Very full week

This has been a very busy and satisfying week. On Monday found us both feeling a little more settled in our work, and more at ease with our duties. On Tuesday evening Gary went with the Elders to visit Sister Hamley, a less-active sister, who is responding very positively to their teachings and encouragement. Wednesday was our fullest day, with Zone Conference starting at 8:30 in the morning, highlighted by the visit of Elder Cordoba, of the Seventy, as our main speaker and teacher. The stake center where the conference was held is the building where Gary and Signe performed with the Utah Baroque Ensemble in 1996, when we participated wth other auditioned groups in the American Choral Directors Association festival in Pasadena. The day concluded with our first trip to participate in an endowment session at the Newport Beach Temple.

On Thursday, four Elders completed their missions, Gary filled out his first accident report (a sister missionary ran into a post), including contacting the insurance company. In the evening, we took Sister Daniel to dinner, to get to know her and become her friend. The bishop asked us to befriend her because she was adjusting to the passing of her husband, and needed company and support. We found that we had quite a bit in common, not only the fact that we all have lost spouses, but also an interest in model trains and music.

Friday night, we had the senior Sisters over to watch a movie and share snacks. We watched "An American in Paris," with Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron, and we commend it to anyone who likes great music 9George Gershwin) and dancing. It was one of those free Netflix instant movies on the internet; it is a great service, and we frequently unwind by finding a good old movie and curling up on the couch to enjoy it. Try it, you'll like it!

On Saturday, we did our chores, laundry, watched the AC repair man cut a hole in our hall ceiling to see what was causing the drip. He concluded that the leak was in the drain pipe and he is coming back on Monday with a part to fix it. Maybe we can get rid of the bucket that has been catching the drip the past two weeks! In the afternoon, from 1:00 to 5:30 we participated in our second Temple tour with the assigned Elders. Our duties include directing and playing the piano for the hymn singing, setting up chairs, arranging the plates of cookies and mixing punch to serve the visitors after they have taken the tour. Not very demanding, but kind of fun, even so.

Sunday was a very spiritual day, with amazing teachers and concluding with our stake choir practice. Sister Hess is very gifted and skilled in teaching us amateurs how to sing properly, and the result is we sound like a veritable Heavenly Choir! We will be singing for Stake Conference on August 16th. Signe has the privilege of playing the violin obligato for one of the numbers, "Beautiful Savior." And unlike most ward and stake choirs, we will be performing in a mixed configuration, instead of sopranos with sopranos, and basses with basses, etc. Our other number is the beautiful Mack Wilberg arrangement of "My Shepherd Will Supply My Need."