One Year Older and Wiser (Fuller) too!

Sunday was my birthday, but we celebrated on Saturday night with our Chinese students who attend English classes. They took us to Brotherhood Seafood Restaurant on Irving Street in S. F.  The food was authentic and to top things off they bought a delicious cake from a German bakery.

Then Sunday, instead of commemorating the anniversary of the Relief Society organization, it was only about "Sister Johnson's birthday.  Three different cakes and lots of vanilla ice cream pleased the sisters.

Yesterday, Monday the 19th, was the last day our mission district would all be together before transfers so we met for lunch at Kome, a Japanese buffet.  Once again, we celebrated my birthday. It's been the year for food, food, food.

However, some of the things that have touched my heart the very most were: the lace stone necklace from my children, the "Birthday in a Box" from the Zundels, the sweater and blouse from my cousin, The Hiding Place book from Mary Apeland, the phone call from Pat and Roy and the silk scarf and steak dinner from dear Tom.  It's been quite the celebration and quite the year!!

Guess Who?

Yesterday our mission, CA: Oakland/San Francisco Mission, joined with the CA: Santa Rosa Mission in a memorable meeting at the Interstake Center in Oakland.  Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife and Elder Richard J. Maynes of the Presidency of the Seventy and his wife were the featured speakers. Between the two missions, there were over four hundred missionaries in attendance. Both Elder Perry and Elder Maynes were very warm and personable in their approach.  It was just a wonderfully uplifting meeting.

Prior to the meeting and following it, Tom and I were on the lookout for JR's cousin, Hermana Anderson, who is presently serving in the Santa Rosa Mission.  I was the first to spot her. Atleast I thought this tall sister looked like the pictures I'd seen of her.  We worked our way through the crowd and sure enough--it was Sister Courtney (Coco) Anderson. We have a picture to prove we met her.