The Lake House

A bit down the road from our flat is a place called the Lake House. It is kind of an art gallery with a cafe and an art garden. We walked down there and through the garden last week. Some of the stuff was pretty normal but I thought it was lovely. It was closed of course since it was 5:45 p.m. so it would be. How funny of me to think it might be open!

So here are the art pieces that we saw.

Now you might look at this last photo and wonder which is the real work of art. Certainly the bench is unique and lovely but that fine gentleman sitting on it is the center of this photo as far as I am concerned!

Knitting needles to the ready!

When we walked around Devonport a few weeks ago I was taken by surprised when I saw that all of the street posts that help up the awnings in from of the shops were covered....with knitted covers, kind of like gloves.  I had to take some pictures of them. There were little tags on them that gave credit to the person or shop that made them. You can decide for yourself why it was necessary to cover them. The only thing I can think of is that with the humidity they get wet and this helps. Or maybe as cushions for when people bump into them.  

You do have to omit that they are very clever.  Do you think this would catch on in SLC right there near the new City Creek Mall?  Or maybe the Galleria in Dallas or Beachwood Mall in Cleveland?  More likely in Rexburg :-))

A Tree

I cannot remember but I don't think I posted a picture of this cool tree. If I did I am sorry. You can just look at it again and then go on.

I think it is so cool looking. It is in a park in the center of Devonport. That is where the doctor lives. It is a tourist spot for sure.  Hope you like it!

The Census

I told my family in their letter last week that we are required by law to participate in the census here.  It is on Tuesday, 5 March. A letter was read in church today from the Area Presidency concerning this census. One of the questions asks about religion. The question is this:

What is your religion?

• No religion
• Christian
• Buddhist
• Hindu
• Muslim
• Jewish
• Other

Then off to the right there is another box (which I cannot do on this format) with a list of all Christian churches which asks:  Which of these, if any, are you?

• Anglican
• Catholic
• Presbyterian
• Methodist
• Ratana
• Ringatu
• Other.  Print what it is:

Then below that are boxes to fill in with the name. The letter from the Area Presidency was on the correct way to fill in those boxes.  Not Mormon, Not Latter-day Saint, Not LDS but Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Otherwise, each of those other names will get a portion of those who are LDS and the government has no way of knowing that we are all the same.  Hopefully they will see that we are a pretty good precentage of the population.  

There was debate on whether you could fill it out before Tuesday or if all 4.5 million people need to fill it out that day. I already did the one section on the house itself: size, does it have heating, do I pay rent, how much etc.  I think I will risk it and do the other two parts today.  Mine and Dad's.  If I do not do it online then someone will come to my house to pick it up!  

An Anchor in the Wind...

I told you about Sister Burton so now I am going to tell you about Sister Wixom. I always like to watch her speak. She gets so excited about what she is teaching. She was always a favorite at the MTC.  She said that two weeks after she was set apart as the Primary General President, Elder L Tom Perry invited her into his office. He posed the question:  What is the taproot that will anchor a child in the wind? She said she went away thinking and pondering this question.  Was it a knowledge of the Holy Ghost? That families can be forever? She said one day her presidency was studying the scriptures together and they found their answer.

And the great God has had mercy on us, and made these things known unto us that we might not perish; yea, and he has made these things known unto us beforehand, because he loveth our souls as well as he loveth our children; therefore, in his mercy he doth visit us by his angels, that the plan of salvation might be made known unto us as well as unto future generatiaons.  (Alma 24:14)

She asid that the spirit confirmed to them that they needed to teach the children of the Church the plan of salvation.  So she decided to make her own family her test group.  Her son and his family of three, 4,6, and 9 I, came for dinner on Sunday.

She said that they all went into one room in the house. A lovely room but not the best that they had. They sang "I Will Follow God's Plan for Me." Then they explained what that plan was and what it would mean for them. And they voted and they shouted for joy when it was decided that they would all go.  Then they waved goodbye to Papa as he left first for his earthly experience. They all went one by one in age order.

In the second room they sang "I Love to See the Temple". They talked about them being in a family and learning together. They talked about baptism and that it was a covenant and the gift of the Holy Ghost and the priesthood.  They went through each of them receiveing the holy ghost and then preparing to go to the temple and on missions and being married. Grandma and Papa shared expreiences that they had had that the little ones would not know about. They then introduced the topic of death and talked about what it meant. That they would all one day die and go to another place.  They talked about who would go first and it was decided that it would probably be Papa since he was the oldest. When Papa stood to go the four year old started to cry and said: "Oh Papa, don't go!" Papa said: "But I've done it. I'm ready to go."

One by one they all left that room and reassembled in the living room. The nicest and best room in the house. They were so excited to see each other and each was welcomed by Grandma and Papa especially.  They talked about how that room represented the Celestial Kingdom and that they were all there together. They sang "Families Can Be Together Forever" and then they reflected on the things that they had learned while they were on the "earth" and how grateful they were for the plan of salvation that made it all possible.

She said that parents need to INTENTIONALLY teach the plan of salvation to their family and not to imagine or think that they are too young or that they will get it in Primary or that they already kind of know it from other discussions.  She encouraged us to attend the temple and to tell our children why we go. President Monson said that every effort to get to the Temple comes home with us in our bags as blessings with the love and promise of eternity.

She said that we need to teach and talk constantly about the Savior and his atonement for us. President Benson said that we will all be surprised at how familiar His face will be to us when we pass through the veil.  Part of that will be because of Moroni 6:4

And after they had been received unto baptism and were wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayers, relying alone open the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finished of their faith.

Sealegs

During one of our walks last week we saw the coolest thing.  It is a boat called Sealegs.  I had to google it to see if I really saw what I thought I was seeing.  Here is a photo.

It came driving across the carpark to the boat ramp. When we first saw it the tires were extended out and it was very high. As it got closer to the water and stopped it settled down on the tires. 

They people were getting ready to go out to fish and from their preparations it appeared they were going after something big.  They all put on a harness so they could hook themselves onto the boat. There were places for the big rods to be stored upright.  

 

It looks like a rubber raft like you see on movies with war stories etc. 

The website said that their main purpose is for busy people that live on the water but don't have time to drag a boat to the ramp and launch it off of a trailer. It is considered all terrain. If you have beach front property you just drieve it from your boat house into the water and you are off. You can then boat for 15 or 20 minutes and then get it back into the boathouse and not have killed your entire evening. The big tires folded up so they would not drag and then it took off.  It was up to a high speed very quickly and was bouncing off the waves in no time.  Although I would not like it very much I can think of many of my own famiy that would think this is just the best way to go.  

There are only 750 of them in 34 countries.  

Duri

Desecration of beauty

We were so sad to hear on Wednesday night that there had been a fatal shark attack on Maurwai Beach. This is one of our favorites. It is where we go to see the gannets and where we saw the blue bottle jelly fish. It is a black sand beach. It has been over 100 years since there was a fatal attack here.  The beach is closed for the wekeend while they continue to search to either find the dead shark or determine that it is gone. There is speculation that there were four of five other sharks in the area but that has not been verified.

It is a reminded that life needs to be cared for and protected.