1/7/2018 Continuing on ...

Lots of pictures this time -- probably more interesting than my chatter.  The week seems much more exciting when we live it than when we write about it. 

There are more reasons to go to the Skechers store than just shoes.  These free gumballs are the best ever.  One lady filled her pockets and after tasting them, I see why.

We do love like this tree that is just across from the Institute Building.  There are many old, big, spread-out branch ones throughout the city, but this one is the very best.

 The ant hills are interesting - more oval than round like they are at home .. Not sure why -- any ideas?  Wikipedia says that some species actively sculpt the materials into specific shapes.  Looks like Gainesville Florda has talented ants.

We do enjoy their signs - the road department must have a good sense of humor .. this was at a dead end road in one of the developments.

 They have a Farmer's Market each Saturday - this was back from the first week we were here.  It is only a few miles from our apartment.  Mike always thought a Farmer's Market was inexpensive produce.  However, this is mostly unpesticide grown, probably very good, but far from being inexpensive.  There are a lot of fun shops too, and many booths where people bring their goods - from produce to clothing to jewelry and on and on .. Everyone, those with the goods and those attending are fun and friendly.  

We wish Aaron Michael was here for this booth - many, many different kinds of cheese.

The missionaries use this sometimes when they go on campus.  It does have some pages in it that they can talk about.  Kind of fun - and always brings questions.

The nativity set that Taylor & Heather's Madelyn Marie made.  She did one a couple years ago out of duct tape.  She is quite an artist.

Many of you will know Brent and Dana Wainwright.  They invited us to their home for Christmas Eve dinner.  We enjoyed them and their family and more southern hospitality.

 We see boiled peanuts advertised everywhere, but this is the first time we actually tasted them.  Some of the missionaries really like them, some not.  Everyone should try them.  We are on the fence right now.  They boil them in salted or Cajun flavored water.
          However, we are not yet ready to try deep fried alligator tail bits.  The consensus is that the taste is good, just kind of rubbery in chewing.  Not sure if we will ever weigh in on that one.

This picture for David Stratton. Huge Financial center in Orlando.

We had a Christmas dinner for the missionaries in our zone.  They all do very well - and are fun to be around.  Elder McMullin - the Zone Leader, a talented viola player and Elder Birch who is as tall as our Christmas tree.

 The Sister Training Leaders - Sister Eberhart and Elwell.

 Three of the Elders - Elders Masino, Jengh and Kautai.  Elder Masino said it was fun on campus this last week even if he didn't understand much. They met up with several Chinese students (usually the international students are the only ones left on campus during a holiday) and after a few brief introductions, when Elder Jengh said he was from Taiwan -- the rest of the conversation was in Chinese.  Elder Kautai is Tongan from Texas.

 Our sister missionaries - Sisters Studdert and Beecher. 

 You can see that along with being a great missionary, Elder Masino is also very talented --

Elder Hornfischer's Root Beer over Rocky Road ice cream.
Tune in next week for our big trip to Crystal River to see the Manatees.  It has been unseasonably cold here - the coldest since 1989 - so the manatees come into the springs where the temperature stays about 74 F year round.  It was pretty amazing.

  We are grateful for our testimony of President Monson and are certain he continues to serve where he is.  We are also grateful for the mantle that falls now upon President Nelson, who is much loved in Europe. He was very instrumental in opening Russia for the gospel.  

In May of 1993 he was at a conference in Saratov where he met with church members, and individually blessed each of the children who were in attendance. President Reshetnikov, a very dear friend, posted this on FB of President Nelson holding his daughter, Sasha after he had blessed her.  

When Mike was working on the history of the Church in Saratov, President Reshetnikov, District President when we got to Russia and later sustained as the first Stake President when Saratov became the third stake in Russia, took us to all of the buildings they had met in, twelve since 1993.  The one below, location #2, The House of Teachers, where the Russian Saints met on the top floor from 1993 through 1994, is where President Nelson blessed the children.  

A fun story to close:  Many years ago Art Linkletter (who most of you won't remember) had a TV show called "Kids Say the Darndest Things."  He was interviewing a young LDS boy, probably about eight, and asked him what church he belonged to.  "I'm a Mormon." the boy replied.  "So," asked Art Linkletter, "what would you be if you weren't a Mormon?  With only a slight hesitation the boy answered - "I'd be ashamed." 

