Mission Update

Things are good here.  We keep busy every day but we do our own scheduling so if I am tired, I take a nap.  We go with the elders a lot to visit inactive members.  We have seen all kinds of living conditions and all kinds of people.  We have met so many people who got their feelings hurt and so they don't come to church again.  We have traveled distances to do service and also tried to help the neighbor next door.  Next to us we have a Hindu family, upstairs from us are two Afghanistan brothers, next to them is, I'm not sure.  She wears a berka outside but in her apartment she does not.  What a big, wonderful world we live in.  It all makes me appreciate Rexburg even more.  It helps me count my blessings every day.

It has now been two weeks since we went by the chapel on base to see the head chaplain.  We left a business card and they told us they would call to schedule an appointment.  Even though we have called and followed up, we still have no meeting with the chaplain.  We have hit a brick wall in trying to find airman. And we really need the chaplain's help. 

Our monthly mission report will probably never be like the young elders and sisters because technically we are not proselyting missionaries.  We work more with military families who need a visit, part-member, inactive or just anything we can do for a bishop.  However with two stakes, we are spread pretty thin.  We have experienced wonderful baptisms and we have lists of people we pray for.  We teach lessons but they are usually in unexpected situations.   For example, we were transporting a semi-active member to a job interview the other day when he asked us about the fall.  Craig proceeded to give the missionary lesson on the Plan of Salvation.  I must say, Craig is good at explaining things and can answer and teach expectantly.

We miss home but are grateful for the opportunity to serve our Heavenly Father in California.

2015 Family Pictures

Bluehawk's story

This is the segment that I send in for the ward monthly newsletter.

This month I want to share with you the story of a young man named Bluehawk.  One of our bishops in Vacaville asked us to go with the elders to see if there was anything we could do to help.  He had served in the military and had been deployed a couple of times.  He was suffering from PTSD and had depression. The bishop received a phone call one evening from Bluehawk asking for help.  He had been living with his sister while looking for a job here in California.   However his sister was killed in an automobile accident and Bluehawk was left on his own.  He lost the apartment because he couldn’t pay the rent, which made him homeless.  The night that he called the bishop, he was on the streets and alone and scared.  He asked for help and the bishop came through.  He put him in a long-stay motel until he could assess the situation.  We visited him a couple of times with the elders to get some background. We learned his parents had passed away several years ago and so now with his sister’s death, he was truly alone.

One young man from the singles ward went to pick him up for church and saw the conditions he was living in.  By that I mean the neighbors he had.  While Bluehawk was in the car with him, a couple of other tenants started banging on their car windows and so they got out of there.  When they got to the young man’s family and home, he told his parents about their encounter. His parents offered to have Bluehawk stay with them until they could figure something out.   Bluehawk went to church with the young singles in the family and has been looking for a job.  We have now met with him several times and this last time he asked Craig for a blessing.   He attended a baptism with us and really felt the spirit. 

We have learned so many things through our experience with Bluehawk.  We have realized that we have been blessed in so many ways.  I personally have wondered if I would have the same Christian heart and take someone into my home and help them get back on their feet.  The Lord truly blesses us all and we need to be aware of those blessings and give thanks.  So, to our Cresthaven family, we ask you to pray for the missionaries.  Please ask and seek to see the every day tender mercies that are all around you.  The Lord will bless us all, if we but ask.

We had a meeting with Blue Hawk.  He is still struggling.  However,  our meeting this time took place in a member's home.  We were told that the place he had been staying was kind of a scary place so a member took him in.  I have been thinking lately and asking myself if I would be able to do the same thing.  Would I be able to open my home up to a stranger and give him the nurturing and care that he needs to turn his life around?  I have really done some thinking on this and ask that you ask yourself the same thing.  Would you be able to take the stranger in?

We also got to attend our first zone conference.  We were told that other than couples serving in the mission office, we are the only other senior couple.  It was a bit of a surprise because I thought that every mission had senior couples.  We loved being with the elders and sisters and being taught by them along with our mission president.

We have had some good visits this past week.  We spend a lot of time with part member families and deployed families.  We met a family that the father is gone and won't be back till November.  They have four children ages 12 through 11 months.  She had such a fun personality but we could tell that  there are really stressful times.  She gets the kids back and forth from school, scouts, piano lessons, and after school activities.  Again, I have learned a great lesson and I count my blessings every day.  I hope that each of you will stop for a minute and express your thankfulness for those who are serving our country.  When Craig served his remote (deployment), he served it in Greenland.  There was no war for me to worry about.  Other than freezing to death, I knew he was safe.  The families now days don't know about how safe their family member is and in some cases, don't know where the family member is for sure.

