Lots of fun and activity this week!

I’ve had so much to do, places to be, and people to hug this week that I didn’t get my blog written until Wednesday!! 

Monday was prep for the week. I did walk on Monday and Tuesday and they were beautiful mornings. 

This week we had zone conferences on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Tuesday late morning I drove to Medford to accompany a sister to a doctor’s appointment, so I missed the north zone conference. It is a 3 hour drive each way, but it was worth it to make sure the sister was getting proper treatment. 

Tuesday night I picked up my daughter, Katie, at the airport. She came to visit me for a week. Wednesday morning we started our zone conference tour. We headed for Roseburg and the central zones conference. 

After the conference, we were invited to spend the night with President and Sister Hopkins. He is the 1st counselor in the mission presidency. I have known the Hopkins since my New York Mission. We served together there from 2015 to 2017. It was fun to be with them in their beautiful mountaintop ranch home and to relive memories of our time in New York.

Sister and President Hopkins

President and Sister Cornelius, Katie, and Sister and President Hopkins

Thursday morning we headed south to Medford/Central Point for the south zones conference. Lunch is served before the teaching begins. After lunch before going into the chapel, Elder Barker talks about cars and this time I did a presentation on exercise. I jogged in and ran around the cultural hall between the tables and then told everyone about the benefits of exercise. Here are a few pictures of conference activities.

The lessons taught in the zone conferences by the missionaries and the mission presidency were much needed. We learned about how to better study the scriptures from President Wright, the importance of good communication from President and Sister Hopkins, and how important it is to allow people to change from President Cornelius. Sometimes we continue to see people as they used to be before they made changes for the better. Also President talked about casting out Satan when he tries to stop progress of missionary work. 

After the conference, Katie and I went to dinner with Sister and Elder Barker and then we went to the Medford Temple for a session.

Friday morning we drove back to Eugene for missionary interviews with the Eugene Zone missionaries. After interviews, Katie and I went to dinner at one of my favorite places, The Dough Company for a calzone.

Saturday morning we watched the first session of general conference and then drove to the coast where we stayed the night in Florence. We listened to conference talks as we drove and that evening in our room. We had fish and chips at Mo’s Fish and Chowder Restaurant.

Sunday morning we watched the first session of conference before checking out of our hotel. We drove to the Heceta Lighthouse and walked up a trail to the lighthouse. 

We listened to the afternoon session and then went to Heceta Beach and walked for a while. There was an unusual creature that I had never seen before on any beach and I’ve been to a lot of beaches all around the world. I asked some local people on the beach who were there with their children and dog and they had never seen anything like it either. 

I sent pictures to my son, Jim, who did some research and found out about the creature. Click to read a CNN article from 2014 that apparently describes this year as well. 

We drove home Sunday late afternoon listening to the final session of conference on YouTube as we didn’t have phone service where we were at the lighthouse while conference was on live.

It has been a great week of hugs from missionaries, old friends, and my Katie. 

I have loved every minute of conference and listening to the talks with Katie as we discussed and shared thoughts and feelings about the conference. We both felt that much was said about the importance of the temple and temple work and about honoring our covenants made in the temple. We will be blessed beyond measure when we are obedient in all we do concerning the covenants we have made.

I liked Elder Eyring’s talk: “I bear witness that there is nothing more important than honoring the covenants you make, or may make, in the temple. No matter where you are on the covenant path, I urge you to qualify and become eligible to attend the temple. Visit as frequently as circumstances will allow.”

After the Teton Dam collapsed in 1976, when the Eyrings were away from their children at the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple, President Eyring assured his wife all would be well with their family because of covenants. “I can assure you of the same truth.”

President Russell M Nelson reminded us about the importance of priesthood keys. Priesthood keys are what distinguish the Church from any other organization on earth and enable every covenant-keeping man and woman to enjoy “incredible personal spiritual privileges.”

The temple is spiritually empowering. “Understanding the spiritual privileges made possible in the temple is vital to each of us today.”

The temple is the gateway to the greatest blessings God has for each of His children. The temple is the only place on earth where individuals may receive all of the blessings promised to Abraham.

“Let us rejoice in the restoration of priesthood keys which make it possible for you and me to enjoy every spiritual blessing we are willing and worthy to receive.”

I hope that through these little quotes and thoughts you can see what a beautiful opportunity I feel that I had to hear and learn from our apostles and prophets.

