Today for the first time ever, Elder and Sister O'Dell trekked out into our new backyard and explored our hardwood forest. "Cool!" It took some doing for me to tromp down enough snow in order to convince Ranelle to step across the deep berm left by the snow machine. Once into the flat, we two waded back, back, back into the forest until we reached a lovely picknic area complete with tables and a firepit. Then walking beyond we came to the Red Cedar river and looked down onto its eminence, and all the foot tracks on its frozen surface. Hard to tell just what kind of tracks, but looking at the gnaw marks on the nearby trees made me wonder if they were beaver tracks. At one place we saw a set of footprints that made us wonder if they were made by a bigger animal like a linx or a fox--they came down together in wide, four-footed bounds as if brer fox were chasing a squirrel or something. They were there too, squirrel tracks were, but not as many as you might think. The reason of course: Mr. Squirrel "squirrels" away his food in summertime so he doesn't have to become food next winter!
The temperature is warmish today, but on the really cold days it is interesting to look into the forest and see all that is moving--exactly nothing! Not even birds. Obviously Mother Nature somehow provides for her little ones.
Tonight Ranelle teaches her second class; I taught mine yesterday. Good thing for second chances because all week long I was ready to pack up and go home! What happened, after preparing my Missionary Preparation class many, many hours I gets to class only to have but three girl students. No intention of serving a mission, none of them. And what's worse, one was not even a Church member and knew almost no Mormon Doctrine. Another had joined the church only two months earlier and knew little more, and the third was a member, but not interested in serving a mission. . So there I was serving "meat" when I should have ordered pudding. Needless to say, they did not return. But last night two prospective missionaries came, as did two presently-serving Elders. The result: a highly-stimulating lesson from which we all emerged edified--and instructed. Guess I have to stay another week now or so.
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5 comments:
It sounds absolutely beautiful there!
Sorry about the meat instead of pudding! That is really interesting that three girls not intending on serving missions (one not even a member) would go to the Mission Prep class. I wonder if they were confused about which class they were in. I bet you had an awesome lesson though! I'm envious of your walk through the forest! :) When it gets warmer out, you'll have to use that picnic area to its fullest potential! :)
Had a chance to teach Institute in Feb. but had to turn it down. We do miss the young single adults. So many of them are married now and have little ones. We love to see them now and then. Your area sounds beautiful and I'm glad you don't have to snow blow. I read a letter you sent to us when you were in Muncie about your experience with the run-away snow blower. Boy, Verl doesn't like to be reminded of it. It is snowing & blowing like crazy here again today. Had to cancel the temple trip to Winter Quarters. Judy
We need to see pictures of your "forest." And your snow!!!
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