They were married four months ago are living in Galt. Cary is a sixth grade teacher at Nichols Elementary School in Lodi, and Elsa is a stay-at-home mom and part-time housekeeper. Her children, Herlan, who is twelve, Andre, eight, and Emily, four, make up the rest of the family.

Elsa said that when she was going through a hard time, “God sent me Cary.” They met while Elsa was visiting Nichols School, where Herlan and Andre were students.

Elsa had been attending the Seventh-Day Adventist Church on Central Avenue in Lodi, but was interested in a new church home. She had seen the Lodi CG7 church as it was under construction and thought, “Some day I want to visit that church.”

Cary noted that when they started dating he hadn’t attended church for a long time. “We have to fix that problem,” Elsa told him. She insisted that a permanent relationship had to be based on a commitment to God and His Sabbath.

Because of Elsa’s insistence on the Sabbath, Cary began studying with Roy Marrs. He also said the transition to Sabbath-keeping was made easier because of the friendship and influence of Keith and Cindy Nienhuis, Sharon Norton and Nathan and Nancy Straub.

He and Elsa have been attending services here for a two and a half years and became members in August.

Elsa was born in Michoacan, Mexico, and spent part of her childhood in Jalisco. She comes from a family of twelve children. Elsa had a sister living in Lodi who invited her to stay with her. Elsa spent a year working in the fields before finding work as a housekeeper. She has lived in the U.S. for 11 years.

Cary was born in Swindon, England, into an Air Force family. As a child he attended schools in Morocco, Texas and Illinois. He started attending Bradley University in Peoria on a track scholarship.

He became a Christian in his freshman year after a friend shared a “Four Spiritual Laws” tract. He went on to transfer to a Christian college, Biola University in Southern California, majoring in Education.

After graduation he began teaching at a Christian elementary school in the San Fernando Valley and then worked as a special education teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School District in East Los Angeles. He moved to Galt in 1986.

Cary has three adult children: two boys and one girl. His daughter recently graduated from Drew University; his oldest son is an engineer in Sacramento; and his youngest boy is enrolled at UC Berkeley.

When asked about hobbies and interests, Cary replied, “Turtles!” He has a BIG African tortoise and several water turtles. Elsa enjoys interior decorating and reading Christian books. Visiting with family and friends is also very important to her.

Elsa and Cary are obviously very much in love. She said, “Cary is a wonderful man. He provides emotional support to me and is a wonderful father to my children.”

Cary humorously said that when he is with Elsa it is “like being back in the 60s” When asked why, he responded “because of her good values, innocence and warmth.”

We are so pleased they are now a vital part of our Lodi church family!