Just Another Day

This has been quite an interesting week.  On Tuesday, the window in our spare bedroom literally shattered inward.  Maintenance came right over, boarded up the window, and today we got a new one.  This event made us late for the Vacaville zone meeting. I had made brownies for their meeting so we were pretty popular even though we interrupted the meeting late.

After the meeting we took two elders to lunch at Chicl-fil A.  We then proceeded to go see Blue Hawk.  He is a single brother in his late 20's.  He is a very smart young man but has really had some down and out luck.  He is covered in tattoos but we couldn't see any sign of any addiction, which we are told to be aware of due to his homelessness and conditions. He says he knows that the tattoos affect his job hunting but can't do anything about them. The Vacaville Third Ward bishop asked us to go see him.  Because of his conditions, the ward is trying to get him back on his feet.  He served nine years in the military, has a bachelor's degree, both parents have passed away and two weeks ago his only sibling (sister) was killed in an automobile accident.  Not only is he struggling financially but he has no job and no family.  He was converted to the church while he was stationed at Hill AFB.  We were there for about two hours along with the missionaries.  We gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon and challenged him to begin reading it again.  He accepted the challenge.  Craig and I are going to try to go tomorrow, Friday, and check up on him.  I'll even try to get some cookies baked.  . The bishop had asked us to be alert to the situation because we don't know anything about him.  All we know is he called the Church and asked for help because he was sleeping in the park.  This is really my first close-up encounter with a homeless man.  I felt so sorry for him as he expressed his fear of being homeless and no family.  I can't even begin to understand what that must be like.  We can only pray that he is being honest with us and that the Lord will direct us in knowing how we can help.  Maybe we all should go to bed tonight counting our blessings!

After a fast dinner we went with two other missionaries to visit with a sister who is going to the temple on Saturday.  There was such a contrast as she shared something new she had learned in the scriptures earlier that day. She says every time she picks them up she feels better and learns something new.  Her children are grown and she is divorced.  She is the nicest lady and there was the sweetest spirit in her home.

On Friday, August 14, Craig is out searching for some single airman with the help of one of our active airman.  I am here writing, baking cookies, getting wash done, and listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  My heart is full as I think of all the great blessings I have in my life.  My children and grandchildren are a source of strength and joy.  My testimony brings me peace, hope and love for all of God’s children.  Please look around today and watch for the small miracles that the Lord provides us with.  We are all blessed with the knowledge of God and our elder Brother’s sacrifice.  Make the most of your day.  Serve someone else.  Love you all.

Update again

This has been a wonderful week.  We worked to make more contacts and tried to build up some interest in our program.  We attended the YSA ward to meet some wonderful youth.  We met a young man who went to college with Craig's nephew's son at BYU.  I visited with several who were home on break from BYUIdaho.  You all know how I love talking about BYUI.  One of the members of the bishopric has a sister who lives in Sugar City and works at the university.  It was another surprise.  It was Suzanne Williams brother.  This is really a small world.

We visited a family to see if we could help as he prepares to leave on deployment in 3 months.  The father has been teaching the gospel essentials class and from what we are told, did a fine job.  Then, a month ago out of the blue, he quit coming.  No one seems to know what happened.  We had a delightful visit. The mother was born and raised in the church and the father is a convert of about 5 years.  They have two darling children that made me homesick for my grandkids.  They invited us to come back again so I think it went well.  However we still have no idea why he quit teaching and coming to church.  I am reminded that we are all vulnerable to adversity.  Satan wants us at anytime he can get us. 

Another visit was to a sister who's husband is currently deployed to Afghanistan.  She told us how she wants to come to church but she has to work every Sunday.  Her day off is Monday and so she said we could come back again.  On her table was a triple combination.  I would really love to get to know her because I feel like she has a story to share.

Today the Fairfield Missionary District was allowed to go to the Oakland temple if they could get rides from members.  When it comes to attending the temple you don't have to ask us twice.  We have friends the Brimhall's, who work at the Oakland temple.  We didn't get to see them because we were with some pretty great missionaries.  The drive over began at 7am with lots of traffic.  We finished the session and treated the missionaries to lunch.  The traffic had totally calmed down.  It was so great to be back in the temple.  I absolutely love going to temples, especially with members.

We have a date set to meet up with Laurie Hayes Rudd.  Her folks are Randy and Laura Hayes from Rexburg ID.  They are serving as mission president in Costa Rica.  Laurie was always such a cute kid.  I loved it when she would come to my office and visit.  I can't wait to meet her two kids.

Our weather has been beautiful here.  Craig and I enjoy walking outside early in the mornings.  We are even getting so we see some of the same people every time.  

We do hope that everything is well with you all.  We are getting more settled all the time.  Craig is really good at finding our way around.  We love serving together and offering others the opportunity to hear about the gospel.