Week 5

This was a very quiet week, which isn't really what missionaries want. On Tuesday we visited with two YSAs--both from Utah and both on the softball team at LSU-Alexandria.  Both were delightful as we visited (Elder Kerr's famous chocolate chip cookies always help) and both said they would love to attend a family home evening if we have it.  We tried to visit a couple more, but were unsuccessful.  We hope to start FHE for the YSAs in Alexandria soon.  There just isn't a lot of YSA activity here (yet).

Wednesday we took our district out to lunch for pizza and it was fun to associate with these fine missionaries.  It's a big district area--a set of sisters in Natchez, MS 1 3/4 hours away, a set of elders in Marksville (in our branch) about 40 minutes away, a set of elders about 15 minutes away in Pineville, and a set of sisters here in Alexandria.  They have their district council in Alexandria every Wednesday--we don't generally attend, but catch pieces occasionally.

Wednesday evening we visited the home study seminary class in Many (pronounced manny), about 20 miles west of Natchitoches.  That part of the state is very rural, and one of the most noticeable things was the students' responses to anything we asked--No, Ma'am, Yes, Ma'am, No, Sir, Yes, Sir, with a strong southern accent. We get that in other areas, but nowhere so much as there.  The first place the gospel was preached in Louisiana in the mid 1800's was Natchitoches and Many.  There is a family in Many that has been in the church for eight generations!

On Thursday we did a little MLS (Member/Leadership Support) by visiting a less active family in our branch.  We hadn't been able to get a response to text or call, so we just headed out (armed with the famous cookies).  They live in a little town called Mansura, about 45 minutes away. We did visit with the father on the porch, but he made it pretty clear they really aren't interested in more right now--however, he did give us the correct phone number, since the one we'd tried was wrong.  Sadly, a year ago they were working toward going to the temple, but something happened between then and now.

The sisters had a baptism on Saturday, and it was wonderful to attend.  The sweet African-American convert bore a tender testimony about how the Book of Mormon answered so many of her questions and opened her eyes to so much truth.  She said we could see that none of her family was there, but that didn't matter because we were her family now.  The whole service was lovely.

While we were waiting for the baptism to start, someone came up to me and said, "Dr. Nyland--what are you doing here?"  It was a former student (and her three children) whose husband is the psychologist at one of the prisons here.  They've just been in Alexandria two months--she's a counselor in Young Women and he's a counselor in the Elder's Quorum; doesn't take long to get very involved here!

I mentioned a couple of posts ago that the old building in the complex used to be the Masonic Orphanage.  Here are two plaques on the building:

Feel pretty special with National Historic Register building in our neighborhood 

We have P-day (preparation day) on Saturday, so do our grocery shopping then.  If I haven't mentioned it, we're in Cajun Country.  In Utah, if you want some Cajun seasoning you pull out the one bottle available in the McCormick spice section of the store.  Below are the choices available to you at just one store (Albertsons) in Alexandria--everything pictured is for Cajun or Creole cooking:

Slightly mind boggling!!  

Week 4

Well, we arrived four weeks ago yesterday.  It's been an interesting month and even though we don't quite have our routine down yet, we're getting closer. 

This week we went to Natchez, MS on Tuesday night so we could visit the seminary class there at 6:00 am on Wednesday.  Natchez (rhymes with 'matches') is right across the Mississippi River about 1 3/4 hours away from Alexandria.  We didn't have time to linger on this visit, but we're looking forward to exploring in the future.  While Alexandria was burned to the ground in the Civil War, Natchez was spared.  It has over 40 authentic Antebellum and Victorian Bed and Breakfast spots and historic inns.

The seminary teacher is a Natchez native.  He bought the house next to his mother's (where he was raised) about five years ago and has been fixing it up ever since--it's a lovely circa 1840 home.  Meanwhile, his mother is living elsewhere caring for her mother, so the sister missionaries assigned to Natchez live there.

Crossing the Mississippi

The Blalock's home--pretty cool seminary setting

Nice digs for the sister missionaries in Natchez

On the way to Natchez there is an 1800 acre cotton plantation called Frogmore on the Louisiana side of the river.  It offers tours showing the progression from slave days to the modern cotton operation.  We'll stop there when we have more time.  But it was fascinating to see the harvested cotton in huge bales in the fields as we drove by.

Cotton field just before harvest, cotton bales, and more cotton bales

Wednesday night we substituted in institute in Alexandria--it felt good to teach an institute class again.  Thursday morning we left home at 5 am to go the the seminary class in Leesville, 48 miles to the south west of us.  We toyed with the idea of staying there all day until the institute class that night, but there isn't that much to do there, so we came home and drove back in the evening.  That institute class is primarily for the soldiers at Fort Polk, but only one of them was there that night, though several retired couples attended.  It was dark when we went in the morning so we had no idea what we were passing  On the way home, however, we saw that we were passing more cotton harvest.  These bales were in huge blocks instead of cylinders.

