California, Here We Come!

              Los Angles Temple (our home away from home)!

Imagine our surprise when we were called to serve another mission. 

We are hoping that this time we can get it right!

                                           “Meet Shrek”

                                              He was found in a cave after six years!

Shrek had 60 pds of wool cut off which made 20 large men’s suits.

Years of burden, dirty wool, unburden and white underneath.

Shrek became famous and a hero with his own story online.

Before getting to the MTC and learning about Shrek I met Sister Snyder at her home where the wonderful “Shillig Family” gave us a nice send off. 

We then drove up and spent the night with our dear friend Mary Taylor waking to a beautiful site that we expect not to see again for a while. 

While at Mary's house Sunday night, her daughter Malorie and her family came over to visit. It was such a delightful time with a special experience that we want to share.         

Mal told us how that Sunday she woke up very discouraged. She is busy with her family, assisting at school when needed, trying to attend the temple once a week,

And faithly pulls the family together each week for the “Come Follow Me” lesson.

That Fast Sunday she felt that it was not working and not worth all the effort she was putting in. She told the family that, she was done! She was quitting and putting someone else in charge. As Mal told the story I said, “Mal do you see what happened here? You need to write this down so this child can see how she was a part of an answer to a prayer.

This may be long but it is so sweet and well worth your time....

Mal’s daughter, Sidney sat by Mal at church and began complaining of her stomach and with the mood Mal was in she didn’t feel like comforting that child. Mal told her to scoot over to her father and tell him. It went back and forth like that for a minute then her daughter turned to her and said, "My stomach hurts!" Mal didn't want to hear that.

(Mal’s words)…Next Sidney leaned over to me and said, “I want to do that” I asked her, “What? Bear Your Testimony?” She said “Yes, but I don’t know what to say.”  I asked her, “What do you know and what do you believe? Write that down”, and she did. 

I told her several times to ask her dad to take her up and she kept avoiding me until I asked her if she wanted me to go up with her, and she said she would like that.

Five minutes left in the meeting we made our way up. She then told me she wanted to use the step but when we got up there, she said, “No I don’t want that. Will you just hold my hand?” (Cue the tears!)

So, she bore her testimony I have never heard our sacrament meeting so quiet. I think everyone even the babies, were listening. It felt like time stood still.

                                                    (Calmed the ocean)

I then bore my testimony. I talked about how I have been going to the temple once a week and doing, the Come Follow Me lessons weekly as my gifts to Jesus. I talked about how Satan is attacking families and how I am trying to do my part in any way I can to protect my family. And how every week, we end Come Follow Me with me in tears (not from being inspired by our beautiful family bonding) but because the kids are yelling at each other, things are being thrown, there is laughing and interrupting, and I usually end every Come Follow me with

                                           “Satan is Winning!!!”

But then this sweet tender mercy happened. Little Sid leaned over wanting to tell everyone in that room what she knows and believes about Jesus Christ. And it was everything that we have been learning for the past 10 weeks. It felt like a big win in the “Strong home” today.

I know Come Follow Me is still going to be crazy and I will probably still end a lot of those moments by crying and yelling “Satan is Winning!” But I know that what we are teaching is sinking in. And that my kids, Richard and I, are gaining and strengthening our testimonies daily.

Another thing that was so surprising from this whole thing, is that Sid’s gift to Jesus this year is to be brave and do hard things-like going to school by herself without crying. She has wild anxiety. Which she has gone to school great every day since she made this gift. And she did this today all by herself-with a little help from mom’s hand. :)

What a wonderful story from the Strong Family!

Now back to our experience (for the second time) at the MTC-

                              Senior Missionaries that arrived with us...

Last year 88,000 missionaries went out and 20,000 MLS (Member Leader Support) went but 7,000 more MLS are needed.

You can count the number of seeds in an apple, but you can’t count the number of apples in that seed! 

                 Senior Missionaries are planting seed with their acts of services. 

This mural used to hang in the Washington DC temple. Recently the DC temple was remodeled. The mural was gone and several people in the group said that they were told that it was put in storage. 

Guess what? We found the storge unit!                                                         

Yes, it was in one of our classrooms there at the MTC! 

Sweet for those that saw it often in the Washington DC Temple.

Fact…The artist was not a member. He put himself in it as well as his wife. We all believe they are in the front. The DC temple caused accidents, so they had to tone down the lights at night and put-up signs for some distance telling people there was a temple coming up. Some say at times it looks like it was floating in the air. 

                                         MTC DINNER HALL

                                           

Our first week is "Preach My Gospel" studies. 

This is our morning group with the two sweet sisters teaching us. 

These lessons help prepare you to assist if you are asked to help missionaries in teaching friends.

In the middle, wearing a purple jacket is Sister Snell. She has no companion and will not have one. Her assignment is Hong Kong. She is 6 foot 3 and with that white hair I'm sure anyone can pick her out of the crowd there! She hung out with us and we loved her sweet spirit. She is a psychologist and will assist the struggling missionaries in Asia. ALL of Asia! She will do it over Zoom. Her job is to help and keep as many as she can there in doing the Lord's work as well as assisting them with their problems.

