... and endeth!

Remember the photos we took last week of the dry Santa Ana River bed? Well, here's what it looked like last Friday -- and still today. Tornado warnings, hurricane-force winds, waterspouts, flooding, and power outages. What will tomorrow's storm bring? We watched the storms roll in both by looking out the windows and by checking the coastal radar and satellite shots on Wundermap.com. (Great site!) Being without power in the mission office on Thursday for 45 minutes was interesting, but we weathered the storm! (Ha, ha!) But the storm also took its toll on our house in Springville. An 80 mph wind knocked one of our pine trees over onto the house. (We'll send photos when we get them.)

Saturday was as un-stormy as the five days preceding it. Absolutely beautiful, especially on the drive from the Dover chapel (and OCMCO rehearsal) to the temple via Jamboree Blvd. in Newport Beach. It was a perfect day for temple tours, and while Signe helped prepare the punch and cookies, Gary set up the projector in the chapel and acted as gopher. Over 120 people showed up, many of them non-members -- including 16 Vietnamese, 6 Tongans and 20 Primary children. It was a great afternoon, but very tiring for both of us.

Gary had a four-hour rehearsal from 9 to 1. It was tiring and rigorus but also spiritually exhilarating and emotionally moving to be part of a professional choir for the first time in his life. The big treat was having the composer of the music field questions from the 200-voice choir as we took a break. Many times the music came from his own training and experience, but there were other tims (he related) when he looked up into heaven and exclaimed, "Thank you for that!"

Signe's rehearsal was 2 1/2 hours with the orchestra but equally demanding. This is some of the most difficult music we have sung and played. But the end result will be very rewarding.

This weekend there were 13 baptisms. We attended one in Anaheim Hills and were afterwards visited by Gary's brother Mike and his wife Ginny, with whom we also had dinner at El Torito Tuesday night. They are visiting their daughter Caroline again, who lives very close to us. We both rested well from a very hectic week, and Monday brings another busy day, with Gary having to process two 2010 Chevrolet Malibu's which he picked up at the dealer's on Friday.

The Big Rain Event Cometh

We've just returned from the Samoan baptism of Aiava Simona Tuifagu in the Garden Grove stake center, which is actually in Little Saigon, the Vietnamese business district. We understood very little of what was said, but we felt the spirit in abundance, especially with the exuberant singing of the Samoan hymns. Sisters Cook and Barlow taught the good brother on the left, who was baptized by the other brother, who was wearing a lava-lava. The pagoda-like building to the left is a Vietnamese hospital, right next door to the stake center.

We are awaiting what Southern California forecasters are calling "the biggest weather event in recent memory." When we left for the baptism at 2:30 it was not raining, so we took two photos of the dry river bed of the Santa Ana River, just a block from our apartment. In next week's blog we hope to take photos of the same area with the river swollen with rain water and run-off from snow in the mountains to the north. There will probably be flooding in some areas, and we have already seen people sand-bagging around their homes.

It has been a normal week, with nothing out of the ordinary except for the following miraculous story. Gary and Elder Monney drove to the northernmost part of the mission in Brea to rescue two elders whose gas cap broke and who weren't able to insert the gas nozzle the night before. The elders told us that that minor mishap required them to do some contacting by walking around the neighborhood instead of driving. They happened upon a man standing at a bus-stop crying and were bold enough to ask him what was wrong. The man replied that his wife had just died and that he was going home to get on his knees to find out what Church could best help him deal with his grief. He was surprised that these elders came out of nowhere to help him -- real messengers or angels.

Our granddaughter Emma Clark is getting ready to be married in the Draper Utah Temple to her sweetheart Matt over the weekend. While we will miss being there to witness their happy day, we are witnesses of the many blessings we are receiving while we are here on this mission.

