A Memorable Sunday

We found a Residence Inn in Covington, having not found anything reasonable in New Orleans. The Mardi Gras parades are also beginning which made it impossible to get anything. That was ok because we drove across Lake Pontchartrain via the longest continuous bridge in the world. It's 23+ miles across. I have to include this excerpt from wikipedia. "Lake Pontchartrain is not a true lake but an estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico via the Rigolets strait (known locally as "the Rigolets") and Chef Menteur Pass into Lake Borgne, another large lagoon, and therefore experiences small tidal changes. It receives fresh water from the Tangipahoa, Tchefuncte, Tickfaw, Amite, and Bogue Falaya rivers, and from Bayou Lacombe and Bayou Chinchuba." How's that for a mouthful?  I took this picture at 50 mph of the rising moon.  Unfortunately the pic doesn't do it justice.

We attended church in Covington in a building that's almost like our ward in Cedar City.  There's such a difference between wards and branches but still a fervent spirit and exceptionally friendly people. The talks were sincere and powerful.  The New Orleans Stake had a Women's Conference yesterday featuring Robert Millet from BYU, and several women in Sacrament Meeting, Sunday School and Relief Society referred to it and quoted from it.  It must have been an excellent meeting. Our RS lesson incorporated some of what he said in the keynote address.  He asked the question "Am I making real growth?" (Real growth being synonymous with true conversion. Then he gave 7 ways to recognize our growth.  1) We will see the laws of the gospel with different eyes.  2) We will see the Church with new eyes.  3) We will see more connections in the scriptures.  4) We will become more people conscious.  5) We will be willing to be inconvenienced.   6) We will be less troubled by unanswered questions. 7) We will see Aostles and Prophets with new eyes.
Two other quotes she used were "Faith is more than a feeling.  It's a decision." ~ Pres. Uchtdorf.  "Doubt your doubt, not your faith."

On our way home we made a few wrong turns. One led us past another cemetary with a new twist--chain link fences around 6-8 plots. Marc thinks to keep the deer from eating the flowers. But I'm not sure because they can jump higher than 4' fences.

The second wrong turn pretty much took our breath away.  I don't know how many acres it was, but what a stunning sight it was!