Arriving in Newport Beach, California

One of my favorite scriptures is in the beginning of the Book Of Mormon in the very first chapter of Nephi- 

I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith. 

The Lord has shown as many tender mercies as we have began our mission here in Newport Beach California.   Because the senior couple that occupies the apartment that we will be living in for the majority of our mission still has two weeks left to finish out their  mission, Elder Prater and I were assigned to live in other apartments til they return home. 

So our first temporary apartment was in Ladera Ranch.  It had been empty for a bit and had formerly been occupied by young elders.  We found the apartment comfortable and of course without internet. 

Elder Prater came down with a cold so we spent a couple of days just sitting in the apartment while he slept it off.  But at least the weather was glorious!   I was no longer cold. 

Because my husband had a cold our interview with our Mission President was pushed to the end of the week, so we didn’t know where we would be assigned or what we would be doing. Amazing enough, one of the tender mercies of the Lord was that  two of my brothers and their wives were vacationing in Newport Beach- something they had scheduled way before we received our call- so we were able to spent a couple of days with them enjoying the sunshine and ocean breeze. 

Pam and Brian Larson, my brother and his wife

Pam, Brian and my brother, Dard. 

One day, my brother even rented a boat and we drove by where our beach house used to be when we were growing up.  The house which was 70 years old when my parents purchased it had been torn down and replaced by a much bigger and newer home.  But it was fun to drive by in the boat, reminisce and fill in blanks in each other's memories. 

During our first week we were also able to meet with most of the senior missionaries in our mission and have a bonfire on the beach where we visited and got  acquainted with each other.  

We spent some of  the time that we didn't know where we would be serving, studying and reviewing what we had learned in the MTC.  We also read the book- The Power of Every Day Missionaries which had some very good ideas.  

And eating some good food...

At the end of that first week, we moved to another apartment that had just been vacated by a missionary couple going home in Oceanside and that same day we were finally able to meet with our mission president and his wife, President Carter.  We learned that we would be working in the Double Peaks Ward in the newly created San Marcos Stake.  

This second apartment we stayed in didn't have internet either but our phone reception was terrible in this location.  We had to stand in the kitchen to talk on the phone or receive texts.  And because we weren't yet in our area we didn't start to visit or meet anyone yet in our ward except on Sunday.  We did however get to meet the missionaries we would be replacing and learn what how they have been serving in the ward. 

During this second week, we took the opportunity to attend the San Diego Temple, which is actually outside our mission boundaries.  Because it is closer to us than the Newport Beach Temple we have permission to attend there.  We are in what is considered one of the southern zones of the mission and very close to the border of the San Diego Mission. 

Another favorite scripture of mine comes also from Nephi-

And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed  unto me great things.

This scripture refers to the temple and how we are taught each time we attend.  The way the endowment session has been presented through out the years have changed through time.  Each change seems to bring with it a clearer way of being taught the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  If you haven't been to the temple lately I encourage you to make the time and go!!!

We also got to meet our son, Mike and his family who live in San Diego, one night for dinner.  A big blessing of serving in this mission is that we will be close enough to our children and grandchildren to be able to meet quite often.

Even though we were like vagabonds for the first two weeks of our stay in California, the Lord had shown us  some of his tender mercies and we were able to use our time to reconnect with family, learn where we will be serving, have time to prepare and study more.   You will see from my next blog that we do actually start to serve in a ward and do missionary work!