So much cotton!

This week we opened a small checking account at a local bank so we'll have easier access to cash when needed.  While the person was processing everything, the bank manager (a LA native in his 60s) came out to greet us. Hearing we're from Utah, he spent the next 20 minutes telling us about local lore, things we must see in the area, and other interesting tidbits.   Here's some of what he told us:

• Most Louisianans think of New Orleans as another state--it doesn't represent the real LA at all
• The reason there are no antebellum homes or plantations in the immediate vicinity is that the union army burned Alexandria to the ground in the Civil War
• Natchitoches (remember--pronounced nack-a-dish) is the oldest city in the entire Louisiana Purchase; it was established in 1714 (New Orleans was founded in 1718 and the LA Purchase was in 1803)
• Many people have French names that end in 'eau' or 'eaux' (pronounced with a long o as in 'no').  The difference in spelling has to do with literacy.  When the early French Canadians settled in LA most didn't speak English and many were illiterate.  When they went to market to sell their crops, the buyers asked them to sign their names.  If they were illiterate, they made their mark with an X, then the person doing the transaction asked them their name, and wrote it in front of the X, for instance MoreauX--which became Moreaux.  If the farmer was literate, he would just write his name--Moreau.  Centuries later, the x still shows up on some names and others don't have it, depending on the literacy of their ancestors. 
• I thought alligators were confined to the south of the state, but he assured us that every lake in this area is full of 'gators, but they seldom leave their lakes.  He said if you go out to a lake at night and shine a bright light over it, you'll see what looks like glowing red coals.  Those are the 'gator's eyes, and you can tell how big one is by the distance between the red glowing eyes.  We don't plan to test this out!

He was absolutely charming, but to be honest, we haven't found a grumpy person yet.  People are very gracious, and southern charm is alive and well in Louisiana.

Friday evening we went to the Alexandria ArtWalk downtown.  There were about 80 artists/ craftsmen displaying their wares, food trucks (although we ate at a 60-year-old diner), entertainment, and free admission to the Museum of Art.  At 7:30, the Light Parade started--mostly children in the most fanciful costumes made of paper and lights. Fun glimpse into local culture.

The Light Parade

Today we both spoke in sacrament meeting.  Our little Marksville branch is so tiny, and attendance varies week by week, but there are some exceptionally fine people in it.  It is really a challenge to stay firm in the faith with so little support from others, but they're doing it.  

Week 3

Part of our assignment is to visit all of the seminary and institute classes in the Alexandria Stake, and support, help, instruct the teachers as needed.  Our first week we visited one of each in the evening (home study seminary students meet together once a week in the evening), so this week we went to two early morning seminary classes.  The first was in a home in Dry Prong, about 25 minutes away.  The only problem that day was driving in the dark to an unknown destination in a Louisiana downpour.  The mountain west simply does not have rain like this--it doesn't come down in drops, it comes down in sheets.  It was pretty harrowing, but we made it on time, and enjoyed the little class of three students.  The next day we visited one closer to home.

We both have fond memories of early morning seminary when we were in high school, but getting up early (4:15) is no easier now that it was then!  In our visits we get to know the youth and young adults as well as their teachers.  It really is remarkable that youth are willing to attend seminary at 6:00 am, but that's just one of the things that gives them character as well as increased gospel knowledge.

Tonight we had a Stake Seminary and Institute Faculty Training. Sister Ferrington conducted and Elder Kerr and I did most of the training.  Brother Bonham, the S & I coordinator in Baton Rouge, was supposed to come but his tire gave out as he set out.  We tied him in via Zoom video conferencing to give a short presentation.  We talked about creating a learning environment of love and respect, and a learning environment conducive to gospel learning, and Bro Bonham talked about bringing the spirit into the teaching/learning.  We had met a few of the teachers before, but many more came to the meeting, so we feel more connected to "our people" now.

We had a meeting with the stake S & I supervisor this week to coordinate meetings and visits.  Sister Ferrington is a Louisiana native and life-long member of the church.  She served a mission in the Church History Department, and her job was sending out patriarchal blessings when people requested them, sometimes for themselves if they'd lost them, but generally for their ancestors.  She loved it.  She's been home about a year.  From her, I learned this week's local flavor tidbit:

The first weekend of October begins squirrel hunting season. It runs from then through February.  In one town, Deville, the schools even close because families like to go camping together and hunt squirrels for the long weekend.  I asked if they eat them, and she looked at me like I was daft.  Of course they eat them!  If they're young, they're good fried, if older and bigger, they get stewed.  Her son-in-law gets together with the men in his family a few weeks into the hunting season and his specialty is making a big pot of squirrel gumbo.  Welcome to the South!

