cooks among these missionaries. I didn’t stay for the meal but they are a wonderful group of young women and men. I love them dearly.

That evening, I hosted a dinner (breakfast foods as they had already eaten a “dinner”) for a few of the missionaries who had not been invited to eat at member homes. I made French toast strata and buttermilk syrup. Sister and Elder Crump brought whipped cream and sliced strawberries to top the strata. Elder Barker cooked bacon, fried or scrambled eggs, and hash browns. It was fun and delicious.

Wednesday Sister and Elder Germaine came to visit me. Every mission has an area medical advisor. Elder and Sister George were the AMA (Area Medical Advisor) when I arrived here but their mission ended on 23 December. Elder and Sister Germaine have come to replace them. Whenever I have a medical question I can’t address or a situation that needs emergency help/advice, I call the AMA. Our area AMA is responsible for 12 missions in the states of Washington, Oregon, and Alaska and some areas in Canada. 

Elder and Sister Germaine are from Mesa AZ. They live in the same stake as Sister and Elder Barker and their sons have played high school sports together so we all went out to lunch to share memories and to become better acquainted. It was a very pleasant day. I look forward to serving with them.

I walked every day but it has been dark and misty, so I didn’t get pictures. Saturday, I didn’t walk until afternoon because it was raining early in the day. I just walked in my neighborhood instead of driving to the river. I ran into this flock of turkeys.

Sunday, New Year’s Eve, I invited Sisters Campbell and Zollinger to have dinner with me. I made red beans, cornbread, and salad with greens in it. It is a traditional southern meal eaten on New Year’s Day to bring good luck and prosperity through the year. I just happen to like red beans, rice, cornbread and salad. We played some Azul after dinner. 

I saw a rainbow Saturday after the rain. Didn’t see the pot of gold but I am blessed and lucky as it is.

The New Year always brings resolutions and setting of goals to make our year and ourselves better than the last year. I read an article in the January 2019 Era Magazine titled Setting Realistic Goals You Can Accomplish. Some helpful advice:

It’s January! The time of new beginnings, fresh starts, and writing down long lists of goals you’re going to try really hard to reach and then forget about or give up on by the middle of the year and promise yourself that you’ll “try again next year.” Sound familiar? Why is it that we want to change and become better, but sometimes, we just can’t stick with our goals? Well, it’s all determined by how realistic our goals are and how much work we’re willing to put in!

Here are a few tips on how to set realistic goals you can accomplish this year: 

• Write your goals down. Keep your goals somewhere you can see every day! The more you’re reminded of the goals you’ve set, the more likely you are to keep working toward them.
• Be specific. If you have “Learn something new” on your list of new year’s resolutions, it’s definitely a realistic goal, but it’s not specific! What sort of thing do you want to learn? A new instrument? A new recipe? Maybe a new hobby all together? Be specific about what you want to accomplish!
• Set short-term goals. You can set a major goal for yourself, but in order to achieve that goal, you need to set little milestones to hit on the way. For example, you can say you want to run a marathon this year, but in order to work up to being able to run for 26 miles, you need to start small. Set a goal to run a few miles every week, and slowly increase your distance each week until you reach 26 miles. You didn’t learn how to walk without taking baby steps at first. 
• Make time for your goals. A lot of time, we want to work on our goals, but because life gets so busy, it can be easy for them to get lost among school, jobs, friends, and family. But, if you set aside a specific time to work on your goal each day, each week, or however often you would like, you are more likely to stick with them. 
• Don’t do too much. The beginning of the year is a time when everyone makes long lists of New Year’s resolutions—sometimes so many that you can hardly remember everything that you’ve planned to do. If you start with only a couple goals, instead of throwing yourself headfirst into forty at a time, you will feel less overwhelmed and more confident in your efforts to reach your goals. And when you achieve one, you’re more likely to achieve another! Small things lead to big things.

I read a quote by President Thomas S Monson that fits well here:

“Seek heavenly guidance one day at a time. Life by the yard is hard; by the inch it’s a cinch. Each of us can be true for just one day—and then one more and then one more after that—until we’ve lived a lifetime guided by the Spirit, a lifetime close to the Lord, a lifetime of good deeds and righteousness.”

