Week of Feb 19, #2

I am posting more than a month late, but as we move through a period of frenetic activity interspersed with delays, cancellations, and other daily events in the lives of missionaries, there are some things from our notes and calendars that are worth sharing:

The West Point branch is small in numbers, but big in heart, caring, and service. The load shouldered by the faithful members here would shame the big wards in Mormonville. As an example: The few faithful brethren here have 7 - 9 Home Teaching families assigned, and most of them do not have companions, or shoulder the burden with their wives in a joint Home/Visiting teaching assignment. The branch is approximately 60 miles square, and some of the members must drive 1 hour, each way, to Church.

Following the initiative of one of the members in the branch presidency, we have undertaken a tree-clearing project for one of the members. Look at the photo - this was a BIG oak tree that partially came down against the house during a recent storm, and had to be completely removed. The main trunk of the tree is the size you see in the "round" of this photo. Br. Redwine owns the hydraulic splitter (a lifesaver), and Br. Shields and Lewie are in the background. We have to cut the big log into manageable lengths, and then manhandle them over to the splitter. Look at the size of this monster!! So far we have been at it about 6 Saturday mornings straight, excepting for rain, and we're still working on it. About 2 more weeks, and we should have it done. I knew it was a good idea to bring my chainsaw, and it has really been helpful so far. Some days we have had more help, other days it is just the crew in the photo, plus me. It breaks my heart to cut and split the beautiful straight-grained oak for firewood, but there is nothing else to do with it. I have cut a thin round, and we may bring it back to Utah with us to make into a table, as part of our memories of Mississippi.