March 14th Letter
Dear Family,
Although the days often run into themselves and we forget which day of the week it is, I do know that today is Friday, not Thursday but there is a reason for writing today and not yesterday. We have made changes with several of the couples this week for one reason or another. We changed shifts on Sunday to accommodate the Bement’s attending the confirmation of Ginger. And we changed P day’s with Goeringer’s so they could be with family that came to town; so our Pday this week was really Monday (but that seemed too soon to write after the previous Thursday.)
Tuesday was a long day for us but in many ways a red-letter day. Remember Tuesday is the sisters’ Pday so senior couples man MBHS until 5 pm without assistance from the sisters. Tuesday is also our training meeting so we get to MBHS at between 7:30 and 8:00. This Tuesday we had LOTS of activity; three groups of elderly and 3 or 4 buses of 4th graders. Mom and I each did at least 4 tours ON OUR OWN (and really the first tours we have done). We both could see there were a few things to tweak but overall it went pretty well. It really made time pass quickly. But that is a lot of standing and with my back I was quite tired by the end of the day.
Nate and Erin invited us to Sunday dinner so after getting permission (because it was outside the mission boundaries; and remember, senior couples get quite a bit of latitude) we drove late Sunday afternoon to Solana Beach where Nate lives. He has a nice two-bedroom condo (on the second floor; there are only two floors and only two condos in the structure). He and Erin both prepared parts of the meal. We had corned beef, vegetables, salad, rolls, dessert. It was delicious and fun to visit. They had invited two sister missionaries and a boy from their ward. After they took us down to the beach which is only about 3 blocks from the house. All in all a very nice evening.
Next Monday is the charity golf tournament so a lot of time has been spent in meetings, preparing lists and sheets that will be needed on tournament day, and putting out fires, some big and some little. One of our bigger sponsors pulled out at the last minute which will hurt the overall financial results but shouldn’t impact the tournament that much. As part of that there was a lunch meeting for volunteers on Thursday so Mom and me attended because Mom is going to be one of the volunteers. The name of the restaurant was the Tequila Factory which is actually kitty corner from MBHS; and despite its name, the lunch was quite good, a taco and enchilada buffet.
Our morning at the temple last Friday was much different from the previous week, no rain or wind. Day was overcast but pleasant. There were several weddings so there were quite a few visitors, although not many who really wanted to know anything about the temple or Mormons.
Mark Lasvarde (Rus’s boss and I am sure I have misspelled his name) and family came through for a tour. You might remember that Stefan, his son, and his wife Ryan were members of the Sharon 5th ward for a period of time. In fact, Ryan served with Mom in the Young Women’s. I think they enjoyed their tour but a nice offshoot for MBHS was that it was readily apparent to him that the AV equipment after 4 years is outdated so . . . starting next week a team is coming to completely change out the equipment for the latest and greatest. Supposedly the quality of both the video and audio will be vastly improved, which should translate into a better experience for our guests.
Speaking of guest experience, for the most part the people who come really enjoy the tour; a lot are members but there are also lots of non members. Every once in a while someone will be disgruntled and voice that or leave the tour early but those are the exceptions to the rule. And I would say that the kids really enjoy themselves and the more interactive it is the better they like it. Which should suggest to you that gold panning is favorite activity for these young people.
Saturday night we attended the baptism of Zhen Zhen Chen (“Ginger”). She is a delightful young lady from China that could be a powerful source for good to her people. She came here because a man from here who had visited China and got to know her invited her here and she came with the expectation of getting married which didn’t work out. But she came to MBHS and if I understood the story right met Cassie that night who referred her on to the Mandarin speaking sisters. Anyway, she is headed back to China (left on Monday) and may or may not be back. But she is articulate enough and sensitive to the spirit enough that she could really have an impact. (An aside, yesterday an 85 year old man and his son and family came through; all from China although they spoke English fairly well. The elderly gentleman had a great testimony of the gospel. So in the Lord’s own way things continue to get prepared for the gospel to the Chinese.)
So I learned two things this week that I want to share with you; one serious and wonderful and then other not so much. I am reading Elder Bednar’s new book, Power to Become. At the end of the first chapter (remember I am reading it as an ebook) Sherry Dew interviews Elder and Sister Bednar for about an hour. I thought it was great; insightful, tender, motivational. If you get a chance to view it you should. Now the other thing. I learned that if one of you would work for an airline then your Mom and Dad could fly free! So I am just saying if any of you are thinking of career changes, maybe . . .
We ate lunch one day at Luche Libre (famous because Cassie and Eden and the grandkids that went with Eden all spoke highly of it. We had to wait in line for about an half hour but the “Surfing California” burrito I had was great. I would go there again. Kind of a hole in the wall but they certainly have developed a following.
Abe Richardson came by for a tour and to see us. He was here on business and was out seeing the sights. I gave him a tour (he was very nice and didn’t make any snide remarks) and then after our shift was over Mom and I and he went to Phil’s Barbecue for dinner. After, we took him back to his hotel in downtown which was right near the new Petco Stadium. Ric and Tami, Rus and Marin; tell Jorgen and Maxwell that we ran into Hunter Kofford yesterday at MBHS. She was down here on spring break. Her boyfriend is in the mission and she “wanted to see the areas where he serves” but promised that she avoided him at all costs. Anyway, cute girl and she was blown away that Maxwell’s and Jorgen’s grandparents were here on a mission.
Well, as Walter Cronkite used to say in his daily sign off from the CBS evening news, “that’s the way it was” this week in San Diego. We love you all and hope all is well. We look forward to seeing Matt this weekend (along with Uncle Ward and Aunt Janet and Forest Ward.)
