The End of November

Wow!  Time gets away from us!  The last six months have just flown by - it seems like we just barely passed the anniversary of the beginning of our mission.  It's been a busy and eventful past six weeks.

Cute kids, singing at the baptism

On Oct. 6,  we flew home to Utah.  What a great and special occasion it was as we were able to witness the baptisms of our 2 little grandsons, Cade and McCoy.  Being born on the same day has meant sharing a lot of special experiences together for the two of them.  So, we flew out late Thursday, and came back on Monday.  Too short to settle in at all, but long enough to realize how much we miss our bed at home!

In the airport, excited to go home!

While we were there, we had our annual McGuire Halloween Party - with all of the kids in costume.  We also celebrated Ellie's 4th birthday.  So much family fun, but we could feel the draw of the mission on us.

Halloween Costume Party

So, we're back to work.  Our semester is busy.  We have independent study students that we meet with, two different classes that we prep and teach, our Forum lunch that we prepare (plan, shop, cook, and clean up), and various mission responsibilities.  On Oct. 12, we had a zone meeting.  On Oct. 14, we did apartment inspections on the Elders' apartments.  And of course, we have to fit in BYU Football watching!

One thing we did while we were home was to pick up a new van.  Jeff, Natalie, and McCoy drove it down to San Diego on Oct. 15.  So, we were able to have some time with them here.  Our apartment is big enough that we used some blow up mattresses and they could stay with us.  They went to Church with us on Sunday.  That afternoon, we took a drive to La Jolla to see the tide pools.  For a few days, we juggled our missionary work and playing with Nat - going to the zoo, beach, etc. She went to Disneyland for a couple of days, then came back and picked up our Lexus to drive back.  That way, we have our minivan to drive home.

Jeff, McCoy, and Bumpa - chillin' at the beach!

On Friday night, we went to Lucha Libre for dinner with some of the other CES Senior Missionaries.  Our very good friends, the Perry's, left for home that evening.  They had been assigned to the Chula Vista Institute, and we had worked together very closely throughout our mission.  Miss them!

Elder and Sister Perry with us

The next day, Saturday, Oct. 22, Bobby and family came.  So excited to see them - they hadn't been to San Diego yet.  Unfortunately, by Sunday morning, Leila was throwing up.  Erica, Bobby, and Gavin also got sick.  Somehow it bypassed us - the blessings of the mission!  They somehow found the strength to trek through the zoo, Sea World, and the USS Midway. Then Wednesday, they left for Disneyland, stayed a few days, and flew home from there.  LOVED having them there!

Grandpa and Owen on the USS Midway

By Thursday, Oct. 27, we were back to a normal mission schedule with Forum Lunch, classes, etc.  Friday was a wedding of two of our students:  Tina Trepanier and Micheal Guevera.  Micheal had just barely been baptized when we came on our mission.  We had the privilege of teaching him Temple Prep, and attending his endowment session when he first went to the temple. To see that culminate in a temple wedding was a beautiful experience.

Tina and Micheal Guevara

On Saturday, the San Diego Stake held their Trunk or Treat.  So, we did our very first Trunk or Treat - lots of fun with many darling kids!  Glad I packed our Mr. and Mrs. Incredible shirts - we have used them!

Our new van, and Mr. and Mrs. Incredible!

Sunday morning at 7:15 am we had a missionary meeting with a General Authority.  It was supposed to be Elder Rasband, but his wife fell and broke her shoulder, so they headed home.  Elder Hallstrom spoke instead.  Then we attended Stake Conference in the San Diego East Stake. For Halloween, we went to a party at the Bishop's house.

On Tuesday, we went to Hobby Lobby with Brother Mackay to purchase new Christmas decorations for the Institute.  We wanted to get started early with setting up Christmas since the semester ends so quickly after Thanksgiving.  On Nov. 10, we "Decked the Halls of the Institute" - with a special Christmas dinner for Forum.  The students stayed and put up the tree and other decorations.  So, we have had Christmas here early - we love it!

We have had Senior FHE, dinner for the missionaries, etc. This last transfer, we had Sister Missionaries transferred to the 2nd Ward.  They have been so great to work with! And of course we juggle into our schedule activities with the wards like FHE, helping whereever they need us.

For Thanksgiving, we went to Bishop and Sister Goff's.  They are such great people, we will really miss them.  On Friday, Nov. 25, we had a Departure Temple Session, then a Departure Dinner and Testimony Meeting with the Mission President.  The week was topped off with the baptism of Thomas on Saturday.  

Sister Chang, Sister Whitcomb, Thomas Perkins, and Aaron Schmid

Last night we took the Sisters out to dinner.  Sister Whitcomb flew home today.  We have loved working with them, and hope to keep in touch with her.

Us, Sister Whitcomb, and Sister Chang

Only 21 more days here!  We made a big list of all of the things we still need to accomplish while we are here.  So we're working furiously to get it all done.  We still have people that we feel inspired to work with and do a little extra "push" with.  Our new Temple Prep class will have to have a condensed schedule in order to get everyone through before we leave. We keep adding people to the class who come to us and want to take it.  So happy to be of such assistance in building the kingdom!

Some thoughts

My dear wife has agreed to post the daily or weekly or monthly activities of our mission and for that I am ever grateful.  It is left to me to just record some thoughts about things that have occurred over the past few weeks.
As we contemplate our time in the mission coming to a close (only three weeks left from today), we approach it with mixed feelings.  We are ever so grateful for the experiences that we have had.  We could never have had the spiritual and experiential things occur anywhere else but in this mission at this time.  We have been touched by the people we work with in both the wards we work with, the Institute, and the mission friends we have made.  Never would we have met these wonderful people and allowed them to affect our lives if we had not gone on our mission.  Just a few examples: We went to our departure temple trip and dinner the other night and had the wonderful opportunity to be among Elders and Sisters, some of whom we had worked with, and others that we had not, along with our beloved Mission President and his wife.  We spent time worshiping, eating and testifying and the spirit was strong.
Another example was our experience with a four month member of the church, Yessie.  She called just yesterday to say that her non-member sister was in the hospital and asked us to come and have me participate with her Bishop in giving a blessing before the surgery.  What a choice experience to invite the Lord's blessings on one of His children.
Later that night we attended both FHE's of the wards and had a great time interacting with the members.  How we love them!  Sister Whitcomb was leaving the next day (today) and we took her and her companion Sister Chang to dinner and later she requested a Priesthood blessing and I was privileged to give it to her.  She is an example of the marvelous young missionaries that we deal with on a regular basis.  We will miss them and look forward to seeing some of them at reunions and maybe visits to Utah.
I have written on other occasions about the wonderful Senior Missionaries that we work with.  The Lord must be pleased that some of His most diligent and faithful sons and daughters take the time in their later years to serve and do it so well.  We love them and are grateful for their unselfish service.  It is so important for the Lord's work to have all those who are willing to leave children and grandchildren and lovingly serve.  I just wish that all senior couples were in a position to serve.
Finally, I am so grateful for the opportunity to teach.  We have learned so much as we have studied the scriptures and gained new insights and a love for the gospel.  Hopefully we have touched a few lives in our teaching, but we certainly have increased our love for the scriptures and the teachings of the church.
As we look ahead at the last three weeks of our service there is so much left to do.  We will be busy right up to the end and that is the way it should be.  We will leave tired, but happy.  It will be good to be back with family and friends, but some part of our hearts will remain in San Diego.