Elder Morrell and Elder King

Back to Plaquemine for church today.  I must say I missed our little branch.  It's beginning to feel like home. I've already introduced the Plackettes.  Now here are the Elders--Elder Morrell and Elder King.  I haven't had much time to visit with them yet but one of these days I will.  As you can see from the picture it was a very rainy day but far from cold.

On the fourth Sunday of the month the Stake Auxiliary Presidencies take turns coming to the branch to speak.  This week it was the Primary's turn, except 2 of the members of the presidency were sick, so Sister Cutler came to represent them, and her husband helped fill in the time with a very good talk, which was a good thing, because it was 9:25 when Sister Cutler finished speaking.  I'm sure that's when the Branch President starting wondering what he should tell the congregation.

Sister C compared life to the Olympic Ice Skating and said that now is our time on the ice.  If we all we can get up and continue on. She also used the parable of the sower and asked if we're good ground or choked by the things of mortality. How do we seek to get "good ground?"  Read scriptures, pray, be nice, be good neighbors, seek to increase the happiness of others. When we bless the lives of others our own lives are blessed.  She used a quote from "Harry Potter" which I have used before and quite like.  "Our choices show what we truly are far more than our abilities."

Brother Cutler talked about the importance of building a firm foundation and used the example of the foundation of the Salt Lake temple.  A few years ago there was a tornado that went through Salt Lake City. His family happened to be in the Salt Lake temple that very day for his daughter's wedding/sealing.  They felt safe inside even though the outside was experiencing terrible destruction.  When the temple was being built Brigham Young changed the temple foundation from granite to another stone to make it more stable.  He used Ephesians 2:20 referring to the Church and Christ as the cornerstone.  He also talked about the family and that it is the foundation of society. We need to build a firm foundation in our families to make them strong.

Pres. Hebert filled in the remainder of the time by reviewing the 2014 Baton Rouge Stake Member Challenge which was mentioned at Stake Conference.  It's purpose is guidance for our everyday lives and to help us build better foundations. (Good questions for self-evaluation and improvement)

(1) Are we having daily personal and family scripture study?
(2) Is personal and family prayer part of my daily routine?
(3) Do I participate in weekly Family Home Evening?
(4) Have I made the temple a priority in my life?
(5) Will I help the missionaries complete their 20 lessons each week?
(6) Do I strive for physical and spiritual self-reliance?
(7) Am I a Christlike member?

We had the Olsen's over for dinner after church, then the office elders came over for leftovers and to help Marc sync his Ipad.  I don't know if everything got finished, but we sure had a fun time working on it.  Then they were off to their "dinner appointment" which was a district dinner with leftovers from a ward dinner on Friday night.  There might have been a time lapse from the time they arrived until the time they left!