A Glimpse of Battalion Happenings

September 18th - October 30, 2024

Gratefully, due to mold and safety, we were able to move four of our sisters out of the condo apartment located near the Mormon Battalion Historic Site.  Now we have everyone living in the Arrive apartment complex under one roof.  Happy day!

Our weekly site trainings have been varied as usual.  We had some on personal and site safety issues.  We also talked about how to handle rowdy children on tours, how to give short tours, how to use the art in the building for a short tour, and what are our good closing procedures.  We also began having a "Battalion Moment" and this time we explained why the men of the Battalion were given outdated muskets to use and how they felt about their temple covenants. 

We established and began realizing our goal to take the sisters to the Newport Beach Temple once a transfer, which is every six weeks.  This has been a coordinating challenge but very much worth the effort.  We look forward to when the San Diego Temple is reopened.  Hopefully, it will be before we finish our mission in February 2026.  

Sisters Polanco, Salazar, Cox, South, Despain, Earl, and Rosin.

Elder and Sister Sturges helped us drive
Sisters Pepper, Diede, Stoddard, Cook, Rowley, and Howlett to the temple.

We worked on how to teach principles from Preach My Gospel (PMG) using scenarios that have actually happened with visitors. We strengthened our testimony of Joesph Smith and the Restoration by listening to "Profiles of a Prophet".  We began some awareness and discussions on, "Questions that Need Answering".  

We began music practices for our holiday performances, and started making plans for how we will celebrate Thanksgiving Day as a Battalion.  And due to some needed surgery by the brother who could help us with our outside Christmas lights, we actually put them up the first two Saturdays in October. (Crazy)  But we are now ready to be turned on our outside Christmas lights on Thanksgiving night.  (We will be putting up our inside Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving.)

The sisters had some fun with a Yoga night and a morning with bagels and a country
line dancing activity. A group of sisters went and played early morning basketball
and pickleball in a park with Elder and Sister Jones. 

The sisters have a tradition of a color themed social where every companionship is assigned a color and they are supposed to bring a food that color to their evening social. The companionship assigned orange had some extra fun with it. 

After having various presentation on the importance of our mental and emotional health, and have needing to send sweet Sister Vicente home to Mexico to receive the emotional help she needed, we decided our movie night would be Inside Out 2. Although not a church movie, it taught and reinforced some valuable emotional health awareness.  The sisters loved it, and we had a great discussion afterwards. 

Sister Kauffman and Sister Cox

And of course, they love to take selfies and pictures of each other wearing "matching" clothes.  And personally for us, we had an unanticipated visit from our son-in-law, Camron Hill.  Always a delight to have family come see us!

Sister Pepper and Sister Kauffman

Sisters serving on the same shift.

 

Special Visitors Teach by The Spirit

All eleven of our sisters were in the second row and Sister Diede and Sister Pepper,
our STL's, were right in front of Elder Bednar.

When we first found out that Elder Bednar was coming to the California San Diego (CASD) Mission Conference we were hoping that our missionaries could attend it too. But on the afternoon of their conference our sisters would be giving tours.   Unfortunately, Elder Bednar's schedule was too tight to squeeze in one more meeting.  SO, we took comfort in knowing that some of our sisters had appointments to attend the Newport Beach Temple that day, and the temple is a great spiritual alternative.  

Then someone brought little fliers to the Battalion announcing that Elder Bednar would be speaking on Friday evening too.  We received mixed messages on just who was invited to the Friday evening meeting. Gratefully, Elder Clark, the Area 70,  reached out to Stan and said our sisters could attend the Friday evening fireside meant for friends, new members, and members thinking of returning to the Church.  Once we had approval, we quickly got on line and miraculously were able to change our temple reservations to the following Saturday.  This allowed us to have our departing sisters and their companions attend the Saturday CASD Mission Conference meeting with Elder Bednar and the others go to the Friday meeting.  Gratefully, as senior missionaries, we were able to attend both meetings.  Elder Bednar travelled and spoke with Elder Johnson and Elder Shumway.