12.31/2017 Palm Trees, Pinecones, Bats and Alligators, Etc

(As a note, I did go back and correct the mistakes in the dates at the beginning of the last post. and this blog also has pictures and places visited from early December - still catching ya'all up.)

 Mike and I took our Sunday walk down by the Hailey Foundation Equestrian Centre, which is a little less than a mile from where we live.  It is a beautiful facility.  They cover almost anything you can think of where horses are concerned.  I even wondered about horseback riding - and their website says you can ride - $40 for 30 minutes "leisurely walking rides in our riding arena."  After riding in the fields and hills and swales in Snowflake, going to Baldy with Dad, Spud, Uncle Lynn and the boys, and riding in Hawaii with John-Evan, Rachel, David and Dad (below-April 2013), it isn't even slightly tempting.   It did finally warm back up a bit today - hot to all of you in Utah - it has been in the 40's, but was 64 this afternoon.  (1.1.2018 - it is 42, temperature drops through the day)

We walked into the area across the street from the Equestrian Centre where they have a nice housing development.  The trees behind Mike are very tall, but almost seem to have not anything but the spidery moss on them; but, they don't seem so eerie anymore.

There are palm trees and other trees that don't look like any pine tree we've ever seen, but you can see the ground is covered with pine cones and needles.  

 Our sky view on the way back, another one of those "please the eye and gladden the heart" scenes

 Back in our apartment, one of our bits of home - thanks to Jon Felix and family for the beautiful family proclamation - it is different than what most have.  We get a lot of  good comments.  The "Liahona" was brought back from Israel by David Stratton, the picture is by a good friend in Russia.

 They have some fun speed limit signs here -- the first is a freeway sign, the next on a side road.

One afternoon a few weeks ago, after we got through at the Institute we went down to Lake Alice to see the alligators.  They usually stay in the water although there are reports and pictures and videos of them - one where the alligator came up where a group of students were having a picnic - and it went after their lunch, and got it - uncontested. 

Mike is standing by the lake -- you can see the posted sign better in the next picture.

 

 

You can barely see the gator's eyes and nose, enough for us, and the turtle at the bottom of the water.

 

 THE BAT HOUSE - The university has the largest occupied bat houses, not sure why that is such a great thing, but here are some fun facts for those who might be interested - as some of our grandchildren will be.

Estimated population: 400,000 bats

Capacity of Bat House and Bat Barn: 750,000 bats 

Nightly insect consumption:  2.5 billion insects (more than 2,500 pounds)

Types of insects consumed: Moths, beetles, mosquitoes, flies, gnats, leafhoppers, midges, winged ants and many other pests of lawns, shrubs, trees, crops and humans 😋 (it really says that)

       There are almost always people there to watch.  They (the bats, not the people) "emerge during a 15-20 minute period after sunset on warm evenings when temperatures are above 65 F.  High winds, heavy rain or cold temperatures will keep the bats in the house for the evening.  On warm winter evenings, the bats may come out for a drink of water at the lake and exercise; however they can eat only when bugs are flying."

      Then, it says "bats may swoop near those observing to eat insects attracted to the carbon dioxide in human breath.  However, they will not attack or harm people when left alone." Still we plan to see them sometime.  We didn't know that bats exercised .. 

Will end this blog by jumping back to our visit to the UF Stadium, not long after we came.  It has come to affectionately be known as The Swamp. 

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is the largest football stadium in Florida, the 12th largest stadium in American college football, and the 18th largest stadium in the world, as measured by its official seating capacity of 88,548 - though it has often held over 90,000 for Florida's home football games.

 During football season you cannot go on to the field, but this was right after.  

The missionaries with an investigator - they went to the stadium and ran the stands. They quite enjoy those proselyting moments.

When we told the missionaries

 we had been on the field they decided to do their morning frisby game exercise on the field -- they go about 6:30 and made it for about an hour before they were asked to leave.

This is in front of the stadium     

 The mascot in front of the administration building.  It is fun seeing part of the "history" of UF.

All of these things bring us an attachment to UF - we do miss you but are so very, very grateful that we are able to be here.  

D&C 128:19-22 - Now, what do we hear in the gospel which we have received?  A voice of gladness! ... shall we not go on in so great a cause?  Go forward and now backward.  Courage .. and on, on to the Victory.