Christmas and visitors!!!

Christmas morning we were on the base by 0700 to prepare for a Christmas program put on by the Mission presidency along with about 20 Elders and Sisters.

They sang together, played violin, and some sang solos. One of my favorites is shown in this picture. It is Elder Mylar, an AP and one of the eight Elders that come every Sunday to help us at MCRD.

The concluding speaker was our mission president, President Schmitt.  It was amazing!  He taught about how many times in the scriptures many were told to "Fear Not!" and he had the recruits participate by yelling "Fear Not" every time he came to it in his reading.  The recruits are taught from their very first day in training to respond loudly to their Drill Instructors, so when you hear about 60 of them respond "Fear Not" you really feel it.  He told us that for us we can also interpret, fear not as "Have Faith".  It was a wonderful, spirit filled Christmas program.

Suzy, Taylor, Camden and Eric came to share Christmas with us.  After we returned home from the base, we enjoyed our traditional waffle breakfast.

In the afternoon, we decided to go to the Pacific beach. It was pretty chilly, 65 degrees but Taylor was determined to go all the way in... the rest of us just got our feet and ankles wet.

Some pictures of the gift opening....the traditional pajama pictures, of course!

The picture above shows the air mattress Suzy and Taylor used. We stood it behind the couch when not in use.  This apartment is so small, it is amazing we could all stay together, but it worked out, especially sharing one bathroom!  

Suzy, Camden and I went wedding dress shopping the day after Christmas and Camden found a dress she loves.  Obviously, I can't post pictures yet, but the wedding is March 6th and we will be returning to San Antonio for it!

Lots of Christmas activities.......

 We had the opportunity to lay Christmas wreaths at Point Loma with some other Senior Military Relations missionaries.
They held a program with all branches of the military presenting a wreath. Then we walked over to the cemetery and put out 17, 000 wreaths with other people who participated.  There are 110,000 graves.  It was a solemn and sacred experience thinking of all who gave their lives for the freedoms we enjoy every day.

We have enjoyed family home evenings, Christmas programs with all the young and senior missionaries, a concert at the Mormon Battalion and we will have the Mission president with his family and also the counselors and their families, along with about 30 young Elders and Sisters present a one hour Christmas program at the base early Christmas morning. I am sure it will be amazing!

The picture above shows the eight Elders that work with us at MCRD and President and Sister Baird who also help us.  We have so many visitors on Sundays that the missionaries are always teaching and baptizing.  Just this week we reached 50 baptisms for 2014!!

Last night we picked up Suzy and Taylor from the airport and Camden and her fiance arrived in the wee hours Sunday.  We went Monday night to see the Christmas lights at the temple. Beautiful!!

On Tuesday morning we all went to the temple because Camden was receiving her endowments.
It was one of those memorable experiences of this life.  Being in the Lord's holy house with family and knowing that our families will be together forever.

We cannot begin to express our gratitude to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ for his gift to us!

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

We had an wonderful experience at last weeks reception and cake cutting.  As I might have said before the traditional Marine Corps cake cutting ceremony is the passing of the USMC history and traditions from the oldest marine to the youngest.
This week was particularly special as one of our marine graduates (the youngest) had his grandfather there who was in his late 80's and partially blind and they shared the passing of the cake tradition. It was so touching!

One of our graduating marines had no family coming and so we become substitute parents for the day. It is fun getting to know the individual marines better.  We took Bryan out to lunch and then to the Mormon Battalion site.  We then took him to Cold Stone for ice cream and of course he was in his uniform and his treat was free!

Two good looking Marines!!!!

We had the opportunity to volunteer at "Parent's Night Out" this week.  It was 120 children ranging in age from 4 to 12.  While it was a madhouse, the family group at the base had it well organized with different activities at different stations.  Jim and I were story readers and tellers.  I say story tellers because the older children did not want to read the Gingerbread Man so Jim told them war stories about flying in Vietnam and they were completely enthralled :-)

We had a lot of fun but it lasted 5 hours and by the time we were finished, we were tired and I could not talk very well.  I had to read loudly to be sure everyone could hear.

We are decorating our little apartment for Christmas.  We decided that since we will be here for two Christmases, we should get a little tree. Plus, Camden, her fiance, Eric, Suzy and Taylor are coming for the holiday. We are very excited to have family here!!!
Amy's family sent us some homemade decorations and we have some Marine Corps ornaments too.

We will be speaking this Sunday at church on the base and I felt inspired to talk about remembering.
So many places in the scriptures talk about remembering our Savior and living as we should.
As we go through this Christmas time, I pray we will all "Remember" the reason for the season!

Giving Thanks!

We have so many things to be thankful for.  We are blessed with a wonderful family, children, grandchildren and so many dear friends.
Last week, I was feeling very homesick. I suppose it was inevitable to happen, but I thought it wouldn't....
I was missing my children and grandchildren.  Even tho we can talk on the phone or face time, unlike the younger missionaries who can only call home two times a year.

