Week 22

Monday afternoon we went to Magnolia Plantation.  Apparently we missed the part on the website about it being closed on Presidents' Day, but we wandered around a little anyway.  We'll go back when it's a bit warmer, and when it's open, because there is a cotton gin demonstration we want to see.  It was really quite blustery on Monday.

Part of Magnolia Plantation

This week was transfer week and we had an elder and a sister from our district going home.  So the Greens (the sisters live in an apartment at their house) treated the district to DELICIOUS red beans and rice and southern banana pudding for dessert.  They always serve a Louisiana/Southern specialty for these dinners, and Brother Green is the cook.

We visited the seminary class in Rosepine on Wednesday.  A new military family moved in the week before, so a delightful young lady has joined the class.  Rosepine and Leesville wards both have lots of people who are stationed at Fork Polk (or who ended their military careers there and stayed in the area).

A new seminary teacher was called in Natchez, so on Friday we went there to train her.  As mentioned in other posts, Natchez is in Mississippi, and I don't care how often I cross the Mississippi River, it gives me a little thrill every time.  This teacher was the stake young women president prior to this call and one of the students is her daughter.  Seems like she'll do a really nice job.

We got home just in time to get back in the car and drive to Marksville for the branch Valentine's party.  Yes, it's a little after the fact, but it was fun.  We had a spaghetti dinner  then played Pictionary.

On our drives this week, we saw so many soggy fields.  It rained quite a bit this week and we were even in a tornado watch on Saturday.  The high temperature was 77, and that warm front hitting colder air creates some potentially dangerous weather.  Nothing happened here, though there were tornadoes in Mississippi and Alabama.  Even though this is normally the rainy season, it has been wetter than usual. 

Soggy fields--way too wet to plow and plant

The redbud trees are blooming all over the place.

Church was interesting today.  Two investigators (mother and daughter) who go to the Pentecostal Church sat behind us, and in the back row a member and her Baptist mother sat.  All four of them were really into the first speaker, and we heard lots of "Amen" all through the talk.  When she finished her talk, the four of them started applauding.  It kind of startled her.  Then her husband, the high councilor, spoke.  He didn't get any "Amens" or applause, so after meetings I told him he has to try harder next time!