12-13-23 On the road to Emmaus

Have you experienced a time when looking back you knew you had been part of something really special?

I call them 'Emmaus Experiences.' Times when you traveled with Christ, but didn't recognize it at the time.

Our Mission Leaders, President and Sister Quinn organized a temple trip for the whole zone- half on one day, half on the next. We met for muffins and juice, boarded buses and traveled to the Oakland Temple. After the session, and pictures we traveled back while we ate our lunches on the bus. After arriving back at Santa Rosa, we had a testimony meeting and dinner. Such a special day! Seeing all of those missionaries in the temple, dressed in white, and feeling their spirit-- powerful--a bit of heaven-- surrounded by seen and unseen angels.

"And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us..."

Elder & Sister Hustedt bringing Christmas cheer at breakfast; boarding the buses.

At the temple and the Visitors' Center

San Francisco in the distance, at the church and Visitors' Center-- The Quinns with the tech elders-Scoresby and Hawkins; and with the APs-- Elders Caldwell and Colling.

Our service here includes a variety of activities-- I'll explain through photos:

We helped the Quinns put together gifts for the missionaries, traveled to the police station for a police report on stolen license plates (couldn't get it it was sealed). The foggy season has arrived.

We served as hosts in the annual Crèche Festival-- hundreds of beautiful nativities were shared by friends and neighbors in the community. Elder & Sister Larsen came through during our shift.

It's apartment inspection time again. Checking CO/smoke detectors & cleanliness. I'd never seen a persimmon tree-- I need to taste one! Cute little Christmas trees greeted us. Some of the vineyards have shed their fruit and leaves, others are blessing us with color.

We spent a day with Elders Moala and Beard taking care of car matters. They were grateful for lunch and getting items needed for their apartment.

The Christmas season brings celebrations here and back home:

Our ward party included a band, stories, lights and food which was a glorified charcuterie meal. There was so much food that we had a linger longer after church the next day and many took bags of food home.

We missed making candy trains with our grandkids--they were showing us that they missed us. We are certainly missing them and all of our family and friends.

We appreciate old and new friends! Our daughter Jen got engaged to Mark! We hope to meet him soon!

We bought caramels from our friend Judy- she sent them Express mail!

Our mission is making go-bags for each apartment in case of an emergency evacuation. My friends and neighbors have collected extra items and they are arriving! A huge Thank you!❤️ to Carolyn Vandenakker for making it happen!

Sister Larsen shared her beautiful hand turned appliqué quilt block with us that she is working on... My sister's Christmas tree, and a winter rose is blooming.

We are so blessed to be here! I'm sure when our 18 months are past, we'll look back and know that He was walking with us all along.

"And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.

14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him."

He lives!! We are here on our 'Emmaus Journey' for Him-- to serve the best we can however we can.