For Thanksgiving we went to Glendora California, two hours away (again as Senior Missionaries we have more privileges).  I have an Aunt and Uncle who live there and cousins too.  I have never been to their home as they have always lived here and I have lived in the east.

The above picture is my cousin, Bruce and his beagle, Lola
Below is Aunt Maureen and Uncle Richard Myer (my dad's brother)

Uncle Richard is a wonderful artist and sells his bronze sculptures. We had a chance to go out to his shop and see all the fabulous art!

Below is my cousin Laurie, she had two of her children there with their spouses to share a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner.

Yesterday, we had FIVE baptisms!! Amazing!
The young elders we have serving at the Marine Corps Base are so great at teaching.  The member recruits are also good at bringing their friends to church and sharing their testimonies with others in their platoons.

I have the opportunity to teach gospel fundamentals class to the newly baptized.  They are so humble and teachable.  I know they feel the spirit because I am often close to tears as I share the simple doctrines of the gospel.

I know our Heavenly Father loves all of his children more than we can possibly understand in this mortal sphere.  I am constantly thankful for His guidance as I serve each day here at MCRD.

I am also thankful for the service of these very awesome young men that have committed themselves to becoming United States Marines and working to preserve our country's freedom.

Volunteering

We had another graduation today.  It is so wonderful to see the recruits graduate as Marines.
After graduation one came up to us and gave me a hug and thanked us for helping him become a Marine.  We only support and help them by reminding them the Lord loves them and He will help them in all that they desire to do.

For about six weeks now, I have been making baby quilts to be given to military families who need them. So far, I have completed five baby quilts.  It is a nice volunteer job because I can work on it any time I have a minute at the apartment.

This week as I dropped off the baby quilt the Director of the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society told me they just had one of my quilts that was picked by a wounded soldier for his new baby.
I wish I could have been there, but I can imagine the smile and it makes me happy...

Elder Hodges and I will also be helping with babysitting the children of military parents on the Saturday after Thanksgiving so the parents can go Christmas shopping ...... :-)

HAPPY 239TH BIRTHDAY OF THE UNITED STATES MARINES!

Last week we were very fortunate in attending the Marine Corps Birthday Ball.  We had a wonderful time. There was over one thousand people in the Hilton San Diego.  I tried to take pictures, but it was with my cell phone and they did not turn out as good as I'd hoped.

In the picture below you can see the reenactment.  They also had marines come out dressed in all the Marine Corps uniforms since 1775 when the Marine Corps was formed to today.

They do a cake cutting to represent the passing of the traditions of the Corps from the oldest marine to the youngest marine.

The guest speaker was a three star general that was in OCS the same year as Jim.

We were at table #77 and as you can see did not have the best view, but never the less, we loved the night.

We have had several more baptisms and continue to love working with the recruits and marines.

The last week of basic training is called the Crucible and it is very tough.  One of the new marines bore his testimony today about how he tries to recognize the little things the Lord blesses him with. He said the second day of the crucible, he was ready to quit and he prayed for help and when he got up for the day, he saw the most beautiful sunrise and felt it was the Lord reminding him, He loved him and would help him.  Another marine bore his testimony about keeping a prayer in his heart the whole way thru the crucible and when he felt he could not carry his 75 pound pack any further, he prayed for the Lord's help and the pack felt lighter.  We hear some amazing testimonies!!

What have the crucibles been in your life?  

Have you felt the hand of the Lord lightening your load?

I know I have.....

Halloween week....

We continue to love our mission!

We have a family home evening the first Monday of the month with the other senior missionaries.
This Monday, President Schmitt, our mission president was in charge.  He showed us a video of President Uchtdorf's talk to mission presidents. It was amazing. It was the first time I ever saw President Uchtdorf choke up when speaking.  He was reviewing the life of Jesus Christ and also about Peter and his fear.  He spoke of all of us having fear of opening our mouths and sharing the gospel message.  He told a story of an amazing young elder who said "He feared no man." He also told of this elder's companion and how he struggled in the companionship because he did fear.

We also have a FHE with just the military senior missionaries.  The couple that was in charge did an amazing job, decorating and dressing up and really getting into the Halloween spirit.  We had such fun visiting and getting to know each other better.

On Halloween night, we went with two of the senior missionary couples to Balboa Park and watched Phantom of the Opera in black and white with Lon Chaney.  This is the Organ Center at the park and the organist accompanied the silent movie with his own arrangement. It was wonderful!

One of our LDS recruits was featured this week in the graduation program and in the MCRD paper the Chevron.  You can see it on the MCRD website.  http://www.mcrdsd.marines.mil/Portals/3/Documents/CHEVRONs/2014/10-31-14.pdf
He was made an Elder on family day by his grandfather who was also the one who blessed him to live after the car accident in his sophomore year in high school.
We continue to be impressed with the faith and testimonies of these young men.