Tom Teaches Seminary

 My brother Paul, and my Sister Connie sent me their bread recipes when I requested them.  My first two tries weren't quite right.  They tasted good, they just didn't rise correctly.  I gave one loaf to the neighbor across the hallway who just returned from Seattle for some cancer surgery.  His name is Ash.  He had two jobs and we seldom see him.  He's about 50 years old and single. 

The second loaf we will be taking to the Munoz family today.  Paola has had some serious surgery on her foot and when it finally heals she will be having surgery on the other foot.  Her sister, Elizabeth, is our Relief Society president.  She is dating our Elder's quorum councilor John Mikesell.  John is a returned missionary.  His father, Harold, is our S & I representative from the high council.  Harold is a very big man and works at the correctional facility as a correctional officer.

Erin Willis has decided to home school her twelve year old daughter.  As she gets started she has been burdened with the time that it takes to be prepared for the home lessons.  She asked if Diane and I would teach her seminary class two days each of the next two weeks.  Diane taught on Monday and I taught today.  Her team teacher, Lynn Hirschi, has gone to Thailand for a couple of weeks.

These are all good kids.  They are Freshmen.  A couple of them have been known to be a bit unruly and talkative with Lynn and Erin.  They were so with me this morning as well.  I got pretty firm with them.  I was so firm Diane was worried I might have driven them away.  I had to explain to her that I used the D & C as my method.  "When moved on at times to reprove with sharpness and then afterwards showing forth an increased measure of love lest he esteem thee to be his enemy."  I did take each boy aside afterwards and told them I loved them but hoped they understood why I got after them.  They both responded great.  In fact Aiden even gave me a hug and told me he would do better.

Our lesson was on being Thankful and Grateful.  We used the story of the 10 lepers to get the concept and principle.  The kids were asked to write a letter of thanks to their parents. 



 Meke, Em and Naomi are helping themselves to some of the cinnamon rolls I made yesterday.  I spent yesterday making bread and making cinnamon rolls and washing a lot of dishes and pots and pans.  Meke is Samoan and stays with Emily and Lisa's family.  His family is trying to start a small business between Anchorage and Hawaii.  He is a 7th day adventist.  But he loves his LDS seminary experience.  Naomi is the daughter of our YSA branch 1st councilor. 

Diane spent the afternoon preparing a meal for the missionaries assigned to the 3rd ward.  That added to the size of the dishes load.  The missionaries came at 5:00 p.m. and we had a nice visit with Elder Martinez and Elder Hartilius.  They are the zone leaders in the Juneau Zone. 

We did experience a temperature of 21 degrees F this morning.  It warms up in the day time to above freezing.  That may change we are told.  It's the black ice that can be disconcerting.  I have been driving the car to the door step to pick up Diane so she doesn't have to walk on it.