             Afternoon classes with our other two sweet sisters teaching us.

There is Sister Snell in the very back and beside her is Brother Bohman with his wife in front of him. He just retired from management of DI's and she took time off from being a lawyer to serve this mission. They are going to Romania.

One of our excursions was to see the murals in the T4 building. We sat there around one of these huge, beautiful murals and sang and pondered.

                    

As we left, we found a group of missionaries sitting in front of another mural where they read scriptures, pondered and discussed their impressions and thoughts.

At the MTC we had the usual classes that challenge and stretch by asking you to teach and interview people. (Always the scariest part) I know personally that the Spirit is with you in these times as it did bring thoughts to mind just when it was needed.

Each night we had meetings. It was an exhausting week.

One couple I sat by said they had arrived the night before and were so exhausted the first day that they skipped supper and breakfast. I didn't dare tell her that it didn't get any better that first week.

There are about 80 different kind of Senior Missions that you can serve. One couple when they told the Mission Office that they could play the Ukulele they were quickly approved to go to Hawaii to the Polynesian Culture Center. The wife will be a greeter and the brother will play his ukulele and interact with the people and children there.

Another couple have been asked to go to a remote place in Alaska to serve in a Branch that has about 20 members. He will be the Branch Pres. The existing Branch Pres. has been the president for 30 years and is now moving to St. George. 

As an MLS missionary he will be doing something that is not usual, but he will be the Branch Pres until they can find one.

More murals

This being our second week is MLS training. (Member Leader Support). 

This training (added second week) is really new. We believe they might have started the training the first of the year and it helps but scares you to death!

                                     

We are told that the new look of the MLS missionaries is that they are like “General Contractor” They have their “Box of Tools”  

The toolbox consists of whatever we need to help, fix or strengthen where we are serving. 

We were given instruction on using technology, Family Search, Facebook, Zoom all on our phones and iPad. We were instructed about using safety. Other classes told how to look for resource when helping members, refugees, homeless and we were given booklets on Welfare assistants as well as Self-Reliance information. We were instructed on how to lead Virtual Groups. (all of which I'm sure we can't remember) We use a lot of Zoom and Messenger here in this mission and were still learning.

This is our afternoon class with Brother Hart. There are more of us but were always broken up into smaller groups.

                         MLS…Most challenging because least structured.                            “Go find your way!” Find who needs you there. 

In the middle is a young couple who are out for 6 months. They left a teenager at home and the business to the partner and came to do a MLS 6-month mission.

Here we ARE! 

We made it! 

Our home away from home!

Our Mission President, President Egbert has asked Sister Snyder and I to work in the "Hollywood Ward". Sister Snyder calls it the Holiday Ward! She gets teased a lot. This ward is more like a branch. The President calls us the "Hollywood Sisters". 

The President said the famous people have moved from the area and now it is more of the people behind the scenes.

Our bishop says it's more the refuges, homeless with some members having jobs but living in their cars. Our bishop often gets calls of refugees from all over the world looking for help. Many can't even speak the language. There is a lady that has all the government numbers to help these people. 

Can you just imagine rent here? 

That's the problem, the homeless can find people to help them get the resources they might need, but NO one can find them affordable housing. 

At home in Mesquite my senior gym membership was $150.00 a year. Here the YMCA is about $90.00 a month plus the $30.00 for parking. And that's the YMCA!

There are so many homeless here because California offers so such assistance, but no help with housing!

(Don't let this picture fool you. He has taken up such a little spot but others take up much more.)

They take over bridges, street corners, public benches and even sidewalks. They are everywhere. So here in our place we have lots and lots of homeless with plenty of squirrels (they're everywhere) and even a few skunks. 

Across our street is the temple. The other day laying on the sidewalk outside the temple gate was a lady just sleeping on the sidewalk with her pillow. The next day she was standing there between two parked cars and proudly brushing her teeth.

                         We live across the street from the temple entrances. 

           (Looking across from our apartment to the entrance of the temple.)

That's Sister Snyder headed up to the Mission Home that is on the temple grounds.

Sister Snyder walking up the hill to the temple grounds.

This is a picture of the walkway into our apartment. 

pretty, yes?

Now Sister Snyder has made it up on the temple ground (parking lot). In the far distance we have the Visitors Center, with the mission home and Family Search building below it. The President's home is next to that. Then further down we have patron housing with a laundry mat for us to wash our clothes. (free of charge) 

We use this parking lot to walk early in the mornings when the temple is open.

This view is just outside the temple doors and it shows you our neighborhood.

Sins of omission

Sins of commission

Sins of No mission

I love this! 

Just in case you are interested, this is the extra cars for the missionaries to use when they come in or destroy one. They are all Hybrids. It was fun to see a few Hybrids charging plug close by. Brother Wyckoff is in charge of the cars, and he is funny, but he lets the missionaries know how dirty the cars are.

Did we tell you that we are LOVING our mission? 

