California Angels

Since we live just across the street from Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Pat and I took advantage of our location Monday night and walked over to take in an exhibition baseball game between the California Angels and the LA Dodgers. It was a beautiful evening, a tight game, a lot of hits, and a close final score with the Dodgers winning 8-7.

The view of Angel Stadium from our apartment complex.

We enjoyed our night with the California Angels, some of which are exciting players with enormous salaries, but in this post I would like to tell you about some more humble and very different angels we have met while serving in Anaheim.  The first two angels we met as we arrived were President and Sister Golden, who have welcomed and befriended us since the first day of our mission. We have been invited to their home several times for dinner, and they are always humble, kind, and gracious. They are also firm and effective leaders in working with us and the other missionaries. Missionaries and members alike respect them for their love and leadership.

Several ward members from home have also been angels to us. We received two amazing care packages from our neighbors, the Jensens, at times when they were much needed and appreciated.
Pat's ministering sisters have kept in close touch with her through letters and cards.  The Phillips have sent emails and letters of encouragement as well as copies of the Church News which we share with everyone in the mission office. And our old friend and new neighbor, Jill, has provided peace of mind by checking on our home regularly and keeping us informed of conditions there. Texts from angel friends have lifted our spirits and let us know we aren't forgotten!

Soon after we arrived, our Anaheim 4th Ward Bishop Gonzales and his family extended love by taking us out to a delicious authentic Mexican dinner. At Christmastime, some angel mothers of missionaries sent each of the mission office couples jars of home-made almond cherry jam and a large bag of homegrown pecans. What a treat from two families we have never met! In early March, our friends from Draper, the Lintons, texted us that they were coming to Anaheim and then took us to out for dinner. And just this weekend, our mission office friends/co-missionaries, the Rhines, generously offered to bring in a delicious dinner for us when Pat was flat with a kidney infection. It's always surprising how much a little kindness can lift your spirits.

We couldn't talk about the help of angels without mentioning the support we have felt from our five daughters, their husbands, and our grandchildren. They send emails, texts, and numerous pictures on Instagram and our family Telegraph website. We also enjoy Skype and Facetime with them nearly every week.  They've sent Christmas and Valentine packages, birthday cards, and been so positive and supportive of our mission. We are so grateful for them and anxious to see them again!

The baseball Angels were wonderful, but not as important or awesome as the other angels in our lives. We have appreciated every kind act of love and service. 

--Don--

Countdown Mode

OK, I'm not going to lie. What's the point of writing about your experiences if you don't tell the truth? So here's the truth:  I am officially in countdown mode. (Just me, Pat, speaking here:  Don isn't there yet:)

It started last Tuesday when the new transfer began. We received five great new missionaries that day, and it made me sad to realize that it will be the last set of new missionaries we will get to welcome to the California Anaheim Mission. The next group will arrive after we leave. The elders and sisters are the heart and soul of our work here, and we have absolutely loved getting to know these great young men and young women. They are an inspiration to us!

Elders at work.

Some of our super sisters.

Lunch break at new missionary training  this week.

The biggest reason for the onset of this countdown, though, also occurred Tuesday when our newest little granddaughter, Lucy, was born to Josh and Emily. We are so excited that she is safely here and all is well, but this is the first time we haven't been around to snuggle a newborn grandbaby.  Not much of a sacrifice, I'm sure, because we'll be home in less than 6 weeks, but a sacrifice nonetheless! Purely selfish, of course.

I know. I know. As far as historic missionary sacrifices go, this is about a 1 on a scale of 1-10. It looks like they're all doing just great without us - and not only are Amy and Colin right next door (yes, the two families moved into adjoining houses last fall), but both Janet and Kristen were able to go to the hospital and meet Lucy shortly after she was born. Thankfully, the other grandparents have come from Alaska to stay and help out for a couple of weeks, too. That makes it a lot easier!

Lucy is here!

