Some Days are Diamonds Some Days are Stones (but mostly diamonds)

I know it seems from our pictures that we play more than we work but we do mostly work.  I’ll start this blog off with the play and finish with the work.

For people who like to hike we couldn’t have been sent to a better place. Lake Tahoe has been to us here what Long Island was to us in New York.  When we want to see trees we head up to Lake Tahoe.  Luckily it’s only about 45 minutes away.

On Saturday, instead of going to the gym, we took a walk up into the foothills just above our area.  It’s prettier up close than it is from a distance.  There was no wildlife other than the one magpie and plenty of coyote scat but it was a good healthy trek.  There were even a few trees. 

We love the steep trails made by ATVs

Random Magpie

Looking down at our Ward

Then on P-day (Monday) we went up to Lake Tahoe.  There are lots of great hikes. 

This last hike was simply gorgeous.  It 

Flume Trail Hike Lake Tahoe

may be one of my favorite hikes ever.  The trail was wide and sandy and smooth (actually a mountain bike trail) with beautiful views.  Signs were posted warning of bears and cougars.  I’ve seen the movies where there were cougars and, sure enough, it looked just like this with lots of big boulders so I knew it must be true. 

Monkey Rock

Angie and Allen were here Friday night for a short visit.  The hardest part of serving a mission is being away from family so when they are able to visit it is a special treat for us. The Sister Missionaries were walking by our window and we all waved.  Their jaws dropped and they said, "Wait, you get to have family come see you?"  They can't wait to serve senior missions. 

With Angie & Allen and kids at BJ's BBQ.

Grandkids at the Temple.  The girls were mostly
interested in the many bunnies
living on the temple grounds.

Transfers were this past week.  We didn’t have to help much other than picking an elder up at the airport.  He came a couple of days late due to a basketball injury at the MTC.  He ended up having to go to the dentist to repair a chipped tooth was delayed in leaving Utah.  We enjoyed meeting him and delivering him to his new companion.

Elder Williams waiting at the airport.

At our usual Wednesday afternoon service at the Memory Care Center there was one sweet woman who is normally very quiet but who was very talkative this time.  She was convinced that Marc was a priest and was quite anxious to get him to take her confession.  She said she had done some bad things and needed to confess.  This went on the whole time we were there and I was worried that she would actually start confessing.  The activities director, Sister Gootch from our ward, reassured her that she would find an actual priest to come in. 

We have a less-active mother and daughter we have been visiting who we just love.  Each time we go they are very welcoming and we end up having a very spiritual discussion.  They even attended a Relief Society dinner last night.  We will also start teaching a young 8-yr-old this week and his less-active mother. 

There are times when we feel bored and there is nothing to do.  When that happens I often pray for just one good experience and then something wonderful happens like the two I mentioned above.  These things make it all worth-while and teach us that Heavenly Father truly is there for His missionaries.

Sunday was our Zone Conference with President Ballard.  It was wonderful, as expected.  He had spoken at two or three meetings the day before and then presided at a stake conference that morning.  He looked a bit tired but when he got up to speak he seemed instantly energized.  He was very warm and funny. 

Elder Williams is suffering from a cold (or allergies) today but as usual his ailments don’t last long so we look forward to a busy few days coming up.