I know that the Lord will help us as we strive to do better in all we do. 

I love my Savior.

I love you my family and friends and pray that you will be well, happy and blessed.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I saw this idea posted on FB. I like it!

Merry Christmas!

 

This picture of me sitting on Santa’s knee from 4 years ago came up in my FB memory so I thought I would share it.

It has been a fairly quiet week here in the mission field. Transfers and arrival of new missionaries will be next week so I have gone through the health history of the incoming missionaries to make sure that I am prepared to help them get appointments with doctors to get refills for medications they are taking prior to coming to the mission, if there are health conditions such as diabetes, etc, and to know if there are any allergies, food or otherwise, of which I need to be aware. 

Sister Barker and I inspected 3 apartments this week. After the inspection, we took the sisters to lunch. I have neglected to document with pictures this week. 

Tuesday was leadership training again. It is always a delight to help with the lunches and to get to mingle with the missionaries.

Sister Sutherland and I have a tradition of getting a picture when we see each other. This time she is recovering from a cold so we get to see “the Masked Sister Sutherland”

Wednesday evening I took four Elders out to dinner at The Dough Co where we had calzones to celebrate Elder Robison finishing his mission. He will be leaving us next week and that is always a sad day to say goodbye. Again, no pics!!

I have walked every day this week. It has been foggy/misty most mornings and it rained one morning. Mist or rain - we get wet either way. Not complaining. Just saying…..

Early morning shot of the Willamette River

Friday it was Elder Crump’s birthday. We had Chinese takeout for lunch in the office and then cake made by Sister Crump – carrot cake with raisins and cream cheese frosting- Elder’s favorite! 

Saturday morning I walked with Elder and Sister Crump in the prairie/wet lands. Again it was foggy. We haven’t seen much wild life this week but I did get a video of a huge flock of noisy birds flying over the prairie.

Foggy morning walk through the prairie

Saturday my friend, Diana, and I went to lunch at China Sun Buffet. Always fun to go there. I have eaten out so many times this week. With my weekend on the coast last week and all the meals this week, I have gained 5 pounds!! Now I have to get back into a routine and get rid of the excess weight. Sure has been fun gaining it thought. LOL

Sunday after Sacrament Meeting I was invited to lunch along with the elders serving in our ward to the home of Denise and Jeff Salisbury. It was an enjoyable meal and an opportunity to get better acquainted with a wonderful couple.

When I got home to my apartment, there were 4 turkeys wandering around the yard.

In the evening, I was invited to a ham dinner with all of the trimmings at the home of Sister and Elder Crump. They invited several missionaries who hadn’t been received invitations to spend Christmas Eve with a ward or friend family. The food was delicious and the company was fun. After dinner we played a couple of games and had a lot of good laughter. 

We ended the evening by reading the nativity story from Luke 2 and singing Away In a Manger. I always love reading the scriptures and remembering the story of the Savior’s birth.

Luke 2:1-20

1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS

I love my Savior

I love you my family and friends.

What a fun week it has been!

 

Along with the normal week of calls, interviews, reports, etc I have enjoyed two zone conferences and a weekend with my granddaughter, Cicilee, and my son, Jake.

Normally there are four zone conferences but this time, to celebrate Christmas, there were only two LARGE conferences. The south zone conference was held on Wednesday in Central Point which is adjacent to Medford. The north zone conference was held on Friday. We have over 200 missionaries so each conference had over 100 missionaries in attendance.

The meetings began at 10:00 with training and lasted until 1:00. Talks and presentations by missionaries, President and Sister Cornelius, President and Sister Hopkins (1^st counselor in the mission presidency), the assistants to the president, Elder Barker (car business) and me (health business).

Lunch was then served with games and fun following. I will include pictures to let you know how the days went.

Training session in the chapel

This chapel in Eugene is an older chapel. It is beautiful with its wood construction.

Lunch is served

After lunch, all were divided into four groups for games and activities. They rotated through the activities over the next 2 hours.