Home from the hospital

Also Tuesday, after we finished our day at the mission office, we had a happy surprise. Jenn and Iain and four of their six kids were stuck overnight on a layover at the Los Angeles airport. We were able to drive up to see them at their hotel and have dinner at our favorite In and Out Burger on Sepulveda Blvd., next to the airport. We had such a fun evening! All four of the kids have grown sooo much!

Colin accompanied the BYU ROTC to a Drill Competition
near Manhattan Beach

Besides a quick visit from Colin in February, they are our only immediate family to come to Southern California since we've been here - and even though it was only for a few hours, it was wonderful to see them!

Bella and Finn at the hotel.

Abby, Brooklyn and Don and Finn

Planes flew overhead while we ate our burgers

The week passed so fast, and today (Saturday) we had an awesome opportunity to drive to Redlands with Elder and Sister Rhines from the Mission Office and attend a session at the temple. Most of the drive was along the foothills east of Los Angeles where the wildflowers are truly going wild this year. We haven't had the time to go out and see any of the spectacular "Superbloom" going on in California this spring, but the hillsides we saw today were covered in mustard seed blooms and lupine. It was food for the soul!

With the Rhines at the Redlands Temple

Well, the days are flying by now and we know from experience that each week after the halfway mark of a mission seems to go faster and faster, so I'm going to focus on making the most of every day that we have left. It's such a conundrum. While I'm here, I'm dreaming about returning home, and the minute we return home, I will be so very sad that our time on this mission is over! I guess that's as good a reason as any to enjoy every day.

--Pat--

Home Run!

We've covered all the bases. In July 2011, we were called to serve two missions, and at that time 2 1/2 years seemed like a very, very long time to be away from our children, our grandchildren, our friends, our home, and the life we knew. With a fair amount of anxiety, we left home plate and we ran the bases, and now we're back where we started again, feeling the thrill of a finishing the challenge, having done the best we could. Could we have done more? Of course. Are there things we could have done better? Absolutely. But did we serve with all our heart, might, mind and strength? Yes. It's an exhilarating feeling to look back now, with love and gratitude, on all the amazing experiences we had. God has been so good to us these past 2 1/2 years. Having hoped our service would somehow begin to "repay" Him for all He had previously blessed us with, we are now only further in His debt.

We LOVED both of our missions! It was one of the best decisions we ever made to get out of ourselves and let God direct us to go where He wanted us to go. We felt His guidance. It's a habit we hope to continue for the rest of our lives, because we've experienced the joy that it brings to anyone who will trust Him and serve Him.

In many ways, our hearts are still in the United Kingdom. Not a day goes by that we don't think about all the people and places in England that we love. We catch ourselves wondering what is going on the the Visitors' Centre throughout the day. Sometimes we even find that we have to remind ourselves that we're in the U.S.A.  It still surprises us once in awhile. When we watched Downton Abbey this week on TV (a luxury we occasionally indulged while we were on our mission) it seemed really weird not to be sitting in England where the drama takes place. We lived just twenty minutes away from the train depot and steam locomotive that are used in the filming.

Although a part of us hasn't arrived home yet, we've already been home three weeks now, and we are LOVING being home again. Everything we cherish about our family and our home seems sweeter after our absence. We aren't taking anything for granted. Our hearts are filled with gratitude for every little thing. It's a joy to spend time with our family. It's a joy to move back into our house (though we've found we don't need half the stuff that's in it after all). It's a joy to be able to pick up the phone and call an old friend without wondering what the time difference is and dialing 25 numbers to get an oversees rate on the call. It's a joy to know where to find products we're familiar with in the grocery and/or drug store. It's a joy to find out that we can still drive on the right side of the street (I was afraid of that adjustment) though we have to consciously think which side of the car to climb into. And it's a joy to be able to talk to our daughters any old time we want to!

