Saturday

Dropped Randy off at the office so he could catch up on a few things - 7 a.m.
Shopped the "ads" at TruValue - great buys on produce!
Picked up mousse and soap at RiteAid.
Met Sister Blue at the office. 10 a.m.
We left our husbands there and made an excursion to Costco.  (Can I just say, Costco in Pocatello and Costco in Oxnard on Saturday, or any day for that matter, are two completely different worlds!)  We bought ham, rolls, and a melon for the dinner we are providing for the departing missionaries on Tuesday.  Add to those things hot "funeral" potatoes, and we think the missionaries will be pleased.
Returned to office, dropped off Sister Blue and picked up Elder Mecham.
Tacos at el Tapatio (or something like that :) 
Shopped at a couple of roadside stands for strawberries, blueberries, and flowers.
Put bikes on the bike rack and drove to Ventura to the bike trail.
Enjoyed the ride and the scenery!
Made Sister Castro's cabbage and peanut salad for supper.  That and a bowl of fresh strawberries.  Yum!
Cut Elder Mecham's hair.
Clean up!
Blog updates :)

No one we know - just a shot from the bike trail.  Sweet!

Cabbage and Peanut Salad
Shredded green and red cabbage
Sliced green, red, yellow, orange peppers
Sliced green onions (optional)
Diced cooked chicken 
Salted peanuts
drizzle with Newman's Light Sesame Ginger Dressing

Delicious!  ~~  This is good w/out the chicken, too.  Just depends if you want it for a main dish or a salad.

Graduation!

Yesterday was Oxnard High School graduation. The high school is located directly across the street from our office.  You should have seen the traffic!  It was unbelievable!  I was going to take a picture of it, then realized Elder Mecham took the camera to Bakersfield for the day.  Too bad.  No pictures of all the cars and people OR the bunny rabbit that was on the lawn when I arrived at the office.  Traffic for the summer should be nice without school in session :)

Happy Birthday Elder Prete

Last week, Elder Prete's mother called from Utah to see if it would be possible for her to "throw" a surprise birthday party for her son.  Since his birthday (June 7) fell in the week prior to transfers, the APs, as well as the President, would be in the office a lot.  President approved the party.  Sister Prete had pizza delivered around noon.  Pizza and salad from Topper's -- delicious!  It was a nice break in the routine.  And Elder Prete was very surprised!   I feel bad the picture of him with President and Sister Castro is so dark, but if you click on it and enlarge it, you can see it, almost.  Sister Castro and Samuel came too.

Patterns

When Sister Castro was in the Mission Office for Elder Prete's party (more on that later), she was explaining to Sister Blue and me about the First Vision and how it was a pattern for missionary work.  (She said they were taught this at their last mission presidents' training.)  Joseph prayed and received an answer.  As investigators pray to know the truth, they can and will receive an answer.  Heavenly Father and his Son Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph as companions to teach and expound truth.  Our missionaries go forth as companions to teach and expound truth.  I had never thought of the First Vision in that light before.

ZLC

Zone Leader Council (ZLC)  occurs once a month -- the first Tuesday, unless that week happens to be Transfer week, which bumps ZLC to the next Tuesday.  All the zone leaders come to Oxnard for meetings/training and to pick up supplies for their zones (the orders for which they call into me or Sister Blue).  This is what the hallway looks like on ZLC day.  There were fewer supplies this time than most.  Yikes, huh?

It is fun to see the ZLs, who are all superb missionaries.  They are energetic and enthusiastic.  We see some of them first thing in the morning, we have lunch with them (which Sister Castro provides), then we see them at the end of the day when they come to collect their supplies.  We also send UPS, FedEx, and Parcel Post packages with them for each zone because we cannot forward those.  It is fun to watch them hug and slap each other on the back as they say goodbye to former companions and friends.

Lunch was delicious.  Sister Castro always has a great, nutritious meal.  Today it was a chicken oriental salad, potato salad, watermelon and rolls, and cookie salad for dessert.  The elders love the cookie salad, which is a little different than my recipe.  She also puts in cut up grapes, mini marshmallows, and coconut.

This is some new art work we just got for the office.  I love it!

President Castro also has a new one in his office of Jesus and the apostles.  Very nice.  (I'll get a picture of that one too.)