There is no way I can adequately recap what was spoken Friday and Saturday.  Both times Elder Bednar taught as the Savior would.  Friday evening he taught and bore testimony of doctrine; Heavenly Father's plan of salvation, the church Christ established, the falling away due to distorted doctrine, lost authority, and corrupted covenants, and the need for a restoration. He bore testimony of how our church has the answers to life's most perplexing questions that cannot be found anywhere else.  He bore testimony of the authenticity of The Book of Mormon as another testament of Jesus Christ.  He taught all these things as he asked questions and invited people to give answers.  

He taught about how Heavenly Father is concerned about who we are becoming and this is why we are agents to act and not be acted upon.  The church is made up of imperfect people and is a laboratory where we help each other with opportunities to be better disciples of Jesus Christ.  If we take offense from someone's imperfections, it is our choice to be offended.  It is when we choose to be bound with Jesus Christ, we will find the greatest freedom and the greatest safety and joy in life.  

Because our hearts need to change He wants us to ask him what He wants for us, not tell Him what we want from Him.  Repenting, or change, takes faith, and faith is a power because it invites God's power into our lives.  

On Saturday afternoon these three men taught us for three hours much in the same manner as the evening before, only this time everyone had been given  selected talks by Elder Bednar and asked to study them before coming to the meeting.  Once the meeting started he taught the application of D&C 84:85, "Neither take ye thought before hand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man." (See also D&C 100:5-8) 

He taught that faith is a spiritual gift to "do" before you "know."  He had previously invited us to treasure up in our hearts and minds the words of truth from the preparation documents we were given, and then he asked us, "What did you learn?" He invited us to raise our hands and be willing to answer this question without thinking in advance on what we wanted to say, but trust that we would be given the thoughts and words to say in the very moment.  It was quite the experience to listen to all these young sisters and elders sharing, extemporaneously, the thoughts that came to them.  Elder Bednar would take time to validate thoughts/feelings as well as to push a little deeper by asking another question as well as to teach/reinforce/expound on a principle the young missionary mentioned.  

Some of the principles I heard were, obedience is not a transaction to get what we want. It's about helping us to become like our Heavenly Parents.  Focus on being worthy through Christ.  Let my ego go and get out of the way of doing what I think so the Lord can work through me.  Spiritual gifts cannot be earn.  When He can trust us, He gives us the gifts so we can love and serve others.  

We don't have to have all the answers for ourselves or others. Learning comes line upon line, here a little and there a little. ( Elder Bednar taught that the "teacher" we should appoint amongst ourselves is the Holy Ghost. (D&C 88:122) The Holy Ghost will teach us when we have a desire to learn and act in faith instead of waiting to be acted upon. When we come prepared and have a desire to learn the Spirit can teach us things that the speaker didn't actually say, but the Spirit did.  This is learning by the Spirit, and when we take what the Spirit taught and implement it in our lives, it is the process of becoming a "new creature" in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). 

An example in the scriptures of this type of teaching and learning can be found in 1 Nephi 11-14. Nephi can with a desire to learn, and the Spirit, through a series of questions, taught Nephi by inviting him observe, learn by what he felt and then bear testimony and then act on what was impressed to his heart and mind.  In other wards, to be an "agent" who acted and not be acted upon.  

In the last days, the covenant people of God will be "armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory" (1 Nephi 14:14) because they know how to listen and hearken to the Spirit of the Lord. God doesn't just want a covenant connection with us, He wants a covenant relationship that can happen through the Spirit's communication with us.

Each person was invited to sum up, in five words or less, some action she/he felt impressed to do from the experience.  I actually had two come to my mind. 1) Always take time to testify and 2) Give more prayers of gratitude. God is mindful of His work taking place here in California.  Everyday His spirit is felt by missionaries and visitors at the Mormon Battalion Historic Site.  I am so grateful to be trusted by Him to be a part of His work.  

Time to Unwind

Someone once said that leisure time is only leisure time if it is earned.  Well, we think our missionaries earn some "leisure" time for all the long hours they spend serving others.  So, on two different P-days we have  gone to the beach in the morning and played volleyball.  We also set up a pickleball net in the parking lot of the Mormon Battalion three morning a week for sisters to play. Recently several sisters and Elder and Sister Jones went to a nearby park and played basketball in the early morning.  We have also been having a movie night once a transfer and showing a "Church" movie.   Not only are these opportunities to unwind from their normal routine, they are times to bond together in other meaningful ways. 