Our apartment complex is called Mason Estates, and is quite large--6 buildings of 24 apartments each, plus a big old building.  Now we know why it's called Mason Estates.  The big street to the west of us is Masonic Drive, and there is a Masonic Temple just around the corner from us on that street.  There is also another Masonic Temple around the corner the other way on Horseshoe Drive.  The big old building in our complex is labeled in carved stone "Masonic Home."  It used to be an orphanage!

Close-up of entry and the full view of former orphanage

Half of our building--we're the ground floor apt to the right of entry; haven't used our porch 'cause the view of the parking lot isn't that exciting

The only other news of this week is that I'm now a member of Planet Fitness.  At home we belong to the Orem Fitness Center, and we joined the YMCA in Stillwater, both pretty low key.  The YWCA here didn't really have the fitness equipment we need (largely because of my knee surgeries).  Neither did any place else, so for the first time in my life I belong to a gym.  What about Elder Kerr, you ask--well, I'm a black tag member, which means I can take a guest free any time.  He plans to be my guest every time.  Friday was our first day, and it wasn't too intimidating.

We're still learning about our mission responsibilities, and have to keep remembering this is a pilot program, so everything isn't established yet.  But it's good to be on the Lord's errand whatever the circumstances.

Week 2

Until October 30, when Brigham goes home, there are six missionaries in our family.  Siblings Brigham and Camille (he in Vancouver, WA and she in Riverside, CA, Spanish speaking), their cousins Asher (in Manilla, Philippines) and Sam in Tacoma, WA, and us.  We're so proud of our current missionaries and of their four siblings/cousins who previously served. Pretty exciting to be a missionary family.

Monday morning we met the other two "coordinating missionaries" in our area--the Nygrens serve in Shreveport, LA (though they are in the Dallas Texas Mission), about two hours northwest of us, and the Blackburns serve in Ruston, LA, about two hours northeast of us. We met because we traveled together in a rented van to Navarre Beach, FL for the Southeast Area Seminaries and Institute (S & I) area coordinators convention.  More about that later.

On the way, we stopped in New Orleans for the night.  We had dinner at a restaurant in the French Quarter, then wandered around for a while.  While doing so, the sky opened and we had a royal downpour, so we were quite soggy.  The next day we went to the National World War II Museum.  It was absolutely fabulous.  We stayed for four hours and just saw a little over half of it.  It is well worth visiting.  Then we went to the river front and had beignet (those wonderful French doughnuts) at Cafe du Monde before heading on to Florida.

Kerrs, Blackburns, Nygrens in the French Quarter, then by the Mississippi

Drenched, standing by cool lamp

US Flying Tiger, used in China; German bunker from Normandy

In front of transport plane used in WWII

We arrived in Navarre Beach (a little east of Pensacola) about 8:30 Tuesday night.  The next morning the meeting began.  There were about 35 S & I coordinators and their wives from the SE region--Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North and South Carolina.  These were paid employees, and then the three couple missionaries.  For 2 1/2 days we were spiritually fed and enriched.  Think of your very best institute or religion teacher, then picture 14 teachers that effective presenting (sometimes in small groups, sometimes in larger lecture format) topics such as choosing joy, deep learning of the Doctrine of Christ, the Plan of Salvation, the Abrahamic Covenant, ministering, woundedness and healing, collective faith, and much more.  The scriptures and teachings of modern prophets were interwoven beautifully in every discussion. 

Perhaps in future posts I'll share some insights gained, but since we all just had a spiritual feast at General Conference, I won't contribute to overload here.  (Though I have to admit to feeling a little of that myself.)  Because we had 7 1/2 wonderful days at the MTC, followed by just a week here in Alexandria, then went to Florida and back to General Conference, our batteries better be charged.  Now we just have to really buckle down and figure out how we need to carry out our responsibilities.  It's a good thing we know we can rely on the Lord to help us in that rather daunting task.

Navarre Beach is a beautiful and less crowded Florida Beach on the Gulf of Mexico. 
 Elder Kerr and his new friend on the pier

On the drive to and from Florida, we went through acres and acres of sugar cane in Louisiana, and miles of the Gulf of Mexico as well as lots of swampy salt marshes in Mississippi and Florida. 

The weather here is in the 90's and humidity varies from 50-95%.  When we come out of the air conditioned grocery store, our glasses fog up!  It should go down to the high 70's most of next week. As you can see below, the cloud formations here can be pretty amazing.  We took this as we came away from the post office on Saturday evening.

All cloud, no smoke