Elder and Sister Prater in Newport Beach, California Mission

  Elder Prater, Brother and Sister Wiley and Brother Cogswell Every third Monday, some members of the Double Peak ward gather together at a member's home and study Come Follow Me for Family Home Evening.  This was our second time attending and both times it was held in the clubhouse of a mobile home park.  We were in charge this week, I sent out text reminders and organized the food, and Elder Prater lead the discussion.  We had a good group of 18 members up from our group of about 10 people last month.  The food was good, we met some new friends and the spirit was present.  A well spent Monday evening.  We don't usually plan too much on Tuesdays because we have district meeting in the mornings with the young missionaries and than in the afternoons we work in the FamilySearch Center.  Sometimes we are able to catch a member at home and have a visit after our shift.  This week, we visited our friend, Cal.  He is eighty-something years old...

The first day that we arrived in Newport Beach at the mission office we were greeted by the Kearsley's, missionaries who all works in the mission office. Sister Kearsly serves as Mission secretary, Brother Kearsly is the Financial missionary and their daughter, Sister Kaitlin Kearsley, is a service missionary in the office. Young Sister Kearlsy's greatest contributaion is to give a colored picture to every new missionary. She spends hours coloring these pictures so that as we arrive in the mission we know right away that we are loved and cared for. As I have stated previously every Monday morning we have a senior missionary devotional and we take turns giving a spiritual thought.  This week was Sister Kaitlin Kearsly's turn and I must say her testimony really touched my heart.  She choose as our song this week Vocal Point's redemption of Savior, Redeemer of My Soul.  She showed us pictures of our Savior, and light and darkness. She taught us about trials and focusi...

In my studies of our Savior, Jesus Christ, one of his attributes that I have noticed is his ability to notice and discern the needs of others around  him.  This is especially evident during his visit to ancient America.  In 3 Nephi chapter 15 he says  And it came to pass that when Jesus had said these words he perceived that there were some among them who marveled, and wondered what he would concerning the law  of Moses; for they understood not the saying that old  things had passed away, and that all things had become new. And then again in chapter 17 he says  I perceive  that ye are weak, that ye cannot understand  all my words which I am commanded of the Father to speak unto you at this time. In that same chapter he also said And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus spoken, he cast his eyes round about again on the multitude, and beheld they were in tears  and did look steadfastly upon him as if they would ask him to tarry a littl...

Our young missionaries serving in the Double Peak Ward went from a car area to being on bikes.  So during transfers they had to drive to the mission office and turn in their car along with another companionship in our district.  Because they needed a ride back to our area, we were able to attend the transfers.  All the missionary companionships in the mission that were being changed meet at the mission office in Irvine.  Missionaries are only told that they were being transferred not who their new companions are or where they are going until the meeting.  Everyone gathers in the cultural hall and the mission president then announces the new companionships and they then gather their luggage and head off. It is all very organized and very confusing at the same time!  We really enjoyed watching the action and especially getting to know two new missionaries in our district on the drive home.  Elder Houser, Wetsel, Walker, and Blaney is in the backseat....