Hasta Luego, Aunt Betty

It's a bittersweet thing to tell of our dear, sweet Aunt Betty's passing. We rejoice at her reunion with Uncle Bob, and her family members who've gone before her but we weep at her leaving us behind; kind of like when someone takes the vacation of a lifetime and you aren't invited. Yea, it's like that...

I would love to tell you what Aunt Betty's love has meant in my life but I would need more RAM in my computer. If I were writing it by hand it would take reams of paper. So I'll whittle it down to the most meaningful events. Others will have much to say as well but in the end we will all finish with the same thing..."Aunt Betty loved me the best. I was her favorite niece/nephew!" However, the difference between me and all the others? I knew without a doubt that I was her favorite!

As far back as I can remember I was the person who Aunt Betty came to for a perm or a hairdo. I can hear her now, "Oh, just slap it up!" I was in high school so I'm not sure how it came to be that I was the one doing her hair. It certainly wasn't because I knew what I was doing but I did her hair for years.

She also knew of my love for art and when she started teaching school I would be the one who did all her drawings for her class. My mom caught on to that too and pretty soon I was doing the art for both of them. I could have made a ton of money but I didn't have the heart to take a dime. I loved doing it for both of them and it was something I did well. It was one of the ways I could pay them both back for the trouble I would eventually cause them both.

When I entered college I rebelled! Oh boy did I! Only one time in my life did I ever tell my mom that I hated her. In the end I moved out and it was downhill from there. It was the toughest experience of my life. After being on my own for too long I ended up at at Grandma Rod's but I think Aunt Betty took pity on Grandma and took me to live at her house.

I only remember Tim, Priscilla and Margaret being there. By that time Zora was already on her own I think. Funny, I don't ever recall feeling out of place or unwanted in that house. Aunt Betty treated me with kindness and always made sure I was included in the family events. She even trusted me enough to drive her VW van home from football games. And it was a new van (well, that's how I remember it). The point is, Aunt Betty always had a way of making me feel like I was worth something.

Later, when I started having children, Aunt Betty was always there with my mom to help with cooking and caring for the new baby. She did that for every baby until we moved up to the Bay Area. She also treated my family, particularly my girls, special and in turn they loved to visit her. She loved it when they took the time to take new little ones to see her when they were in California. After my mom and dad were both gone, the girls still made it a point to visit when they could. In turn, there was always something special in the mail at Christmas time and it was always appreciated.

There is just no way to convey what Aunt Betty has meant to all of us and in time we will all be able to tell her ourselves. That is the beauty of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the faith that our existence does not end with death. In time we will all be together again. It would be an unbearable thing if it were not so.

So, hasta luego, Aunt Betty; not good bye, but see you in a little while. We know it's true!

Hip-Hip Hooray!

As you may or may not know, I have a bad hip! It didn't start causing me so much pain until Z and I said out loud, "Let's put in our mission papers!" It was downhill from there for our mortal bodies. Z's knee got worse and he's been faithfully doing his PT each morning. But my hip...MY HIP has caused me so more pain in the last three months that ever in my life...until now!

Let me back up a little. I've been going to a chiropractor and an orthopedic specialist for a few months now in the hopes that the hip issue could be resolved. I've endured some pretty painful procedures to find our what was actually wrong with it. "Your hip joint is inflamed!" said the ortho doc. "You're way out of alignment" said the chiropractor. "Tell me something I DON"T know!" said I. It's been so frustrating and I was so worried about entering the mission home in such pitiful shape, not to mention all the other calamities that were going on in our family (see previous posts).

Anyway, the pain got so bad with all the walking in the mission home that I usually went to bed in tears. After about a week of that, I swallowed my pride and asked for a Priesthood blessing and was given a wonderful one at the hands of my faithful husband, assisted by our dear friend Elder Wheeler, a member of our small group. It promised if I was faithful in the work (missionary) I would be able to do all that I needed to do and the hip wouldn't be a problem. It didn't say that the pain would go away necessarily but that I would be able to do the work that I'd been called to do.

I can't tell you that the pain went away, what I can tell you is that we were able to finish getting ready to leave for our mission and I could bare the pain. In fact the entire trip was enjoyable and except for a few kinks after driving for a couple of hours, it was OK.

Yesterday we conducted Sacrament at Camp Geiger after attending two separate ward Sacraments and a flurry of Bishopric meetings. That was followed by a dinner invitation at Brother and Sister Kehr's home with their family and a couple of friends. It was a very full day as all of our Sunday's have been. As we were walking out of the small chapel at Camp Geiger and having enjoyed a very spiritual day, I suddenly realized that I had been the recipient of a miracle, no, not just a miracle, a HUGE miracle! I realized I had barely limped the entire day and I wasn't in pain! I know that by doing the Lord's work and putting the needs of our mission first, I was blessed as I'd been promised.

I'm so grateful for each and every trial and joy this mission is bringing to our lives. We've been able to participate in two baptisms; the second one just last Wednesday. Her name is Audrey and she was brought into the Gospel by her friend. When I think of the influence that her friend had I'm blown away. Why are adults so afraid to invite others to partake of this wonderful gift?

We love being here in North Carolina and everyday is a new experience. We've met so many great people in and out of the Church and know this is where we're meant to be. The Marines we work with are an outstanding, faithful little "band of brothers/sisters" and it's great to be with them.

