Back to Work

Well this week was back to work with family gone back home.  The house seemed empty without the voices of grandkids around. But there was artwork tacked up next to missionaries on the mission board and love notes taped under the desk.
We blessed Diana on Sunday with the Card family here as well.  It was really special and we enjoyed the day and broke our fast with a huge carne asada lunch which we will repeat on request if you visit. I think we got that down!

Monday everyone left for home and Mark went and did his last set of interviews for this six week period. Tuesday we went to the airport to pick up an Elder from New York. He is one of new Laotian speaking missionaries.

 This is where we stand to meet our new missionaries. Yep right by Einstein Bagels and that is our new hangout.  Especially if we didn't get breakfast before we came.  This time we saw an Elder heading home to Medford, Oregon from his mission and we talked for a while. Then the mission president and his wife from Carlsbad showed up to pick up a batch of new missionaries for their mission and we pulled our one Elder from their group that came in.  There were missionaries everywhere for a while there.

 We took our new missionary to the office to meet up with his new companions and to take pictures and get him his packet and all signed in.

Here is the new Laotian group of missionaries.

The rest of the day and the next we spent catching up on work that needed to be done.  Wednesday night we headed to the Imperial Valley to take the Senior Couple there to dinner and pay some attention to them for all they do in the Imperial Valley. We then met with two of our sisters who are kind of struggling in their companionship and took them for a treat to just pay some attention to them and hopefully help things along in a positive way.  Thursday was Zone Conference in the Valley and then Mark met with the Stake President and then we rushed home to meetings and appointments.

Imperial Valley Zone. The Imperial Valley is about a 1 hour and 45 minute drive.

Friday Mark talked to one of the Seventy who is coming to the mission in November for a mission tour and  then we zipped off to Zone conference with three of our zones in the Santee stake Center.  It was a long day. The missionaries did most the teaching and did a great job.  We also had Walmart administer flu shots to those who wanted them.  I had several medical problems to deal with during the whole day and by evening we were both exhausted.  That is a good thing though because you sleep really well.

 Santee Zone

 El Cajon Zone

San Diego East Zone. The Assistants to the President are on the right end.

Today we have been doing a lot of personal shopping (food) and catching up at home etc.  Five elders showed up at the door (they asked me yesterday if they could) at 7am after running Mt Helix to have a waffle breakfast with us.  It is kind of fun to have them around.  They eat and then head off to get back to their apartments to put in a full day.

Mark is napping right now. Which is a good thing.  I have a spanish talk to practice because I have to give a talk in spanish tomorrow. Pray for me.  I don't get to do this enough and I feel like I am loosing ground on my spanish.  It is scary.  But my sweet spanish speaking sister missionaries will sit in the front row and cheer me on.  They really are a boost.

We love the work.  It is such a rich blessing. I hope you are all well. We miss you and are so proud of the things you are all doing. We are a busy group. Stay in touch. love you much.  Looking forward to seeing Jared and Abby and the kids this next week.

love

MOM