Seniors going to see a showing of "Escape From Germany"
We were the only ones in the theater, which was too bad because it was a great movie.

I trip for ice creams after singing at a senior center.

 

Departures & Arrivals, Transfer #6

Our Transfer #2 sisters arrived April 4, 2024 and on September 17th & 18th they became our departing sisters.  (Top row L/R) Sister Ordaz, Sister Chavez, Sister Price, Sister Sandoval, Gregory, Sister and  Mendes.  During the time they are with us we become pretty close, and it is easy to love them. We think of all our sister missionaries as our adopted granddaughters. 

Some traditional departing sister pictures

Sister Sandoval going to CA Anaheim Mission

Sister Mendes going to
Massachusetts Boston Mission, Portuguese 

 

Sister Gregory headed to
Arkansas Little Rock Mission, Spanish

Sister Price headed to Indiana Indianapolis

Sister Ordaz going to Arkansas Little Rock, Spanish

Sister Chavez going to
Texas Houston East, Spanish

Our movie night this transfer was "The Errand of Angels." It's a movie with pretty realistic emotions for the sister missionary experience.  They said we should have shown it earlier"

At our Departing Sister Devotional we ask the departing sisters to take about six minutes and 1) share one of their treasured experiences from the Mormon Battalion, 2) how being a consecrated missionary has blessed their life thus far, 3) their testimony of Jesus Christ.  President and I conclude with a few remarks and our testimonies.  These gatherings have been uplifting because hearts are tender, memories are real and testimonies are strong.  These amazing women are ready to leave yet apprehensive too.  They know some of these sisters they have spent six months with they will most likely never see again in this lifetime. 

Sister Del Carpio is from Peru.  She was supposed to come with Transfer #5 but had to return to Peru to have her visa updated.  She traveled by herself from Peru and arrive about an hour before the other sister coming from the Provo MTC.  We are so grateful she was able to come with this transfer!

L/R - Sister Del Carpio, Sister Mendoza, Sister South,
Sister Thackeray, & Sister Bradshaw

Traditional tour for new sisters,
led by the STL's, Sister Pepper & Sister Diede

Tender Mercy

 

Last Tuesday night we were asked to speak in Sacrament meeting.  We've been in San Diego for 7 months and haven't not been asked to speak in Church.  So, I knew this request would be coming at some point.  I also knew that when it did, it would not be convenient.  Our days are so full I wasn't sure how I would have time to prepare a talk.  But we accepted and prayed for help.  I wrote down the suggested topics from Come Follow Me that we were given and read the associated scriptures.

On Thursday I carved out some time to sit down and start putting something together that might resemble a talk,  As I sat at my laptop, I was amazed at how easily thoughts on heeding the words of our living prophet came to me, even with ideas on how to tie it into the Mormon Battalion.  After Thursday my time was swallowed up with helping sisters and fulfilling my MBHS responsibilities.  Occasionally, I had thoughts come to my mind so I added them to my notes.

On Saturday night I planned to work on my talk, but we had an emergency meeting about what to do with four sisters who were in an apartment were black mold was discovered.  This along with our concern for their safety in the general area at night, we concluded that they needed to be moved that very night.  So by the time we concluded the meeting I had from 9:30-11:00 to work more on my talk thoughts.  I went to bed and only looked over what I had put together once Sunday morning.  All during this process I had a sense of peace and that I was being guided.  It felt like I was being carried.  I knew my prayers and the prayers of others in my behalf were being answered.  (Thank you) Because the temple can spiritually empower us to face the challenges we have in life, I felt like this is what was happening to me.  It was a tranquil feeling which helped me not feel over-burdened.  What a blessing temple covenants and prayer can be.   

Because of the emphasis placed on the important of our temple covenants and how they can help us in life we have set a goal to try and take our sister missionaries to the Newport Beach Temple once a transfer, every six weeks.  We feel this will be a blessing in their lives.  Because the San Diego Temple is still closed for renovations until sometime next year, the Newport Beach is the closest temple for us. It is about 70 miles away, and we usually plan for about an hour and a half+ to get there.  (It all depends on traffic.) 

