News from CAM                                                                                                                     July 24, 2017

Dear Loved Ones All,

Well, for such a crazy week, it started out innocently enough.  Monday we did our usual cleaning and laundry, planning, gas and groceries, reports and my email.  I have been wanting to go to the Museo in Downtown Anaheim because they have huge pictures of some of the Downton Abby characters plastered on the outside of the building.  So we found a place to park and wouldn’t you know it???? It seems that it is closed on Mondays.  However, in the smaller building they were having an art class for kids, so the proprietor allowed us to go upstairs in that building to see the Asian art/writings/carved stamps made out of rock, and an historic display of photos and memorabilia from the early days of Anaheim and surrounding area.  It was quite interesting and we got our own private showing since we were totally by ourselves.

On Tuesday, since Saturday was our Ward Pioneer Day Celebration, we texted invites and reminders of assignments to ward members.  We visited one of the oldest members who is still physically active, but just doesn’t think it is a priority to be church active.  He is such an awesome gentleman it is sad he doesn’t wish to participate.   That evening Elder Macbeth fulfilled his usual responsibilities at Bishopric Meeting, and for interviews while I went to the Family History Center.  I spent the whole time entering Elder Macbeth’s genealogy into my personal file.  Amazing how much time that takes.  Afterwards we stopped at Smart & Final to check prices on the food and supplies we need for the Saturday Social so we could compare to Costco.  They had the hamburger patties and beef hot dogs, and their bun on sale making it the most economical place to purchase everything in one stop.  On the way home Elder Macbeth told me that the Bishop wanted to extend another calling…one that I surely did not ask for…and could I come in on Wednesday evening to give him my response.

In addition to giving to giving a small Del Parson print to those whose baptisms we have attended, I have been giving one to the young missionaries with whom we have served for their birthday.  Or if I have missed their birthday, as they depart to go home.  They are ecstatic!  Some of them hop around or whoop.  It is really fun to watch.  Anyway, in these last couple of transfers, we have had almost 50 missionaries going home if you combine the two, and not as many arriving.

On Wednesday before going to Mary’s Kitchen to serve the homeless lunch, we also had another interview with President Golden.  I explained my new dilemma as to an additional calling.  He was surprised to say the least, but he said that as an MLS missionary that he couldn’t find fault with the Bishop’s logic for extending the call as long as he understood that Elder Macbeth and I are finished with our missions on September 28.  By now I’m sure you suspect what the Bishop wanted.  So that night I told him that I would do my best to be a good Relief Society president and to hopefully accomplish what he thinks I can accomplish in that short time.  I can’t help think that it is going to be one of the shortest times for a Relief Society presidency ever.  Then I got to go to Enrichment night and not say a word!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Not fair!  Our outgoing R.S. president is finally getting to come home after nearly 2 months so they passed around a sign up meals for at least the next 2 weeks, so I signed up for Sunday evening.  Before we left to go home the First Counselor in the bishopric called and said in light that I was in charge of the Pioneer celebration I might be an excellent candidate to speak on that topic in sacrament meeting on Sunday.  It didn’t sound like the Bishop had confided in him my new responsibility so I didn’t know how I could gracefully tell him I was starting to feel a little overwhelmed, so I agreed.  I was so glad that I had baked my snickerdoodles earlier in the day.

Thursday we had a great lesson on the use of the Holy Ghost in missionary work.  Thank goodness it also helps us in all the other aspects of our lives.  I only doubled my cookie recipe so when I counted the cookies, I only had 6 left over by the time the missionaries got their 2, we dropped a few off at the Mission Office, and we bagged up a few for the Samoan Sisters who live in our complex.  We also took the time to visit Maria and Keith before coming home to fix and eat supper so we would have enough time to pick up Angel on our way to Book of Mormon Class.  Elder Macbeth set up the chairs in a circle, and he kept making it bigger and bigger and so we kind of teased him about being so optimistic.  Well, there were enough people that came to fill up the chairs.   Way to go Elder Macbeth!

