Senior missionaries are fun!

We have been helping Elder and Sister Moore on Thursday nights for the past 8 weeks as they taught the resiliency lessons for the military.  It is a program developed by the church for those military families who are dealing with deployments and how to strengthen their families through it all.

 Elder and Sister Moore were both teachers in Virginia and it was very evident in the instruction they gave these military families.

We also supported Elder and Sister Glahn as they put on a FHE for the military in their mission area.
It was fun and Elder Glahn is so talented. He has played in bands, told his conversion story and sang some very funny songs.  We were laughing so much!

Finally, I said I would show the quilt I have been working on for one of the FROs (Family Readiness Officer) who has served for three years and is leaving.
Sister Jones, who's husband is active duty, asked me to do this.  I gave her blank squares and she had everyone share messages of thanks for Michelle.

I gave her a large square for the center and she had the battalion emblem put on it and I think it really makes the quilt.
Another tender mercy story was I ended up with a blank gray square on the bottom and she said it was a wonderful blessing because the executive officer was gone when she had everyone sign squares and it was so good there was a blank one for him!

I have been working on gift for those we serve with and it makes me happy!!

We feel so blessed to serve all of these young men and to have so many who support and serve with us!!

Celebration of Marine Corps Birthday

We went to a very special colors ceremony before graduation this week.  Once a year for the celebration of the formation of the Marine Corps on November 10, 1775, they have a display of all the uniforms worn in the various wars.

 This week was the graduation of India Company and Brother Tupou is the Senior Drill Instructor.
We love sharing the celebration with them.

We also attended the Marine Corps Ball on Saturday night.  It was more fun this year as we knew more of the attendees.

We received wonderful news about one of our Marines this week.  He joined the church at MCRD in boot camp a year ago.  We learned he will be sealed in the temple in December!!
We are so happy for his progress and growth in the gospel.  We feel like adoptive parents sharing in the joy of his life journey.

The gospel blesses families and is true!!!

More Marine Corps graduations and donations

This young man was very humble about being the honor man  for his platoon.  He said because he wasn't the series or company honor man, it was not a big deal.  I said of course it is!  You are being recognized as the best in your platoon. We were proud of his accomplishment.

We have been having graduations and family day receptions every week.  Sometimes we are fortunate to have a member of the branch presidency come.  Last week, President Bullick came with Sister Bullick and this week we had President Baird and Sister Baird.  They are such great examples of service to these young men as they go through boot camp. We love them!

 Every week, we set up many chairs, tables, etc.  to get ready for the family day reception.  We are always helped by  the young Elders. Sometimes four and sometimes only two, but we could not do it without them and their van!

This week, I donated my 20th baby quilt.  I love doing this both because it is my favorite hobby and also because I know a military family will receive them for their newborns.

The word is getting around about Sister Hodges and her quilt making.  I have been asked to make a quilt for a woman who has worked with the military families on base for many years and is leaving.
Sister Jones (her husband is in the branch presidency and also an active duty Colonel on base)  has asked me to put together a quilt for a going away gift.  She is having all sign messages on black squares and I will add coordinating squares.  Also, she will give me a large square for the center with the battalion emblem on it.  I will post pictures when it is complete.

This was the last quilt I donated to the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society.  I loved the print so much, I couldn't bear to cut it into small squares, so large it is!!  It was fast and easy to put together too!

 These squares are some that I have been working on in my spare time.  The pattern is called summer in the park and it involves tube quilting.  I love it because again, it's fast and easy.

I spent a day with the mission presidents wife also, because she heard about my quilting and wanted help designing a quilt commemorating all the Elders and Sisters that have come and gone from the San Diego mission.  She has all the missionaries who are leaving sign a blank square and I helped her design a way to put the squares together with sashing in between.  I sewed some of the side sashing pieces on for her, so it would be easier for her to put together later because we will be home before they finish their mission.  She had not quilted before, but I am sure she will be able to put together the rows now that they are almost complete.

It was interesting as I think about teaching quilting how everything must fit together exactly and if it is off just a little on each square the whole thing cannot be put together and looks awful.  This analogy is also relevant to our lives as we strive to live the gospel.

Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them. [Alma 57:21]

I know as we strive to live our lives righteously, we will receive the promised blessings.  I am so grateful for the many blessings we have been given.  We have a wonderful family and are enjoying our mission so much.

Monster Mash FHE and fun!

This month we had our Senior Missionary Monster Mash FHE.  The military missionaries dressed for the branch of the military they were in and there were a lot of witches among the other Senior Sisters.

 This couple (below) were in charge of the FHE and did a wonderful job.  We had dinner, treats and we played Minute to Win it games.  Fun!!

The couple that usually comes to help us with our cake cutting and reception couldn't come, so they go these wonderful ladies to help. It was so fun, as you can tell by the picture!

We have a wonderful new couple that has joined us at MCRD.  He is active duty on the base and has been called with his wife to help us on Sundays with the recruits and marines.

I know we are blessed by helping these young men who will serve our country and defend our freedoms.

Tour

We were invited, along with President and Sister Schmitt and some other senior missionaries to tour the hospital ship, Mercy.  The chaplain is LDS and just returned from the Asia area. 

It was so great to see all the different rooms and how it is equipped to handle lots of medical problems including surgeries.

 This picture shows Chaplain Luckesen and the various places they went including Viet Nam.

This picture shows how long and wide the hallways are, nothing like the USS Ronald Reagan which we toured previously.
They also have elevators in this ship obviously needed with patients on gurneys.

The flight deck was very small in comparison too, because they use helicopters to transport.


We have 8 graduations in a row now until Thanksgiving when we get a small break.  It is amazing how we come to love these young men in just 12 weeks and continue to marvel at the changes in them both physically, mentally and spiritually.  We love to see their testimonies grow as they share their experiences here.

Farewell Isabel...

I have been volunteering at the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society for the whole time we have been here on the mission.  I was going to work in the office, but I did not know enough about the other bases in the area and it required a lot of training.  When Isabel said they needed people to make baby blankets for the military all over the country, I knew what I could do!!

Isabel has served as the director of NMCRS for the last 3 years and decided it was time for her to move on and fulfill some other dreams.  I loved working with her and she was always smiling, positive and up lifting.  The pictures below are from her farewell. Elder Hodges even came with me.

 If the young man in the middle of this picture below looks familiar, it is because he was interviewed along with his service dog on The View (I do not watch, but I looked up his interview on line because he works with NMCRS)

We got to spend time with Brother and Sister Tupou, who also came.  Sister Tupou was serving as a volunteer also. She went through the extensive training.

This is my latest quilt for a woman who works in the same building counseling military members.  She picked the fabric for her one and only grandson. I used the Accuquilt go to cut the 6 1/2 inch triangles. So much quicker and more accurate too.

 Finally,  I loved the talk at Women's Conference this past Saturday by President Uchtdorf.  I printed this and placed it on the wall in our mission apartment so I can always remember to have joy in the journey!!

Marine Corps Museum and Honor men

We took Elder and Sister Thompson to graduation while their son was visiting.  He is very interested in military history and so we toured the museum on base after graduation.  

It was one of the hottest days we have had here and it was a blessing to tour the museum.

I saw this Marine Corps emblem and it caught my eye. I took a picture of the explanation of why the Chinese made this rug.

We, of course, had another graduation.  There are about 42- 46 per year.  Again, we were fortunate to have two honor men in Kilo company.   The two Marines, one man in on each side, are ours. Platoons 3230 and 3234.

This Marine is not a member of the church, but wants to be baptized at Camp Pendleton when he returns from his leave.  He requested having his picture taken with Elder Hodges.

This Marine, Cody is very special to us.  He lost his Mom suddenly as a teen and has taken care of his three younger sisters and even tho they were with their Dad, he really was concerned all the way through boot camp.  I made multiple calls to Dad and Grandma to check on the family for Cody.

One of the highlights for us is when the family comes for family day and the young Marine is ordained to the office of an Elder.  This was what Cody wanted and worked towards. We were so pleased to be able to share this with his family.

I am constantly struck by the reality of our Heavenly Father's love for us.  We hear of many miracles, of angels helping these men as they struggle and know the prayer of faith can absolutely work!!