PUMPKIN TIME

From left to right:  symbol for baptism, Carmichael (zone), Sacramento Temple, Eek, CTR, Angel Moroni, and I love you in ASL.

Two of the zones carved pumpkins on P-day to decorate the office.  We look pretty festive.  The office elders roasted pumpkin seeds for everyone.  They seem to think that someone is going to make pies from the  rest of the leftovers...

I learned a new term, "bucketing."  Chances are, everyone knows it means "to hang out," but it was new to me.  I figured it out when I heard elders chide each other for loafing by calling them "the two bucketeers."  So now I have new ammunition to use when they need to be reminded to leave the warmth of the mission office and get to work.

Brooke and I saw Hitchcock's 39 STEPS last night.  A cast of four performs 32 characters, using quick costume and prop changes.  Such a departure for Hitchcock, but cleverly done and pretty amusing.

We're losing another elder next week.  He injured his shoulder playing football and has to go home for surgery and extensive recovery time.  Makes me wonder a bit about them coming out a whole year younger than before...

Johnny was in town on business and we were able to have lunch and spend a little time together.  We toured the Capitol building, which I've been wanting to do but couldn't because the hours coincide with my work schedule.  I really have to settle down now and get back to work, but it's been wonderful being visited by family and friends, and I appreciate and love you all.

FAMILY FUN

Someone told me I was having too much fun here.  And, after this past month, I agree that I am.  I've been blessed to be visited by friends and family.  Jill's "Hillbillies" were the latest to make the trip.  My friend, Brooke, got them Giants hats so they could root for the home team while they were here.

We had a great time.  We panned for gold (and found some!), made candles at Apple Hill, visited the fish hatchery, rented water equipment and played at the dam, saw Frankenweenie, swam, and played tennis.  Whew!  I obviously took some time off from work, but when I returned one afternoon to deal with the mail, the office elders had done it for me so I could spend more time with the kids.  Love those guys...

We borrowed authentic gold-panning pans from the mission.  When we spotted one floating down the river, we all yelled for Riley to go get it.  He ran along the shore, barefooted on rocks, then plunged into the icy river and swam to retrieve it.  I guess it should have occurred to us that it was dangerous, but it didn't until Riley remarked, "I could have died out there, you know."  Our hero.  All pans accounted for.

They got to meet several of the missionaries, including Elder Correia, with whom Riley's been corresponding.

                                             Elder Bradley, Conner, Edler Correia, Riley

It was beautiful weather while they were here--in the 90's when they were swimming in the reservoir.  Today we're wearing jackets.  Perfect timing.  Great visit.

VOTING TIME

The last of the absentee ballots from Utah arrived in the mail today, a few of them because I nagged the elders to send for them.  They thought, since they are on missions, they were excused from that responsibility.  Once they had their ballots in hand, they required a little workshop on voting for the first time. I've been in a bit of a bubble myself, but at least I could get online and study the amendments, etc.  So we marked our ballots (without the benefit of a privacy booth), and will send them off tomorrow.  They requested pictures for their journals.  Being a career election judge, I DID NOT tell anyone how to vote,
but Elder Henderson did remark that I got double points for my team.

                                                                Elder Henderson

I attended a baptism Friday night of a 62-year-old man.  Here's his story.  He's single since the death of his wife and attended a high school reunion alone, where he reconnected with an old friend.  They started talking religion and he, I'll call him William, said he'd been studying with Jehovah's Witnesses for years, but had never felt comfortable joining their church.  She, Susan, told him she'd been baptized in the LDS Church 7 years ago.  He wanted to know more, so they continued the discussions via email after they returned home.  She finally told him that the missionaries could answer his questions better than she could, so he referred himself.  The missionaries who responded, sisters, would have called him "golden" if we still used that term.  His friend, Susan, came from San Diego to speak at his baptism, where all his children, and even his parents were in attendance.  Sweet spirit there.

CONFERENCE/VAL WEEKEND

Val detoured from her trip to Clear Lake to visit me here.  What a boost!  She arrived on Friday and, after a nutburger lunch, hung out at work with me until closing time.  We had dinner at Mel's Diner with two other senior sisters that night.

On Saturday we first hit a huge craft fair at the high school, where we contributed generously to their coffers.  We made a visit to the Folsom Prison Museum, then shared an apple pie in the sunshine of Apple Hill.

Lunch

We had dinner at Brooke's house with her and twin, Britt.  (We took them some of the pie.)  In the Conference talk by Elder Osguthorpe he mentioned an inactive member who became active after 22 years of receiving monthly postcards from his home teacher, and who is now sealed to his wife and serving in his ward bishopric.  That man is Brooke's husband.

Wonderful Conference; wonderful visit; rejuvenation of my spirits!

TWO SIDES OF THE COIN

Missionaries who speak some foreign languages don't always arrive at regular transfer times.  They enter the MTC whenever there is someone to teach them, and they leave there on different schedules from the main groups.  We received three Laotian speaking elders last week.  One of them was an all-star high school athlete who was being heavily recruited for college.  When diagnosed with cancer, he was told that he would need a cadaver bone inserted into his leg, a lengthy process that would take 2-3 years.  When he asked about serving a mission, he was told that it wasn't likely, since he'd need to be under constant medical supervision.  He chose to have his leg amputated, just below the knee, and arrived in the field in less than a year.

First day.  Because the President was engaged, these three elders were met at the airport by the office elders and oriented by the president's assistants.  When they arrived at McKay House, where they would spend the night, the assistants carried Elder X (who is nameless to protect his innocent parents), without his prosthetic, but with a concoction of ketchup and strawberry jam dripping from the stump, into the house, where the office elders were.  Their hysteria at having run him over was supported by Elder Walker's (no protection here) hyperventilating.  I guess they staged a good show until someone smelled ketchup.

What depth these young missionaries have.  Gotta love 'em.

HIGHS, NO LOWS

We're havin' a heat wave.  It was 100 degrees today in sunny Sacramento.  A few leaves have started changing color, but this isn't like October is meant to be.

Here's a plug for the pass-along cards that you'll find in this month's ENSIGN.  Put them in your purses and/or pockets, then remember that you have them.  Given the political climate, it's easy to say to people, "If you're interested in learning more about the Mormon Church, you could visit this website."  No pressure...just free information.  Missionaries use them all the time.  Make sure your kids have some, too.  I'd be disappointed if I thought that those cool cards weren't being utilized.

This may come as a surprise to missionary moms.  A package arrived addressed to an elder and decorated with colored paper leaves for autumn.  Several other elders picked up the package and made such comments as, "Wow, this elder's mom really cares about him," or "This guy must be pretty special."  I told them I was surprised that they even noticed, much less appreciated the effort.  They assured me that they would love to get a fun package like that.  So, for what it's worth...

Another elder had to go home for medical reasons.  This was an injury he sustained in a YM/YW basketball game.  I've been surprised at the number of medical issues that have arisen.  I'm also surprised at the number of fender benders that have occurred.  But I remind myself that we are dealing with over 200 teens and young adults.

One of the new office elders is a cocky, fun-loving computer head (and I say that in the most loving way).  He reminds me of Adam.  The office sister in Adam's mission gave up and went home early (Adam disclaims any credit).  I'm trying not to be so entertained by this elder, who shall remain nameless in case he hacks into my blog, that I encourage his antics.

Next blog I'll share some more serious moments.  There really are great things happening here.