Double Blog

We believe that these past two weeks were among the busiest of our lives! Unbelievable, but soul-satisfying. The mission ended the year with over 420 baptisms, as the photos to the right show. We also ended the year with the arrival of 30 new elders and sisters, making our office tasks even greater and more numerous as we found companions, cars and apartments for all of them. On the 30th Gary got a phone call from the Vehicle Coordinator from the California Fresno Mission, who turned out to be David Mulholland, a long-time friend of Gary's from Farmington, Utah, who used to pick Gary's brain about Hugh Nibley quite often during the past 35 years. It helps to share vehicle information with a friend!
We've relieved a little of our stress by taking walks down the Santa Ana River in 75 degree temperatures, but while you Utahns may be envious, the weather here is a little boring. The principle of opposition in all things surely doesn't pertain to the weather! We also took a ride to 'unknown parts' with the Monney's last Saturday, stopping first at a $1 bookstore, where thousands of books are only a dollar apiece! Then we drove south on Jamboree all the way to the coast, even through the Balboa Island town, which is clearly a tourists' trap. We finished the adventure by eating sandwiches at Pacific Whey Cafe across from the Newport Beach Temple -- outdoors!
Sunday Gary was honored with an e-mail from Daniel Peterson, his friend and colleague at BYU, who wants him to contribute his testimony to MormonScholarsTestify.org, so Gary will be working on that 'missionary effort' during the coming weeks.
This past week has been just as busy as the week before. We had three zone conferences at three different buildings during three days, including all seven zones of our mission. At those conferences Gary and Elder Monney inspected and worked on 55 cars, doing everything from putting on new license plates to adding engine oil and air to tires. Gary also gave a 15-minute safety presentation each day, and at noon during lunch presented awards to the three cleanest cars in the mission. Wednesday he and Elder Monney had their longest day: 11 hours, because they had to rescue two sisters and two elders whose batteries had died on them.
Thursday night was Gary's first rehearsal with the Orange County Mormon Choir Organization, as this 200-voice choir prepared for the premiere performance of "Messiah in America" on March 31. He feels very honored to be one of the first to be singing this large oratorio, which is very exciting. (It reminds him of preparing to sing Handel's Messiah or Mendelssohn's Elijah.)
Friday night we took Sister Healey to Whole Foods market in Tustin for dinner and then did an endowment session in the temple.
And finally: we just returneed from two Hispanic baptisms in the Santa Ana stake center. We both plan on taking things a little slower this coming week. And enjoying it even more!

Christmas Day of baptisms & roasted pig, Tongan style

Who said we didn't have any children here in California for Christmas? Only 150 Elders and Sisters between the ages of 19 and 23 who were also away from home! Accordingly, President and Sister Watrous arranged 'a little Christmas' on Christmas Eve day for everyone. It actually began the evening before, as all of us office staff gathered at the Mission Home to assemble 150 sack lunches: ham and cheese sandwiches, oranges, chips, drinks and napkins. They also all received home-made Orange boxes containing home-made heart ornaments with "California Anaheim Mission" imprinted on them, plus a Christmas card with gingerbread shepherd's crook.
President Watrous also asked Signe and me to be on the program with him, so Gary sang the first two verses of "Silent Night" while Signe played a violin obbligato. Then the missionaries joined us on the third verse. This we did in four separate zone meetings throughout the mission: in Placentia, Anaheim, Santa Ana and Newport Beach. We both felt honored to participate in this manner.

Christmas morning we senior missionaries put on a Christmas breakfast for the four sister missionaries who also live in Portofino. They really appreciated it and serenaded us with "Silent Night" in parts.

At 3 in the afternoon we all attended a baptism in the Anaheim Stake Center, along with president and Sister Watrous. Tongan 11-year old twins (Kaolo and Filipo) were baptized, after havng been taught by the sister missionaries. We understood very little of the service, although we sang the Tongan hymns with gusto, pronouncing every vowel (as in Hawaiian). The baptism over, we were fairly dragged, almost against our own will, into the cultural hall where we were seated at the place of honor to participate in a Tongan feast and dance. The food was more than plentiful, and included several roasted pigs throughout the hall, including this one, where we had to extract the meat with our fingers! (Octopus, taro root, corned beef and shrimp were also in abundance.)

