Week 77
Great-nephew Sam received his mission call to the Washington, Tacoma Mission this week--he enters the MTC on July 5.  Yippee for another missionary in the family!

Hate to repeat myself, but weather headlines this week, too.  We got about 6 inches of rain yesterday, and the average for the whole month of April is 3.4 inches!  Other parts of the state were hit even worse and the governor declared a state of emergency for Oklahoma.  The massive thunder storm (think booming thunder reverberating in the sky) started about 2 am and storms recurred throughout the day.  Fortunately we didn't get the tornadoes that have hit in states around us.  This picture is of Meridian Pond--the water in the foreground is about a 4-foot deep, miles-long culvert (generally dry) completely full.  The pond in the background shows a fire hydrant that normally marks the shoreline--it's a bit wet! And it's been raining most of this afternoon and evening as well.

On a dryer note, we had a fun talent show for FHE Monday.  Quite an array of talents shared.

Talent on the bottom left is sitting in our office with the basket of candy the next day

Two weeks ago a reporter for the OSU student newspaper came to Soup Tuesday, then interviewed the missionaries afterward for a story in the paper.  We were all surprised by how positive the story was, but even more surprised that the cover picture on the paper was the Book of Mormon!

Here are our missionaries after Sunday dinner:

Sisters Atkinson and Smith; Elders Davis and Rounds

I just can't believe what wonderful missionaries we have.  Their parents should be proud!  Sister Atkinson and Elder Davis had their Greenie Graduation last week, so they are fully trained (takes 2 transfers, or 12 weeks, and "passing off" two lessons to the President or his assistants).

We both spoke in Sacrament Meeting today, and it was bittersweet knowing we'll be leaving these great YSAs so soon.

Jeanne is the Support Specialist at the institute.  She is fun, energetic, and creative, and we've really enjoyed working with her.

We have ward prayer every Sunday night--starts with a spiritual message followed by a prayer that includes whatever people have requested be mentioned.  Attendance is generally around 15-20.

Bishop and Sister Hillock before ward prayer

Last week I finished compiling all of the soup and bread recipes that I've made into a nifty little book. Most of the soups are sized for 10, 20, and 40 servings.  I hope it will be helpful to the next couple, because not everyone is accustomed to cooking and shopping for larger than family-sized quantities.  I'll be happy to e-mail it to anyone who would like copy.

And speaking of Soup Tuesday, a few weeks ago as we were cleaning up after the meal, I said, "I wonder how many of these we've done."  Well, we counted, and that made me wonder how many of lots of things we've done.  We're entering the last week of our mission, and as of this coming Thursday, here is our accounting.

Our Mission by the Numbers:

48     Soup Tuesdays

13     Tuesday Twiddles (complete with Tuesday Twiddle Treat)

8        Convert baptisms attended

3        Sacrament Meeting talks given (3 each)

12      Seminary/Institute in-service meetings or Evening With a General Authority CES broadcasts

75     Ward Council Meetings

75     Ward Family Home Evenings

75     Ward Prayers

12     Taking a car-load of YSAs to ward temple trips (baptisms or endowment)--always followed by a stop at Braum's, 5 Guys, or Smashburger

100    Hours volunteering at Elite Repeat

26      Hours volunteering at The Wondertorium

152    90-minute classes (we each prepared and taught 45 minutes in each class)

11     Courses taught:

Old Testament, Parts I (finished the semester when we first got here) and II

Book of Mormon, Parts I and II

Doctrine and Covenants, Parts I and II

Pearl of Great Price

Teachings of the Living Prophets (taught twice)

Missionary Preparation

Church History from 1900

Jesus Christ and the Everlasting Gospel

Those are most of the countable things--the things that can't be itemized are much more important to us.  We love the YSAs we've worked with so very much.  We love the things we learned about ourselves, each other, and the gospel.  We love the privilege of serving the Lord in this wonderful part of the country.  We are going home changed and improved because of our experience here.

