We can do this....

This week we have had numerous wonderful experiences.  We have Charlie Company graduating next week and will contact all the LDS families to attend our special reception and cake cutting on family day.

It is amazing to feel the spirit as we meet with these recruits.  They have a desire to be faithful and listen to the spirit as they assist each other through the stresses of boot camp.  We hear many testimonies at prayer leader training of how they help and uplift each other, including Elders giving blessings when needed.  It is the Gospel in Action!!

We have some time this week as there is no graduation this Friday so we explored the beach area.

It is such a beautiful area.  We explored Mission Beach and Pacific Beach. There are lots of rental places should anyone want to visit!!

I took a couple of pictures of our little apartment. While it is small we have everything that we need.

I even brought the Marine Corps quilt I made as it seemed appropriate for this mission serving these young men who will be future Marines.

On the base we went to a volunteer fair yesterday to see how we could serve within the community.
After we signed up, Jim with the Marine Corps Museum and I will volunteer with the Navy Marine Relief Society, we went out to lunch at the Bay View Restaurant on MCRD.  The view was beautiful.

We know our Heavenly Father is blessing us with inspiration and know he loves all of his children and desires us to return to him.  I have been studying for the new member class I teach every Sunday and this Sunday it is on keeping the commandments and our covenants.   I know as we do, we will find peace and joy in this life.  May the Lord bless each of you as you continue to strive to be the best you can be!!! The Marine Corps values are: Honor, Courage & Commitment....These apply to living the gospel too!

It is graduation day!!

Today we enjoyed our first Marine Corps graduation!  It was wonderful and our recruits were proud of their accomplishments. We feel a little like we are graduating too as our 6 day training is finished and Elder and Sister Jensen are on their way home leaving us to sink or swim.

We also met "Smedley" the bulldog MCRD mascot of the Marine Corps.  This was the debut of this dog as the previous one retired.  I even got to pet him on his way to the parade deck. So cute!

At the graduation we sat in the reviewing stand with the reviewing officer and other distinguished guests.  A wonderful view!

We are learning so much.  We train prayer leaders from each of the six platoons on Tuesday and Sundays.  We spend lots of time on Sundays (this Sunday will be our first without the previous Senior Missionaries).  We are still learning all the paperwork, which will be one of our biggest challenges. We have an easier time growing to love the recruits.  They are great young men and are working hard to become Marines.
We feel the Lords love as we serve his children and are grateful for this blessing!!

First Sabbath Day at MCRD.....

We attended our first Sunday on the base.  It is hard to explain how it goes with all the recruits and leaders together in one large room. We heard that the mission president said it was organized chaos and now we can see why.

Today we had two baptisms before the Sacrament meeting. Then they were confirmed. The font consisted of a large rolling tub. Otherwise, I am really not sure how to explain it. Sister Jensen is hopefully sending us pictures.....

After sacrament they hold priesthood meeting in the front of the room (2 Elders, and several Priests were ordained); also in the back of the room, missionaries were teaching lessons, and the branch Presidency was conducting interviews.
Also, at the end any who wished blessings were given them. Elder Hodges even gave two recruits their blessings, but many more were given.

There is lots of paperwork to be done and the Jensens will continue to give us training this week.

After the meetings were finished we went to the hospital to give another recruit the sacrament.

Tonight we will drive up to Camp Pendleton for a fireside for the recruits who are there.

How wonderful it is to see these young recruits striving to live the gospel even in the most difficult weeks of their basic training.

I know Heavenly Father loves each of his children and is guiding us as we serve these wonderful young Marines.

The end of first week training.....

We have been in class every day this week and have learned a lot. It is very intensive and amazing!
We were divided into smaller groups called Districts and we spent time learning from Preach My Gospel.  We practiced with each other and had two days of TRC, which is practicing with volunteers who come acting as investigators.
 In our district we have two single sisters going to work in offices in SLC, one couple going to Quatamala and one going to Russia.
The gal the middle is our morning teacher, Sister Anderson and Brother Floyd was our afternoon teacher.

There are 130 Senior Missionaries in our group. They say that's double what they usually have!

Next week we will have two days of CES training and three days of Military Relations Training ending on Friday at the church headquarters in SLC.
We will then leave to drive to San Diego !!!!
We know our Heavenly Father loves us and will guide us as we serve Him!

We are leaving in less than 24 hours....

We have sorted, packed and organized. I have officially closed up the sewing room and our room and the spare room are completely empty..ready for Camden who says she will move in immediately.

Tonight we will be set apart as missionaries representing the Lord.  It is daunting and yet we know we will be guided in our service. 

Our friends held an farewell open house for us and I felt so blessed to have made so many friends in our short four years here in Texas.

We have said our goodbyes and will be heading out for two weeks at the Mission Training Center and then directly to our assignment in San Diego, CA.

I know that our Heavenly Father loves us in spite of our failings and provided His Son, even Jesus Christ so that we may return to him.  I am excited to serve Him for He has blessed us!!

We Have been called....

We are preparing to serve for eighteen months beginning September 1, 2014 in the San Diego, California Mission as Military Relations Specialist to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD).

We are so excited and know that we have been called by the Lord to serve here.

We have been spending lots of time preparing both spiritually and physically.  Packing for 18 months is no easy task :-)

Jim is ready!!  Actually, I think he is more nervous than I am as he knows what is expected of the Marine Recruits since he served for 23 years himself.  For me, it will be a learning experience and I know we will love those we serve...