Then we escaped to the Mission Home down the street for dessert (from our earlier formal Christmas dinner) and for our "White Elephant" gift exchange. With us most of the evening was Sister Bobi Rush, who is a self-appointed missionary to the Persian people, which number about 30,000 people in Irvine. (Later she stopped by the office so that Gary could give her some copies of the Book of Mormon in Persian and Arabic, as well as some pamphlets.) The Christmas tree below was entirely decorated by the missionaries: all white, home-made ornaments, from cut-out stars to a well-made sheep made of a white sock and stuffing.
Although we missed our family this Christmas, it was made up for by 156 wonderful missionaries, office staff and president and his wife. We were also more involved in activities this Christmas than we ever have had. And although there was no snow, we made up for it with a weekend of baptisms, including a Hispanic one in Santa Ana we attended Sunday night, singing the hymns in Spanish this time!

Happy New Year, everyone!

Christmas Lights and Carols

Standing next to a Model A Ford with Santa inside, you would never guess that an hour earlier Gary had experienced one of the more triumphant moments of his life. Friday night we

went with the other four senior missionaries to our Orange Third ward Christmas party. We had no more than sat down when Peggy Davis, the organizer of the enter -tainment, came to our table and asked if any of us could fill in as Shepherd in a live nativity scene. Well, Gary stuck his neck out, raised his hand and said that he would, even though he had only heard the piece of music once. So after practicing the number with the accompanist four times, he gathered on stage with the rest of 'almost-authentically-dressed' scene to sing "You Were Not There in Bethlehem" from Michael McLean's "The Forgotten Carols." For having just learned the piece tonight, he turned out to be one of the best singers and wowed the ward members! (Peggy was effusive with praise that he would volunteer for such a task.) After doing so well, Gary felt a confidence in his faith since he had prayed for divine assistance -- and received it! Gary also felt honored to share the stage with two young girls whose voices were perfectly angelic and near professional: Maddy and Katie Davis, originally from Springville.

After Gary's performance and the finishing of his Christmas dinner and dessert, we all left to go see some Christmas lights, including the one below in Orange. Full of thousands of lights, animations, a train, and a host and hostess Santa Claus and wife handing out candy canes and wishing Merry Christmas, this was easily the most spectacular home Christmas decorations we have ever seen!

Our days of the week were filled to the brim with duties too numerous to mention. Saturday was our 22nd anniversary, so we drove to the hills of east Orange and ended up having our anniversary dinner at Marie Callendar's, served by an LDS girl, whom we saw in church the next day! Earlier we did the riverwalk along the Santa Ana River -- 80 degrees!

We should also mention that Thursday night Gary auditioned for a tenor spot in the Orange County Mormon Chorus and Orchestra. Everything went well, including a comment of "very nice" from the composer of the new oratorio "Messiah in America" after Gary sang the high tenor line of "Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercies." (Gary will find out by the end of the year whether he made it into the choir.)

Finally, Signe accompanied the ward choir in two numbers of our Christmas program: "Away in a Manger" and "Silent Night." It was awesome! Then we attended a baptism in Anaheim Hills two hours later -- the same building where Signe's niece Michelle West attends church. We both feel that we have participated more in Christmas celebrations this year than at any time in our lives: and we feel very blessed and humbled by it.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU!

Crystal Cathedral and Jon's Visit

To continue our full Christmas season away from our family: Signe's brother Jon and his wife arrived at our apartment at 3:30 on Saturday. Because of the rain we decided to visit the South Coast Plaza, one of the largest malls in the world. It was the most Holiday decorated mall we have ever been in and was a mall-walkers delight! The huge tree depicted below was one of many throughout the mall, which also featured live choirs and Santa's train for children. We felt like we were in one of the many Christmas movies which show beautiful malls.