Here is Elder Mecham in his domain :)  He gets his own office, because it has to be locked up. 

We've Been Realigned

Yesterday there was a big change up in the Oxnard wards.  Many of the people we were coming to know and love will no longer be in our ward -- nor will they even be meeting in the same church building.  I am glad we had the chance to get to know some of these lovely people, even though it was only for a short time:  Skip and Julie Johnson, Susie Davis (from Rupert), Allyn and Trisha Sisson, Linda Foster, the Ashtons (senior couple now at the MTC, to serve in South America).  All awesome people.  We will miss seeing them and getting to know them better.  We had dinner twice at the Sisson's.  We went to our first (and perhaps last) Empty Nesters FHE at Susie Davis'. Our first week here we had ice cream at the Johnson's (they are now in Nevada where Skip is undergoing cancer treatment.  We heard just today that he is responding really well and may not have to be gone as long as originally thought.  Good news).  Sister Foster was one of the first people to greet us very warmly our first Sunday here in Oxnard.  We have subsequently learned that she has many heartaches.  Her husband died quite quickly from cancer three months ago.  Her four children are inactive.  One daughter has been here and has played the most gorgeous prelude music for our sacrament meetings -- very talented.  She met a non-member online and is moving to Tennessee to marry him.  Linda is a professionally trained opera singer and is not shy to share her voice :) You can hear her harmonize -- usually tenor sung an octave above, but sometimes other variations -- when we sing the hymns in sacrament meeting.  I will miss all these wonderful people.  But I know the Lord's hand is in this, and in the long run this will be a good thing.  Much of our 2nd Ward has been reassigned/realigned to two other wards.  The 4th ward, which was "discontinued," has completely "moved" into the 2nd ward.  Interesting.  Bishop Sweet, our bishop, lost nearly all his leadership -- the ward will have to be totally reorganized.  He lost both counselors, some clerks (not sure which all), Elder's quorum president, and on and on.  Change is often hard, but usually good.  Elder and Sister Blue and Elder and Sister Mecham are now both assigned to the 2nd ward.  :)

Brother Bob Edwards is a high counselor in our stake.  Elder Bob Edwards volunteers in the mission office and takes care of all the baptism records. (Same gentleman:)  Additionally, he works in the Los Angeles Temple (once a week, I think).  He is also our landlord, sort of.  Anyway, we have an "in" to ward/stake happenings.  He is a great source of information, and we get it properly -- not prior to when it should be released.  He is 70ish -- was telling us about his 50 mile bike ride the other day.  I'll have to get his picture and post it.

This n That

MISSION STATEMENT

In the Great California Ventura Mission:

1.  we are Preach My Gospel missionaries
2.  we baptize
3.  we obey with exactness
4.  we seek to be trusted more than loved
5.  we teach with power and authority

All the missionaries memorize this when they first arrive, on their trip from the airport to the Mission Home.
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Thank you for who you are.  Thank you for the countless acts of love and service you offer up to so many.  Thank you for all that you will yet do to bring the joy of the gospel of Jesus Christ to families, to the Church, to your communities, and to the nations of the world.  We love you.  It is my prayer and blessing that you will never forget that you are truly precious daughters in God's kingdom.

             President Dieter F. Uchtdorf quote given as a bookmark at Sister's Conference

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We are headed to a baptism this afternoon.  In our staff meeting yesterday, President Castro paid Elder Wenz such a nice compliment -- (this is "his" companionship's baptism).  He said Elder Wenz was one of our finest missionaries.  "He works so hard.  And wherever he is, he is baptizing.  He is such a good missionary!"  And he is!  In actuality, they may have two baptisms today.  I'll have to let you know :) 

     No, their next baptism will be in approximately two weeks.  The candidate wants to be baptized right away, but she is having surgery this week and will have to wait until she is healed enough to "get wet."

The baptism today was 14 year old Victoria.  She was baptized by her grandfather, a convert of about 6 weeks :)   Sweet!

This morning we went for our first bike ride since we got here.  Sad that it has taken us this long to go.  It was so good to be outside and get some good exercise.  So enjoyable!  We drove up to Ventura, then biked on a path right by the ocean.  Lots of surfers were out, as well as walkers, runners, and other bikers.  We will definitely be doing that again!  And maybe next time I'll take some pictures :)