Six Springvillites

Saturday was a very full day -- after we finished our laundry. Our new senior missionary couple had arrived Friday night, and we volunteered to show them the Newport Beach Temple. So Elder and Sister Monney, along with their son (Kat's former bishop) and daughter, followed us down to the temple, where they enjoyed the wonderful setting of the temple, the temple itself, and the many wonderful flowers in bloom (in November!). In the afternoon we washed our car, with Gary doing the exterior, while Signe sat inside scrubbing. When evening came the four Monney's then followed us to the Mission Home so that President and Sister Watrous could welcome his dear friends to this mission.

Another reason for the visit was quite a remarkable one. We believe this mission has accomplished something unprecedented in the church: the mission president, his wife, and both office couples are all from the Spring Creek South Stake in Springville! President Hall insisted on having this photo taken so that members of his stake would be encouraged to go on missions themselves. After the photo and some wonderful conversation, we retired to the back yard to a wonderful avocado tree, where we unburdened the tree of many avocados for the young Monney's to take home to their families in Utah.

Thursday and Friday of this week we had a mission conference led by a general authority, Elder Foster, who had previously served as mission president in the Arcadia Mission. Signe reports that his remarks were inspiring, while Gary was in the parking lot (both days) inspecting 56 vehicles for cleanliness, damage, and checking tires for air pressure and tread depth, assisted by Elder Gibson and two young elders.

Thursday night was Signe's Orange County Mormon Orchestra and Choir rehearsal in the stake center near the coast on Dover Ave. Gary was not bored, for he sat on the stand facing the cultural center while this excellent choir and orchestra (Orange County's version of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir) rehearsed for their December 2 concert. Gary also took this photo of the mosaic at the entrance to the church, depicting Nephi's dream of the Tree of Life.

Finally, Friday night Gary attended the annual Garden Grove stake's Veteran's Day celebration, whose main speaker was his friend and colleague from BYU, Don Norton, who has recorded interviews with hundreds of war veterans. Gary was happy to be there to hear Don, as well as to memorialize his Dad's and Uncle's contributions in helping our nation remain free. Meanwhile, Signe was home listening (and watching) many members of the family on a surprise visit via SKYPE.

Saying goodbye

The Budges are saying their final 'goodbyes' in the parking lot of the mission office. We will both miss them very much for their friendship, their training, their sense of humor and their stories. We heard today (Monday) that as soon as they got home to Troutdale, Oregon, Elder Budge headed for his garden -- in the pouring rain!

Today was the first day we tried to run the office with no help from either of them. But we seemed to do fine, thanks to the training we received. Last night during choir rehearsal Gary's phone rang: it was a Korean elder and his Tongan companion involved in a three-car accident in Fullerton. Gary had to take care of the procedures last night and this morning: inspecting the damage, having the elders fill out a full accident report, and phoning the insurance company.

Tonight we had dinner with Gary's brother Mike, his wife Ginny, and their daughter Caroline, who is dietetics manager at the Children's Hospital of Orange County. We had a wonderful time together.

Friday night was a very unique experience: something different on our job descriptions. We waited tables for the nine stake presidents (and their wives) of our mission area. Our Mission President and his wife had invited them all for dinner tonight. It was a heady experience knowing that we were around that much church leadership in one room! Fortunately, we had already met four of the stake presidents. They were all very appreciative of our efforts to serve them a restaurant-quality dinner. And Gary didn't even spill any water on anyone, although the end of his tie found its way into the water pitcher once!

The spiritual experiences never quit. Yesterday in Gospel Principles class we taught this fine Iranian gentleman. At the end of the lesson the ward mission leaders asked us all to give our testimonies about Heavenly Father's love. After we had finished, this gentleman said that he wanted to bear his testimony, too. And he did! He's gone to churches in twenty different countries, but he knows the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that this church teaches the truth.