Pictures of Our Mission

1 February 2010 - First Day in the MTC

Here we are in front of the big map of the world where all the missionaries take pictures.  After two weeks of intense study and training, we are prepared and eager to serve in the California Oakland/San Francisco Mission as an office couple.  We made good friends with many other senior missionaries and had a wonderful time, but were eager to get on the road and start serving as full-time missionaries.

14 February 2010 - Second Day in Oakland
We stayed our first two weeks in Oakland at the Todd House on Temple Hill while waiting to move into our apartment.  The Todd House is owned by the Church and used as temporary housing for temple patrons.  The cost is only $20 a night. Our bedroom had a fantastic view of Oakland, the Bay, and San Francisco, and from our balcony, we could see the Oakland temple shining through the fog like a heavenly beacon.  We shared the kitchen with others and were very comfortable.  In fact, when it's time to leave our mission, we plan to move out of our apartment and and into the Todd House while we train our replacements.

19 February 2010 - NBA Game
It was Family Night and the Golden State Warriors played the Utah Jazz. The Jazz won 100-89.  Twenty-seven of our missionaries sang the Nathional Anthem and did an amazing job. Most of the other senior couples went and it was fun to be with them.  This was Ken's first night with his official Vehicle Coordinator cell phone and he said it was really scary!






20 February 2010 - View from Mission Office

This is what I see every day from my desk. Those gorgeous bushes have purple flowers on them most of the yea,r and just off the porch are beds of colorful flowers and pots of other bushes.  The house across the parking lot is the home of the Oakland temple president and his wife, Richard and Nan Hunter.  He is the son of Howard W. Hunter and they are great people.  This picture doesn't do justice to the view I see every day - the city of Oakland and the San Francisco Bay.  Those mountains across the Bay are the southern part of San Francisco.  On a clear day I can see for miles - it takes my breath away.

24 February 2010 - President Wade & Arrivals

These great missionaries are special to us, because they came out with us, arriving just eleven days after we started working in the office. They are from Tonga, Hawaii, and many other states in the USA.  This is probably the largest and most diverse mission in the world with 217 elders and sisters from 25 countries speaking over nine languages.  We love them all.

27 March 2010 - P-Day in Pacifica

I was born in California, and lived in Corona del Mar and Costa Mesa until I was ten.  The sweet childhood memories of the beaches and brown hills of Southern California have stayed with me.  So when Ken and I had to meet some elders in Pacifica, I was excited to see the ocean again.  We were using the GPS to find our way, when we suddenly topped a hill and saw the Pacific ocean.  The thrill of seeing those mountains and the surf welled inside of me, and I shrieked with surprise and joy.  We had a wonderful time walking on the public pier and along the beach, even though it was windy and cold.

18 April 2010 - Tongan Ward Conference

There are many wards and branches that use the Interstake Center, which is next to the Oakland Temple and Visitors' Center on Temple Hill: the Chinese branch, Tongan ward, First ward, Ninth ward, and Cambodian branch.  Nearby stakes use the huge auditorium for their conferences, and many Temple Hill cultural events are held there.  These children are dressed in their Sunday best for their ward conference.  We love the cultural diversity of the Bay Area.

14 June 2010 - After Senior Missionaries' FHE

We love smelling the pink, yellow, and white roses that line the walkways on the Oakland temple grounds, strolling around the temple, looking at the fountains and beautiful, colorful flowers, and feeling the great peace of this holy place.  Sometimes we enter the Visitors' Center just to feel the spirit and visit the sweet sisters and senior couples who work there.  The center is open from 9:00 to 9:00 every single day of the year.  We feel very blessed to live just five blocks from this place.

19 August 2010 Oakland A's Stadium

The Bay Area has very unusual weather, at least to Mississippians who are used to the predictably hot weather of June, July, and August.  Here we are at my first major league baseball game between the Oakland A's and Tampa Bay Rays on LDS Family Night.  Twenty-eight of our missionaries sang the National Anthem like angels.  It gave us goose bumps!  We ate the proverbial hot dogs, peanuts, and Cracker Jacks and had a great time, but as you can tell from our warm clothes, it was very cool.  By the way, the A's won 4-3. 


21 August 2010 - Wedding Reception

How many missionaries get to see their stake president and his family during their mission?  We had a great time at Scott and Lauren Pack Westover's reception in Brentwood, which is within our mission, visiting with friends from Mississippi and meeting new people. We love our great stake president, Kevin B. Pack and appreciate his counsel and support! 

29 August 2010 - Oakland Temple VC  

Elder and Sister Kunz spent a year working at the Visitors' Center and completed their mission in September.  We miss them!  This statue of Jesus Christ is a replica of the famous Christus and is a focal point of the Visitors' Center.  Guests are greeted by sister missionaries from all over the US, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Tonga, Samoa, and England and are invited to sit in front of the Christus for a short, spiritual presentation.  They are then taken on a tour of the many interesting things in the VC and can see a spectacular view of the Bay Area from the glassed-in room on the back.

30 October 2010 - A-Day Commemoration
We attended an A-Day and Polynesian cultural event at the Interstake Center.  What a treat!  I love this picture of these young island dancers.

 31 October 2010 - Baptism Day
This was one of the happiest days of our mission.  This nine-year-old girl was the first of her family to be baptized.  She is smart and spiritual and loves coming to church.  We've been picking up her family almost every Sunday for the past eight months.  Her little sister, age 7, is looking forward to getting baptized when she turns eight in March.  Her mother has set a date for November.  I gave the talk on baptism and Ken gave the talk on the Holy Ghost.  I also filled in as pianist, playing for the first time since we left home on January 25.  She was confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 7 November 2010 by Ken.  We love this little girl so much!