We are still adjusting, trying to create the next chapter of our lives. It may take some time. In the spirit of several previous posts, I would like to offer some advice about returning home from a senior mission.  Here are some of the things we've learned so far about L.A.M. (or Life After Missions):

#1 - Part of our hearts haven't come home with us. We still care about the people we learned to love so much and we think about them every.single.day. Luckily, technology works in the opposite direction. Those same connections that helped you keep in touch with family during your mission will help you keep in touch with new friends after your mission.

#2 - Things here have changed. There are a lot of physical changes all around us. Even though everything is familiar, nothing is the same. It's another full and complete international move, though not nearly as stressful as starting over again. Re-entering the world at home is much easier than finding your way away around your mission field when you first arrived. Time moved on without us and we are just working to catch up. People have changed, too. Two years makes a big difference in the appearance of others (which makes us wonder how much older we look). Children have changed the most. We find ourselves searching for some familiar feature that will identify them on their much taller frames. Exciting!

#3 - It's time to de-junk. It's quite common for returned senior missionaries to discover they don't need nearly as many belongings as they thought they did. A lot of what we left behind is still in boxes and will stay there for a few more weeks until we sort through and give/throw a lot of it away. If we didn't need it for 2 1/2 years, we probably don't need it now. A fresh start in an organized house is a good thing!! We plan to have a big garage sale in the spring and sell or give away what we no longer need. There's no doubt it will take that long to go through all our stuff and sort it.

#4 - It's easy to over plan when you first arrive home. So many people to see. So many things to do -- like doctors' appointments, driver's license renewals, setting up insurance, and changing, fixing and updating things you own. After a whirlwind homecoming week, we both came down with bad colds. Time to consciously slow down a little. Too bad we didn't figure that out before our bodies called it quits :)

#5 - Our most important focus is on the people we love. The projects may have to wait. Good advice anytime.

#6 - Friends and family are precious! We really cherish every moment we have with them right now. Even if you think you already appreciated your blessings, they will mean even more when you come home from a mission. We aren't taking anything for granted now. We feel so much love and appreciation.

#7 - There are only a few things that are really important in life. To have the knowledge and perspective that the gospel of Jesus Christ gives about what is really important is a blessing beyond measure. It is a source of peace and strength, no matter what happens to you in life. Our understanding of truth, commitment to our Savior, and love for Him has grown so rich and deep as we have served. We will continue to serve, for that is how we learn to know Him better.

#8 - It's time for another goal planning session. As we flew home, somewhere above the Atlantic Ocean, we took some time to talk about what is really most important to us and what we want to accomplish as we head into this next chapter of our lives. We've learned firsthand that when we set goals together and write them down, we tend to accomplish most of them, even if we misplace the paper we wrote on. We've been known to find a list of goals ten or more years later and marvel at the way we had already accomplished them just because they were commitments we had made to ourselves, each other, and to God.

#9 - All that time that went so slowly on our mission seems like a bleep on the radar screen now. It makes us realize that we must consciously live each and every day - in day-tight compartments. Good days come and go. So do bad days. Concentrating on the day at hand is the only way to get the most out of it. One thing is always certain:  This, too, shall pass.

#10 - We get to keep everything we learned and experienced while we were gone. All those people, places and experiences that we were a part of have changed us. We are not the same people we were when we left. The memories are ours to keep, and they'll go with us wherever we go from now on. The same is true for the people, places and experiences that lie ahead. It's wonderful to look back, but we also look forward to the future.

President Gordon B. Hinckley summed it up for us several years ago. Oh, how we miss him!  He could sure put things in perspective. He spent a lot of time in England, too - but he was referring to life in general when he quoted Jenkin Lloyd Jones: "Life is like an old time rail journey... delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally with beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed.  The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride."

