More Missionaries

We are sad to see President and Sister Hymas leave. They have been a great inspiration to us during our time here in the California Sacramento Mission. We will miss them,

We will also miss Elder and Sister Mair who have finished their Mission who were our only other Senior Missionaries left in the Mission. They were our other office couple. Gladly we did get Elder and Sister Smith to replace them or we would have to run the office on our own.

We also welcomed President and Sister Zimmerman who are full of enthusiasm and love for the work and for the Missionaries. They will make a great team. 

They are the 18th couple to lead this Mission since it began back in the 1950’s. 

Even when the world is sick and dying from a virus and earthquakes and wildfires are burning and people are raging and politicians are blaming, the world God created for us is beautiful and can bring us joy. We can escape all of the hustle and bustle going on in the world to appreciate his creations and thank him for all he has given us. Painted rocks have been showing up wherever we walk. This one summed it up very well. Faith can move mountains. When the world has more faith and believes in their Heavenly then we can all have peace and harmony. 

Even with the virus forcing us all into social distancing we still had Missionaries coming into the California Sacramento Mission. At first we had Missionaries who were re-assigned because they were sent home from their foreign Missions. In May we had 15 come. In June we had 27 come. 

Just one week after our new Mission President and his wife arrived we had another 47 Missionaries come to the California Sacramento Mission which put us up to 216 Missionaries. We did have these two great Sisters go home. We found out that we are getting another 37 in August.




Since we left New Zealand we have not seen the Ocean and we were feeling a little land locked so we decided to visit the Pacific Ocean. 

This is Muir beach and we were asked to wear face masks and social distance. As you can see the people are in their own family groups. 

We had a great experience when we found a couple who were from Oakland and related to Elder Tutuila from our New Zealand Auckland Mission. We also saw these white rocks and finally figure out it was bird droppings that made them white. 

 

These wonderful Sister Missionaries Sang us this song when we delivered their car. They are willing to call any one of you and share a special song with you along with a wonderful message. Any of our Missionaries can teach anywhere in the world. They are wonderful Missionaries who have been called in these latter days for the gathering of Israel. I invite you to listen to their message.

2020 What’s next? Part 2 Covid-19 Mission

In the first part of 2020 What’s next? I concentrated on what happened before Covid-19 started and then the beginning of Covid-19. Now I will attempt to show how things changed drastically. Just before Covid-19 hit our youngest son Jarom got engaged and was planning a Temple wedding and that rug was pulled out from under him and Tatelyn (his fiancé) when all of this craziness started. All of the Temples were closed so as many couples did they decided to be married civilly and then be sealed when the Temples opened again. So here are the pictures of their wedding in May.

We were able to travel home to Utah for the wedding. Before the wedding we had a Bachelor party. Several of Jarom’s friends came and we had a good time. He wanted to do axe/hatchet throwing so we set this target up in our back yard. We just had to stop throwing when someone came walking along the horse path. I didn’t do to bad and our grandson Luke also did very well.

The wedding party was just the Bride and Groom, the Bishop who married them and both set of parents. 

We had to get a face mask picture and show some social distancing.





They tried to stay in compliance with the whole social distancing thing.



In the end true love trumped Covid-19 and the couple had to give a great big kiss.

They lived happily ever after.

In eternal love.

Swinging happily through life, hand in hand.

Carefree and hopeful for a happy and joyful future. Then........

Cake Wars began and the bliss was over.

That was ok because after the battle the peace was restored and again all things were wonderful.

Of course the pizza made everything better. But just as they were celebrating peace in their new kingdom.......

Their chariot was attacked and slogans were put thereon.


Then the balloon wars began. Just when they thought they would never see peace again. Their balloons were burst and they rode off into the sunset. And lived happily ever after, at least until the next great adventure. Temple sealing that is.

Sister Bartlett was able to spend Mother’s Day with each of her children who lived in Utah.

Happy Mother’s Day to my sweetheart.

We also were able to have some great Zoom devotionals like this one with TC Christensen who produced 17 Miracles, Ephriam’s Rescue Cokeville Miracle, Fighting Preacher etc.

Also Conlon Bonner or the Bonner family singers.