Jon and Tracy drove down from their home in Bel Air. Jon is in the solar power business, while Tracy is a singer who goes on tours. (Check out on of her songs on YouTube Tracy Lyons.) We had a wonderful time, finishing the evening in the Rainforest Cafe, which was not one of the quietest places you would ever want to eat in, but the food was good.

Thursday night we had tickets to the Glory of Christmas pageant in the fabulous Crystal Cathedral just ten minutes away from us. It was a full-sized Christmas story from Luke, with live animals, including a donkey and three camels. It was a spectacular (if loud) production, with as many as seven angels 'flying' around, either announcing the child to Mary or singing praises at the birth in Bethlehem.

Dancing was also plentiful, and several local opera stars and actors played the parts. The pageant plays twice daily from December 3 to January 3. The cathedral's tower, can be seen as far away as Orange where our ward is located. Pictured below is the cathedral's immense organ. The whole place is an architectural wonder.

The missionaries continue to have great success. It's been a busy week in the office, and the many Christmas packages from parents have begun to fill the office space, waiting for the zone leaders to distribute them. Gary received the happy message from Elmore Toyota Friday afternoon that four new 2010 Corollas were awaiting us at the dealership. Now we won't have so many elders on bikes!

Finally, we can't leave without telling you about our spending 20 minutes in the hot-tub Friday night -- in the rain! It was fun and especially relaxing after another very busy week.

A Walk and a Christmas Celebration

Sunday night was the Orange Stake's 18th annual Community Christmas Celebration in our stake center's cultural hall. The focus was on 413 nativity scenes from all over the world -- from all kinds of media, including old CDs, metal and Legos, from very simple to very ornate -- and expensive. Friday night we were part of the security team to protect a few tables from wandering hands and to answer questions. It was estimated that over half of the people coming to these three nights were not LDS.

Then on Sunday night we both performed in the best stake choir we've ever sung in (or heard), where we put on a full hour's concert of Christmas music, accompanied by organ, piano, harp, saw!!, two young but very talented girls singing, and by Signe on her violin (Beautiful Savior and Silent Night). It was an evening to remember.
Sunday morning we went on an hour-long walk down the dry Santa Ana River bed foot and bike trail, adjoining the Riverview Golf Course. The intoxicating fragrances from the eucalyptus trees and Bougainvillea flowers were with us most of the way, wanting us to repeat the walk as soon as we can.

What a feeling of well-being, as you can tell by this shot of Gary.

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Last week Signe played in the most gorgeous concert hall of her life: the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa. (Google it on the Web for some photos.) It was an absolutely thrilling performance in every way. With their model the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square, the Orange County Mormon Chorus and Orchestra sang and played almost as well -- and with a wonderful addition: several choirs from 4 through 18 years old, all of these performers taught by the Stewart brothers, Brett and Brandon. March 31 the chorus and orchestra are performing here the premiere performance of MESSIAH IN AMERICA, composed by Brett Stewart, who is shaping up to be the next Mac Wilberg of the Church. Gary is so thrilled and enamored of all of this that he will audition for the chorus on December 17. One of the most remarkable things about this Christmas concert, however, was that the two brothers bore testimony of the Book of Mormon and of the divinity of the Savior to this audience of many non-LDS people.

There had been two performances, the earliest art 5:30. While Gary was waiting at home to take Sister Skinner and Sister Healey to the 8 p.m. performance, our daughter Judith called to tell us that James Wiley Everett had been born that afternoon at 3:19, adding yet another grandchild to the family. When an exhausted, but very satisfied Signe finished her two performances, she was elated to receive the great news from Gary.

Watson Drugstore on Orange Square has been there since 1899 -- and the inside of it is like a trip to the past. We ate their Friday night on the way to the Christmas Celebration. As we went to the cash register to pay the bill, the proprietor asked to see the check. As he was doing so I fished out my credit card. To our amazement, he then said that our meal was his treat! He must have seen our name tags, but he was so busy we didn't have a chance to ask what ward he was from! (Maybe next time!)