Snow, Beautiful Snow!

It's almost March, and Groveland finally got a dusting of snow!  Not much to holler about if you're in Utah, but in parched and desperate California, it's God sent!

Evidently, the moisture we got last winter (our first here) was the blessed end of a five year drought.  The waterfalls were flowing freely in Yosemite and Lake Don Pedro was full.  Now, it's back to worrying about the water levels and snow pack once again. 



While I'm talking about Yosemite, let me tell about this past week's adventure.  One of the blessings of being a 'Senior' missionary is being able to have friends come for brief visits.  President Palmer has been very kind in this way, and last week we welcomed two of our longtime friends - Dave and LaRue. 

And of course, when your most 'outdoorsy' friends come, you need to head into the Park! 
Luckily, there is still enough water for Yosemite Falls to display its beauty, as well as Bridal Veil Falls. 







There is also a 'once-a-year' occurrence that Dave and Fred were dying to see:  the 'golden stream' of Horse Tail Falls.  Each year there are a very few hours in a very few days that the setting sun is in just the right place to turn the falls 'golden', which is a breathtaking sight.  Well, even though we were told there was no water going over it this year, our determined husbands  thought there might just be a chance at a shot - so we were there.  And we did get this picture:

So you can sort of picture what it would have looked like with sparkling water turning that ribbon bright orange.  Truthfully, this year the more striking image was right behind us at that time:

That shot was just about 'worth our nickle' to stay until dark.  And let us just say, when it gets dark in Yosemite, it gets DARK.  Our friends mentioned more than once how totally dark it gets at night up here in the mountains.  #nostreetlights

Anyway, the weather totally cooperated for these hiking friends to spend all day climbing around in the rocks by Hetch Hetchy reservoir.  They found a five mile trail to beautiful Wapama Falls. 

Meanwhile, LaRue and I discovered the library, Youth Center, Serendipity gift shop, and the original jail in town! 



And what do you do in the evening after you've talked and read together? 
Dominos, of course!  Thank you, dear friends, for taking the time to be with us!

 I want to show you two people who have become a very enjoyable part of our week each Wednesday.  They are very active in their own faith, and we have developed a habit of meeting once a week to discuss religious topics together and try to better understand each other's faith. 

One week we discussed the Proclamation On The Family, another we brought them a copy of the Articles of Faith.  We've discussed The Living Christ.  We have read some writings by their Church's founder Ellen White.   They are also reading the Book of Mormon, so we discuss questions about it. 

They are amazingly knowledgable scriptorians, and it has been a great help to us to research scriptures we can share on each topic.  For instance, why do we believe we existed before this life?  What are our beliefs about Adam and Eve in the Garden?  How do our beliefs differ about the second coming of Christ?   It is a great experience to be able to discuss religion in a spirit of brotherhood and respect. 

well, believe it or not, our mission is finally about to get cell phones!  They've been talking about it for some time, but it's almost a reality.  And it should be a great boon to the work!  They're all android, so we won't be able to put the 'area book' on our iphone, but the Elders are pretty excited about the prospect. 

Thursday was our last district meeting before transfers, so Elder Meese bought lunch for us all (as is his practice).  But now our district is so large that we had to bring pizza in! 

When we arrived with the pizza, the trio of Elders were still sitting in their car.  The reason?  The other Elders hadn't arrived, and they couldn't go in because the trio of Sisters was inside.  Three Elders, three Sisters, nope.  You've got to love the obedience of these missionaries. 

Okay, a few more faces: 

Elder Meese continues to work with people on Family History.  Kathy is a retired school teacher he's helping at a monthly session at STCHS ('Stitches'), the South Tuolumne County Historical Society. 

This is Ariel, my favorite part of The Cocina Mitchoacana where we often eat.  We don't even have to order any more; she knows I'll have my tostada and Elder Meese will probably do the green chile enchilada. 

This is one great fourth grade teacher, Lydia!  She's holding her new golden doodle.   She volunteers at the youth center and is just a super roll model for the kids.  And...can we just say that almost everyone up here has a dog...or cat.  Pets are every couple's 'children' up here. 







Our President Palmer and his wife.  We enjoyed another Senior Gathering with them recently.  They're wonderful.  They'll return to Washington in July when they end their mission. 

So that's it for now.  But I hear there's a big storm in the forecast for Monday!  So we may be hunkering down for a day!  We asked someone once how you get around up here when it snows heavily.  The answer?  "You don't.  You just stay home for a day and it melts by tomorrow!"  Well, we'll see....

Until then, we send our love from beautiful Groveland.   God bless you, and keep you warm and happy!