Also Hank Smith motivational speaker for EFY

We also had Steven Lund, General Young Men’s President.

It was great to hear from Steven Nelson cellist with the Piano Guys, pictured here with his daughter.

We also heard from Ganel-Lyn Connie motivational speaker.

Most dear to our hearts was of course our own President and Sister Hymas.

What we really enjoy is lessons from some of our great Missionaries. They all teach us something different and challenge us to do different things. If any of you want some uplifting lessons and challenges and promises let me know. They can teach people anywhere in the world. Some of our Missionaries have been re-assigned from other Missions from around the world. Many of them have taught people in their other Missions. One Missionary taught his own aunt who lived in another Mission in California. She was converted and his Father traveled to California and baptized her. We have had Missionaries teach their friends from home and many have been baptized. Even in social distancing the work goes on. 

I know that this is the work of the Lord. He is teaching us some valuable lessons during this time of Covid-19. This will all go away when we humble ourselves and listen to him and learn what we need to learn. These are also the Latter-days and we are preparing for his Second coming to this earth. Much needs to be done and we have to learn a new way to do that work so the world can be prepared. I know that my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ lives and he atoned for our sins and transgressions. He also suffered for us so that we could bring our pains and suffering to him. He loves me and he loves you. Turn your hearts to him and he will heal you and me. Seek him and hear him. The Missionaries can help you to find him. I know Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God and that the Book of Mormon is scripture. Read it and put it to the test and you to can know it is true. We have a Prophet on the earth today, even Russell M. Nelson. I know it and you can know it to. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

2020 What’s next?

Before Covid-19

We were able to mingle with the Missionaries and could actually see their faces. We enjoyed being close and even hugging the Missionaries such as these two who are returning home.

We were also able to welcome new Missionaries who came to our Mission. These two were in the Mission temporarily from the Temple Square in Salt Lake City. 

The thieves were also out in force also as evidenced by someone breaking our car window in a parking lot while we were in a restaurant eating. They stole Sister Bartlett’s backpack with her laptop computer and her iPad inside.

We tried locating the computers from our other computers with not luck. The insurance fixed our window but would do nothing for the computers. That had to be covered by our home owners insurance. Needless to say we received about $300 to cover her lost computers. We did order her a new laptop so she is back in business. Lesson learned.
There is still beauty in this world like these orchids we have.

We were also able to meet together in groups like Mission Conference, Sacrament Meeting, and New Missionaries’s arriving.

Also some Missionaries were leaving and we were able to get close to say hello and to say goodby without any facial coverings to protect us against viruses.

We were able to use the Church for our meetings and to line up all of their luggage, bikes, bedding and 72 hour kit backpacks ready for new missionaries to meet their new companions.



When they met their new companions they were able to give them a big hug.








Another hug.

And yet another hug.

We were able to go to the Oakland Temple and even go inside for a session.

I just have to pause one moment to tell you the story of Sister Bayless and the squirrel. We asked her during Christmas what one of her family Christmas traditions was.

She explained that on Christmas morning everyone in her family goes out and kills a squirrel and they wrap it in bacon and cook it. We were believing her until she said she was just joking. From then on we always exchanged squirrel jokes such as the chocolate squirrels we found and gave to her and her companion. And the squirrel xing sign she found. She even went so far as to bring us some cooked meat wrapped in bacon and said it was squirrel. It was chicken. 

Then Covid-19 hit and everything changed.

I remember the day when we went into isolation. It was the day after my birthday and our anniversary. For our anniversary we ordered take out from Texas Roadhouse and took it home to eat it together. The next day we had to start working at our apartment. About 14 of our young Missionaries went home and 4 of our Senior Couple went home shortly after that. That left us with two senior couples to run the office and here we are 4 and a half months later.

We were asked to work from home, so good thing we brought our own computers and have internet access at our apartment. We went to the office in the evenings after 5 pm to pick up our work, The other couple went to the office each day that way we could maintain social distancing.

We have some wonderful Missionaries who taught us lessons over Zoom.

When the Missionaries came to the office they wore their masks.

At least we were able to talk to our grandchildren without interruption.

I think this post is getting quit large so I will split it into two parts. Stay tuned for the continuing story of the Covid-19 Mission.