Departures & Arrivals - Transfer #4

(Doing a little more catching up on our transfers.)

"There are friends and there is family.  And then there are friends who become family." (Unknown)

June 27th Arriving Sisters: Sister Brooklyn Cox, Sister Maya Diede, Sister Abigail Despain, Sister Leyla Howlett, Sister Hengxin Merrick, Sister Brielle Rowley, and Sister Kathya Talamantes

Seven new Sisters has been the largest group we have had so far.  It took a little orchestration to make sure we had enough space for luggage and people in the cars we took to the airport.  Once we are done at the airport we go to the Mormon Battalion Historic Site and begin introducing the sisters to everyone.  They also pick out three time period outfits and are fitted for adjustments and have an interview with President. where he is making final decisions on who will be their companion.  A meal is provided for everyone and the new companionships are announced.  We end the evening by the STL's (Sister Training Leaders) giving a tour to the new sisters, their companions and whoever else who can fit into the rooms.  

 June 27th & 28th Departing Sisters: Sister Bae, Sister Christensen, Sister Lucy Garcia, Sister Layla Nance, and Sister Lizzie (Elizabeth) Petersen

It's tradition that we take the departing Sisters to the temple before they leave for their proselyting missions.  Because the San Diego Temple is closed for renovation we take the Sisters to the Newport Beach Temple.  As many of our senior couples who can join us come as well.  (Elder and Sister Jones, Elder and Sister Nielson, and Elder and Sister Ottley as well as ourselves.)

Second Arrivals (No departures) - Transfer #2

(Just catching up on a little back history here in this post.)

“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.” (C.S. Lewis)

With only 7 weeks of experience under our belts in learning our responsibilities as mission leaders our heads were still spinning when, "ready or not," it was time to greet five new arrivals on April 4, 2024. We were so grateful we still had Sister Frida Hernandez and Sister Milo Logo-Vaelua as our STL's.  They were still "holding our hands" and helping to "walk us through" how everything worked and what "traditions" sisters were used to doing. Truely, they have been the best of friends; always there in our time of need!

Our second transfer of sisters arrived at the San Diego Airport about 4:10 p.m. on April 4, 2024, but didn't come down the escalator where we were anxiously awaiting for them until about 4:40.  (I'm pretty sure they are the last to leave the plane, and then they must stop at the restroom to freshen up because it seems to take forever!) They seem happy and excited yet have an air of fatigue and uncertainty about them.  Of course, none of us know just what to expect in new situations and with new people, but we couldn't be more pleased with these wonderful sister missionaries!

The sisters we welcomed to San Diego were: (L/R) Sister Beatriz Chavez, Sister Audrie Price, Sister Marina Sandoval, Sister Sarah Mendes, Sister Kaitlyn Gregory, and Sister Eli Ordaz,   As we head to our cars in the parking garage, it is a mission tradition to stop and take a group photo with these pink airplanes. 

It is also a mission tradition to take transfer photos every six weeks.  And although there were no departing sisters with April's transfer, the existing sisters still did transfer pictures because in preparation for the new sisters they do change companions and often apartments. (The senior couples in this photo, besides ourselves are Elder and Sister Nielson on the left with Elder and Sister Harwood next to them.  Elder and Sister Sturges are a service mission couple who help us two days a week.  their service makes if possible for our senior couples to have a P-day on Tuesdays and not have top serve two shifts on Sundays.  They are truely a blessing to us!) 

Departure & Arrivals Arrivals - Transfer #3

 

"All of us will be tested.  And all of us need true friends to love us, to listen to us, to show us the way, and to testify of truth to us." (Elder Henry B. Eyring, Apr. 2002). 

Gratefully, our Heavenly parents did not send us to earth to "wing" it all on our own.  I am very thankful I have this opportunity to serve with so many faithful, vibrant, and intelligent young women every day for six months.  They are amazing!

DEPARTING SISTERS

May 10, 2024: Departing sisters do not always leave on the same day. So, in May we had three different departure days.  We drove Sister Maddie Pope to the Newport Beach Temple on May 10th where she was picked up by a senior office couple from her Los Angeles Mission.  

