Santa Maria - a pretty, nice place!

Hi to all!  I am sitting here with an ice bag on my arm, then on my shoulder, then on my neck, then on my wrist, then start the whole process over again!  Ah what fun ~ I will explain shortly.

We went to Santa Maria to give the Career Workshop at the Stake Center there.  We had 26 people in our class!  It was fun to do, and fun to meet some good people!   One of the attendees was from a ward Sister Morris had been in 15 years ago!  It is funny how many people she knows, or knows that other people know.  I haven’t even tried to count the times this has happened!  I’ve known one or two people, and it is fun!

Here is a picture of the group.  I couldn’t fit everyone into the picture all at the same time as we had tables everywhere. 

The person who invited us, Brother David Marquis, is a member of the Stake High Council over employment in the Santa Maria Stake.  One of the counselors in the Stake Presidency attended the class and at the end, asked those there to evaluate the class, which they thought was great, (YAY!), then asked if it should be held again, and they all thought it should, and held quarterly was the consensus.   I don’t know about that!  We’ll have to talk with our acting manager and discuss things with the Santa Maria Stake too!  The Counselor didn’t come out and say WE were to come down quarterly, but we shall have to see what transpires.

Back to the arm – it turns out Brother Marquis is “David Marquis, DC” and a holder of Level 4 certification of laser therapy.  I snapped my fingers in class, trying to explain something, and boy!  did that kill my wrist!?!  So Brother Marquis, at lunch, asked what I had done that it would hurt to snap my fingers.  I gave a quick (me? quick?) synopsis of what had been going on.  He said he was a Dr. and he offered to take a look at my arm after the workshop.  I told him that would be great!

After class, he offered again, and I told him if he had the time, I would really appreciate it!  We drove to Arroyo Grande where his office is, and he started poking and pushing, like doctors always do, and found some really tender spots.  One of the problems with this is that there were tender spots all over my arm, in my shoulder, and in my neck!  The tendons all up and down my arm are inflamed, and the bones in my hand were stuck together.  My neck was out a bit, and the muscles in my arm had tension points, and my shoulder, front and back, was inflamed!  My arm was/is a real mess, and I didn’t even know it was that bad!  He did laser treatments on practically my whole arm, shoulder, and neck for 1-1/2 hours, and did some adjustments!  I felt really bad we were taking so much of his time, especially when we found out it was his son’s birthday!!!

He wouldn’t let me pay him. 

I said to him, “I don’t know how to even thank you!”  He said, “You just did!” 

It is so humbling to have people do such nice things for me.  It isn’t even ANYTHING I have done of myself – it is the name tag.  There are so many good people out there who will serve, and give love, and help however it is needed, especially to missionaries.

I am …. SO SORE! …. But with exercises, herbal muscle relaxers, and anti-inflammatories, I will feel 70% better in about 3-4 days!  He suggested I continue with physical therapy, or at least, have massage therapy.  I am grateful the Brother Drysdale in our ward here is so willing to have me keep coming.  I certainly will!  I can honestly say my wrist does not hurt like it did, as I can twist it, and move it up and down!  That is remarkable!  I am so blessed!  I see Heavenly Father’s hand in this; in having me meet Brother/DR. Marquis so he could help me.  There ARE no coincidences!  Heavenly Father’s plan for each of us is as intricately woven and put in place as is every fiber, muscle, tissue, and cell of our bodies.  He knows ALL things!  All things!  It is up to us to choose which way we will go – will we follow all that is good and right and put into place for us for our eternal good, or will we not?  Which way gives us the greater happiness?  We choose!

We went to the ocean on the way to Santa Maria – walked on the beach for a bit, got our feet wet and picked up some sand dollars!  We stopped and took some pictures of Morro Bay – and the big piece of rock out in the ocean!  It was cloudy at first, and in the 1st picture you can sort of see it, but then as we went further south, it cleared up, and we have a couple of good shots, but I will only put in one.