Love, Mom and Dad
Although the days often run into themselves and we forget which day of the week it is, I do know that today is Friday, not Thursday but there is a reason for writing today and not yesterday. We have made changes with several of the couples this week for one reason or another. We changed shifts on Sunday to accommodate the Bement’s attending the confirmation of Ginger. And we changed P day’s with Goeringer’s so they could be with family that came to town; so our Pday this week was really Monday (but that seemed too soon to write after the previous Thursday.)
Tuesday was a long day for us but in many ways a red-letter day. Remember Tuesday is the sisters’ Pday so senior couples man MBHS until 5 pm without assistance from the sisters. Tuesday is also our training meeting so we get to MBHS at between 7:30 and 8:00. This Tuesday we had LOTS of activity; three groups of elderly and 3 or 4 buses of 4th graders. Mom and I each did at least 4 tours ON OUR OWN (and really the first tours we have done). We both could see there were a few things to tweak but overall it went pretty well. It really made time pass quickly. But that is a lot of standing and with my back I was quite tired by the end of the day.
Nate and Erin invited us to Sunday dinner so after getting permission (because it was outside the mission boundaries; and remember, senior couples get quite a bit of latitude) we drove late Sunday afternoon to Solana Beach where Nate lives. He has a nice two-bedroom condo (on the second floor; there are only two floors and only two condos in the structure). He and Erin both prepared parts of the meal. We had corned beef, vegetables, salad, rolls, dessert. It was delicious and fun to visit. They had invited two sister missionaries and a boy from their ward. After they took us down to the beach which is only about 3 blocks from the house. All in all a very nice evening.
Next Monday is the charity golf tournament so a lot of time has been spent in meetings, preparing lists and sheets that will be needed on tournament day, and putting out fires, some big and some little. One of our bigger sponsors pulled out at the last minute which will hurt the overall financial results but shouldn’t impact the tournament that much. As part of that there was a lunch meeting for volunteers on Thursday so Mom and me attended because Mom is going to be one of the volunteers. The name of the restaurant was the Tequila Factory which is actually kitty corner from MBHS; and despite its name, the lunch was quite good, a taco and enchilada buffet.
Our morning at the temple last Friday was much different from the previous week, no rain or wind. Day was overcast but pleasant. There were several weddings so there were quite a few visitors, although not many who really wanted to know anything about the temple or Mormons.
Mark Lasvarde (Rus’s boss and I am sure I have misspelled his name) and family came through for a tour. You might remember that Stefan, his son, and his wife Ryan were members of the Sharon 5th ward for a period of time. In fact, Ryan served with Mom in the Young Women’s. I think they enjoyed their tour but a nice offshoot for MBHS was that it was readily apparent to him that the AV equipment after 4 years is outdated so . . . starting next week a team is coming to completely change out the equipment for the latest and greatest. Supposedly the quality of both the video and audio will be vastly improved, which should translate into a better experience for our guests.
Speaking of guest experience, for the most part the people who come really enjoy the tour; a lot are members but there are also lots of non members. Every once in a while someone will be disgruntled and voice that or leave the tour early but those are the exceptions to the rule. And I would say that the kids really enjoy themselves and the more interactive it is the better they like it. Which should suggest to you that gold panning is favorite activity for these young people.
Saturday night we attended the baptism of Zhen Zhen Chen (“Ginger”). She is a delightful young lady from China that could be a powerful source for good to her people. She came here because a man from here who had visited China and got to know her invited her here and she came with the expectation of getting married which didn’t work out. But she came to MBHS and if I understood the story right met Cassie that night who referred her on to the Mandarin speaking sisters. Anyway, she is headed back to China (left on Monday) and may or may not be back. But she is articulate enough and sensitive to the spirit enough that she could really have an impact. (An aside, yesterday an 85 year old man and his son and family came through; all from China although they spoke English fairly well. The elderly gentleman had a great testimony of the gospel. So in the Lord’s own way things continue to get prepared for the gospel to the Chinese.)
So I learned two things this week that I want to share with you; one serious and wonderful and then other not so much. I am reading Elder Bednar’s new book, Power to Become. At the end of the first chapter (remember I am reading it as an ebook) Sherry Dew interviews Elder and Sister Bednar for about an hour. I thought it was great; insightful, tender, motivational. If you get a chance to view it you should. Now the other thing. I learned that if one of you would work for an airline then your Mom and Dad could fly free! So I am just saying if any of you are thinking of career changes, maybe . . .
We ate lunch one day at Luche Libre (famous because Cassie and Eden and the grandkids that went with Eden all spoke highly of it. We had to wait in line for about an half hour but the “Surfing California” burrito I had was great. I would go there again. Kind of a hole in the wall but they certainly have developed a following.
Abe Richardson came by for a tour and to see us. He was here on business and was out seeing the sights. I gave him a tour (he was very nice and didn’t make any snide remarks) and then after our shift was over Mom and I and he went to Phil’s Barbecue for dinner. After, we took him back to his hotel in downtown which was right near the new Petco Stadium. Ric and Tami, Rus and Marin; tell Jorgen and Maxwell that we ran into Hunter Kofford yesterday at MBHS. She was down here on spring break. Her boyfriend is in the mission and she “wanted to see the areas where he serves” but promised that she avoided him at all costs. Anyway, cute girl and she was blown away that Maxwell’s and Jorgen’s grandparents were here on a mission.
Well, as Walter Cronkite used to say in his daily sign off from the CBS evening news, “that’s the way it was” this week in San Diego. We love you all and hope all is well. We look forward to seeing Matt this weekend (along with Uncle Ward and Aunt Janet and Forest Ward.)
Love, Mom and Dad
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