Week 61

This was a rather unremarkable week--we just did all our usual things.  One exception was that we went to visit the seminary in Leesville, and because of a theft at the church, the class has moved to the teacher's house.  She and her family live on post at Fort Polk, so we had to go early (read, arrive at the post at 5:40 am--we got up at 3:45 to get ready and make the hour drive) so we could get cleared for entrance.  Once you hand over your driver's license, an electronic background check is performed.  We were pleased that the checks cleared us to enter the post.  The teacher is another of the new folks we trained earlier this fall, and she was fantastic. With six students, hers is one of the largest classes, and the students were attentive and highly engaged in the lesson.  Thinking of this early-morning seminary scene being played out all over the globe is amazing, humbling, and gives hope for the future.

Since there isn't anything too exciting to report this week, we'll just mention a couple of things seen around town.

1.  Coming from a state with strict laws on the sale of alcohol, it still amazes us the amount of space devoted to alcohol in virtually every store from Albertsons to Sam's Club and Walgreens.  But even more interesting is the popularity of daiquiris.  There are little drive through daiquiri shops all over the place. In fact, one of the Subway shops shares its little building with a daiquiri shop.  In addition, these drive through liquor stores stay very busy. 

2.  We see great white egrets almost every day, and never tire of seeing them.  We see fewer great blue herons, but last week we hit the jackpot by seeing lots of these fabulous big birds.

3.  Don't think we've mentioned the armadillos; every state bordering Texas must have them.  We never see live ones, but smashed ones on the road are fairly common.  Not as many as we had in Oklahoma, but more than the none we ever saw in Utah. Lots of possums and a few racoons end up as road kill, too.

4.  Yesterday was the Alexandria Ward Thanksgiving Dinner.  The Marksville Branch was invited to come, and many folks did.  It was very fun with very good food.

Wish we had more interesting things to report, but life is good and the mission is good.