HO HO HO

I'll try recap Christmas so far in the California Sacramento Mission.

Last week every missionary met with their zone at the Mormon Center for temple zone conference.  Christmas pictures were taken, instruction given, Christmas lunch provided by local Relief Societies, and a temple session was attended.  These conferences were held Tuesday-Friday, to accommodate everyone.

Meanwhile, back at the office, the last-minute packages started pouring in.  On Monday alone there were close to 200 delivered.  After weeks of carefully logging in each package, color-coding it by zone and placing in the proper "pile," things got out of control.  A sweet 87-year-old woman came in to help me.  She's very sharp and energetic and has great organizational skills.  I didn't discovered till midweek that she couldn't tell hot pink tape from florescent orange.

Some missionaries received 10-12 packages; others nothing.  We have 192 missionaries, so do the math.  We waited until the last minute to shop, since boxes were still arriving daily.  Some moms had called me ahead of time to ask for the names of Island missionaries who wouldn't be getting gifts from home, so we had extra help. On Thursday night,  after zone conferences and hauling and stacking boxes all day, we went shopping to buy pajama bottoms, sweaters, etc.  Friday night was spent loading the trailer.  I should mention here that it has been raining, seriously raining, for days now, so the loading and unloading was done in a downpour.

We left yesterday morning at 6:20 a.m., and finished our Santa run at 8:00 p.m.  After all the planning, there were still some missionaries who received nothing.  Some whom we had shopped for received packages yesterday, and the office elders waited at the office for mail delivery and then caught up with us with the day's deliveries.  But other packages that had been logged in for an individual didn't materialize.  We had some generic gifts to give them with no name tags but it was still hard to see one face in every group with nothing from home.  It's not a perfect world yet.  Everyone did receive a shopping bag full of hygiene items, candy, socks, etc., which we spent Monday night assembling.

Whew!  Santa's job is really hard.  And it's still raining.

But the up side of the week was watching the missionaries sing together, hug one another, and bear testimony of the meaning of Christmas and the joy they feel in being here, serving their Savior.  (Much like a spiritual Who-ville!)  Like them, I'll never forget my Christmas in the mission field.

BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS

Would anyone believe that I've been too busy to blog?  December has been a whirlwind and promises to get even wilder.

Last weekend I flew to Hollywood where I met up with Cheri Reynolds and we drove to the wedding of Nancy and Omar's son, Aron.  Quite the party.  Featured at the reception were professional dancers, complete with swords and such, performing to Middle Eastern music.  The food just kept coming.  Fun to see old college roommates.

Transfer week came at a challenging time.  I started holding the mail a week ago.  Being December, it's been much heavier than usual, so it was piling up around the office by the time I got back to town.  Now we're holding all packages so we can deliver them on December 22.  Yesterday we received 8 new missionaries, and today we sent home 14.  Included in those being released were Elder and Sister Clifton, who have been my dearest friends and supporters in the office.  Also leaving is my buddy, Elder Henderson, who made me laugh every single day.  (Hope that's not why he was transferred...)  I'll miss them all, but will be too busy to notice for awhile.  Yesterday and today were 14-hour days, including dinner for the "ins" and "outs."  Tomorrow I'll be a companion to a young sister from Christmas Island, whose flight isn't until Friday evening.
She's one of the islanders I took for a ride on the light-rail because they thought they might never have another opportunity to ride a train.  It was like taking kids on their first merry-go-round.  She's also been one of the biking sisters.

Sister Teerime, my companion of two days.  (Quite a change in the amount of "togetherness" between her and my other companion...always within sight and sound.)

A lot more has happened, but I'm too tired to think about it.  Will write later.

BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS

Feelin' pretty blessed.  I just took my biological sisters to the airport after their birthday visit to me.  I received so many good wishes from so many people that I am indeed counting my blessings:  family and friends.  As I told Linda and Jan, this was the best birthday of my adult life.  Thanks to all who sent me love and greetings.

I received a birthday party in a box from Sheree Reed.  Elder and Sister Clifton pictured left, and Jan and Linda pictured right.





I'll back up now and post pictures of our Thanksgiving dinner in a saloon.  It was great.  We chatted with the
nicest people while waiting in line for an assembly-line turkey dinner.  Later that day we walked through autumn foliage in 70-degree weather, then went to the movie, "Lincoln."  Lovely day.

Today is the second of three "squalls" predicted to drop 6 inches in the area.  The freeway from here going south is closed because of flooding.  The trip to the airport was pretty hairy.  This must be winter, California style.  And autumn was so short.  Oh well.  Still feelin' blessed.                            

VERY THANKFUL

Let me first catch up on the last week.  On Wednesday I saw my first-ever California rainbow.  It was huge, but faint.  This morning we were shrouded in fog.  I changed my mind about autumn leaves being the same all over.  Across the front of the church/office is a stand of bright red trees that are not done justice by the photo:

We had 11 new missionaries expected to arrive December 11.  Yesterday that amount increased by 9, all sisters.  And things take off from there.  The first new challenge will be to assign trainers for all of them.  Some will have to be in threesomes to begin with.  I'm now helping the housing coordinator with assigning housing inspections.  It's apparent how beneficial it is for missionaries to reside with members, thus eliminating all the start-up costs, leases, etc.  Seems friendlier, too, for the new missionaries who will be 18 years old.

