This is the church, this is the steeple

I know, that's a weird title for a blog post, but that is what it was when we went to the Peñasquitos  Stake building to meet with the stake president. I love the variety of chapels here. They aren't all cookie cutters like they are in Utah.

The church building

On the corner of the parking lot, the steeple

We're staying busy between bases. MCRD and MCAS. Marine Corps Recruit Depot and Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar. MCRD is very cool because of it's history. The old buildings are great and Mike, Matt and Joe all went to basic training there. By the way, both Joe and Matt came to visit a few days ago. It was great to hear "the boys" tell about their experiences at the Depot.

Miramar is nothing to look at. It is pretty much just flat blacktop with a few palm trees and patches of grass here and there. But, the aircraft flying is the great part. Point Loma is by far the prettiest, and the Navy bases are inspiring because of the ships at port. We imagined the installations all being far apart, but they are quite close and we can go on and off base as we please. We are learning which ones have the best commissaries and exchanges, so that's where we do much of our shopping, except Costco always and forever for milk!

Talk about inspiring, we visited Mount Soledad. It is a veterans' monument that sits at the top of a hill where you can see 360 degrees of San Diego. It has plaques of veterans from WWI-now that spiral up to a cross.
 

We added a new MRM couple, the Dale's, this past week. As we were "training" them, and I use that term loosely, we could see that we really do know and understand A LOT more than we did 2 1/2 months ago. We are proud of the fact that there are a few places we can get to without using GPS and/or getting into a spat. There seems to be more and more to do each week. We get unexpected phone calls and assignments and are learning better how to juggle and communicate. (that last one needs A LOT of work) After 43 years of marriage our minds are still on two very different wave lengths. We keep plugging away!

Attended a YSA ward today and met the cutest Marine. SHE is about 5'11" and beautiful. She is a helicopter mechanic. She grew up in Utah, went through all of her marine training, and while in North Carolina, joined the church just four weeks ago. We look forward to spending time with her.

Best part fo the week...testimony meeting with the Recruits. Those men can testify of the power of prayer! They have wonderful stories to tell about how they have had their prayers answered as they struggle with basic training, decisions and life. Speaking of marines and prayers...please keep our military and missionaries in yours. (Especially us old ones!)

Hazy day view of the temple from Mt. Soledad

Betcha

I'll just bet that you can't guess who we saw, what we did, or where we've been lately. You'll never understand why we're here like we did this past week. And I'll betcha that you've never experienced a church meeting like we got to. But, you can bet that I'm going to tell you all about it!

We met with a few more Chaplains. One at Miramar, one at the Brig. Interestingly enough, the timing was perfect. We caught Chaplain Biadog as he was just showing up to his office. (we got our directions all messed up on the way there and arrived later than we had intended to) and go figure, if we had been there earlier, we would have missed him. He's a wonderful Catholic man and has invited us to Easter Morning Mass and breakfast. We would love to go...might have scheduling problem, though. Chaplain Klender just happened to be in the lobby counseling someone and had just a few moments to give us to introduce ourselves. Funny how those things work.

Tried our best to keep them here...

Our baby, Abby turned thirty on March 8. She and Matt decided to drive the California Coast to celebrate. They ended up in San Diego, so we got to spend a day with them. We did something I would never even think to do. We went to a CAT Cafe! The food was lousy, but the cats were cute. We also went to the Midway Museum and went out for a nice birthday dinner. It was one of the first warm days we've had, so it was lovely walking around the harbor.

He's a pretty cool cat!

Last week we went to Naval Base Coronado to see what ships were at harbor. We drove to the end of the Silver Strand and could see Tijuana. With binoculars were could see the border and the temple.

Can you find the Tijuana Temple?

This past Saturday, the skies were beautifully blue, so we decided to drive out to the Naval Air Facility el Centro. That made it an official MRM trip. It just so happened that the Blue Angels were flying in an air show that day. Wow! These pilots and crews are incredible!

Amazing!!

This is a cheater photo taken off the internet. No pics allowed!

Today, Mike was set apart as the 1st Counselor in the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Military Branch. We knew, we just knew, that somehow, someway we'd be involved with young Marines. (actually they are recruits, training to become Marines. The chaplain took us around to some "unaccessible to visitors" areas, to find an accessible restroom (called "heads" in Marine lingo). We got to see some brand new recruits trying to march drill. Poor guys! Their drill instructors were pretty much in their faces. The chaplain is an officer, so should be saluted; but, here he was with a guy in a wheelchair and a woman...they weren't sure what to do. It was pretty cute.

