Busy, Wonderful Week

It's hard to believe that it's been a month since I entered the MTC. One month behind me already. If the rest of the mission goes this quickly, I'll be home before I can blink.

We had a busier week in the EC than the last week and a couple of very choice experiences when the Spirit worked through me in helping two people at a very critical and difficult time in their lives. I am amazed at how much the Lord loves his children. I am also amazed that He considers me worthy to be an instrument in His hands in serving his children as He would have it done. Words were literally put into my heart and mouth. Those were amazing, testimony confirming experiences that I will be eternally grateful for. I know that the employment program of the church is inspired and that the Lord is in charge at all times.

Thursday was my first zone conference - and what a fun day it was. There is nothing better than being with the young Elders and Sisters and feeling their enthusiasm and love of missionary work. It almost makes me want to proselyte. Almost, but not quite.......... But- I do want to go on splits with the sister missionaries as often as possible. . The day was spiritually uplifting with instruction from the President, Sister Gelwix and the AP's. Amazing, amazing missionaries - all of them.  Part of the conference was hearing the testimonies of any new missionaries who have arrived since the last zone conference (which included me) and all of those going home before the next zone conference. What a spiritual high! The President had just gotten back from a mission president's training seminar and had lots of suggestions and challenges from the visiting general authority - Elder Parry.

Today was a fun day. It is preparation day and I had some very special visitors - my sister, Mary Ann and her husband Bill from Virginia.

 

They were in San Jose visiting his brother and drove the 2 1/2 hours each way to spend the day with me. I love my sister and Bill. We went to the Underground Gardens - a very cool (literally and figuratively) place. In 1901 a Sicilian immigrant came here and to try and escape the torturous heat of the summers, carved out rooms and tunnels connecting them - over 10 acres and all by hand using basic farming tools.

He made skylight holes and planted citrus trees of all varieties which grew up through the wholes in the ground produced amazing amounts of fruit. Most are still producing today.  He grafted trees and we saw a tree today with oranges and lemons growing on the same tree with each retaining it's own flavor. The guy who built them actually lived underground.




 After the tour we headed over to see the temple and then went to dinner to celebrate Bill's Monday birthday. Thanks, Sis, for a fun, but too short visit.