Week 17
On Monday (Leap Day) we got to the institute and found the big Bradford pear tree in full bloom:

In the shadow of blossoms

These pear trees are all over--some obviously planted, but many that look wild in the woods, so the whole landscape is dotted with big puffs of white.  The red bud trees are barely starting to bloom--should be gorgeous soon. Temperatures were in the high 60's and low 70's all week.  Folks keep warning us that there is often a big snowstorm over Spring Break (March 14-18), but that's hard to imagine with all the warm weather we've been having.

Preparing our classes (Old Testament part 2, Book of Mormon part 1, and Teachings of the Living Prophets) keeps us busy--that's a lot of reading, but we really loving teaching our classes!  We had just finished teaching the Isaiah chapters in the Book of Mormon a week ago, then started Isaiah in the Bible this week.  I've mentioned before the delightful dovetailing of doctrine we see as we study and teach. Each class has only four students, but they are dedicated and participate fully in the discussions.  To graduate from institute, students need to take the four new cornerstone classes (Jesus Christ and the Everlasting Gospel, Foundations of the Restoration, The Eternal Family, and The Teachings and Doctrine of the Book of Mormon) and two or three "primary elective" courses.  The classes we teach are primary electives.  Brother Valletta, the institute director, teaches one Foundations and two Eternal Family classes this semester. His evening Family class has about 20 students, but all others have about four.

Last week I forgot to mention something about the CES fireside.  The closing hymn by the choir was the words to Oh, How Lovely Was the Morning sung to the melody of Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.  It was really stunning and made one concentrate on the words more than usual.

Friday was Elder Kerr's birthday.  Not easy to surprise your mission companion, but I called in an order for a cake, and one of the YSAs picked it up along with ice cream, balloons, and candles.  She had it all in place when we arrived Friday morning, and Kerby was indeed surprised!  Friday is district meeting for the rest of the missionaries, and it turns out two of the sisters had birthdays on the 4th as well.

The cake says Man Alive, He's 65

With Sisters Adair and Ryan

Each of Kerby's kids called, so he got to talk to them and the grandchildren.  Later his sisters called, and even my sister called from Croatia!  We ate dinner at a local steak place called Freddie Pauls--it was very good.  The next day at Elite Repeat (where we volunteer each week) they gave him a delicious big cupcake.