Church signs...

As we drive through communities we chuckle at many clever messages

posted on church marquees.

There is so much good and elements of truth in all religions.

This is our favorite!

(But you have to overlook the spelling!)

Welch District

It's transfer week and our Welch District will change on Wednesday.
I have really enjoyed working with our District Leader, Elder Kyle Syndergaard.
He is from Pocatello, Idaho...a former rafting guide and very smart.
(No doubt he would have been one of my CE students had he grown up in Casa Grande.)

Pictured: Front-Elders Cannole and Stoven--Richland Branch Elders

Back: Elder/Sister Green, serving in Princeton,WV.
He is an artist and I'll show his work on a later post.  Bluefield Elders-Mitchell and Sargent
Welch Elders-Syndergaard (tall in back) and Elder Neilson, his companion... next to Karl and I.

Richland Branch Elders

Elder Stoven (former BYU soccor goalie, from Sandy, UT)

Elder Cannole...raised in Queen Creek, AZ-family currently living in CA.

These are the Elders who taught and baptized Mark Clifton.

Elder Cannole's comes from a family of entertainers.

Up in smoke...

The Pratt House was one of three 19th century mansions in Rosedale, Va.

(One of the areas in our Richlands Branch)

The home was struck by lightening May 19th and because firefighters were already working two other house fires, it burned to the ground.  Now when we drive by all we see are the brick walls and blackened chimneys of the ten fireplaces.  It's so sad to loose such a landmark.

No one was home at the time, and the owners do plan to rebuild.

Raleigh, NC Temple

May 5th, while all our Arizona connections were celebrating Cinco de Mayo...or lamenting no family ballgame....Karl and I were off on an adventure to the Raleigh, NC temple.  It was a four and a half hour drive, each way....so a big one day trip.  The spirit of the temple...the total peace that warms your heart and calms your soul was worth the effort.  Even the drive home in pounding rain did not take away the joy we felt inside sacred temple walls.  "Holiness to the Lord"

Left to right:
John McClure (son of Branch President)...Teresa Reynolds....Mother of Debbie Clifton...Pat, Tara Call, Debbie Clifton, Cassie Clifton, Stephen Clifton, Brian Hendricks, Mark Clifton, man of my dreams--Karl, Jane Hughes, and President McClure's wife...Jan.