Week 64

Kind of a quiet week.   On Wednesday the Religious Services secretary at Oakdale called to say there weren't any services that day due to a staff special event.  The next day we drove up to Pollock, only to learn that due to a special function the prisoners were on lockdown until 4 pm.  Not only do we miss our fellows when we don't see them, every one of them has told us our hour together is the best part of their week, and we feel so bad when they have to miss it.  We have a video-conference with the Golds and two Seminary and Institute Area Coordinators every Thursday--but that was cancelled as well.  A week of cancellations.

We visited the early morning seminary class in Natchitoches Tuesday and the last institute class in Leesville on Thursday night.  Another semester comes to a close.  Coming home from Leesville we had frequent glimpses of the last full moon of the decade.

The Tuesday before transfers the Greens generally have all the missionaries over for a wonderful Cajun meal.  However, Sister Green has been ill, so this week her daughter and her husband had us all over.  These people can cook!

Normally District Council is on Wednesday, so we can only attend for a short time before heading to Oakdale.  Because of transfers this week, it was held on Friday.  The good news is that we have another companionship added to our district--sisters are opening the Pineville area.  It's in the Alexandria ward, so they'll have a set of elders and a set of sisters working there.  That brings our district to eight young missionaries and us.  We love their dedication and enthusiasm.

Natchitoches goes all out for Christmas (this year makes 93 years of celebrating). Starting about Thanksgiving there is a fabulous light display along the Cane River, and they look so pretty reflected in the river (pictures and notes from last year talk about it).  Every Saturday there is a fireworks display as well. On Saturday we met up with the Golds, the senior couple in Rustin, to eat dinner and enjoy the festivities.  Our appetizer plate had alligator, fried green tomatoes, shrimp, mini meat pies, and a crab cake.

The Golds and the Kerrs eating shrimp/crab/crawfish macaroni and cheese,
 catfish strips, and a Central Louisiana specialty, meat pies

 In the early evening on festival Saturdays, Front Street is closed to vehicles and becomes a wonderful pedestrian mall.  Walking along, I saw what I was sure was snow flakes on a parked truck.  Knowing that's highly unlikely in Louisiana, I looked up and saw a snow making machine spewing snow flakes over the street.  There were several along the street, and it was fun to watch little kids trying to catch the flakes.  (It reached 80 degrees today, and snow happens very rarely here.)

The crowd and the bridge over the Cane River

 At 5:30 pm there was a lighted boat parade--they don't show well here, but it was fun to watch.

The fabulous fireworks display started at 7:00 pm.  It really was wonderful and we loved watching it.

Today was the last Sunday School class of the year (and I guess of the decade, as well).  I have loved teaching the New Testament this year, and am very excited to be teaching the Book of Mormon next year.  The Come Follow Me program is inspired, and using it is a great blessing to individuals and families.