Meet Elder Day

Meet Elder Day.

 Below you will find a picture of the Oakland 1 zone at our last zone conference in the California Oakland San Francisco Mission. If you don't look carefully, you might miss Elder Day. On the back row in the middle is an Elder with such a big smile that his mouth is wide open. This is Elder Day.

As a mission office couple we are blessed to be around the young missionaries all the time as they come into the office. We are able to talk to and encourage them, hug them and learn to love them. 

Wherever I was around Elder day, he was so happy he literally jumped up and down.  Recently Elder Day was riding his bike home from a teaching appointment and hit a pothole that sent hymn flying. His companion called 911 and the mission president who was then able to arrive in short order.

When President Lash ran up to the scene of the accident, he found Elder Day lying on the road.

When he saw his mission leader standing over him, Elder Day looked up with a smile and said, "Don't worry President. I'm still having my best day so far."

Let me backup so you understand. President Lash so enjoyed a book by George Durrant called "My Best Day So Far" that he took the title and used it for a reply every time some asked him, "How are you doing?"

"I'm having my best day so far" was President Lash's answer every time.

Before long, this phrase became the motto for our mission as he titled his weekly email to the missionaries, "My Best Day So Far".

Elder Day had a broken collar bone and wrist and lots of scrapes and bruises. He recently returned home for surgery and recuperation. Please note the pictures below with his family. Elder Day is Tigger - a bouncy, trouncey ball of energy and happiness. He radiates joy and lifts the spirits of everybody around him.

I want to be more like Elder Day. 

If today is not the best day of our life, then we never get to have the best day of our life. If we get stuck in the regrets of yesterday or the anxiety of tomorrow we lose our only true power . . .  the moment, and our choice to experience gratitude, joy and peace. 

We are the author of our own life story. We don't always get to choose our own plot twists but we do get to choose how we respond. 

Because of Jesus Christ, each of our stories will have a happy ending.

So the next time someone asks you, "How are you doing?" try answering, "I'm having my best day so far." 

Then smile and think of Elder Day.

Adassa Comes to Oakland

I was asked to write an article about an amazing singer who is performing for two nights in October in Oakland California on Temple Hill where I live and serve as a full time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints..

Click on the link below to read all about it.

Adassa is coming to Oakland – TempleHill.org

California has so much natural beauty to offer

We love living in California and enjoying the natural wonders everywhere.

A Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is about LOVE

A mission 

for 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

is about getting to know people, 

learning to love them 

and developing a deep desire to serve them. 

A mission is also about 

being taught meaningful life lessons 

by those you get to know 

and being loved 

by your precious new friends.

Visits From Family While We Serve Our Full-time Mission in Oakland/San Francisco

The only thing better than serving a mission with my sweetheart

 is having family visit while we are serving our mission.

Celebrating Easter on Temple Hill in Oakland

https://templehill.org/celebrating-easter-on-temple-hill/

As part of my missionary service I've been asked to write articles for templehill.org

You can read my first article by clicking on this link above to learn about all the Christ centered activities on Temple Hill during the Easter Season this year.

California Oakland/San Francisco Mission Service

Ross and I love serving in the California Oakland/San Francisco Mission with the rich diversity of people and cultures that surround us. We strive to bring souls to Christ and stand in awe at His great atoning sacrifice for all mankind. We invite all to feel the love of our Heavenly Mother and Father and to know that life has meaning and purpose. There is peace and joy that comes from living and sharing the gospel. 

California Oakland/San Francisco Mission

We  have arrived in Oakland and have been training for our roles as a mission office couple. I am the mission office secretary and my husband is managing housing for 160 young men and women and twenty four senior senior mission couples who have the faith and courage to go anywhere in the world and do whatever they are called to do. Our mission office is right across the street from the beautiful Oakland Temple with fresh flowers and flowing fountains year round. It is such a blessing to serve and help bring souls to Christ. 

This is a group shot of all the senior missionaries at the Provo Missionary Training Center who arrived the first week of January 2023 with us. This group of 161 is the largest senior group since COVID hit. Our training here is largely centered on Jesus Christ and how we can spread his love to all the world. There are also 1100 junior missionaries. What a joy is has been to see the beautiful faces of these18 and 19 year old young men and women full of light and love, eager to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many are also learning a foreign language so they can speak to the people they teach in their own language. What is the incentive for all of us to leave our former lives and beloved family behind and go out into the world at our own expense? We love our Savior Jesus Christ and want to share his love.

Ross and I will be serving in 

the California Oakland/San Francisco Mission as an office couple. 

I will be the mission secretary and Ross will assist the Mission President 

as his executive secretary and as the housing coordinator. 

This means we will be able to get to know and love all the missionaries 

and many of the wonderful people in the Bay area.
I have been looking forward to this day all my life and thank God for this wonderful opportunity. 

Christmas 2022

Christmas Concert

Jair's Blessing Day