Africa is Wild!

Our lives have been consumed this week with the Africa Genealogies. They are different from the Tongan Orals that we have put up because there is no recording but I have to say that I am so impressed with these people. We have about 130 records up to date because we have been developing the system this past week. In one of those records the person being interviewed named over 1100 in their 8 generation family. I could not remember that many people. I know that there are many people who have more people than that in their generation charts, but this isn't written down anywhere, it is kept in their heads. I am so impressed. And now we are taking those names and putting them up online for all the world to be able to see their lineages. We can connect to the internet, click on a button and see the permission slips that they were given to sign but there isn't a signature. They used a little thumb print as their signature. Hi-tech and no-tech meet.

While working for the past 10-15 years, my husband developed (totally self taught I must add)an expertise on Excel. I believe that we were placed here so that he could use those skills to do this work. We had that made clear to us as he used his skills to develop a system that cuts about 70% of the work out of the process for the African Genealogies. It will go so much faster as we are able to train other people to work his system. I am so proud of him.

It has been a good week for the weather, almost Spring like. In some of the flower beds the crocus are beginning to peak up through the soil and the next 3-4 days are going to be sunny and 50's so we may see more of them. I just want to bend down and say, "Go back!! It isn't time yet! You will get too cold again next week!" I wonder what my Mission Presidency would think if they saw me doing that?

Because the sky has been clear it has been a pleasure to watch the sun rise. I love to watch the sun on the mountains across the valley to the west early in the morning. They are covered with snow and as the light peaks over the mountains to the east it hits the snow on the mountains to the west and with the dark blue sky of the morning around them they are breathtakingly beautiful. I get to see the opposite effect when the sun is going down in the west. The sun hits on the higher peaks in the east longer than the lower, closer mountains. I just love seeing the reds on the snowy peaks. I will miss this natural beauty here just like I miss the trees that surround me at home. I have often wondered what if there is some kind of natural beauty that surrounded me in the pre-existent world that I will be so happy to be able to see again, something I have missed seeing but just don't realize it. Is there something so grand in that world that I am reminded of when I see sunsets and sunrises? Is that why I love mountains so much, or oceans? Well, just thinking...

This week for some reason I have been reminded how much I love America. It is a grand land. It is not perfect here, but it is the place that was prepared for the Gospel to be restored and to come forth. I love to see the flags flying everywhere here. I am so grateful for all those who have lived and died that we may enjoy what we do in this blessed land.

I saw the following quote this past week and I like it a lot:
Life is too short for drama & petty things, so kiss slowly, laugh insanely, love truly and forgive quickly!