Once-in-a-lifetime Concert and a Sweet baptism

The above photo is of Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa, where we were fortunate to hear the world-renowned violinist Midori play with the Pacific Symphony Thursday night, under the direction of Carl St. Clair. It was a stunning performance in every respect and is probably the best concert either of us have ever attended. The Pacific Symphony (88 players) is the largest orchestra formed in the United States in the past 40 years and is only 30 years old. The acoustics of the hall were brilliant -- even the pianissimos were clear as a bell! Midori played the Tchaikovsky violin concerto, which Signe had played years ago as a young student. The program ended with the moving and powerful first symphony by Johannes Brahms.

The evening before we were settling down for the night when Gary's colleague office elder, Elder Budge, called to ask him to come to the office to wait for a tow truck to bring one of our Toyotas in. It seems that the elder from New Zealand had pumped diesel into the car! This will be an expensive repair job. Monday we will have to go to the shop to pick it -- and pay the bill. Earlier in the day Gary was with the Office Elders in Wal-Mart to buy cleaning supplies for four apartments. Down the aisle rolled a middle-aged Black woman in a wheelchair. After exclaiming "Mormon missionaries!" she stopped and asked Gary to pray for her. She reached for his hand and meant "Right now!" So he bowed his head and offered a silent prayer on her behalf. Then she thanked him and rolled on down the aisle. This took Gary by such complete surprise that he realized we must be willing to act with the Spirit on a moment's notice. Who knows what kind of influence this act was on the poor woman, who was obviously in pain.

Friday evening we were about to leave for the dollar movie at the Picture Show when Jed called. Our trucker son had parked his big rig outside of the mission, so he was picked up by our granddaughter Keely and brought to Santa Ana, where we enjoyed the evening at Chili Pepper, our favorite Mexican restaurant. Then they came over to our apartment to hang out for awhile. It gives us a real boost to our morale to see members of our family occasionally.

Saturday morning Signe rehearsed for the first time with the Orange County Mormon Orchestra in a stake center near the Pacific coast. She plays well enough that she was asked to be stand partner with the concertmaster. Wonderful Christmas music for a concert with the Choir on December 2. Then she went with the senior sisters for the Relief Society conference of the Church. It was preceded by a luncheon, where each table was decorated differently. Signe's was at a table decorated by an English lady with her tea service. All of the sisters were asked to come to the event dressed up with hats and gloves!

Today we sang "Though Deepening Trials" in sacrament meeting, followed by a wonderful lesson on the Martin Handcart company and the trials we go through. Then at 5 we attended a Spanish-speaking baptism for Diego Gonzalo Perez, the young man you see above with his parents and Elders Osborn and Cruz. We may not have understood most of the words in the service, but we certainly felt the spirit behind the talks that were given. And we sang the Spanish hymns with gusto! This meeting indelibly placed in our hearts the sentiment that indeed these are the days of the Lamanite, with their love for the Savior, the family, and the Book of Mormon. We have always felt comfortable in their midst and look forward to the next opportunity to be with them.