Departing temple trip for six amazing sisters: (L/R) Sister Chavez, Sister Price,
Sister Ordaz, Sister Mendes, Sister Sandavol, and Sister Gregory


A funny side note:  The man who gave the opening prayer for Sacrament meeting said in his prayer, "Please bless our speakers so they won't be too boring."  I didn't dare ask him afterwards how I ranked on his scale of talks.

Mystery Night

MEET THE PLOPPERS, (Owners of "THE CALIFORNIA STAR" San Francisco's 1848 newspaper)

Believe me when I say that our sister missionaries work hard.  They study their scriptures personally and as companions, prepare and teach a PMG lesson every week, study Come Follow Me, give lots of service in the community, and daily serve a four or five hour shift at the Battalion.  Even with all this they find time to socialize with some creative entertainment a few nights every six weeks.  

For a recent activity Sister Stoddard put together a mystery night at the Mormon Battalion.  We had to solve who stole all the money out of the San Francisco Bank in 1848.  Using the aliases and bios she gave each of us we put on simple costumes and solved the puzzle of who stole all the money out of the bank.  

Grandpa and I were "San Francisco's Mayor, Kevin Plopper and his wife, Ann. Mayor Plopper oversaw everything in the city and helped to make city laws.  He worked alongside the sheriff to control any chaos that  arose in the developing city.  His wife, Mrs. Ann Plopper, was the only reason anything got done.  She is known for being intelligent, helpful, and very strategic." (I liked the character Sister Stoddard gave to me and grandpa, who doesn't like role play and being put on the spot put on a fake mustache and tried to enjoy himself.) 

Mayor Plopper and his wife, Ann Plopper

Elder and Sister Ottley were William and
Tina Buck, Owners of Buck's Bank

Believe it or not! The Bucks themselves were the thieves.

Mandarin speaking Sister Stoddard was the
creative mind behind our mystery night. 

The fire alarm for our apartment building went off again today right in the middle of my working on this blog entry.  I'm not sure how often this happens, but this is the second time I have been home to experience the eardrum piercing sound.  Gratefully, both times it seems there was no real threat of fire.  But this does bring back memories of the fire alarm going off in our apartment in Palmyra because of my cooking --- and too many smoke sensors in our small apartment.  I would just die if my cooking something here set off the fire alarm for this whole big building!

Trust Him

"Our relationship with God will grow only to the degree we are willing to put our trust in Him" (Elder Paul B. Pieper, "Trust in the Lord," April 2024).

I have listened and read this talk several times this week.  It had some important reminders that were helpful to me.  The challenges common to everyday living often stretch us to our very limits and place us in a position for growth; our progress in becoming more like our Heavenly Parents.  And even though a missionary can know in their heart they are where they are supposed to be, they are not exempt from challenges. In fact, missionary life can run the whole spectrum between spiritually high, joyful moments to miserable, even depressing, low moments which sometimes causes a missionary to question their decision to serve a mission. 

Unexpected and unwanted Urgent Care visits are just a minor portion of this journey of growth.  I don't usually take pictures of people not feeling well, but I have these two, so they represent our varied trips to the Urgent Care for UTIs, an ingrown toenail, abdominal pains, and food poisoning, just to name a few. 

 Sister Hernandez & Sister Logo-Vaelua

Sister Rosin smiling despite her pain.

What can't be represented by a picture is the pain of homesickness, worry over family and/or friends who are struggling back home, personal insecurities, or a multitude of other emotional wounds.  All of these challenges are real and painful in their own way. Yet, they are a vital part of the  curriculum necessary for our personal growth; crucial growth that potentially helps us choose to "suffer long, and be kind, envy not, be humble and not prideful, seek not our own will, not be easily provoked, think no evil of ourselves or others, rejoice not in iniquity but rejoice in the truth, be patient at all times, be believing and hopeful, and even to endure all things" (Moroni 7:45).  Mortality is definitely a hard curriculum, but I know He has not left us alone.  I have felt His help, and I will trust in Him, His plan, and His ways of teaching me.  I love Him.