The yellow footprints are what the new guys stand on as soon as they are off of the bus. This is where Mike's military experience started many years ago.

What an amazing experience to attend Sacrament Meeting with the recruits. There we were with young men all dressed in their fatigues, rolled up pants, shirts buttoned to the collars, and noggins freshly shaven. Some as young as seventeen, some returned missionaries, some husbands, some fathers--all willing to serve our country. They are in some intense training, and coming to church is a reprieve for them. Watching them bless and pass the sacrament so reverently and respectfully was very touching. Mike bore his testimony beautifully, then had interviews with the newest recruits. I visited with boys who just needed a listening ear. That's why we're here!! We will continue to work with and support the other wards and stakes, we will still visit families at Miramar, we will do whatever we are asked to do, but, this is where we can REALLY help. We are so grateful to know that HE knows better than we think WE know.

https://www.marines.com/becoming-a-marine/enlisted/training.html
Betcha can't watch these clips and not love them like we do! Semper Fi!

Here, there, and everywhere.

Our Marine Pick-up

This has been a busy week with a variety of activities. It started and ended with the same family. He is a chaplain, she is a stay-at-home-mom (and I mean stay-at-home) with four young children. The youngest is a fifteen month old little boy who is a "bubble baby". He has zero immunity so there cannot be any germs brought into the home. The other children are home schooled and can't play with other kids. They are hoping to get a thymus transplant soon, which hopefully will change their lives. It is a very active house!! Made me tired just visiting there and more tired helping with some housework.

We had lunch with another MRM couple. We are both having the same difficulties, and all trying to move forward. Evidently, it takes EVERYONE some time to adjust and get their swagger on. I thought we could jump right in and get to work, but there is so much researching and paperwork and computer stuff to do. I'm not crazy about all of that business.

We went to the USO to find out about volunteering there. There was a hilarious little old man there named Andy. He was a lot like "what about dinner?" Andy. (Only our kids will understand that.) He was adorable, so full of energy and all over the place. We loved him, though. He was excited to have us get signed up to help there. It is stationed at the airport where service men and women and families come to relax between flights or as they're getting ready to go to a new assignment. Full of comings and goings. It's a cool place.

A fun thing that we got to do was to go to a weekend Zone Conference and help man a station of the obstacle course. It was at Camp Wildwood, a church owned girl/scout/youth conference/family camp. We were assigned to "THE WALL" I wish I had taken a photo, darn it. Anyway, it was a 8X12 foot straight up and down wall that the districts had to get each member up and over without talking. The most touching part was when one group hefted a 250-285 pound elder up. They pushed and pulled. He sweated and shook. But, they did it! Afterwards we had a discussion with them on parallels to the gospel or to missionary work, etc. It was wonderful to hear their thoughts. Young missionaries are pretty amazing!

The Rocky Mountains on the way to Wildwood Camp.


Saturday, we went to the baptism of a young Sailor in Chula Vista. There were quite a few young missionaries there. It was at the YSA ward. It was nice to find the chapel that day because the next day, Sunday, we drove down there again and basically knew where we were going. Another chaplain had called us and asked if we could pick up a Marine and take him to church. He is in the Naval hospital in the Wounded Warrior Battalion. He was a very nice young man who hadn't been to church in a while. We went back to the ward in Chula Vista and he seemed to enjoy it and actually fit right in. (Strange though, the newly baptized guy never showed up!)

Yay! Family!!

Highlight of the week was a visit late Sunday night from Spencer! He and his business buddy stopped by after their long drive from Utah to San Diego. It was so great to see Spencer. He loves to listen to our mission experiences.

Last night, we had FHE with the Sr. Missionaries at the Mormon Battalion. (Yes, it IS still called that) One couple talked about their mission in Greece. They had some beautiful pictures and told a lot about the history there. I told them that my parents visited Greece when they were on their mission in Albania, and that Dad had taken a photo of a nudists' beach. They laughed and said, yes, their were many of those-with not such beautiful bodies! Hah!

We are trying to stay healthy and strong. I'm glad we brought Mike's bike. We drive out to a little lake that has a hilly back and forth trail a few times a week. He bikes, I walk. It is nice to see the variety of plants beginning to put on their colorful shows of bloom. I've seen a few hummingbirds and deer. "I'm glad that I live in this beautiful world Heavn'ly Father created for me."

The best thing about apartment living. Trash Valet! You put your trash out at night, and a little fairy comes and empties it!!
It is the next best thing to having Eli around...