What interesting things happened in Fresno this week?  Let me tell you!

Well – I didn’t go to the office on Monday, barbecue, sick … I already told you about Tuesday … Wednesday’s events were in the last blog too…

Oh - just one thing I want to mention - totally unrelated - 

There are SO MANY islands in the middle of every major road in this town.  You can't drive over them - it's against the law - you have to go right out of parking lots, drive ways, streets, then you have to go to a place where you can turn left, to make a U-turn to get back to where you wanted to go in the first place!  It's like someone has this great fondness for cement in the middle of the road.  Go figure!

Thursday we went to the Temple to do some temple work.  Sister Lydia Rasmussen went with us.  We are spreading the idea of taking people to the temple!  It's Sister Morris's idea.  We invite one person to go with us.  They, in turn, go on their own inviting another person, those 2 invite 2 more!  It just grows and grows!  Like a pedigree chart!  We have reservations to go next Thursday as well.  We aren’t sure who we will invite yet.   It still seems strange to make reservations to attend the temple.  But it’s SUCH a PRETTY temple!  I love it!

Friday we went to a ward function – it was Shamara Garcia’s ward – Shamara has been working part time at the ERSC while looking for work.  She is a very lovely, talented, funny lady with 3 beautiful daughters, and a devoted, kind husband!  I don’t have a picture of them yet, but we are going to teach a FHE lesson at their home Monday night.  I’ll try to remember to take my camera then.  I asked their youngest daughter, Isabella , and there’s Rose and Lilly too!, what she would like to have a lesson on.   She said prayer – so prayer it is!

Back to Friday night – we were invited to a production of Lehi’s Dream.  We started out with Lehi and Nephi telling us their story in the chapel.  Oh!  First, there was a couple, the brother played the piano very well, and his wife sang a beautiful song beautifully – I think they are professionals!  No!  Really!

We then went to a room, dressed up in native costumes of the Nephites (not the Lamanites!) and had a “family picture” taken, Britta, Sister Morris and I.

Next, we went into a room where we had to try and walk on the straight and narrow path, and this was on a 2 X 4 that was on its side – so 2” – okay, for all you builders 1-5/8” …….(or is it 1-3/4”?)  Anyway – we were holding onto a rope that didn’t give a lot of support.  Then we crossed it again, the rope had been switched out with … guess what… AN IRON ROD!  Of course it was much easier.  No I don’t have any pictures of these things… I didn’t even THINK about my camera until the very end.

We went into a room, where someone talked of what all these things meant, and what we needed to do to stay strong.  Following that was the mist of darkness.  We had to walk through a couple of rooms that were dark with glow sticks on the tables pointing the way.  We had to look for brightest light.  There was fog in the rooms and everything!   I had Isabella with me, as I asked her to hold my hand so I wouldn’t be scared.  She helped me all the way through! 

We finally made our way out of that but found ourselves, very next thing, going by the great and spacious building!  The “stage” scenery was pretty amazing ~ the cast was all decked out in different sets – some pretended to be drinking, some were playing video games and spending too much time on the computer or staring blindly at their TV, then some were going after the things of the world, like clothing, cars, jewelry, etc., etc. 

We finally “made it” back - into the chapel.  There was a pretty elaborate paper tree on the stand with the very desirable fruit.  Lehi, Nephi, and the Bishop spoke about what had transpired and just how important it is to hold to the iron rod.  Then the tree fell over – all the little kids screamed…  it was pretty funny. 

Then!  The fire alarm went off – remember the fog from the mist of darkness!!!!  Yup – it set off the alarm!  The Bishop went out to have someone try and stop the fire department, and the tree fell over again – you guessed it – little kids screamed – the director just put her head on her hands… 

The Bishop came back and said he would quickly pray to end, as the alarms are blasting, then asked everyone to exit quickly and calmly – we walked right outside to taste the delicious fruit – white chocolate covered apples and strawberries – YUM! 

THEN!  The fire truck came speeding into the parking lot, sirens blaring, lights flashing!!!!   You all are welcome to  LOL     LOL     LOL  !!!

I REMEMBERED MY CAMERA AT THAT POINT!  It was dusk when the firefighters arrived, but I used the “all available light” setting on my camera for a couple of shots, so it looks lighter than it was.

Someone said – I think it was Shamara – “Well – the Spirit of God like a Fire IS Burning!”




Though the alarm and the fire truck made this a night to remember, I was really impressed with ALL the work that had gone into this, and the Spirit that was felt.  How blessed we are to know that we ARE sons and daughters of a Heavenly Father who knows us by name and loves us perfectly.  Isn’t the Gospel of Jesus Christ great!

We went out for ice cream after that - whip cream, nuts - what a super night!