May 16th, 2024: We were up bright and early on this day because Sister Hannah Bingham had a 6:20 a.m. flight for her Tennessee Knoxville Mission.  Gratefully, Sister Choi Yu Chan had a much nicer flight time of 10:15 a.m.  She was going to Hawaii. 

While we were in the airport with Sister Chan for the second time that morning, I received a phone call from Sister Bingham saying her flight had been cancelled and that she was still in the airport but would need to be picked up and brought back the next morning.  Although disappointing and a mental adjustment for Sister Bingham to have to go back to the Battalion for a day, the timing was a blessing.  

Before leaving themselves, Sister Hernandez and Sister Logo-Vaelua went to the airport to see Sister Chan off on her flight to Hawaii. Then our new STL's, Sister Nance and Sister Ballstaedt, helped us send off Sister Garcia and Sister Hernandez to Colorado. 

A Learning Curve:  Missionaries do not have their own phones.  They are given a phone to use in the MTC. These MTC phones have limited internet ability and only the senior companion has a SIM card in their phone which both missionaries use to access the internet.  When the missionaries leave, they take their phone which does not have a SIM card therefore they cannot contact people outside of the airport.  If they have a problem arise, like Sister Bingham did, they have to ask to use an airport phone to make a phone call. Because we were still pretty oblivious to how their phones work, and this was the first time something like this had happened to us, we had not prepared our missionaries for this potential scenario.  Gratefully, Sister Bingham was able to get a hold of us and we called Mission Travel who contacted the proselyting mission to let them know of the change.  They also took care of all the arrangements for a new flight.  

May 17th: So, instead of having three sisters leave on Friday, May 17th, we ended up having four.  We took Sister Bingham bright and early (again) and then picked up Sister Hernandez and Sister Garcia for their flight to Colorado Denver North Mission.  We took them to the airport early (8:30) so that we could drop them off and then drive Sister Logo-Vaelua to meet Elder and Sister Hendrickson from the Anaheim Mission.  

When we arrived at the airport, we were informed that all the parking was reserved and that we would need to go to a parking lot some distance away and then take a shuttle to the airport.  There was no way this would work into our travel timing for taking Sister Logo-Vaelua.  So, with Sister Hernandez an expert in airports and travel (her mother works for the airlines & she has traveled a lot.) we dropped them off in the parking garage, gave them our hugs and well wishes and sent them on their way.  Although we knew Sister Bingham and Sister Garcia were in safe hands with Sister Hernandez we felt like neglectful grandparents not being able to take them inside and make sure they were all safe. 

We met Elder and sister Hendrickson from the California Anaheim Mission at a Chick-fil-A a little over half-way to Anaheim. We bought Sister Logo-Vaelua breakfast and had a little one-on-one time with her before they arrived, which was nice to do. Sister Logo-Vaelua and Sister Hernandez had both served us faithfully as our first STL's. They had been invaluable as we jumped onto our moving train, known as the Mormon Battalion Historic Site,  and tried to learn what we were supposed to know and do.  (There were a few tears shed.)   

.    . 

Departing picture for Transfer 4.  Pretty much the same except for different dresses and a new senior couple, Elder Bob and Sister Janice Ottley who arrived in April to replace Elder and Sister Harwood who had gone home to Utah.  

ARRIVING SISTERS: May 16th & 30th: L/R - Sister Ballstaedt (STL) Sister Kamila Polanco, Sister Reece Rosin, Sister Ashlynn Pepper, Sister Toni Stoddard, Sister Kamila Polanco, Sister Layla Nance (STL) 

 

Sister Vicente was part of this transfer of sisters but stayed in the MTC two extra weeks and arrived May 30th. She will have an extra memorable arrival because it was in the middle of our skunk ordeal!

It's a tradition that each new set of sisters arriving from the MTC experience their very own, private, 

tour of the Mormon Battalion Historic Site.  These tours are especially enthusiastic 

yet spiritual at the same time.  