I'll end the Kerr Chronicles with my testimony that Jesus Christ is indeed our Savior and Redeemer, that He lives and loves us.  What a marvelous blessing to live in this, the dispensation of the fullness of times--we have challenges and opportunities never before known on the earth.  The only way to have real happiness is to align our lives with Heavenly Father's will and develop the Christ-like characteristics that will allow us to live with Them eternally.

Week 76
The weather was the headline news this week.  Friday it rained off and on all day (well, sometimes it poured!)  and we had massive thunder and lightning.  The weather folks at the local news channels preempted the Today Show and Good Morning America all morning with weather updates and warnings.  Stillwater didn't get nearly as much rain as some parts of the state.  We got a little hail, too, but other parts of the state got a lot more and a lot bigger.  Many flash flood warnings were posted throughout the day. Weather can turn severe and violent here so quickly that the folks who forecast and track it take their jobs very seriously.

Other than weather, we had a quiet week.  We're getting to the winding up part in all of our classes, so lesson preparation continues to take most of our time.  On Tuesday evening the Relief Society had a recipe exchange and I was the speaker--I made samples of several quick and easy do-ahead meals, and we had a nice time.  Since that came on the heals of Soup Tuesday, I do have to admit I was a little more tired than usual at the end of the day.

Yesterday was our last day at Elite Repeat, and then we wandered through the Art Festival (the weather was still quite cold, but it didn't rain).  We spent the afternoon packing (yes, packing--can hardly believe it's time to do that).  The trouble with driving to your mission, is there is a lot more to pack than if we'd gone overseas.  My sister just had to pack up two suitcases!

On Friday evening the Mitchells (Jeanne is the Support Specialist at the institute) took us out to dinner.  Then last night we went out with the Hillocks (our bishop and his wife).

This is my favorite tree in Stillwater (maybe even in the whole world).  It's just lush and full and spreads so beautifully.  However, in the picture it just looks like a big shrub.  It's actually about 20 feet tall and I'll miss driving by it every day.

The world's best tree in the world's best mission

Week 75
Things seen while out and about:
When showing my sister around last week we discovered four things we'd never seen before.  First, we walked around the OKC Temple, and to our amazement, there is a fountain at the back--can't see it from the front or from the road, and we had no idea it was there.

Who knew there was a fountain??

Next, when walking around campus, we noticed a sundial way up on the Bellmon Research Building:

It pays to look up!

The city of Stillwater added a new downtown statue  a couple of weeks ago, and we saw it for the first time with Gloria:

The little gardener

Finally, we had noticed these cattle before, but never thought to learn more about them.  We see this herd just east of I-35; Gloria inspired us to find out what they are.  They are beef cattle called Belted Galloway, originating in southern Scotland, and they are very striking with their white middles:

Oreo cows

A few more sightings this week:

We saw our first scissor-tailed flycatchers (OK state bird) of the season.

We really can go home now.  Ever since last spring when we saw a lot of dead amardillos on the roads, I've wanted to see a live one.  Well, it happened this week.  Frankly, they are not terribly attractive, but they do look better alive than smashed on the side of the road.

Coming home one night our headlights flashed on a possum in the area by our parking lot.

And finally, the egrets have come back to the pond from wherever they winter.

Next Saturday will be our last time at Elite Repeat, so Kerby thought to take a few pictures.

Top--me with Jackie, Vickie, and Wilma--the Saturday clothing folks
Bottom, Vickie, Ida Mae, and Theresa at the cash register

We have enjoyed working with these people so much.  Jackie had a stroke when she was in her 20s, and she has limited use of her left side, but she sure doesn't let that stop her.  Wilma is a spunky lady in her 80s (I'm the age of her youngest son), and she can lift and haul more than I can!  Ida Mae is in her 90s.  Top Vickie and Wilma were part of the original group that started Elite Repeat 15 years ago. Bottom Vickie is wearing bunny ears here, but she wears fun and crazy hats every week to match the season or event.  Elite Repeat has benefited a lot of charities over the years, and it's been a privilege to be part of it even if for only a couple of hours every week.

