Celebrating Memorial Day!

     This week was our turn to host Family Home Evening.  As it landed on Memorial Day, we decided to talk a bit about how this holiday came about and then show a program that the Tabernacle Choir did for the Spoken Word in 2012 on Memorial Day.  It was interesting to read about the beginnings of "Decoration Day" as it was first called.  Elder Thompson decided that we needed to have red, white, and blue sugar cookies for dessert.  He had never made sugar cookies before, or even helped me make them so he was in for quite a surprise.  He now has a new appreciation for Annie Colvin and her wonderful cookies that he used to get quite regularly.  He mixed up the cookies, cut them and cooked them on Saturday.

He made stars and hearts but couldn't believe all the work that it took to get them just right.  And cleaning up the kitchen afterword made him think that he would never try this one again.  Monday morning he had to get them all frosted before our missionary training at 11:30.

     With FHE prepared for, we were off to our missionary training, learning to put out fires.  The temple engineers were concerned that the missionaries didn't know how to use the fire extinguishers that are in the apartments, or that we could even lift them so they spent the next hour teaching us.

 This is one of the temple engineers, Hermano Alvarado teaching us all about the fire extinguishers with President Burk translating into English for those who needed it.  After the classroom instruction, we were off to the bus parking lot to try our hand at using one.

They especially wanted to make sure that all the single sisters could use the extinguisher.  Hermana Cordon looked like an expert.

I am in the green shirt and handled it without any difficulty.  Some of the older single sisters used smaller ones that weren't so heavy for them.

     Elder Thompson tried to answer some questions that Hermana Cuellar had and help her understand how to use the extinguisher, however------- 

 She forgot to hang on to the nozzle and when she began to spray, the nozzle whipped around and drenched Hermana Barlow.  We decided that it was the red hair that confused her. 

                       President Roberts had no trouble at all.  Elder Thompson  found it easy also.

     After we were trained and the engineers were satisfied that we could at least put out a kitchen fire if we started one, we were off to have lunch at Pollo Campero with the Murri's and Cuellar's.

     Our FHE went very well.  We had 14 in attendance, it is so much easier in this bigger apartment.  I will share with you a fact that we learned that we didn't know before.

     On Memorial Day, the flag of the US is raised briskly to the top of the staff and then solemnly lowered to the half-staff position, where it remains only until noon.  It is then raised to the full-staff position for the remainder of the day.

     The half-staff position remembers the more than one million men and women who gave their lives in service to their country.  At noon, their memory is raised by the living, who resolve not to let their sacrifice be in vain, but to rise up in their stead and continue to fight for liberty and justice for all. 

    May we be like Moroni, and raise the standard of liberty in our hearts and minds.  That we will fight for what is right and stand for what is true.

      Our week went by so fast.  We enjoy our service here and love getting to know the people.  We send our love to you and pray that you are well and enjoying life.  May God be with you this week and bless you with those righteous desired of your hearts.  Lon and Nancy, Dad and Mom, Grandpa and Grandma.