Sunday, 11 March 2018

The week has been filled with contacting, reaching out, service, and fellowshipping. Visited with chaplain Giralmo at the Naval Postgraduate School and gave him one of our "bullet pens" that our friend, Richard Jeppesen, made for us. He loved it, as have all the chaplains. Tuesday we had 3 students come to our fellowship evening at DLI - one more than last time. Wednesday we did our bread delivery service project for the senior center and meals-on-wheels, and met with the bishop of the Monterey 1st ward to discuss military concerns. I spent several hours this week working with elders who the mission president referred to me for addiction problems, and attended institute class. Friday, we volunteered at the stake family history center in Seaside. Mostly got oriented and helped in learning some of the programs. It is an amazing center with some 5000 bound volumes of genealogical data. Saturday, we visited a family in Le Mesa navy housing to get acquainted and attended the Monterey 2 ward talent show. All of this activity helps us get acquainted and known by the members, especially in the military. Sunday was a marathon, beginning at 0730 with ward council for Monterey 1st followed by sacrament meeting. At 1000 we attended the YSA ward council and proposed establishing fellowship groups at DLI to give us more efficient ways to fellowship new members and keep them active. At 1145 we attended the Monterey 2nd ward council and then their sacrament meeting. That evening we attended the YSA scripture study evening. We were going non-stop over 12 hours. Ain't as young as we used to be!!
     The peninsula where Monterey and Pacific Beach are located, is very hilly and covered with ponderosa pine and other deciduous trees. The coastline is rugged with jagged rocks, clefts, and sandy beaches. A deep oceanic trough runs near the coastline where water from Alaska sweeps down, keeping the water consistently 60-64 degrees throughout the year. The cold water and warm inland (especially during June and July) produces considerable fog. Sea otters, sea lions, and seals thrive in the Monterey Bay, and whales can also be seen in season. Clear days are spectacular, reminding me of our years at Whidbey Island in the Puget Sound. The inland mountains are beautiful, rolling, green hills spotted with oaks and other trees. The Cyprus trees are also beautiful; so tall and mysterious in the groves where they grow. Lots of squirrels and crows in the pine forests. The San Andreas fault is just east of Monterey, so, we feel like we are sitting on the edge of doom where at any moment it could erupt and Monterey and half of California might break off and drop into the sea. Perhaps it will be the Lord's way of cleansing some of the mess going on in California by baptism of water and fire!
     We've found the members of the church here friendly and welcoming. An amazing number of them have some connection to Rexburg, Idaho where we were born and raised. Some military struggle to stay active, although many have served missions and been to the temple. We just keep reaching out and being a positive and encouraging influence.