7 February 2016 - Baptism, Plant Salvage and more

What a great week it's been.
   Last Sunday night, after Stephen and Kathleen went to a missionary discussion in Renton with the Spanish sister missionaries teaching Yesenia, we went to the Stake Center for an  Eagle Court of Honor to celebrate Ben Mitchell's accomplishment. Samuel was asked to play the Star Spangled Banner on his trumpet and he did pretty well. He was a little nervous because his band teacher from KL was there, Mr. Urmitage. It was a nice program. Samuel is working toward his Life Scout so he can get his Eagle sooner than later.

Samuel at the Eagle Court of Honor

   Monday was back to the gym and then we pruned the fruit trees and worked around the house. We had FHE with Samuel leading the discussion for his Family Life Merit Badge.
   Tuesday Kathleen worked at the Hospital from 11 to 7:30 and then swung by the Kent  Building to watch Samuel play Basketball for the ward against the younger men in the ward and some Scenic Hill boys. They won pretty easily but Samuel thought that they should have done better.
   Wednesday was late start but Kathleen had Seminary Inservice at 5:45 so it wasn't too different for her that morning. Around 2:00 we received a call from Ruth. She let us know that she passed her Citizenship exam and she was going to be given the oath of citizenship at 3:30 that day. Of course we dropped everything to go and see that ceremony. It was very cool with 78 people from 34 different countries all pledged allegiance to the United States.

They showed a map of the countries from where people were applying to be a citizen
of the United States. 

Everyone went up one by one.

Brian and Ruth with Lady Liberty.

The newest citizen of the US from the Ralph Family!

   That evening was another missionary discussion with Yesenia in Spanish for Kathleen, Young Men for Samuel where they did a cooking competition like the TV show "Chop", and meetings for Stephen. The usual... Rebekah came by to watch her recorded shows on TV too.
   Thursday was the gym, lesson prep for Seminary and that night a RS meeting with the theme "All you need is Love". They had a lecture with Br. Josh Weed, a family therapist and then 2 activities to dip Strawberries in chocolate and make felt fortune cookies. The lecture was very good and he brought out the "Love Languages" test and really made the point that to "Love" someone is a choice. If anyone wants the test I can scan it in and email it to you. Samuel had a basketball game where the pep band was playing. They lost that one but they are still in competition.

Chocolate covered Strawberries.

   Friday after coming home from Seminary, Kathleen had another class at the stake center about the Old Testament, afterward Stephen and Kathleen went to the temple for a session and came home just after Samuel got home. That night was a movie night. Kathleen and Vinay cooked up popcorn, some with pepper like Vinay likes and we watched the movie "America". It was very enlightening about the history of America and why there are those who want to change the story to an untruth. It will be a good one to show every 4th of July. You can see Satan at work trying to destroy the country that God put in place to allow for the gospel to be restored.
   Saturday was a fun day. Stephen changed the oil in the truck just in time for Kathleen to take it, pick up Kappy Baranet, our new convert, and go to Issaquah where they held a county wide plant salvage day. It was a community service project where they are going to build a college and before they bulldoze the property they remove as many native plants as they can and pot them up for later use in restoration projects of county lands. After you help for so long they let you salvage plants for yourself. Kappy and I dug up a sword fern which now resides in the front yard and a Ocean Spray tree which may or may not survive, along with 3 vine maples, lots of licorice fern and some Oregon Grape and Salal. Stephen had moved rocks in the front so we can take out the grassy area that has more weeds than grass. It's going to look nice. The daffodils are starting to come up in the front which will make it even nicer.

Selfie at the Plant salvage in Issaquah. I forgot to smile.

Daffodils peeking through the dirt.

New home for a sword fern.

Stephen did a great job on the trail to the house.

Newly transplanted vine maple trees.

Saturday, Samuel went to another game for pep band. They won that one.

Transplanted Ocean Spray.

   After we cleaned up we drove together to the baptism of Yesenia Garcia Gonzalez. When we found the building in Renton and walked in the place was flooded. The missionaries had forgotten to turn off the water when the font was full. Water was everywhere in the room and down the hall. Fortunately they still could use the font. It was a lovely meeting with the first sister speaking on baptism. She was Sr. Merrill who doesn't speak Spanish but she is the Branch President's wife and she has taken Yesenia and the kids under her wing. A sister in the Branch translated for her but she missed half of what was said because Sr. Merrill got so excited that she forgot to take breaks in her message. Yesenia speaks English pretty well so she got the message alright.

Stephen and Yesenia waiting for the room to be prepared.

The missionaries, branch mission leaders, Stephen, Yesenia and the 5 children
she takes care of including her own daughter.

   Stephen performed the ordinance of baptism. The font was still completely full so it was hard to step in without water going over the side. After the baptism which was in a different room, Stephen was asked to pull out the plug so the font could drain. He couldn't get it with his foot so he had to reach into the bottom of the font and pull up the plug. That meant his whole shirt got wet and he didn't bring another shirt or garment top to change into. He was pretty cold on the way home.
   Today was fast and testimony meeting and then after Sunday School Stephen picked up Kathleen and they made it to the Renton Spanish Branch in time for the confirmation of Yesenia. Stephen was asked to stand up in the group. He wanted to give his testimony but there were so many others that did that we ran out of time. It was a good meeting.
   Everything is going well here and we hope that all of our loved ones enjoy peace and true happiness always.

Sr. Souza, Sr. Yost, Sr. Edmonds, and Sr. Huhum, Yesenia, Stephen, Elder Samuels and 2 other elders...