This game divided the group into four smaller groups. They played Prophet or Princess. Quotes were read from prophets or Disney movie characters. The group had to choose who the quote was from. A lot of competitive spirit here!!

Each district decorated a gingerbread house. Here are Elders Welch, Tufuga, and Reynolds displaying a couple of creations.

The gingerbread house decorating room

Passing the hoop game

This challenge is stacking the cups with a web of rubber bands – no hands allowed

Here you see two missionaries holding plungers against their bodies, no hands, trying to get a washer tied to a string to wrap around the stick.

Next was a talent show. Each zone presented. Here is a sampling. It was fun!

This zone did a haka but I got a phone call and didn’t get more than a few seconds of a video so I took a screen shot of one frame. I felt so sorry that I missed it. Took me back to my New Zealand days

Following the talents show, the Christmas gifts were distributed. Beginning in November, the family of each missionary was asked to send their Christmas gifts to the office labeled “Christmas Gift” so we had a cargo trailer full of gifts to haul to each zone conference. You should have seen the office! It was wall to wall boxes in a couple of rooms.

The gifts were hidden behind the curtain on the stage waiting for distribution

To end the day, after the fun and games, there was a devotional.

I was blessed to have my granddaughter, Cicilee, come to spend a few days with me. She arrived on Friday. We drove down to Bandon, my favorite beach town to visit, on Friday afternoon and returned to Eugene on Sunday evening.

My son, Jake, was traveling to see the redwoods and joined us for our time in Bandon. It was so fun walking on the beach, finding places to eat, playing UNO and laughing until our sides hurt. I took so many pictures that I couldn’t put them all here in my blog so I have made a separate post on FB with additional pictures.

Jake and his dog, Sugar, on the beach at sunset. I didn’t get any pictures of Jake with me because he was always behind the camera taking pictures. He is a fantastic photographer. 

These 2 pictures are photographs taken by Jake

Took this as I walked down the street in Bandon

The weather over the week end was fantastic!!!

Friday evening sunset over the beach

Saturday morning walk along the bluff overlooking Bandon Beach

Coquille River Lighthouse at sunset

Sunday morning before returning to Eugene, I went to Sacrament Meeting with some wonderful missionaries.

Overlooking the nativity in the foyer with Sister Sutherland

Sisters Davis and Sutherland. Elders Darrington, Nilson, Sibley, and Robison

Welcome back to Eugene LOL

In my zone conference presentation, I talked about homesickness and missing family especially at this Christmas season. It is important to stay healthy during stressful times by eating properly, exercising, and keeping a positive attitude. Attitude can truly affect our physical and mental health. An attitude of gratitude is especially important. I challenged the missionaries to keep a gratitude journal and to write down 3 things for which they are grateful every night before going to bed.

I also know that thinking of and serving others is healthful. I love the following quote by President Spencer W. Kimball. I read it and try to incorporate the thoughts into my life everyday regarding service but it is a good quote for the Christmas season.

From the words of President Spencer W. Kimball: 

“Though we make an effort to follow the pattern of gift giving at Christmas time, sometimes our program becomes an exchange—a gift given for a gift expected.

Of the Savior's service, and His example to us, President Kimball goes on to say: "Never did the Savior give in expectation. I know of no case in His life in which there was an exchange. He was always the giver, seldom the recipient. Never did He give shoes, a scarf, or a vehicle; never did He give perfume, a shirt, or a fur wrap. His gifts were of such a nature that the recipient could hardly exchange or return the value.

His gifts were rare ones: eyes to the blind, ears to the deaf, and legs to the lame; cleanliness to the unclean, wholeness to the infirm, and breath to the lifeless. His gifts were opportunity to the downtrodden, freedom to the oppressed, light in the darkness, forgiveness to the repentant, hope to the despairing.

His friends gave Him shelter, food, and love. He gave them of Himself, His love, His service, His life. The wise men brought Him gold and frankincense. He gave them and all their fellow mortals resurrection, salvation, and eternal life. We should strive to give as He gave. To give of oneself is a holy gift."

It is my prayer that you have a wonderful Christmas.

I love my Savior.

I love you my family and friends.