6/10/2018 Temple Trip, Wedding, Baby Blessing, Okefenokee Swamp

Sorry for the break - we will try to be better. President Lee takes the missionaries who are either halfway or at the end of their missions to the Orlando Temple.  One of our most fun things is being able to drive those who serve in our area.  We meet up with those from the Jacksonville and Georgia areas.  All of the senior couples that can attend also come.  It is a blessing to be able to attend the temple and another blessing to be able to see those missionaries we have served with in the YSA before they leave for home.

Temple group this time - President & Sister Lee front center.  As a fun side fact - Sister Lee was a backup singer/dancer for the Osmonds back in the day of the Donny and Marie show. The shows were recorded at the Osmond studio in Orem.  She also did backup for other professional singers and groups coming into the Salt Lake/Provo area.  She happily gave up a career for marriage and family.

 

 It was the first time we have been to the temple that it hasn't been cold and it was beautiful.  We have served with most of these Elders and a couple of the sisters.

 

They looked so content in the temple lobby, lots of love.  I'm happy that I took the picture before someone told me they didn't think you were supposed to.

May 26 we were able to make a quick trip to Utah Valley for Allison (Aaron's oldest) and Bradin Hanson's wedding.  We were grateful to be able to be there with all of our family.  We flew out of Orlando Friday morning and back in Monday morning.  We stayed at a hotel close to the airport Thursday night because it was an early flight Friday.  The desk clerk asked about our missionary badge.  We explained we were missionaries - she discounted our room another $20.  Bless her heart.

An extra tender mercy is that John-Evan and Rachel blessed their new little Abigayle on Sunday the 27th so we were able to be there.   Everyone from both families were there, so there was lots of Priesthood around that precious little one.

Nothing better than being with family.  How we love each and all of them.

We do like Florida, still it is nice to see the mountains.  

 It is almost not possible to do a blog without posting one or two pictures of Florida's skies - we saw our first rainbow this week.  It rains almost every day - pours at least part of it. 

All of the Senior Couples - called the O-Zone -went to the Okefenokee Swamp National Park in Georgia last Friday.  Okefenokee is a National Wildlife Refuge covering nearly a half million acres.  Native Americans named the area Okefenokee meaning Land of the Trembling Earth.  Explanation on that later.

Walt Kelly's comic strip characters Pogo and Scooby-Doo spent some of their time in the swamp.

Several movies have been made in the swamp, usually including an alligator scene or two.  

The following was written by Matt Richardson who has often paddled a canoe through the Okefenokee Swamp.  He describes it correctly.  It is like being "a million years away from tomorrow."  We'll add some of our pictures to his narrative.

"A blackwater river is a river that flows slowly through forested swamps or wetlands.  As vegetation decays, tannin leach into the water, making a transparent, acidic water that is darkly stained, resembling tea or black coffee.   (Our guide even scooped it up in a plastic bottle and drank some of it just to show us that it was safe.  The tannic acid in the water apparently makes it safe to drink, even if is bitter.  He was still alive at the end of the tour - guess if it  won't kill a Lamanite,  it won't kill a Nephite.  Alma 55:32.   He also showed us how you can take the leaves from the sweet pepper bush and crush them up to make soap.  The natives - and the guides now - make the lather and rub it on their exposed skin to keep the yellow flies and other pests away.)  

 
 

 Back to Matt Richardson's writing:

     So as you travel, black water glides beneath your boat.  Water lilies and other small flowers seem to defy physics as they dance along the top of the water. 

Overhead a small heron gazes at you distractedly from a limb just a few feet away.  
                                                                                       
The heads of alligators rise out of the water in your path like scaly, prehistoric stepping stones and eye you coldly nearly to the horizon.

You are not in a dream or in some deep Amazonian rain forest, but instead in the sodden, sylvan world of the Okefenokee Swamp near Folkston, Georgia.  You are only a few short hours from home but a million years away from tomorrow.

It has been called by many names, but one of the most apt is "Land of the Trembling Earth."  Native Americans knew this place to be special for many reasons.  This wide, shallow swampland in southern Georgia that held a wealth of wildlife and unique plants that formed soggy islands that bobbed and sank with the footfall of an explorer, indeed seemed to tremble with life itself.  

 (You can see below from the sign why it is called Mirror Lake.)

This one was in a fenced off area

This one was not - you can tell we are not the ones taking the close picture

This is "Old Roy" a long time resident of the park who died in 1972 and completely preserved. 

There are several stills still tucked in along the shores, apparently a nice place for the moonshiners to hide away from the law. 

There is a 90 foot tower you can climb to see across the top of the swamp - 131 steps.  It is probably good that we walk and go to the workout room every day.  Still I was a bit sore from climbing so fast.  It didn't bother Mike at all.

 

All the comforts of home

After the train ride and the trip through the swamp in the boat 

 we finished with a live show that had turtles,  snakes and a baby alligator .. Sorry, no pictures of us holding any of them.... 

Notice the empty seat next to Mike -- I moved so I wasn't even close.

 

The more we see the more we are overwhelmed at the beautiful and varied world our Father in Heaven has given us .. there is no way all this could come about by chance.

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     Ether 1:41-43 - An amazing and comforting promise given to the brother of Jared that we also can make our own.  When we are obedient to our Father, get all the things ready he has told us to and then go to our own "northward valley" - there he will meet us and go before us and bless us. And in Ether 2 He does exactly as he said he would - vs, 5 - the Lord did go before them, and did talk with them..and gave directions whither they should travel.  He does the same for us.  

     We are grateful to be able to be here and serve.  Grateful for life and family and prayer and scriptures etc. etc. etc.  and of course, the modern means of staying in touch.  

41 Go to and gather together thy flocks, both male and female, of every kind; and also of the seed of the earth of every kind; and thy families; and also Jared thy brother and his family; and also thy friends and their families, and the friends of Jared and their families. 42 And when thou hast done this thou shalt go at the head of them down into the valley which is northward. And there will I meet thee, and I will go before thee .. 43 And there I will bless thee