Thank you, Lord!                             ~ Don and Pat ~

Our growing family - January 2014

                                                                   

Mission Accomplished

There's No Place Like Home, There's No Place Like Home... but where is home???  We wondered off and on while we lived in the U.K. how we would adapt to returning to the U.S. after being away so long. To live away from home for 2 1/2 years means that your new home becomes home, and your old home isn't anymore. It didn't take a week to build our second nest in England (see Aug. 1, 2011 and Jan. 23, 2012 blog posts), but build it we did and we settled ourselves in and wrapped our hearts around the whole United Kingdom.We were comfortable and content in our new life. Though we were excited to return and see our old friends and family in Utah, in the end it was really hard to let go of the people and places in England that we have learned to love so much.

Looking back, I am convinced that it was harder to come home than it was to leave on our mission! We always knew that, God willing, we would be with our kids and grandkids again, but now we have a whole new group of people who we love dearly and we don't know if or when we will ever see them again. For many weeks before we left England, it felt like part of our hearts were being ripped out. It was rough!

I shouldn't have worried! Texts, Skype, emails, Instagram and Facebook to the rescue! We are already finding that leaving England doesn't mean that we have to leave those we love after all. All those technological advances we relied on in England will work just as well when we're home as they did with our friends and family while we were gone. And now our lives are filled with many more people to love. What an amazing blessing it is to live in the 21st Century!!!

Now we are home! It seems like a dream! During our mission, especially during the first few months, I looked forward to the end and how it would be to go home to our family, but when the end actually came, it was surreal - like we were watching it on an old newsreel in a theater. It happened soooooo fast! It is true that a mission starts out slow, but every day of a mission goes a little faster, until at the end it seems that everytime you blink it's a new day.

Heathrow Airport

After our "Why I Believe" fireside on Sunday night, the Adams and the Horsleys were kind enough to drive us to our hotel near Heathrow Airport. Our flight Monday morning, January 6th, was so early that we didn't want them to have to get up at 3 a.m. to get us there. Turns out, we could have taken our time. Our flight was cancelled! After spending 6 hours in the airport Monday morning listening to updates, we were informed that our flight was cancelled due to a malfunction in the plane's weather radar system. We were rebooked to fly out the next day. Actually, I thought United Airlines handled the whole experience really, really well. We were all given rooms in the Radisson Hotel nearby, with vouchers for lunch, dinner and breakfast the next morning. Coaches were hired to take us back and forth with our luggage. (This was definitely not a good flight to take with 6 pieces of luggage and 2 backpacks between us, but oh well....) I have to say that we were completely exhausted and really needed another good night's sleep before taking off for home, so it turned out to be a bonus for us!

Leaving London in the rain...

Amy!

Tuesday morning, January 7th, we finally flew out of London and arrived at Dulles outside Washington, D.C. just before noon.  It was FABULOUS to walk off the plane and see Amy standing there! We drove with her past our old stomping grounds from our first mission - the Centreville Stake Center, the apartment where we lived, George Mason University, and into Washington, D.C.  After a stop at their new apartment in Alexandria, she took us with her to pick up Colin at Andrews AFB, then we drove back to Alexandria to meet Corby, Suzanne and Megan Campbell for dinner. Such fun!! So much to talk about in so little time!

Wednesday afternoon, January 8th, Amy dropped us off at Reagan National for the final leg of our trip. We joined three tall, handsome young elders returning home to Salt Lake on the same flight.  All of us were trying to come to terms with the reality that our missions were ending and real life was about to begin again. Such mixed feelings of sadness, anticipation and excitement!

When we arrived in Salt Lake, one of the flight attendants made an announcement welcoming us back home after 2 1/2 years out of the country. (Thanks, Iain!) Iain (Jenn's husband) was waiting for us as we stepped off the plane into the jetway. Hugs and smiles all around! It helped our anxiety level to walk the long distance from the plane to the baggage claim area with him! And then we were there at the top of the escaltor where we have watched so many returning missionaries before us descend to their families. It was a great moment!!!  I thought I would sob, but all I could do was grin! We were just so happy to see everybody standing there waiting for us!

