Departing

Sisters Ashworth, Cox, Kemp, Woods, Platt, Collings, Heslop

Elders Trujillo, Wilson, NewMyer, Gerber, Davis, Hernandez

Having fun doing a littler service.  President was having an interview with Sister Ashworth.

While eating we played Mad Gab (New Testament style)

These shoes did not endure 18 months very well but Sister Woods and 

Sister Collings did.

The Elders stayed in member's homes for the night.  The Sisters stayed at the mission home.  We had too much fun talking in our pajamas.  The sisters asked if they had to go to bed by 10:30.  I told them no but I wasn't the president.  I went and asked President Felix and he said if they stay up, they'll have to go home. 

Just before boarding the bus for LAX.  The transport company told us they would send three vans because it was cheaper.  They called yesterday and said they were sending a bus.  Elder Stewart said OK if it's the same price.  The original quote of the bus was $300 more than 3 vans.

They look like they are ready for their new adventure.

Tonight I've been wondering what they are all doing.
We continue to go down in our numbers.  More missionaries are going home than coming.
Our numbers now are 185
English Elders -- 95
Spanish Elders -- 31
English Sisters -- 29
Spanish Sisters -- 30

Transfers

Elder Dusara and Elder Gibb 

 Sister Orme and Sister Brown

 Elder Hererra and Elder Moreno

 Elder Bartholomew

 President Felix,  Elder Comin, Elder Dorius, Elder Campbell

Elder Barlow, Elder Hamson, Elder Gray, Elder Haines

Elder Stewart, Elder Passey, Elder Lopez

Hermanas Eames, Miller, Soriano, Tauiliili, Jeronimo, Clark, Newland

Sisters Guthrie, Kemp, Nicholas, Wilson, Hardman, Hermana Killpack

Elder Hurst and Elder Slaugh

Elder Hall, Elder Law, Elder Sorensen

Elder Lewis, Sister Platt, Elder Powell, Elder Kuepper, Sister Heslop

Elders Garrard, Gregory, Routledge, Jones, Robinson, Hale, Bartholomew, Stout, Rosenlof, Summers

Sister Evans and Sister Israelsen

Elders Griffin, Cavazos, Cantrell, Bawden, Clarkson, Hall

Hermana Ricks and Hermana Hurley

Elder Hall, Elder Clarkson, Elder Driggs

Elder Parrish, Elder Davidson, Elder Bautista, Elder Lee

Elder Gerber, Elder Anderson, Sister Woodland

Hermana Garza and Hermana Griffes

New Arrivals

 Elder Dusara is from Washington.  He arrived before noon.  We waited for another Elder who was on a different flight.  The flight arrived but no Elder. Sad to say he decided not to come. We took Elder Dusara and the Assistants to Goleta State Park for lunch.  Around 4:00 he went with two elders in Ventura and participated in a lesson. 

 Sister Orme is from Nevada.

 Elder Hererra is from Kentucky. He called the mission home in the morning from the San Francisco airport telling us the flight to Santa Barbara had been cancelled. They waited at the airport for six hours.  Elder and Sister Miles picked them up and brought them to the mission home.  We had dinner and then the Assistants did an orientation for the new missionaries. 

 Breakfast was at 6:45 before going to the Ventura Stake Center for more orientation from the senior couples. 

David Archuleta

We were blessed with the opportunity of having David Archuleta share his love of missionary work with the missionaries.  He related missionary experiences, scriptures, and sang five songs.  He invited Brooke White (she also competed at the same time David did on American Idol) to join in bearing testimony, and sing a song with him. 

He took time to do photo shoots with each zone.  Kendra, his accompanist, and Brooke White were in most of the pictures.

San Luis Obispo Zone

Santa Maria Zone

Santa Barbara Zone

Lompoc Zone

Ventura Zone

Camarillo Zone

Camarillo Spanish Zone

Newbury Park Zone

Thousand Oaks Zone

Simi Valley Zone

Sister and Elder Stewart

President & Sister Felix, Elder Kanenwisher and Elder Atkin

Elder and Sister Garns, David and Kendra

TO Building

 We had interviews in Thousand Oaks this past week.  I've decided I'm going to start taking pictures of the buildings.  This stake center has two chapels,  two kitchens, etc.
It is huge. 

 The missionaries like to do service.  We were at Newbury Park on Friday.  One of the toilets had way too much toilet paper in it.  Elder Collard attacked the task with a smile.  I took his picture and he said oh I should probably not be smiling.  

It's Christmas

General Conference is today!  Many of the missionaries say conference is better than Christmas.  It will be wonderful for us to be fed by the General Authorities and Officers of the Church.  I can see the analogy of Christmas -- preparation goes into being ready to listen and learn.  Then we are spiritually fed.

Elder Brent Nielson came to visit us and met with the MLC last week.  He is in the First Quorum of Seventy who President Felix reports to.  He will be speaking Sunday morning at conference.  He explained that when invited to speak they are given the session and the time allotted for their talk.  They are not given a specific topic.  I read from Elder Hales that it is with much fasting, prayer, studying, and pondering that they come to find out what message the Lord wants to be given.  

Elder Nielson told us the big challenge is to get people to ACT not be acted upon.  2 Nephi 2:14.

All creations are acted upon but we are to act.

We learned that when you become a leader in the Church, there is no "they".  If things aren't going well, you take care of it.  We should always be looking to act.

He suggested in preparation for the meeting we all study two of Elder Bednar's talks.  You may want to read them from the Ensign:

The Atonement and the Journey of Mortality - April 2012

Bear Up Their Burdens with Ease - May 2014
The plan is to have trials.  That is how we grow.  On a mission we are stretched.
Alex AhMu, one of our missionaries who recently returned home, sent me the following poem:
The Highs and Lows of a Mission
A mission is a strange experience
It is a trial and a test.
A mission throws at you the worst
Yet teaches you the best.
I've never been so depressed.
I've never felt so forsaken,
I've never felt so blessed.
I've never been so confused,
Things have never been so clear.
I've never felt my Heavenly Father so distant,
He's never been so near.
I've never been so discouraged,
I've never been so full of hope.
I feel I could go on for forever,
I think I've come to the end of my rope.
I've never had it quite so easy,
I've never had it quite so tough.
Things have never been so smooth,
Things have never been so rough.
I've never traveled through more valleys,
I've never ascended more peaks.
I've never met so many nice people.
I've never met so many freaks!
I've never had so many ups,
I've never had so many downs.
I've never worn so many smiles,
I've never had so many frowns.
I've never been so lonely,
I've never had so many friends.
BOY, I hope this is over soon.
GOSH, I hope this never ends.

I brought this poem up to some of the missionaries while they were waiting for their interview with President Felix.  They feel this is how it is.  I thought it would be good for their parents to read it.

Mid Transfers

Our first mid transfer was on Monday,  March 30. We went to the airport twice as these missionaries arrived on separate flights at different times. 

Elder Leavitt is from Washington

Elder Brown is from Arizona

Elder Fernandez is from Louisiana.  He arrived April 7.