I love my Savior.

I love you my family and friends.

I AM SO BLESSED

Every day is a blessing to be able to live on this beautiful earth and to know that I have a Savior that lives and loves me. I am blessed to have an eternal family. 

I have been blessed this week to be able to be with David, my youngest son, and his beautiful family as we joined together to honor him as he prepares to deploy to the Middle East with his Army unit.

I received permission to leave the mission and go to Marysville, Washington for the deployment ceremony. I left on Thursday noonish to drive up to be with them. It is a 5-6 hour drive depending on traffic. The traffic through Portland and especially through Seattle was horrible. It actually took a little over 6 hours to get there. But it was worth it!! It was wonderful to see David, Brianna and their children: Zolee, Reed, Dean, and Charlie. Brianna’s parents, Jeannine and Chad Briggs, also joined us.

It was fun to watch the family interact.

Friday morning we attended an advancement ceremony. The leader of the unit was advanced from a lieutenant colonel to a brigadier general. I was able to meet several of David’s friends who will be going with him. 

After the ceremony, we had the afternoon free so we went to see some of the sights in Seattle.

I like this manhole cover

The gum wall. 

David came prepared with 4 packages of bubble gum for us to stick on the wall.

You should read about this!! 

Saturday morning was the deployment ceremony. There were speeches by generals and leaders honoring the women and men of the unit and giving advice for successful deployment and for achievement of the goals of the unit. 

Sheathing the unit flag ceremony - to take it with them

David is part of the 364th Expeditionary Sustainment Command Unit which is a reserve unit stationed in Marysville, Washington. From Wikipedia: The Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), commonly referred to as an "ESC", is a United States Army logistics headquarters. Sustainment is "the provision of logistics, financial management, personnel services, and health service support necessary to maintain operations until successful mission completion." The Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), commanded by a Brigadier General, is task-organized with one or more Sustainment Brigades, Transportation Brigades, and/or Movement Control Battalion's for theater opening, theater distribution, or theater closing operations. It commands and controls all assigned and attached units as directed by the Sustainment Command (Theater). 

As best I can understand, David will going as 1 of 4 people in the inspector general unit. Goodbyes, even for just a year, are hard.

My week has been pretty much as usual. Monday I went to lunch with two sisters. I love having breakfast for any meal!

Sisters Weeks and Hansen at IHOP

Tuesday I got to go to lunch again!! Yes! You must think that all I do is eat. I jump at every opportunity to be with missionaries and eating with them is so fun.

Sisters Chatwin and Ables at Jamba Juice

No pictures but I met Elders Fawson and Petersen at Ta Ra Tin for Thai food but I didn’t get pictures. Oh well……It was still fun and a blessing too.

Wednesday was leadership training so all of the zone leaders, sister training leaders and district leaders came to Eugene. We served lunch before the meeting began but I was busy and didn’t get pictures. We had about 70 people to serve.

We hadn’t seen the great white egret on our morning walks for a while so we were really happy to see him on Monday morning. 

Also the turkeys are appearing again. I don’t know where they went for the winter but we saw them in the park by the river and I saw a flock in my neighborhood. I am seeing several each day now as I leave or return to my apartment.

The flowers and the beautiful skies and world in which we live is a blessing that I truly enjoy.

 I am always grateful for and think of my Savior but because I have been focusing my study this last week on Easter and the reason for celebrating the event, I have more deeply appreciated all that He has done and continues to do. There is so much I feel for Him and about Him that I can’t really put my feelings into words. My heart overflows with gratitude for His willingness to come to earth and redeem us from sin and death. 

I know that He understands me and knows me perfectly and He knows and understands you too because He suffered all of our sorrows, trials, pains, and everything I have experienced and will yet experience in this life. He prayed for me in the Garden of Gethsemane and was hung on the cross to die. He has atoned for my sins and made it possible for me to repent and to be forgiven of my sins. I can live again with my Heavenly Father someday because He was resurrected and I can be resurrected too. I can live with my family forever if I live the Gospel of Christ. 

Let’s make every day a day of gratitude for our Savior and Redeemer and strive to become more like him in every way.

I love my Savior

I love you my family and friends.

Easter dinner at my place.

Sisters Sterzer, Withers, Zollinger, and Crouch. Elders Fillmore, Lowery, Carter, and Walton. Sister and Elder Barker and Sister and Elder Cammack