KEEP ROLLING ALONG

Hi everyone,  Happy St Patrick's Day,
It is amazing how fast the time is going.  The weeks seem to just fly by.  Last night we went to the departing-missionaries fireside; 2 sisters and 11 elders bore their testimonies and sang beautifully.  The spirit was very strong.  President Weidman asked for all the people who had been taught or baptized by these missionaries to stand.  There was a large overflow crowd. 

Last week, Max was involved in teaching the beginning 3-day Intensive classes (8 AM to 5 PM Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday).  He was helping to acquaint those taking the class at the library with how to do research.  Our director, Richard McBride always tries to make it special for those in the class by providing them with a large binder with all the power-points.  And he also provides doughnuts, grapes, bananas and bottles of water.

 On Wednesday, although it was our P-day, we came in to the library for a quarterly Conference Call from Salt Lake.  Max and Mary are assuming a lot more responsibility now that JoAnn and Roy Hunt, our former office managers, have left.  Out of 10 full-time missionaries, 8 are going home before the end of May.  This  means that on Sundays we will be needed to open up the library and be there when any special groups or classes are meeting.

 On Sundays, Mary has been teaching the 8-year-old class in Primary about Abraham in the Old Testament. The ward building has murals on the walls of the Primary room and the Nursery.

Nursery room mural

Saturday, to celebrate the Relief Society birthday party, there was a luncheon with displays of things that the sisters have created.  There were beautiful paintings, quilts, handiwork, a formal table set in a Chinese theme, photography,etc. Mary brought her family history to display: a family history game (guess old-time occupations), a surname cloud, puzzilla (choose an ancestor and see his descendants that are on Family Tree), a fan chart, and a holder for family name cards.  There was musical talent also: a sister played her cello accompanied by the piano, a guitarist sang and Shawn King played 2 songs from her CDs. (She is the wife of Larry King).

A week ago Mary and Max went down to Newport Beach to visit Mary's sister Susan, her husband Robert and their friend, Joy who were on vacation there.  It was relaxing to walk on the beach and collect sea shells.  Max helped Susan set up Skype so she could talk face to face with her grandchildren.  It was a nice visit.   

Robert & Susan

Susan, Robert, Mary, & Max

Alisa Beach, Laguna Beach, California

And, finally, this morning at 6:24, we survived our first southern California earthquake, a 4.7 with the epicenter about 5 miles from here. It sounded and felt like a big truck driving down the hallway with the resulting shaking for 2 to 3 seconds.