Sharing the Gospel and Plumbing Problems

To begin we would like to share one of several beautiful Arizona sunsets this past week.

Early this week we gave a missionary copy of the Book of Mormon with our testimony inside the cover to our park neighbors and friends, Bill and Carla Dodds. These are the people whose meeting in their Community Christian Church we attended one evening last week. We have since had some conversations regarding our beliefs and this morning we attended one of their regular Sunday services with them prior to our ward conference. Their pastor spoke on "God's Greatest Desire." There was a baptism of one man during the service along with prayers and music by a choir and the congregation. It has been interesting to compare beliefs with a number of similarities noted. These people are sincere and dedicated in their beliefs and their congregation was very friendly. However it helps me appreciate that the restored gospel builds on and expands existing Christian beliefs as if seen through wide-angle optics that fill in missing details and critical principals lost with the Great Apostasy in ancient times. The Dodds plan to attend Sacrament meeting with us next Sunday as we share each other's beliefs. We are grateful for their friendship.

Along with our missionary efforts Dad also helped Bill get his webcam set up and completed getting Skype working on his laptop. This effort began last winter but at that time Bill didn't have the required camera and microphone. Then he was asked to help clear an annoying error from our Arkansas neighbor, Gayle Bramwell's laptop. Aside from these activities early this week it appeared to be somewhat relaxed as I caught Dad reading out in the sunshine on his Kindle.

That was until Dad discovered a leaking toilet in our motor home. That began a three and one-half day ordeal requiring multiple trips to Lowe's and RV supply stores, completely tearing out the old toilet, it's pedestal and all associated plumbing and building it back from scratch. This was due to nearly everything being incompatible between the old, now obsolete, pot and it's supposed replacement. Dad was complaining about a sore back, neck and knees along with a number of battle scars on his hands when it was finished.

This was the scene in my living room during the project.

But now it is finished and, gratefully, no more trips to the park's public restrooms.

While Dad was busy with his plumbing project I went with a park neighbor to the desert golf course across from the park one morning. This was my first ever golf game other than miniature golf. We played nine holes and she was very gracious to help me. It was fun but somewhat frustrating when a good drive hit and bounced off a piece of brush or a rock. The "greens" are smooth but I was also having a hard time not hitting the ball to hard when putting. For a couple of afternoons I was also busy making jewelry with the stones and wire I had bought. I have made earrings, finger rings and necklaces. I have received many compliments from friends and neighbors that have seen them and I have enjoyed this relatively new hobby.

While the plumbing project was underway we were waiting for a shipment from Amazon of safety items and a trip computer for the bicycles. We have yet to receive reflective vests. Some of our riding involves riding on streets with no bicycle lanes and we felt it would be safer and more enjoyable if we are more visible and can also better see what is behind us. It is also fun to check our speed and trip parameters such as distance, average speed, time, calories burned, etc. Here you can see the rear-view mirror, trip computer and brightly-flashing LED tail light for each bike. It is funny how these bicycles have hung around without being used for nearly twenty years and now we are getting some exercise and having fun riding them.