                      

You can kindof see the mound just straight across from this sentence.  If I could circle it, I would!

The rock at Morro Bay - pretty cool!

Isn't the ocean just beautiful! 

We ate dinner at Applebee’s in Santa Maria, and as we walked in, we saw the young Elder missionaries with their host, waiting to be seated.  This town is in the California Ventura mission!  They were very nice young men, and their host was a nice man, a convert of about 5 years. 

Church was good.  It just seemed a little weird to have an ice bag, but that was the only way I could survive it!  Things are much better this evening, so I am, again, blessed!  We went to temple prep class with Becky.  It was an interesting class time, with the Fall, the Plan of Salvation, etc. being discussed.  Britta invited our friend Becky over for dinner, so that was nice.  We all love Becky!

Time for bed!  I showed the pictures of our workshop at the office because we were asked to return and report.  I had to delete a few as we, both, had funny looks on our faces!

I am so grateful for the blessings I receive from Heavenly Father – for prayers offered in my behalf – for being able to bring my telephone and call people to see how they are, and to have help with recipes, quilts, faith, pride, and gospel questions!

It’s all good, everybody!  It really is!  May our Father bless you and keep you.  I pray for you, and thank you for the prayers offered in my behalf.  I do feel of the strength I receive from them.  Love, Sister Ure

The slacker finally gets back to writing a post.....  Today the question was - do I write something, or do I go to bed on time.....  Writing won out ~  That's probably not a good thing.

The weather is hot!  It was 106 a couple of days this past week.  We just stayed indoors.  It's not QUITE like staying inside when it's snowing, but I guess it just depends which 3 months you stay indoors - here, it's the summer.  At home, it's the winter!

We have been helping the young missionary Elders with less active members in our ward!  What a blessing that is!  We have been fortunate to meet Becky.  She is a native American, and as you can see, she is beautiful!  We love her!  She has a great sense of humor, and is so very smart and kind. 
She is dealing with some health issues, but just does what she needs to, to stay as healthy as she can.  Becky invited us to go to her home for scripture study with the missionaries.  We were honored to do so.  She is coming back, all on her own now.  We were taking her to church for several weeks before.

We've also worked with another sister, but she moved out of the ward, so no picture.

This is the green from the kitchen.  My camera is being kind of weird, and not giving good shots.  I was a little disappointed as the green is brighter than this.

  




Sister Morris really wants to repaint it...... (I don't.)  I actually do like it!  So there's two reasons I don't want to repaint:  I like it, and I don't want to have to help paint it again...... I'll get over it and help if I have to.  I'm hoping Sister Morris gets over the desire to repaint first!

If Sister Morris ever looks at my blog, I will be in trouble.  As I'm getting my wrist/arm worked at therapy, you can sort of see this picture of her in laying on a table in the next area.  This table is an automatic massage table!  How would THAT be!  I've told her several times I'm more than willing to trade her places.

We went out with the younger sister missionaries on Friday night to a new member's home for Bible study, of Luke.  It was an interesting experience.  I hadn't read all of Luke before we went, but did add to the discussion about how Mary pondered things in her heart.  I can't imagine being the mother of Christ. 

We had a surpise birthday party for Britta.  She turned 65 years old at the end of July.  This is a picture of her clapping her hands before blowing out the candles on one of her birthday cakes.  This cake is one of those DELICIOUS cakes from Costco (thank you, Costco!), white cake & frosting, and vanilla pudding....stuff inside.  The decoration on this one is a dinosaur.  Britta is always saying she is a dinosaur, so ....

We are Britta's 2nd set of "senior, single" sister missionaries (I put part of that in parentheses because I do not think of myself as single or a senior!  I am getting closer to being a senior, but I am not there quite yet!  Vanity! Vanity!)   

