Thou shalt live together in love

Both our beloved mission leaders, President and Sister Quinn, had their mothers pass away recently.  President Quinn's mother was 96 when she passed on January 20.  She was the mother of 12 children.  The Quinn's received permission from the Twelve to travel home for her funeral in Utah held on January 31.  President Quinn could only be gone a couple of days so he returned to the mission right after the funeral.  Sister Quinn stayed behind because her 91 year old mother was failing in her health.  While there, just two days after the funeral of President Quinn's mother, she passed away on February 2 while Sister Quinn was holding her hand.  It was a tender mercy that Sister Quinn could be there when she passed away. We learned that their mother's knew each other and were friends.

On Friday that same week, February 6, the combined zone conference for the Santa Rosa and San Rafael zones was held.  All the other zone conferences were held the week before but that zone conference was delayed a week due to the funeral of President Quinn's mother.  The topic of the zone conferences was the Plan of Salvation and the Quinn's bore powerful and personal testimonies sharing with us their recent experience.  

We shared with the Quinn's the following scripture - Doctrine & Covenants 42:45 which reads, in part: "Thou shalt live together in love, insomuch that thou shalt weep for the loss of them that die..."  The words "thou shalt" sound like commandments - the Lord is commanding us to live together in love.  But He also seems to be commanding us to mourn and weep for those who die.  The Savior of mankind, the God of the universe who has a perfect knowledge of the Plan of Salvation knows all too well the pain we feel when a loved one dies.  Grief, mourning and tears, are demonstrations of love when earthly associations are lost. 

After Zone Conference the Quinn's said the needed a night out with friends. So the office missionaries along with the Wilson's, first met at the mission office where we presented the Quinn's with a blanket and card.  We then all drove over to St. Helena to Gott's Roadside (a favorite outdoor diner of the Quinn's - and really all of us).  It was a special time to be with our mission leaders who were still, understandably, saddened by the loss of their mothers.

At Gott's Roadside - Sister Ritchie, Elder Wilson, President & Sister Quinn, 

Sister & Elder Cawley, Elder & Sister Miller, Sister Wilson and Elder Ritchie

Gott's Roadside - good burgers, onion rings and shakes

Santa Rosa and San Rafael Zone Conference held at the Petaluma Stake Center

Cool restaurant and winery in St Helena called Maryvalle Vineyards; huge wine barrels!

Sister Young and Sister Donna helping with a move - happy Sisters!

Moved two apartments of Sisters into one home.  Pictured: Sisters Cawley, Young, Doner, Hankins, Weller, Moon, Johnson, Elders Merrill & Wells, Sisters Wilson, Brimhall, Mitchell, Risser (barely J), & Winterton, Elders Largey, Yacktman & Sister Adams