Now for the thankful part.  At the top of the list is my knowledge of the Plan of Happiness and my relationship with the Savior.  I'm thankful for my family:  kids, grandkids, siblings, and extensions from there. They bless my life.  I've been fortunate to have found the best possible friends, old and new.  Life would be empty without them.  And I'm grateful for my health that allows me to most of the things that are important to me.  Other blessings I count are books, music, fabric, sunsets, friendly strangers, and, yes, today of all days, the turkeys that make me smile every day.

FINALLY FALL

We finally have autumn color here.  The leaves turned just as the Christmas banners were hung along the streets.  There are more squirrels around than ever, and last week I came face to face with a raccoon right around the corner from my apartment.  I had walked up the hill in back of my place to get a better look at the full moon.  When returning,I saw an animal with bright red eyes watching me.  I walked right up to it, and it just stared me down.  Even the turkeys are spruced up.  They've been fanning their tails, and they look much fatter.  It's as if they know it's Thanksgiving, and they're just showing off.  I'm still surprised to find myself surrounded by so much wildlife.

Wasn't sad to see the end of last week.  It was a busy week, with a lot going on.  I watched the election results at Judy Sisco's house with a group that was unanimously disappointed at the outcome.  Not surprised, but disappointed.

The mission received several new cars, Chevy Cruzes this time.  Trucks were sent to the higher elevations in anticipation of winter weather, so a lot of trading was done.  Now it's time to gird up for holiday mail and packages.  Parents have been notified that if they write "Christmas" on the outside of their packages, we'll hold them until December 22 when the office staff plays Santa and delivers them all around the mission.  I'm sure it will be a wonderful day, getting to see all the missionaries and wish them a Merry Christmas.

No pictures to include today.  I've been unable to capture the beauty of the sunsets here, and autumn leaves look just autumn leaves anywhere.  I'm just happy they finally showed up.

BUSY HARVEST TIME

Lot of things happening, and I've been too busy to write, but let's see what I can remember.

First of all, there's a lot of buzz about the new age requirement for missionaries.  Applications opened (electronically) jumped from the average 400 per week to 7,000 the week after the announcement was made.  The influx of increased numbers could be felt as early as this spring, with the training time also being decreased.  Here are some of the impacts these new numbers will have.

Number of missionaries will increase 30%.  We now have 193; we'll operate at 250.  This means 30% more vehicles and homes or apartments.  President Lewis remarked that it takes all his time just to interview 200 missionaries on a consistent basis.  We have a mission nurse, who has a bluetooth attached to her ear and is constantly dispensing medical advice, as well as caring for the infirm.  She's have a 30% larger population to monitor.

Once the existing missions are topped up, new missions will be opened to accommodate all those wanting to serve.  Feels like a stone cut from a mountain without any hands.  Momentous times.

This was transfer week, which is always busy and emotional.  The farewell dinner and testimony meeting for the "dying" missionaries fell on Halloween night, so the office elders were posted on the porch of the Mission Home to handle the trick-or-treaters.  They were less than enthusiastic about this assignment.  I heard the words, "...like losers who aren't invited to the party..." bandied about.  I couldn't resist taking a picture of them pouting.

                                    Elders Jones and Henderson, not serving with a happy heart

Because of budget constraints, the libraries here are open fewer hours than back home.  But one cool thing they have is "Lucky Day" books.  When passing the rack last week, I noticed several hot new bestselling books, one of which I had requested and was number 53 on the hold list.  I was told that whatever was found on that rack was available for checkout, making it your lucky day for coming in.  I checked out three, making me triple lucky.  It doesn't take much to make me happy.

Found a miniature pumpkin on my desk yesterday with the following note attached:  "A lady being baptized was asked by a co-worker what it was like to be a Mormon.  She replied, "It's like being a pumpkin.  God picks you from the patch, brings you in and washes all the dirt off you.  Then he cuts the top off and scoops out all the yucky stuff.  He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc., then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His 'light' inside of you to shine for all the world to see."

SEASON OF HOPE

The stake choir here traditionally performs a concert to begin the holiday season, entitled "Season of Hope." Performances were this weekend.  It's an incredible choir, led by a conductor who mesmerizes with his body language.  Poetry in motion is an apt description.

The program consists of military salutes and patriotic songs, rollicking spirituals, and beautifully arranged hymns.  The culmination is when the choir begins singing a version of "Army of Helaman," and the missionaries file in and sing with them.  The ASL sisters are signing, and many eyes are wet.  It was such an emotional experience on Friday that I returned last night to watch it again.  This time President and Sister Lewis were in the congregation.  When the missionaries walked to the front to join the choir, all of the seniors, including the Lewises, joined in.  The closing hymn was "May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You."  What an incredible kickoff to the holidays.  It filled the void that would have been in me because of missing Draper's "Messiah."  Among the many things I'm grateful for is that there are people with the talent and motivation to provide these experiences for those of us who are musically challenged.

There is a talent I'm developing on this mission, though, that I wouldn't have expected.  I am often in contact with the missionaries...by texting!  I'm no longer allowed to try to use correct fingering--thumbs are required, lest I be subject to ridicule.  I should be pretty proficient by the time I return home.

Prior to transfers, missionaries are asked to fill out a transfer form and submit it, confidentially, to the President and his assistants.  This helps determine changes that need to be made in companionships, etc.  On Monday when I arrived at work, I found that such a form had been filled out for me by the office elders and left in my desk.  I received high marks for obedience:  "Won't allow us to play "no bones" or do anything fun that is against the rules."  My score was slightly lower on charity because I "like to keep the elders' pride in check."  My lowest score was on using time wisely:  "She's never here on weekends!"  Love this job.