This will have to do for now, but I want my family to know that while we are here, we pray for each and every one of them to grow in our absence. We know the challenges are overwhelming at times...no, a lot of the time, but we would encourage those of you who aren't doing it, to read the BOM and get on your knees often. The Lord is aware of your trials and your pain. Remember...HE FELT ALL THAT YOU FEEL NOW! What a gift we've all been given.

We love you...Joy in the Journey!

Elder Dad and Sister Mom

The pictures are of the beautiful North Carolina coast, Sister Bowers and Sister Felton at Audrey's baptism, Elder Z and Sister Z enjoying the last of the warm weather at the beach. It was over 75*...a very nice day, indeed! And graduation from MCT at Camp Lejeune.

Beginning of Second Week 10/10/10

What a fantastic Sabbath day it has been; two ward sacraments, two relief societies and a sacrament meeting at Camp Geiger with the largest attendance they've ever had. We had seven Marines and four missionaries in the meeting. I was so humbled by the simplicity of the meeting and met some fine young men and women. Two of the young women are non-members who listened to an overview of the church and one of them wants to be baptised (she has been learning about the church for awhile) and the other wants to know more. One of the young men was a member from Mongolia who is here to learn about the U.S. military and how to better train their soldiers. His conversion story is amazing. Another member of the group is a Marine combat trainer. He's been deployed six times! I grateful for those who serve faithfully both in church and for country.

The highlight of my day was having a young man approach me after Sunday school and ask me if I knew an Alicia Zollinger who has a daughter named Charley. "I sure do!" I replied. "They are my daughter and granddaughter!" Well he was so excited to hear that because it seems that he used to work with Alicia at Smith's and even attended Charley's first birthday party with his parents. He's a great kid and so I took a picture of him with Elder Zollinger and me as a surprise for Alicia. I knew it would make her day; indeed it did! BTW, his name is Andrew Horrocks. Alicia likes him a lot and told me to be extra nice to him!

I'm so grateful to be here in Jacksonville, NC. I know that how ever hard it will become and how ever much my family will endure in our absence, we are meant to be here doing the Lord's work and we will all be blessed. I wasn't sure we'd make it here; with my bad hip and Elder Zollinger's bad knee it would have been so easy to just throw our hands in the air and call it quits. The pain isn't gone but everyday I'm blessed to be able to do what I need to do and put thoughts about my discomfort to the back burner. I remind myself that the Savior endured so much more; if He could endure His pain, could I do less?

Much love,

Elder and Sister Zollinger

North Carolina Raleigh Mission- Military Relations

North Carolina

We've only been here for one week and yet feel very busy. The couple that we're replacing, Elder and Sister Madsen, have been very good about teaching us the ropes as Military Relations missionaries. There is a lot we aren't allowed to do at Camp Lejeune (pronounced Lejerne-it's French) so we need to be very carefull about following the rules. Our assignment is to support single (YSA) Marines while they are here for training. We wear no badges while on base and unless we have a set appointment with someone specific, we don't discuss the Gospel. The exception is when we conduct Sacrament at Camp Geiger. We got our first opportunity to conduct Sacrament last Sunday.

After meeting the Chaplain, his wife (who sings beautifully while playing the piano) and his daughter, we waited for our little group to arrive. Little is the operative word here. We will have as many as zero to 5 or 6. Last Sunday we had 2 show up. For the first time I felt like I was in a Branch. The other room sounded like a loud revival meeting while our meeting was just a few of us with small voices, to say the least. However I felt such an overwhelming feeling that while the world is drawn away by loud music and religion wearing a mask of "fun and good times", we are led by the quietness of the Holy Spirit and preach a Gospel of simplicity and truth.

Erin was one of our attendees and we were able to attend her graduation on Tuesday. It was quite impressive. All those sharp Marines!

I think from here on out I'll take the example of our good friends Elder and Sister Rush from Whidbey Island, WA and make short posts rather than wax poetic. So...

Wednesday we met with the missionaries for District training. What a fun group they are as you can see by the picture. They had five cameras set up to use a timer. You should see them scramble to get into place.

They are from left to right Elder Brockbank, Elder Petersen, Sister Zollinger, Elder Zollinger, Sister Bowers, Sister Felton, and the two DL's Elder's Freeman and Farrer

We finished out the week doing the following; Elder Zollinger assisted in giving a blessing to a young Marine who had blown a hole almost through his hand. His dad called Church headquarters and got our name. We had a chance later to meet his mom who came to be with him. His dad will get here on Sunday (10/10) and probably take him to Pensacola, FL for further treatment. There is no guarantee that he will be able to again do the job he was training for, but the Lord may have other plans for him.

The young Elders are moving out of their apartment so our trailer was a big help in moving all the furniture out of the apartment. What a blessing that little red trailer has been to our family and now the mission.

The highlight of the day was the baptism of Garrett Sattoff. He's a twenty-two year old Marine. He was baptized by Brother Cale. We found it amusing to walk in and see a heavily tatooed man and immediately thought he was the one getting baptized. Well he's the one who performed the baptism. That's Garrett on the left and Brother Cale (Exec Sec).

It's been a very good week! We're lookin forward to flying solo after the Madsen't leave on Monday. I'm not one bit worried about our ability to do this work. We have, after all, been preparing for it for a long, long time!

Much love,

Sister Zollinger

117 Cordell Dr

Jacksonville, NC 28540

BTW, we love our apartment, lots of room for the occasional visitor!