Elder Gibson's Birthday

The end of May we participated in a 5 hour 20 minute Fast and Testimony Meeting in Sumter, South Carolina, with 3 zones.

 President and Sister McConkie kept an amazing pace around the mission finishing Zone Conferences, Firesides and other assignments.  At their last Zone Conference which was held in Columbia, they were presented with appreciations including a quilt made by the sisters in the Mission Office with quilt blocks made by missionary couple sisters in the mission.

Sister McConkie has a mission tradition of "cutting the ties" as each elder leaves the mission.  Current

missionaries donated their ties en mass at the last Zone Conferences of the McConkie reign.   

Returning home, we celebrated Elder Gibson's birthday.

The "cake" was cherry vanilla ice cream with a cookie sent by Patty.  Dad still added milk!!!

His birthday and Father's Day were great days having heard from family and feeling loved. 

Miracles

We are so grateful for the opportunity to share the message of the restored gospel.  The single sailors are coming in groups of twelve now and they are bringing friends.  One will baptized on the 14th and he is a wonderful young man.  There are people prepared and He is putting them in our path.  In asking permission to take a picture of a blossom on his tree, Larry was happy for us to do so and presented Sister Gibson with a beautiful magnolia blossom.  They have a subtle scent and are so amazing to see.

Wedding Day 29 April

Not realizing it was the day of the "big wedding", Carol woke up early to do some computer work before heading for a day of service at the NMCRS and discovered what was happening in the world.  There was a humble beautiful spirit with those two young leaders of England.  The only part that was sad was the words, "til death do you part."  We took this picture of the Columbia Temple the day before.

Trip to Columbia

We needed to get a quilt block to the Mission Office by May 1, so we headed to drop it off and enjoyed the Temple.

the Coventry Green Geese

Our apartment complex has two resident geese who just produced two little goslings.  Dad would go out for his morning jog and the geese would fly overhead with loud honks, go past the pond and the Dad Goose would land on the roof as to stand watch and looked like a big weathervane.  The Mom Goose cares with her three little babies.  Sometimes they head to the other pond for a new adventure.

Except for the Alligators

And now every day we see at least one and sometimes two alligators with their noses up and sometimes their backs in the two areas of the lake we pass by as we walk.  There is no love for this creation by Sister Gibson.

Gratitude for Creations

After returning from a temple session, our walks create even more gratitude for our Heavenly Father as we see all his creations in a new light.  The little turtles always in their same place sunning at the side of the pond, the squirrels always hopping from tree to tree, the leaves growing bigger and filling in and causing our path to seem more private, the bluebirds and the cardinals flitting from branch to branch all say thanks to Him who created us all.