Reminiscing and spiritual blessings....

We finally made it down to Imperial Beach this week.  Jim lived there when he was six years old and his dad was assigned with the Navy there.  We found the place where the old house was, but a big new one was built in its place.  He spent time reminiscing about walking as children down to the beach from their house.  He said it was just palm trees then (62 years ago) but, now it is very built up with businesses, restaurants etc.

We went to the beach and took pictures..... 

 This was the old school building that is now a charter school.

Three of our Senior Military Relations missionaries had birthdays last week, so we all celebrated at the Cheesecake Factory!  They are such a fun group!

This marine is very special to us.  He was a character and always confident both in the gospel and his ability to become a marine.  Sorry, about the reflection. This was right after graduation and we were lucky to catch him for a minute to say goodbye.  He will get ten days leave and then return to SOI(school of infantry) at Camp Pendleton.  We may see him there as we go up every other Sunday evening for their fireside.

I am continuously amazed at how the Lord blesses us with inspiration in serving these young men.  Even when I am lax in preparation for my gospel class, I receive inspiration when needed and the recruits feel the spirit. Class has been so good lately.  It is a small group of newly baptized recruits and they feel comfortable enough to ask questions to gain understanding.
I know the Lord loves all of his children, even me!!!

The branch presidency is constantly praising Jim for his knowledge of marine corps life and training. He always says he is just doing what he thinks is right for the recruits and their spiritual training, but the leaders say it is so much better with a marine officer at the helm :-)

Time Flies!

This is one of our marines from Kilo Company.  It turns out he was an Honor Man in graduation.

This means he was picked as the best all around marine from his platoon.  We were so surprised when we attended graduation and saw that he was selected as an Honor Man.  Doesn't he look great?

We took this picture and placed it on our display for our weekly LDS reception. I always ask if any of our marines are picked, but this is the second one and we were surprised about both of them.

We tried to get a picture of the first one, but we could not find him in the crowds at graduation.

These marines are in Charlie Company and will graduate tomorrow.  I took their picture because they all attended my gospel fundamentals class.  The two in the middle are so funny together. I told them they were like "Laurel and Hardy" and they did not know what I was talking about!! They are too young.  So I asked them what comedy duo did they know and they said, "Tom and Jerry!"  Too funny! 

Meet little Lilianna Elizabeth, my newest grand daughter that was born last Sunday. Sure wish I was there to hold her.  She is so precious!

This week Elder and Sister Arnell came to visit.  They were just released from being the Military Relations Coordinators in Salt Lake City.  They gave us our military training before we came out. They are the couple closest to Jim and I.

Heavenly Father continues to bless us in our service.  We know that this is the church of Jesus Christ restored for our day and love to be serving our recruits and marines at MCRD.

A New Year and lots of fun!

 After Camden and Eric left to drive back to Texas.  We wanted to give Suzy and Taylor a little comfort and alone time so we reserved a room at the Navy Lodge on Coronado.

On Monday we picked them up and toured around Coronado.  It was a gorgeous day! Unfortunately, Jim did not feel well and we dropped Suzy and Taylor off early at their room on the beach and Jim came home and slept for two days.  It turned out he had the flu!  We had the flu shot, but apparently he came down with one of the strains not covered.

The next couple of days, I went with Suzy and Taylor to see the Midway aircraft carrier and we also took a whale watching trip.

This A-6 is on the Midway and Jim flew this....I had fun imagining him sitting in the cockpit and landing on the carrier.  I really wished he was there as our tour guide because he knows so much about everything we saw that day.

The pictures above are on the whale watching trip.  It was sunny but chilly on the Pacific.
We did see a gray whale, but it was very difficult to get pictures..Taylor got some on his phone.
It was neat to hear everyone "woo and ahh" when the whale surfaced.

As the new year begins we have had a change in those Elders that are serving with us at the base.
Only the ones whose wards are in the afternoon can serve because we meet very early Sunday mornings.

I found out that my step sister, Zan, who is serving with her husband in South Africa at the Johannesburg Temple has a grandson serving in California San Diego mission and low and behold he is now serving at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot!! His name is Elder Dudley.

We love serving with these young elders and they love serving at the base.  We always have a lot of visitors that they can teach.

I am struck each week as we serve by the spirit that testifies to these young recruits and to us of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the power that resides in the priesthood to bless all of us.

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.