September: fun and busy!

Many times this summer we have
looked out on the lake to see a ship
carrying windmill blades-the huge ones.

                 

On Sunday mornings when we arrive at church we often see Brother Martindale sitting at the piano.  Brother Martindale dosn't know how to play the piano but he does know how to punch in the numbers for the automatic hymn player.  He is always smiling about this good trick he plays on us every week.

 This is an in-service meeting in Pine City.  Look how good they are listening!

On September 6,7,8 we held a senior couples' conference in Duluth. There are 9 couples serving in the Minneapolis, Minnesota Mission and they all came!   We had a potluck first thing and,as usual, the food was delicious. Thompsons, Graffs, Arringtons, Forbes, Becks, Marlos, Higbees, Morrisons, Sawyers, Strattons. I don't know first names, we just call them Elder and Sister.

We were lucky enough to see a big ship come through the ship canal.

Biking on the lakewalk

 We took them to all the scenic spots around here: Enger Tower, Canal Park, Gooseberry Falls, Split Rock Lighthouse, Glensheen Mansion,Betty's Pie Shop and the Church for "Hungry Hippos-senior style" and some other games. It really surprised me that ALL the seniors had a turn on the roller boards.

This is President Forbes, the mission president.

                                      

And we invited the Sisters Christensen and Pointer.

They slept in the Villas at Spirit Mountain.
We slept at home. (I knew you would wonder)

 We made some very fun memories while they were here.  Overheard comment, "I am going to go back to my mission and rest up from this."

And then it was time for our next visitors!  It was so good to see Barry and Beth. You may be starting to recognize this view from Enger Tower.

 One thing we hadn't done yet in Minnesota was go and tour the Soudan Mine.  We were over 2,000 feet underground and I'm not gonna lie, I was a little nervous.  We saw how they mined iron ore.

This is the photo they took to send to their mom.

Ron and Barry on the very loud and crowded elevator.

We cooked us some brats!

Mountain biking!

We dropped in at a resort in northern Minnesota on Moose Lake which the Halls (that we know from church) own and run.  People come here to get outfitted to go into the Boundary Waters on a canoe/camping trip. It was a beautiful setting and when Blayne asked if we wanted to go on a boat ride, we agreed.  We saw several eagles nests and eagles.  The lake was smooth and beautiful and then we stopped on an island and Blaine told we were in Canada.

Yesterday Ron gave a workshop at youth conference on "Scripture Study". We actually know the kids from visiting their seminary classes and going to Nauvoo with them.

             

Just reading the scriptures is like a bucket of sand.
You have to sift through to find the gems!

Elder Stratton and some cute girls.  It's the selfie stick once again.