Our Daughter Kristina called and we got to visit with her before breakfast.  Kids are so awesome, especially if they are your own (well grandkids are way up there too.)  I spent the rest of the morning organizing a binder for the things I figured I would need as the R.S. president.  I needed some tabs, and a pencil holder that could fit into the binder, and since I seem to have used up all the erasers on the ends of my mechanical pencils I also need replacement erasers or new pencils.  Would you believe you can get new pencils are cheaper.  It was past noon so Elder Macbeth took me to try out a little food court in downtown Anaheim called Good Food.  We ended up having salads and sharing a chicken sandwich. 

We went to Costco and bought some watermelons for Saturday.  Then we went to WMCM at Brother Pruitt’s house with the rest of the missionaries in our ward.  Elder Christiansen has discovered that Brother Pruitt likes chocolate licorice vines so he asked if there was still some in the house.  Only some of us ate a piece.  Before going home we stopped at the post office to mail a couple of birthday card, and went to the church to put the watermelon in the fridge for the next day.  We barely had time to get me home before Elder Macbeth was to meet the Bishop to go give an elderly sister a blessing prior to surgery.  While he was gone I surged Elder Fifitia’s pants so I can hem them when I get enough time.

By 8:30 we both were ready to have some supper.  Good thing the Book of Mormon makes my challenges look fairly insignificant or I might have started to feel overwhelmed.

Saturday up early enough to go to the church to help set up tables and chairs.  Brother Ferreiria was the only other person there, but it didn’t take too long for 9 tables and their chairs.  Then off to Smart & Final to get the rest of the supplies.  Back to the church to cut up the watermelon and help finish with table cloths and decorations.  Brother Brandt arrived with his grill so they could start grilling the hamburgers.  Because of limited space, I heated the hotdogs in a pan of water on the stove before taking them out to get their sear marks on the grill.  The primary was in charge of pre-lunch games so after an opening prayer while the food was being prepared, they played some of the pioneer games.  By then the potato and macaroni salads had arrived and enough burgers and hot dogs were cooked so we could start.  Not as many people were there that we had hoped, but the food was good and we had plenty, everyone enjoyed visiting, and the final two games were the final touch.  Sister Tafua brought some gunny sacks and Elder Christiansen was the undisputed winner in all the heats that he participated in, and the Sister Missionaries were not far behind him.  The tug of war was clearly one of the best of the best.  (I got to be on the winning team.  :)  Cleaning up didn’t take too long because everybody was willing to help.  We dropped the remaining frozen burger patties and extra buns off at the Bishop’s and then took the young Elders home since they were walking to save on miles so they didn’t run over their allotment.

Back home to collapse for a few minutes while I tried to pull my thoughts together to come up with a decent talk.  As Kristina pointed out, good talks just need good stories, so I told about our ancestors who came from the Piedmont Valley in Italy and a few other pioneer stories, and figured how to relate it to us in modern times.  Next I cooked the chicken and made the salad for the dinner for the Kidwells.  It was rather late when I finished so I was grateful that we only had ward council in the morning and not the other two earlier meetings.

I slept until 5:15 am Sunday morning so I was grateful for a nice invigorating shower to start the day.  At ward council I wondered if anybody else thought it odd that none of the Relief Society presidency were in attendance.  I was hoping for a few minutes to go over my talk, but after Ward Council we had choir practice since we were singing during Sacrament Meeting.  We sang “Faith In Every Footstep.”  I think that is one of my favorites. My talk went reasonably well despite my lack of preparation. Sister Kidwell was well enough to come to church so she was there as the outgoing presidency was thanked and released, and I was sustained.  Now I just get to wait for my counselors.  I didn’t get set apart until after the block so for a few hours there was no R.S. presidency.  I think Sister Brewer, 2^nd counselor, was glad conducting the meeting was her last official duty. 

I still had to come home and finish fixing dinner.  To our delight, the Kidwells asked if we would come eat the dinner with them.  I must say that was quite fun, although she was easily tired and needed to go lay down on the couch for a while after dinner.  She made sure that I took her R.S. stuff with me when we left. 

So there is our week to the max.  Now I guess it is the lull before the storm before my responsibilities really kick in.  But that I’m sure is a story for another day.  Hope you have a wonderful week.  Hope my two oldest have awesome birthdays this week, and that the rest of you enjoy what life has to offer.

Love, Sister and Elder Macbeth          Go!     Fight!!      WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Smile