August comes to a close

Activities of Summer

District Activity

Sister Lay still was a target even though she was taking pictures

The hose water was as warm as bath water

You would think it was the Elders against the Sisters. You would generally be correct

Our normal goodbye picture. Elder Beahan and Sister Miller being transferred

Our new Sister Call's first trip into Georgia for district meeting

Another highlight with a trip to Atlanta Temple

Brother and Sister Kitchen after they were sealed
 for time and all eternity in the Atlanta Temple

Outside the temple

Sister Call's first trip into Alabama

Sisters Call and Dyer with a peanut guy at Texas Roadhouse
Dothan is the peanut capitol of the world
 hence peanut people at many of the businesses 

The Sisters with a turtle that was in front of our house

Farewell dinner for the Gray's who served in Crawfordville
Around the table are  Dalleys, Grays, Burnhams, Greens and Lays

Taking Sister Hale to an appointment so we went out to eat sushi
It is called the Love Boat and was served in a wooden boat.

 Finding an apartment for the Elders

  We had one day notice that they were moving a second set of missionaries back into Marianna.
We thought it would be sisters but when we got to transfers, it ended up being Elders Kent and Troxel.  This is the front of their apartment. Not the Hilton, but the best there is.

A visit from a high school friend of Sister Lay

So of course we had to visit Wakula Springs State Park

And  Mexico Beach, but as usual Sister Lay keeps getting calls from missioniaries

You would think she had a tan,
 must be a reflection off of the building

Sister Lay and her friend Janis

On the porch of the Russ Mansion

Happy and relaxed

The most famous town in the county.  Stories vary as to why it is called Two Egg, but the one I like the best is that a trader came through town and said he wouldn't give two eggs for the whole town.



Time is going fast with only two months left.  We continue to enjoy serving here in Marianna.

July 2015 It is closing faster than we would like

July is coming to a close and we getting too close to the end.  The President informed us that our replacements have been called and they will be coming end of October\first of November.  They will move into the house we are in.  We will stay for a couple of days to train them and then will be headed out.

Kolomoki Mounds-Georgia

The write up in the Museum said that there were a lare group living here and it was a center of trade.  This large group because a much smaller disfunctional group 400-500 A.D.  They don't know why.  Maybe they should read the Book of Mormon.

The view from the top of the mound.  There are smaller mounds around the area.

The front view of the largest mound with Elder Lay for perspective.

The side view of the largest mound which they think was the temple mound where the priest lived on top.

Looking down from the top of the largest mound

Flowers on top of the largest mound

I finished my sightseeing before Sister Lay. I could hear her clearly from the top of the mound when she was talking in a normal voice.  The shape of the mound would have made it easy for the priest to address all of the people with little effort

Lakes within the park boundaries


Event honoring a ward member who does a lot of service and feeds the missionaries most Sundays

The event was hosted by the local BBQ resturant. They do this regularly to acknowledge people in the community who are making the world a better place.  She was nominated and voted on by people who frequent the restaruant without her knowledge.  A fun surprise orchestrated by one of her daughters.

Scarlet's blanket is taking shape and she isn't even a year old yet.

Missionaries do get to have a fun activity once in a while

The water from the hose was probably about 80 degrees.

New member in Marianna Ward

With the Sisters and her fiance (now husband)

With her grandfather who is a member

Ellen & Kids Visit

Ellen and her children came for a visit.  We didn't get a lot of pictures but went swimming at Ponce de Leon Springs, Blue Springs, Wakula Springs, Mexico Beach and Pensicola.  We went on the boat tour at Wakula Springs,saw alligators and manatees, toured the Florida Cavarans and went to the Naval Air Museum in Pensicola where the Blue Angels are based. The pictures are from a visit to a member's home.

The complete farm experience

They had to pet or hold everything

And even throw a rock and chase the geese

And I couldn't believe that they even wanted to pet the pig.  The pig grunted with delight.

An Ellen got to go back to her youth and drive the kids around on the ATV

Transfer day and we lose Sister Miller and our district leader Elder Beahan

Our new extravert Sister Call.  Of couse she did theater in high school.  Her first day I asked them how it went and Sister Dyer said "a little rough" but Sister Call's response was that it was fantastic.

Sister Call at the Florida/Georgia boarder on the way to district meating.

Teaching is continuing to go well, we will be going to Atlanta, Georgia this weekend to the temple to be with a couple we have been teaching the temple preparation lessons to. We got the report back that another Sister who we all have been visiting was sealed to her deceased husband in the Salt Lake Temple.  The work is moving forward and we are continuing to see the hand of the Lord in the work in both Marianna and the Florida Tallahasse Mission.  Until next time may God bless you.  Elder Lay