Very Fine Week

Florida is a  beautiful place...

There are not distinct seasons...

BUT...

it is always changing...

The trees lose leaves all season and grow them back...

there are blooms all the time...

Less during the heat of the summer.

Sunset from our patio...

 But this area is beautiful...

Especially when we have so many friends and Family...

Jose brought his truck from California to Florida...

Just out of our mission...

BUT 

We went after him anyway.

 We went to Lakeland and there he was...

 Southern Wine & Spirits.

Yep...

Jose was carrying wine from Napa Valley California...

Each pallet was worth $80,000...

20 pallets...

1.6 million $$$$...

He didn't know what he had till they broke the seal on the back.

It took a couple hours to unload...

There were some problems...

He took his truck to a Love's truck stop to leave it till the next night when he would load again in Auburndale.

 Elder Campbell is ALWAYS the missionary...

We are waiting for Jose to do his paper work at Loves 

And there was a guy that was willing to visit.

I got a picture of his truck but forgot to get one of him till we got in the car.

Good to have you here Jose.

Jose was unloading his truck through the lunch hour and into the afternoon...

We went to BJ's for dinner.

I had to pinch myself...

Was he really here?

I do that anytime family is here.

 Trying out Jose's bed...

We got him all settled in for the night.

We left him early and went to the office.

Our Internet was down in the office for three day...

So I went with Jose to...

Gaterland!

 The white Alligator is a wonderful exhibit.

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This guy is about twice as big as Jose.

 This big guy was quite a site...

The Great Egret's were perched all over in the trees.

 They are on Nests and under them are these little ones.

 After Gatorland we went to the Office...

There were a lot of missionaries there...

All Zone Leaders just out of Zone Leader Conference.

Elder Campbell asked Jose if he was willing to listen to the missionaries.

He said 'Sure'.

So we had Elder Brown and Vilorio over for dinner.

They gave him the Plan of Salvation after dinner...

Elder Campbell gave him a Spanish Book of Mormon...

to keep in his truck.

Checking the maps to see how to get from the truck stop to Auburndale.

Walking out to the car to take him back to his truck.

We drove out to Auburndale to see where he was going to go to load the truck.

It was a beautiful drive past two big lakes deep enough for boats and fishing.

Lakes Ariana and Mariana...

Sunset on Lake Ariana

 The road wound around the lakes and old beautiful homes.

We took him back to the truck and said goodbye.

--------------------------------------------------

Life as a missionary goes on...

We were part of a party for Elder Wood.

Jennifer Z. gave him a surprise party.

Being a new member she didn't know she was suppose to schedule the building.

We were competing with the Stake...

They were setting up for the 'Mormon' Prom for Saturday Night.

The stakes here get together and offer the High school kids an alternative to the actual Prom.

She also didn't know the missionaries were not suppose to gather like that for parties.

Elder Wood is the District leader...

So maybe they were okay.

 Surprise Elder Wood...

 Can't light candles in the church...

So this is a mock blow out.

 Jennifer Zebacacas and other singles from the singles branch.

Elder Capps and Elder Jensen giving Elder Whitworth and Wood some extra height.

Elder Shelley on the right.

Elder Shelley and Wood came to dinner Sunday evening...

Stan's #66

 Elder Shelley gave him a scripture...

 Elder Wood gave him a song...

Happy Birthday.

 They GAVE him a tie...

Elders never Give ties...

They trade ties.

So this very fine week comes to a close...

I have had an opportunity to reflect on life and our purpose here on earth this week.

Conference last week left me with so much to contemplate.

The older I get the more there is to learn and improve...

I am so grateful for a very loving Heavenly Father who knows who we are...

He knows what we need...

He knows our hearts.

To walk in the steps of the Savior will take us all back to Him.