Never a Dull Moment!

HECTOR'S LESSON:  We have been teaching the Gonzales family for more than 6 months, with our focus on the dad, Hector, who has not yet been baptized.  We taught them for the first time in about six weeks, as they postpone lesson after lesson.  We knew he needed to hear and feel the Spirit powerfully in order to move him more seriously toward baptism.  We prepared and prayed for inspiration on what to teach. Among other doctrines we decided to show him a short segment from “The Chosen” series where Christ meets Nicodemus at night and asks him to follow him. It is one of the most powerful portrayals in the series. After reading the scripture in John and the showing the segment, we asked each one present what they felt.  Luci followed up with some inspired questions which brought a strong spirit into the discussion.  Before we left, he committed to find out for himself the truth of our message.

"Chosen", Jesus Christ and Nicodemus 

 SANTA MARGARITA RANCH HOUSE: We spent a beautiful morning with the other senior couples touring the Santa Margarita Ranch House which is situated in the center of the Pendleton Marine Corp base in Northern San Diego County. It was part of an old Ranchero that was established in the 1790, and it has been maintained by the Military since its purchase in 1942. We spent a couple of hours walking through the history of it with some well informed docents, but really it was just another excuse to get together with the other seniors friends.

Newport Beach Mission Seniors

Santa Margarita Ranch House Courtyard, 1864

SCHOOL ADVOCATE:  We have been meeting with the Bonilla family since we arrived.  Typically Elder Fowers teaching Bro. Bonilla Sanchez while I spend time tutoring Chelsea (10 ) and Issabella (9).  Their struggle in school is intensified by the fact that they have minimal English, but as 4th and 5th graders they are expected to understand content in a language they don't understand.  This past week, we attended a conference with the school principal, acting as translators and advocates.  It is so interesting so see how as senior missionaries we use experience and talents to serve wherever we can.

 Tutoring project with these sweet girls!  Chelsea

Issabella

JULIO COMES HOME:  Julio called saying that he would be released from the hospital at 5:00 today.  We volunteered to get him because his brother-in-law, Cirilo, was still at work. At the hospital we were given discharge instructions, pain prescriptions to fill, then we carefully loaded Julio into a wheelchair departing what had been his home for the last 32 days.  It was emotional for him. He never imagined such an accident would happen to him.  He had to slide down 10 stairs like a baby toddler while I held his legs to get to his downstairs apartment. Once down the stairs, he can manage a walker fairly well.

The next day we stopped by his apartment and found him in great pain and unable to get comfortable on the couch.   Luci pulled out her phone and found a medical supply company in Vista with a extending, lift recliner available for monthly rental.  So off we went in Cirilo’s pickup which was full of greasy old car parts.  I took off my tie and made room for the chair, while Luci negotiated the chair rental.  Soon we were back soliciting the neighbors to help us get the chair down the stairs and into the apartment.  It was a tight fit, but thanks to someone thinking outside the box we got it inside. Julio immediately felt relief.  It will be several more months before he will be able to work. In the meantime he will have regular physical therapy. 

Going Home after 32 days!

FEIDLA TO MEXICO: Sometimes as senior missionaries you have to think outside the box to make things happen.  This was the case with Fidela.  We have been teaching her for some time and she is preparing for baptism. However, every other week she returns to Ensenada, Mexico to tend her grandchildren. She needs to be fellowshipped by her home ward so we offered to take her home to Ensenada and attend church with her.  She was thrilled that we would offer to take her.  We got approval from the mission president to leave the mission and the country. On Saturday afternoon we set out on the two and a half hour journey.  I drove while Luci sat in the back seat showing Fidela some Book of Mormon videos. 

Once we arrived in Ensenada, Fidela began to give me specific instructions to her home. I turned left at an intersection, thinking she wanted me to do a U turn.  She then said no, turn left, so I proceeded to make the correction in the middle of the busy intersection.  Well, a cop came out of nowhere and put the lights on me immediately. I began sweating bullets as he pulled me over. I did not need another Tijuana jail story. The policeman approached the window and asked what I was trying to do in the intersection.  I explained  we were from the US and a little confused. He was not convinced. He then asked for my drivers license and why I was in Mexico.  I explained that we were missionaries and showed him my missionary badge.  He then said ok, be careful and don’t do that again and returned to his patrol car.  Needless to say, I was greatly relieved for that tender mercy.   We arrived at Fidela’s home and met her daughter’s family.    We enjoyed a meal of Kentucky Fried Chicken with her family (she thought that as Americans that would be the perfect meal.  Little did she know that some local street tacos would have been our preference). We then dismissed ourselves to a nearby Airbnb for the night. 

The next morning we attended the Ensenada Hidalgo Ward. The members there were so open and friendly.  They wrapped their arms around her in the first few minutes, and we just stepped back and watched the magic happen.  It was such a powerful example of Christlike inclusion.  They will need to play a vital role in her development and retention. 

It was even worth the 3.5 hour border wait to get back into the USA. 

 

Warm welcome to Hidalgo Ward.

WEIRD SYMPTOMS: About 10 days ago I woke up with a swollen eye and cheek which was rather random.  The symptoms of this strange malady progressed to include pain around my eye and at my temple, jaw pain and debilitating headache.  The mission doctor thought it might me something serious so he suggested we go to the ER to get checked out.  In SoCal everyone goes to the ER for the slightest illness because they can get free care.  They are so overloaded with patients that I am certain the seriously ill patients could die while waiting!  We ended up in a MASH tent in the parking lot. Eight endless hours later, we left the hospital with no diagnosis and no medicine, but still had all the weird symptoms. Doing much better now with a short course of steroids.

Droopy Eye!

Endless Wait in ER.

FAMILY HISTORY:  The Elder’s Quorum sponsored an evening at the family history library located in the Foothill building.  We had about 12 people attend which put every computer on duty.  The Elders quorum president brought a non-member couple for the first time so I volunteered to help them open a free Family Search account.  In a short time, we had three generations of her family posted on her tree.  You could see their interest in their ancestry come alive as we discovered nuggets of information in the Mexican census records.  It was a successful night by all who attended. Through out this mission, we have been helping more than 20 different individuals with Family Search.

Spanish Ward Family Search Activity

GENERAL CONFERENCE: There is something very special about listening to conference as a missionary.  The "spiritual bubble" of missionary service prepared us to hear more clearly and feel more deeply.  So many messages were tailor-made to guide us in our current challenges.  We loved our time with members as we share food and fellowship together between sessions. Julio was able to join us in our apartment for lunch and the Saturday afternoon session of conference.

Sharing fellowship between sessions.

Conference at the Fowers Apartment