Back Again

We arrived home safe and sound by the grace of God on Monday night of this week! Our renter is having trouble finding a new place so we're letting her stay an extra month knowing we are going to be wrestling the yard into submission and packing up the house. 

It's been wonderful. She is a delight to live with and has done a great job keeping our home safe and our trees alive and cats fed.  The three peach trees are loaded with almost ripe fruit. The nectarine is almost ripe. The plum tree is burgeoning with ripe plums, the orange, tangerine, and lemon trees are full of fruit. The raspberries are producing, the fig tree is full. It's a dream. 

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We woke up the first day grateful for our bed and home and began to "dematerialize". We spend 6-8 hours a day packing, sorting, and tossing. Our good friend, Paul LeBrett came to haul our trailer and dump it. We are so grateful.

Neighbors and friends drop by and we see how blessed we are. Our bishop came by to interview us for our next mission. We were asked to serve in Missouri Historic Sites FM. So we bought a house in Independence. We close next week. We will be central to 3 of our 4  kids

So on to new adventures!

We love you and pray you will always be in our lives.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct your path! Be not wise in your own eyes, fear/respect God and depart from evil and it will be health to thy navel and marrow to thy bones! 

Proverbs 3: 5-8

 

The Long Road Home: Week Four

 

This past week we visited several friends who left our mission before us as we drove home from Bear lake.

We went to a very fun dinosaur museum with cool interactive experiences.

My back was still killing me but God blessed me to still be able to interact with my family.

Half way through the museum I had to rent a wheelchair! Lol. That was a new moment.

Then Autumn and Spring and some other female family members went hiking in Moab for three days.

I stayed behind and helped Reg babysit the four grandchildren. It was so fun. Thanks to my sister, Jo, we went swimming two days in a row. It was so fun.

On Wednesday I asked all of my extended family to pray over my back. The next morning I felt markedly better. This morning I was able to stand without pain. I testify that prayer works. Your prayers matter and our combined prayers have great power! 

Tomorrow night we will be back home in California after over a year and a half.

Thank you God for this Grand Adventure.

We have already submitted our paperwork for another mission. We wish to "Die in the saddle" so to speak. So we will enjoy California for a little while more then set out again.

Stay tuned.

The Long Road Home Week 3

 

It truly has been a long road home, but oh what a lovely road it has been! This whole week all four of our children and all five of our grandchildren stayed together at a mighty cabin at Bear Lake, Idaho!

Highlights include stick ball, wading, and kayaking at the lake

 Dance parties every day. Each one hosted by a different family!

Games, Pinewood Derby, Crafts, art delicious food, silly talent shows,

and good conversations go carts and family prayers.

Half way through the beautiful week my lower back blew out. 

It was excruciating. But I pushed through and tried to participate as best I could.

I was pleading with the Lord to take it away so I could enjoy my family.

 Instead he allowed me to enjoy my family despite my pain.

This week in my devotionals I read a conference talk by Emily Belle Freeman called "

Best days Worst Days. 

A particular quote really resonated with me. 

It's true. I hope you're finding ways to bring Jesus into your life every hour!

Finally, “Jesus Christ brings joy. … You might have a bad day, a bad week, or a bad year. [Just remember,] joy is not the absence of sorrow in your life; [it is] the presence of [Jesus] Christ in your life.”

Emily Belle Freeman.

Until next week!

We love you.

The long road home week 2

 

We left the Grand Canyon Monday morning and drove to Eagle Mountain, UT. We stopped briefly to visit my sister,Jo, in Springville, UT and our friends the Wises from our mission. They left before us. It was so great to see them

So this week we have enjoyed doing homework with the girls, moving and making grow boxes, laying pavers, assembling a green house, and planting baby plants

In the book of Joshua in the Old testament Joshua was in his 80s saying he was as strong still as he was in his forties! It was because of his great trust in the Lord and his faithfulness. As we worked in the heat and altitude we felt strong, and knew the Lord was blessing us. Keeping covenants restores our strength!

We also took naps😁. Highlight of the week was playing games with Calen and Spring when the girls went to bed and making mud pies and goo stew with Caluna.

Today Autumn's family flys in and Ben's family and Ephraim drive in late tonight. The Eagles are gathering for a week of frolick at the Cullen family reunion at Bear Lake.

We love you all. Have a great week.

The long road home week 1

 We arrived at Ben's and Courtnie's house on Saturday night. Sunday morning was mother's day and Ben had a wonderful breakfast for me and Courtnie. I felt loved.

At 3pm we zoomed with our stake president and we're officially released and took off our badges. We felt normal. Probably because we were "all in" missionaries before our mission. Lol. So business as usual without the badges.

Ephraim came over that night and helped make a lamb feast for us! Our boys are so nurturing. It was a delight

We really loved spending time with Wells. He's so daring on his bike!!! And he's a little farm boy.

We're currently in Tuba City. The last few days we've been to the Cliff dweller ruins

And the Grand Canyon!! It's astounding. Truly.

It was very satisfying to play my native flute in the beauty of both canyons.

Today we went to church in the Navajo ward. I loved their family history board.

If you want the blessings of family history in your life, let me know. We'll get you on your way.

Love you all. See you here next week.