One of the former set of sister missionaries was able to come for the party. It was a wonderful surprise for Britta - she just cried and cried ~  We were glad she could come.  Her name is Sister Fulford.  She is a nice lady ~

                                                            

 I have been reminded how merciful Heavenly Father is, and how quickly He answers our prayers.  There are times in everyone's life where things aren't going how WE think they should.  I have had an issue or two with feeling joy before, mostly based on feelings at Christmas, because Justin died 2 days before Christmas.  There are times when I do not feel a lot of joy here!  I prayed and asked Heavenly Father help me with this last night, and just this afternoon, that prayer was answered by our Father through one of the younger sister missionaries we've gone out with a couple of times on splits, who will be going home this coming Wednesday!  (I hope I get this right.  I'll ask as we will see her on Tuesday pm.)  How does one find joy?  

"J" - We put Jesus Christ first - serve Him with all of our heart, mind, and strength; 

"O" - Then we serve Others - do all we can for those we come in contact with;

"Y" - then You will be happy and find J-O-Y! 

Through our Savior, Jesus Christ, we can experience the joy that comes from His love, His sacrifice, His devotion to us!  We all know this, but sometimes we just need a little reminding of how simple it really is.    I am so blessed from Heavenly Father, to be a representative of the Lord - I truly am!

(I just really liked this sample picture.)

I love the Fresno temple!  It is beautiful!  Sister Morris and I have been going most Thursdays for the 6:45 pm initiatory session.  As this temple is one of the "small" temples (and it is!  Only one endowment room!), you have to make an appointment to do temple work of any kind, as there is only so much room.  There are always allowances made for people who just come.  Sister Morris had the idea of taking a sister with us each Thursday, as there is room for 3 sisters for each initiatory session.  We take a different sister each week, and then invite that sister to take someone else with her to another session.  We have gone with 8 or 9 diffrent sisters so far, and it has been really fun to get to know them!  Most are from our ward, but we've been with others that we have met through various ways. 

The sad thing is, is that the temple is not busy - not at all.  Elder Choi of the Seventy came for Stake Conference when we first arrived.   Someone asked if the temple would ever be enlarged.  Elder Choi said he had been at the temple that morning, and there were only15 people in the session.  He said there were many members in this area, but until the temple needed to be bigger because of use, there was no reason to make it bigger.  He really said it point blank.  That is when Sister Morris had the idea given to her to, hopefully, bring more people to the temple.

So many of us have temples very close.  I would invite each of you to set a goal to go to the temple more often.  The Spirit is so strong there ~  We, also, need to serve those people who have been waiting so long!  Our office staff/volunteers/missionaries are priviledged to go together once a quarter to an endowment session.  The sister who I was proxy for was born in 1599!  That is a long time to wait!

We meet so many people when we are out and about, doing errands, etc.  It is such a blessing to talk with people about the Gospel of Jesus Christ - hand out pass along cards, pamphlets, Book of Mormons, give hugs, etc.  We were in Costco today, and the Vitamix demonstrator was from West Jordan, Utah!  That's really cool!  Most of the time, when we are in stores, the people don't read our missionary tags, they just see the tag and think we are employees!  Then we get the opportunity to explain who we are and why we are here.  We've given many Employment Center business cards out to people as well!  We've actually seen some of those people come into the office for help!

Well - it's past that time of day!  I hope everyone is well, and doing well!  Sister Morris is always telling the sisters in Relief Society, as the sign up sheet to feed the young missionary Elders is being passed around, not to forget the single, senior missionaries - the same blessings would be given!  (Those that know me really well would know that is truly very embarrassing to me, but I'm getting use to it, (sort of) ...), so I would invite you to have the young missionaries over for dinner, or send those from your ward a sunshine box of candy or baked goods!  Though it is hard for us to be away from our families, we have access to the computer and the phone, so we don't feel the distance quite as much as these young people do!

May you all be blessed for your goodness, for those things which you do that makes others' lives more bearable, and for your thoughts are prayers!  The strength we receive is so amazing!  It truly is a great gift from Heavenly Father!  Much love - Sister Ure