The people are so wonderful! And fun to be with!

We got here Monday, March 20 and began getting settled in. With the carpet now cleaned and minor repairs made our home is nice. It is bigger than our apartment in the Philippines.

                            Wednesday, we went to Zone Conference.

Thursday was District Council in this very unique building. I say building but it is one of our churches. It is not the Hollywood chapel but where we meet for Zone Council.

We met in the Relief Society Room.

This is the chapel! Does it look like one of ours? Well it is and when the church felt like the building was costing too much to build, they told the members to stop, and they were very upset. The Stake President, at time said he would quit being Pres. if they didn't get the help they need from the church to finish their chapel. This is the result.

As you can see Heber J. Grant was the president when it was built.

Chapel...Can you see the sacrament table?

Of course, the primary room which is WAY down stairs!

The big huge gym!

The hall way!

The back patio!

The two elders in the front are our elders who work in the Hollywood Ward with us. (Sorry.... us with them!) They gave the lesson today and it was so good. They took us to other rooms in the building to meet investigators. There they told us about the person's background and what they were dealing with. The missionaries tried to come up with ways to help those people.

 More investigators. One who just broke up with his girlfriend and was distraught. 

As I said, Monday we came in and by Wednesday we were off to Zone Conference, Thursday was District Council. Friday cleaning of carpet with missionaries moving furniture in and out. Saturday Veva met friends from home at the temple and then we attended a session.

There was no one doing initiatories. We did a few before the session and a few sisters came in after that. Our endowment session was small but the next one had more people later in the day. There are 250 seats in the session. The LA temple is open only on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Pray for this temple to be busy!

Sunday night we had the monthly "New Member Devotional". What a joy to hear conversion stories from a couple of resent converts. The devotional included musical numbers by missionaries. This monthly devotional is always well attended by missionaries and their investigators.  

Every Monday night we zoom with the Mission President and his wife in a Zone    "Miracle Moment". There are two or three companionships who are asked to share a miracle and then we all kneel where we are and have closing prayer together to start another wonderful week.

We use a lot of technology in the mission now. Zoom on Monday nights. Tuesday nights our missionaries from the Hollywood ward have us join them in Book of Mormon studies with those they invite.

We communicate through Facebook and Messenger with office staff, with invites to parties and conferences. We are hooked up with our district and zone missionaries through Messenger. It's beeping all day long.

Our bishop called and invited us to Sunday dinner. Bishop Hale and his family just warm my heart.                                                                                                

We were told by several people just how wonderful and kind our bishop was. We were also told that his wife was very, very outgoing. Our bishop is a tall, quiet, and very kind farm boy from Utah who is now a Civil Engineer. His wife is just the opposite and just a sweetheart. 

As the bishop talked on the phone to me I could her yelling in the background "Invite them to Sunday dinner!" She was a broadcaster and worked with the Jazz team in Utah. She is tall, blond and very energetic, happy and bubbly. They both have traveled a lot and then SHE found HIM and they were married three years ago. He works as a civil engineer here and she teaches broadcasting at the college. (Since covid she is able to do it from home which is a blessing since they have two little girls.) He has been in the bishopric ever since she has known him, and now, he is the bishop. They got married late in life but they both would agree it was worth the wait. They are just the neatest family!

So we travel about 40 min. to church. Our church is down and over from the Hollywood sign that you see on the hill. Our apartment is just off Santa Monica Blvd. which we now know is a very hot spot for the, "in crowd" after church. (There may be other days, but we only drive by on Sunday before and after church). On several corners you see the, "in crowd" gather and lingering. You see all kinds there on Santa Monica Blvd. The one I'll try to remember and keep my eyes closed is the crowd that has their young men dancing in their silver underwear right by the sidewalk (shades up and windows gone so everyone can see). I tried to get a better view so I could report but I was driving home.                                                   Sorry! Repent! Repent!

Can you make out the Hollywood Sign?

On the way to church!

We are now being giving names of people in our ward to visit and help strengthen. One is the man in our ward called to be over genealogy and he wants out because he is discouraged. I hope and pray I can help in some way.

We also were able to help Sister De Martinize who will be going home in May. We will take over her job in getting the supplies out to the missionaries every Friday. We cleaned out the garage full of home furnishing for the missionaries and made a list so we can keep track of what is in there. 

We also will be in charge of church material that the missionaries will be requesting each Friday to use in their proselyting. 

Top shelf is Brail. There are 8 to a set. See how BIG they are? They aren't used much because so much of it is now on line.

Brail Book Cover

The many different languages needed here.

The different languages used here.

I have worried that we haven't let you know of what's going on here with us. I hope this will hold you over for a while. 

Know that we are extremely happy and loving every minute here working with these people!

We were told it sometimes takes a few weeks to figure out your path and just how you can fit in and help. We loved attending church with the 20 or 30 others that came but we are sad that we won't meet with them for a couple of weeks. It is making our progress very slow. Patience, Right?

Love and miss you all. 

Rita and Veva (The Sister Sisters)