"Worlds Without Number"

Worlds without number has He created.

Yet, He is mindful of all His children.

"For in Him we live, and move, and have our being, . . for we are also His offspring." (Acts 17:28) (Featuring our favorite, newest little earthling --- our great granddaughter, Oakley Wadley, age 2 months.)

Yesterday, July 9, 2024 was a beautiful day, and Stan and I celebrated our 49th wedding anniversary by going to see the Palomar Observatory.  It is only about an hour and a half drive from San Diego. There is a small but nice visitors' center with educational information about the development of the 200" Hale telescope and what it can do.  It is still a working telescope and used every night it is a clear sky.  The pictures of the universe and beyond are beautiful and mind boggling.  There is so much my finite mind struggles to understand.  But this much I do understand.  God, as the creator, has a plan for mankind.  He is mindful of each of us and wants to help us return to our heavenly home. I am grateful for my eternal marriage with Stan.  It reminds me to look beyond the here and now and strive to see the eternal possibilities. To think Celestial.  

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2013/08/worlds-without-number?lang=eng

 

A Battalion of Women

Just one small "battalion" doing good. 

President Camille N. Johnson and husband, Doug Johnson, with 

Mormon Battalion Historic Site Missionaries, June 29, 2024

President Johnson and her husband, Doug, joined us in a tour at the Mormon Battalion. 

President Johnson presented 25 practical and doable ways to participate in the 

"Global Initiative for Women and Children"

A quarterly meeting of WISE (Women in Service Everywhere)

Church's online Newsroom article: https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/president-johnson-shares-women-and-childrens-initiative-san-diego

A brief history of women in the Mormon Battalion: A battalion is considered to be a large body of "troops" ready for battle.  When the Mormon Battalion of 500 men was recruited in July1846 to fight in the war with Mexico, they were divided into companies of of 100 men each.  Each company was allowed to have four laundresses accompany them.  These laundresses would receive rations and some allowances from the government, but their payment for laundry services and their transportation were private matters not governmental ones.  Although militarily unconventional, Lieutenant Colonel Allen, who originally recruited the men, also allowed for some wives and families to march with the men. In the end about 80 women and children accompanied the Battalion as far as Santa Fe.  But after a total of three sick detachments left the Battalion and went to winter in Pueblo, only five women and one youth remained to complete the grueling march to the Pacific coast. 

In a very real sense, we are in a battle to preserve the vulnerable in our society as well as preserving our values as a society. On June 29th it was an honor to be invited to attend a quarterly meeting of WISE (Women in Service Everywhere).  This group of articulate and motivated women overseeing nonprofit organizations striving to help others, especially women and children, in need was powerful.  Each woman was asked to introduce herself and tell what the needs of her organization were and/or what her organization could offer to another organization. 

I could offer service.  As missionaries, our focus is on serving others spiritually as well as temporally.  The Mormon Battalion Sister Missionaries not only serve at the Battalion giving tours and teaching about the importance of faith, service and sacrifice, they also serve in the community of San Diego.  They serve at a food bank, an elementary school garden, Wounded Warriors, Birth-line, Sharia's Closet, Family Search, and last but not least, they help to beautify Old Town by painting ugly utility boxes and maintain a large public parking lot. We continue to look for opportunities to serve that fit into our schedule.  

It is easy to see the spiritual, emotional, and social battles all around us, and the need to be aware of and help someone in need is very real.  I like this quote by Elder Boyd K. Packer on the power and importance of women in our society. I am blessed to be around these kind of women each day.  

"We need women who are organized and women who can organize.  We need women with executive ability who can plan and direct and administer; women who can teach, women who can speak out. . . . We need women with the gift of discernment who can view the trends in the world and detect those that, however popular, are shallow or dangerous. . . . we need women who know how to make important things happen by their faith and who are courageous defenders of morality and families . . . who are devoted to shepherding God's children . . . ." (Elder Boyd K. Packer as quoted by President Nelson in "A Plea to My Sisters, Oct. 2015).