They made us cross their finish line and there were posters and balloons everywhere and hugs all around. A moment in time that we will always remember!

Love, love, love this family (+Amy and Colin).

When I was in my 20's, I made a little handwritten sign that read, "This, too, shall pass."  I posted on the fridge and it stayed there for several years. At the time, I was struggling with infertility and it would be many years before that pain was healed, but the day eventually did come and even though it truly seemed at times that the struggle would never end, it did.

Everything eventually passes.

We LOVE being home again. We LOVED both of our missions! It was one of the best decisions we ever made to get out of ourselves and spend our time serving God and serving others, though I'm not gonna lie. There were days when it was too hard, we were too tired, or too overwhelmed, or too sick, or too homesick to appreciate the blessings at the moment. In the balance, though, all those hard times combined with all the joyous times made for a spectacular experience! Missionary work is a front row seat to daily miracles. Miracles for us, for our family, for other missionaries, and for the honest seekers of truth we met and came to love so much. We loved sitting on the front row and watching it all unfold.

Don and I are so grateful to God for the opportunity to serve two missions. There were times when our health would not have permitted it and we wondered if we would ever be able to fulfill the desire we had had since we were a young married couple, but after much patience and great blessings, we were able to go. It has been a gift from God to be able to serve, and we give God all the credit. It's a curious thing to watch what happens when you try to give something to God. You think you are serving to give something back to Him and show your appreciation for all He has given you - but then He blesses you even more. You can never get even with God!                                                    ~Pat~

Arrivals and Departures

With the Terry's early departure for home, we've been covering some extra shifts at the Visitors' Centre the past few weeks. That's been fun, but busy! Since our office is in our flat, we find ourselves wandering back and forth between the Visitors' Centre and our flat many times a day. No complaints, though. It's like walking through a beautiful park every time we step outside (well, except when it's pouring rain).

Two weeks ago, we had  an unexpected blessing arrive. Elder Terry and Sister Barbara Fowler arrived in the England London South Mission with some time on their hands. Evidently, they were wanted for more than one assignment, so while that was being sorted out, they stayed on the temple grounds and helped us in the Visitors' Centre - and we are so grateful! Besides covering a shift (usually 6 hours) for us on weekdays, Elder Fowler has been helping our sister missionaries with some of the difficult questions they field on our Chat lines and sharing some gospel study sessions with them, too. He taught and administered in the Institute program for 35 years and has been a great resource to us. We have greatly appreciated getting to know Elder and Sister Fowler and the time they've spent with us. We're sorry to see them go! Last Saturday they were assigned to serve the Crystal Palace Ward in Wandsworth Stake and they have now moved closer into London. We know the people there will learn to love them as much as we have!

We'll miss you, Elder and Sister Fowler!

With two senior couples coming and going during October, we're so glad Elder and Sister Horsley are still here holding down the place! They have been awesome missionaries at the London Temple Visitors' Centre: always responsible, always smiling, always cheerful and kind, always ready to teach the gospel to anyone who comes in search of answers, and always willing to do whatever is needed. We love the Horsleys!

Dinner at the Peacock - our senior missionary hangout -
before the Fowlers were transferred to Crystal Palace.
L-R: Elder Horsley, us, Sister Horsley, Sister & Elder Adams,
Sister & Elder Fowler, Sister Cates, Sister Qumsiyeh (standing).

This weekend, we also said good-bye to our beloved temple presidency and their wives as they completed three years of service at the London Temple. President Raymond Lowry will be succeeded by President Kenneth Johnson when the temple re-opens on November 12th.  We loved and appreciated the outgoing presidency so much and look forward to working with the new presidency soon! What a privilege to rub shoulders with such outstanding men and women!

President & Sister Cook, President & Sister Lowry,
President & Sister Lock - the outgoing temple presidency.

President & Sister Irwin, President & Sister Johnson,
President & Sister Crossland - the incoming temple presidency.

