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.