Week 24 (Lone Pine)

There was much sadness today in Elder Wood's district; the 4 of them seem to have become pretty close in the last few weeks. But one of the elders (Elder Watts, he of the prosthetic leg in last week's photos), is sadly being emergency transferred elsewhere today. Emergency transfer means one that doesn't happen on the normal 6-week schedule (which they are about halfway through right now), and apparently there is some reason he's needed elsewhere to replace someone else (I don't really understand the full story). Anyway, at least if they have to lose him, Elder Wood reports, it's good news that the replacement is someone he knew from his last area, so at least it's a familiar face.

In general, it sounds like, other than the emergency transfer, there hasn't been too much of excitement going on in the area this week. The weather has been warming up, although it is forecast to get a bit cooler soon. They haven't had any snow, but there has been a lot (a lot!) of rain, which combined with all the melting snow from earlier, has resulted in some flooding issues. Nothing that impacts them directly, but they see a lot of it as they drive around.

And, as usual, a lot of regular driving in the area. They drove to Palmdale to get the estimate for their potential car repair (and will have to return there sometime in future if the mission decides that they should go ahead with the repairs). They had a couple exchanges with other companionships in their zone, and they met a new senior couple, who are now apparently part of their district, but live up in the Bishop/ Mammoth area.

So that is about all the news, but enjoy the photos below, including some of their celebration of Pi Day (March 14) and their pizza dare.

Spiritual thought for this week: Jesus Christ doesn't want us to go through the struggles of life alone, but He also can't do it for us. We need to put in the effort we can, to go as far as we possibly can. Once we've come as far as we can, even if it's not very far, He will pick us up and carry us the rest of the way. So we need to put in that effort. Salvation may not be expensive, but it's not entirely free. We offer as payment a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

Celebrating Pi Day with Elder Kirby, one of his zone leaders, during an exchange

With Elder Watts on exchanges; this is the Darwin Memorial Monument (although it's not actually in Darwin, and it's just a rock with a plaque on it)

Elders Watts, McCurdy, Haney, and Wood at a district lunch. They challenged themselves to eat a 28" pizza (and got through about half, then took the rest home for leftovers)

They played a card game on P-Day today; Elder Wood apparently challenged himself to hold his hand with chopsticks

Weekly bird photo: Unidentified small bird, but nice blue sky and tree background

One more bird photo - sadly a bit out of focus, but he got a photo of a hawk who has just captured some prey (a mouse?)