On Saturday, October 19th, the Visitors' Centre hosted a fun activity for the senior missionaries in our mission. Because we are so spread out geographically, it's hard to get everyone together very often. Although we don't see them often, we draw great strength from their examples and association. Many wonderful couples have come and gone in the past two years.

Elder and Sister Hom made all the arrangements for the conference and provided the food for everyone. What a treat!  We met at 11 a.m. and had an hour with our mission president, President Millar, then had a delicious lunch together at noon. In the afternoon, there were workshops on how senior couples can use the Visitors' Centre to better advantage, how to use the internet more effectively, using family history in missionary work, and how to have a successful YSA program.

Most of the current senior missionaries in the England London South Mission.
Not pictured:  President & Sister Millar, Elder & Sister Carpenter,
Elder & Sister Horsley, Elder & Sister Boone.

Also during October, we also got to spend a few hours one day with Marian North, her daughter Whitney, and Marian's brother and sister. They were in England on a family history trip and took the time to come visit the temple - and us! - even though the temple was closed. We loved showing them around and going out to dinner. It was great to see our dear friend and past neighbor from Cottonwood Heights!

Friday, October 11th at the Visitors' Centre

If you've read our blog much in the past two years, you know that as senior missionaries, we are allowed to have short visits from children while we are serving a mission - depending on our responsibilities and living conditions. Our mission president reiterated that policy again in the senior missionary conference on Saturday. What a blessing that can be to families - and to senior missionaries! A little time spent with beloved children can really lift your spirits and renew your energy.

Last week we got to see two of our daughters! Kristen and Amy both came for a couple of days before taking off to explore Scotland together. We were able to spend a few short days with Kristen last weekend and we'll have some time with Amy now that they have returned from their trip. Our kids have all been great at respecting our missionary schedule. Sometimes we can join them on their outings, sometimes we can't.

Kristen caught her dad hard at work
(no, he's not sleeping, he's writing!)...

... and me in my usual spot at the desk.

We took an afternoon off to see Leeds Castle again -
one of the most beautiful castles in England.

A daddy-daughter moment.

I love  black swans.

...and white ones.

And I love this guy.
Thanks, Kristen, for a great photo of your dad.

Another of Kristen's close-ups.

Inside the fabulous library inside Leeds Castle.

Enjoying some time off together.

A windy afternoon at the white cliffs of Dover

We found a thatched roof "cottage" in Alfriston
on our way home from church in Eastbourne last Sunday.

Nope, not Dover:  the Seven Sisters near Eastbourne.

It was so windy that we just about got blown off the look-out point.
At least the rain had stopped :)

Windsor Castle in the fall.

Standing guard.

The Queen's Guard. Queen Elizabeth was in residence that day,
but the guard is on duty whether she is there or not.

In our  family, a trip to Windsor Castle isn't complete
without a trip to The Carpenter Arms.

We finally found Winnie the Pooh's 100 Aker Wood!
It's only about 20 minutes from the London Temple.  We had so much fun
checking out this little store that we almost missed seeing the woods.

And the rain, rain, rain came down, down, down -
but we still found this monument to A.A.Milne near Heffalump Hollow.

At the temple.

Kristen checking something off her bucket list: learning how to drive
on the left (not wrong) side of the road.

Her reluctant passenger.  ...Just kidding!

When Amy arrived on Saturday, we went to "tea" in Lingfield.

Amy and Kristen at Hever Castle

The only hard part about having your kids or grandkids visit is that it's ALWAYS so hard to say good-bye! Kristen left for home yesterday. I can certainly see why the young elders and sisters cannot have visits from family members. The hellos are great, but the good-byes are tough! But then, I guess that's an experience every missionary has, no matter where they serve. With missionary transfers every six weeks, even the young elders and sisters are always saying hello or good-bye to somebody. So are we. One thing's for sure about being on a mission - there are plenty of arrivals and departures.                    ~Pat~