Last night was the Black and White Ball, a regional YSA dance hosted by our ward.  Lots of preparation started on Friday, with YSAs making ham and cheese roll-ups and blowing up balloons.

Garbage bags full of balloons

The dance was a success--we only stayed for the first hour, but there were even a couple of songs we could dance to in that time.  Most of the music was pretty foreign to us, but the YSAs seemed to enjoy it all.

This was a lovely Sabbath, and especially a lovely Easter.  What should be our focus at all times, the Atonement, comes into even sharper focus at this season.  The wonderful video Prince of Peace is so very meaningful and reassuring:  https://www.mormon.org/ 

Week 74
First a little nature news:  last night at 8:45, there was a magnitude 3.9 earthquake about 5 miles north of Stillwater.  It gave us quite a good shake for about 20 seconds.  Also, the winds have really been sweeping down the plains this week--just howling a couple of nights.  This, of course, whips pollen into the air and poor Kerby is really suffering with his allergies.

Now the fun report:  my sister Gloria came to visit this week.  She's only been home from her mission in Croatia three weeks, but she wanted to come see Oklahoma (and us) while we're still here.  We had a wonderful time visiting a few of our favorite sites and a few we hadn't seen before.

Welcome at the airport and at the Jesus Wept statue across the street from the National Memorial
at the OKC federal building

At the Chihuly exhibit in OKC (top right), then on campus at Botanic Garden,
National Wrestling Hall of Fame, and the OSU welcome sign

Transformers--BumbleBee on the west end and Optimus Prime on the east end of Stillwater

We've featured the transformers in previous posts, and Kerby's sister asked me about their significance.  I told her I didn't really know, except that being in Stillwater is a truly transformative experience!

One of the most fun stops was the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.  We loved it last year and we loved it even more this time.  It is simply a high class museum--almost worth a trip to OKC even if we're not here to greet you.

A really fun exhibit of illustrations on western novel covers in the 1940s and '50s

On the beautiful grounds of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum

Yesterday at Elite Repeat they told us they had a whole bunch of ties that just weren't selling--even though now they were bagged 6 for $1.  They asked if we thought the elders could use them.  Well, one look explained why they weren't selling, but we said we'd take them.  Today at church I told Elder Rounds that after dinner we had a surprise for him for Zone Conference this week.  So after dinner, we dumped about 60 ties on the table and told them they needed to have an ugly tie contest at Zone Conference.  The elders were so excited you'd have thought it was Christmas morning. Don't know if the ties would have been that fun to "civilian" 19-year-olds, but it was fun to make the elders' day!  Elder Rounds told me that he has made several wide ties narrower with a few alterations (must make his mother proud).

We comment constantly on what a great blessing it is to be studying the scriptures so much in preparation for our classes.  Preparing and teaching classes has been such a joy and we will really miss our YSAs and our hours of study when we go home.

Week 73
General Conference just makes for a wonderful weekend.  What a blessing it is to so easily watch Conference via the internet (projected on the screen at the institute).  When I was a teenager in Kansas City we seldom got any conference sessions.  After my father bought a side band radio, we could pick up some of it.  I hope the "easiness of the way" doesn't cause complacency about those inspired messages.  Two investigators stayed for both sessions today, as well as the pot luck dinner between sessions, so that was great.

FHE was human foosball--which kind of looked like an injury just waiting to happen!  No injuries and lots of fun.

Keep your hands on the pole!

Tuesday was stake Melchizedek Priesthood fill the temple day. Boy did they respond.  We attended the 6 pm session, and there were about 40 men with just 12 women.  

Also on Tuesday we said goodbye to Sister Allred.  She's been here since last fall and was transferred to the YSA ward in Tulsa.  There may be some less than dedicated, hard-working missionaries in our mission, but they've never been assigned to our YSA ward.  What a joy to work with these great missionaries.

 I've never actually looked at the job description for a Seminary/Institute Director, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't include wrestling.  I guess it's just a bonus if the director loves to goof around with the YSA guys once in a while.  These two also have a long-running ping pong game, and they're both really good at it.

