Week 46

Stake Conference was this week, and, as always, a wonderful spirit and wonderful messages.  The entire Baton Rouge Temple Presidency and their wives were at both sessions.  Last night they talked some about the physical changes that have been made during this almost two-year renovation.  For one thing, the steeple is now 15 feet higher and has stained glass and inner lights.  The ceilings inside are about two feet higher, and there is a completely new foundation.  As with most temples, the stained glass and molding details reflect the locale.  Here those details are magnolia blossoms.  The new doors each weigh 700 pounds, but, as the stake president quipped, all you need is a temple recommend to open them!  The open house is October 26-November 2, and the re-dedication is November 17. 

July 29--Almost finished!

Today the talks focused more on the spiritual aspects of the temple.  The temple president was a career Navy man, and he talked about the importance of lighthouses when he was a navigator.  He likened temples to spiritual lighthouses in our lives, beacons to keep us in the right way.  President and Sister Varner both spoke, and we always love hearing them speak.  The Stake President, President DeFord, spoke about fasting, and it was truly masterful.  He used Isaiah 58 to talk about the reasons for and results of fasting.  The elements of the fast are 1) abstaining from food and drink for 24 hours, 2) prayer, and 3) fast offering.  He said that when we pay our tithing we live the law of sacrifice, but when we pay our fast offering we live the law of consecration.  (Yesterday he said that fulfilling church callings involved the law of sacrifice, but magnifying our callings was the law of consecration--interesting to think about.)

After conference, President and Sister Varner came to our apartment for lunch before they headed back down to Baton Rouge (actually, Denham Springs).  We had a delightful visit, and we're so grateful to know them and work under their direction on our mission.

Wednesday of this week was transfer day, and Elder McNairy finished his mission to go home.  Since there are no longer sisters at the Greens, they didn't have missionaries over for pre-transfer dinner on Tuesday--so we did  We made red beans and rice, cornbread, watermelon, and lemon pie.  A pretty good Southern dinner! 

Elder Haney was transferred to Natchez, so still in our district, but two hours away.  Before he left, he sent me this picture of him preaching the gospel in the clutches of a giant crawfish at Swamp Daddy's restaurant.  The missionaries work so hard, but they have fun, too!

We drive by LSUA campus on our way to and from Marksville, so on the way back from Marksville on Tuesday we stopped to see the Epps house.  We've recommended the book Twelve Years a Slave before, and wanted to see the house where Solomon Northup's master lived. 

The Epps House