Children are an heritage of the Lord . . .Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them. Psalm 127: 3-5

 We are still experiencing mission firsts and imagine that will not come to an end until we have completed our mission. Although there is a six week cycle, very much driven by transfers of missionaries in and out of the mission, each six week cycle is different. Yesterday 21 missionaries departed for either home or to their originally assigned destination. On that same day we received 26 new missionaries, whom we will train tomorrow morning - no better way to spend a Thanksgiving Day! 

Last month, with the bathrooms finally completed, we had a mission first when four elders spent a couple nights at the mission home to facilitate training. We took the opportunity to take these missionaries on a morning jog up to Mount Helix by way of the "secret" path. On our way back down the mountain, an acquaintance asked if these four companion runners were our children. I explained that they were some of the missionaries we work with. After chatting a bit, as I ran to catch up with Norm and the elders, I thought, "These are not our children by birth but by the blessing of being here and sharing this important time of their life. We have grown to love them like they are our own children." We do love and truly feel blessed to now have a "quiver full" of the most wonderful children. 

In early November we had our first mission tour. This is when a church authority visits the mission and conducts zone conference. We all soaked up the training delivered over the course of three days by Elder Gary B. Sabin of the Quorum of the Seventy and his wife Valerie. We are grateful for the opportunity to have learned from them. On a humorous note, Elder Sabin described a meeting where an invitation was extended to "Stand if you are perfect." One man stood up and declared "I'm standing in proxy for my wife's first husband." On a more serious note Elder Sabin taught us that "If you haven't chosen Christ by the time your life ends, it won't matter what else you've chosen." He also placed a dot on a large screen and explained that our time here on earth is similar to that dot. So when challenges come our way, rather than being blinded by the dot, we should carry on with an eternal perspective of the blip it will be in the eternal scheme of things. He reminded us of President Nelson's teaching that "The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives." We are so grateful for the teachings of our prophet. 

In early November we visited the Marine Corps Recruitment Depot for training as religious volunteers. This proved to be helpful last Sunday, when this enabled us to attend church services at the Depot. The service began with two baptisms, performed in a mobile baptismal font outside the meeting hall. We then held the Sacrament Meeting where Norm and I shared messages of hope for these young recruits. This is also the meeting where we partake of bread and water in remembrance of Christ's sacrifice for us and to renew the covenants we have made at baptism. The recruits and marines are allowed a couple hours each week to attend religious service. Many of the recruits are in need of a source of spiritual sustenance as they face the rigors of boot camp and the possibility of combat in their future. It was so good to interact with these men to whom we feel grateful for their service to our country. 

When we moved here to San Diego, we reconnected with dear friends we from Boston, the Goates. They now live and attend church at one of the 80 local congregations (wards) here in the San Diego mission. They invited the missionaries assigned to their ward over for dinner and surprised them by inviting us as well. We entered through the side gate and popped into the house to join them. Needless to say, the missionaries were very surprised to have President and Sister Merritt show up for dinner that evening and the look on their faces was priceless. (See photo below).

Also included in our photos are some celebratory birthday moments for Armenay - a card, flowers and birthday lunch. A photo of Zone 5 during our mission tour with the Sabins. A photo with some of our musical elders that traveled to the Imperial Valley for our Why I Believe Devotional which always features a lot of music. Sisters stayed at the mission home and we took the occasion to discover how to operate the lovely gas fireplace here. 

We are blessed to be serving here in San Diego with a quiver full of missionaries. We love our new friends, and we love the Lord. God bless each of you. We hope each of you can rejoice with family and friends especially in this season of joy! 












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