Bother Valletta's on top--does that mean he won?

Before the Saturday morning session of conference, we took the Valletta family to IHOP for breakfast.  They have 11-year-old Grayson, 8-year-old Hudson, and 3-year-old Jack. Grayson gave me a big hug and said, "I wish you didn't have to go home."  I told him we would miss him and being here, but that now we'd get to see our grandchildren.  He said, "That's true, but that's the only good thing about you leaving."  

A great family

Week 72
A nice but mostly uneventful week.  FHE was kind of fun--Bob Ross Night.  He's that painting guy on public television.  Here are the YSAs painting along with him.

A relaxing FHE with the happy painter

Saturday we went to the temple as one of our YSAs, Kayla, received her endowment.  It has been such a privilege to share this sacred experience with every one of the YSAs who has received the endowment since we've been here.

Windy but wonderful day with Kayla (middle)

The General Women's Meeting last night was a spiritual feast.  My favorite new insight came from Sister Burton, as she discussed the "certain women" described several places in the scriptures in various settings with Christ.  The insight came as she shared the synonyms of "certain" that include convinced, positive, confident, firm, definite, assured, and dependable. I'll need to think and study that concept more, but that insight completely changes the way we can view those "certain women" and makes me want to be a "certain" woman as well.

Week 71
My sister, Gloria, returned from her mission in Croatia at midnight Tuesday.  She's going to come pay us a visit in a couple of weeks, and I can't wait to see her.

We took advantage of Spring Break to explore a little more of Oklahoma.  On Wednesday we headed east--first stop Tulsa to experience Hurts Donut Company.  This is a chain in the midwest that seems heavily influenced by Voodoo Donuts in Portland, OR.  The Tulsa shop just opened last month; between being new and being spring break around the state, the line was very long (we waited almost an hour), but it was fun and we got some wonderful donuts.  The selection is amazing and kind of crazy.

Our selections were rather tame 

Our next stop was Muskogee (as in Okie from. . . ).  We went to the Five Civilized Tribes Museum, which highlighted the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole tribes; all of which were forced to leave their native regions and march the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma (Indian Territory) in the 1800's.  The museum is right next to Honor Heights Park,  which was very lovely.  It will have an azalea festival in April, so we didn't see it in all its glory.  However, enough brave azaleas were blooming early that we could imagine how spectacular it will be in a few weeks. Then we went to the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame--located in the old train depot.  You kind of expect the country western stars from OK (Garth Brooks, Vince Gill, Carrie Underwood, Toby Keith, etc) but there have been famous and influential jazz, classical, gospel, and even opera stars out of Oklahoma.  I came to the conclusion that there are far more musicians per capita from OK than from much larger states.

Hall of Fame and Five Tribes Museum

The highlight of Muskogee was the Muskogee War Memorial Park--it has a submarine, the USS Batfish, that fought in WWII, as well as the only surviving piece of the USS Oklahoma, the first ship sunk in Pearl Harbor. They floated the Batfish up the Arkansas River from a port in Texas to get it here.

Batfish in the distance, and part of the mast of USS Oklahoma recovered from the ocean

On the Batfish and the five military branches

We spent the night in Muskogee and then took the Cherokee Hills Byway to mosey up to Tahlequah.  The drive was beautiful because of the three lakes and the Arkansas and Illinois rivers along the way.  A very popular recreation area.  In Tahlequah we really enjoyed the Cherokee Heritage Center.  Our guide on the tour of the village was superb and really made history live for us.

The tallest Cherokee basket, a loom;  redbuds in bloom everywhere

More at the heritage center--bottom left he's making a flint arrowhead

We kept going north, then east almost to the Arkansas border to see Natural Falls State Park.  We only went to the Spring Falls, but it was very lovely.

The terrain was very different on that side of the state--we actually went up and down hills!  Haven't done that for a while.  

We continued to work on lessons on Friday, and are excited to have all our YSAs back from break. There was a big group at ward prayer tonight, so looked like most have arrived.