Missionary Email #10

 With the temple closed this last week we have been busy with other activities, including taking care of a few things we haven't had time for - buying a car, working on getting our driver's licenses, doing some more random shopping.  Everyone else who lives in the apartments here has gone home, so it is just the two of us.  Things are rather quiet.

One of the most visible maintenance activities on the temple is the removal of the large palm trees in front of the temple.  From time to time the palms shed large chunks of themselves, and apparently that was adjudged a safety hazard.  So the front of the temple looks a little different now.

Hmm - I guess I was standing a little sideways when I took that picture.

Earlier this week I was out on a garbage run and noticed this little fellow waiting to get into the guest portion of the apartment building.  He was about 7" long from snout to tail.  I thought he was a frog, but from his feet you can see he is a toad.

We spent three days this week at a beach resort where we wandered on the beach, ate lots of food, and even tried sliding down some pretty impressive water slides.

We stopped at this particular spot for a while because there were a number of iguanas strolling around on the beach.  It's hard to see in the above picture, but the dark spot silhouetted against the water in front of Delkys is an iguana.  They were wary of us, but not too perturbed by having us there.  The biggest one was probably about 14" long without counting his tail.

The temple will reopen the 30th of August, which corresponds with the beginning of the temple leadership seminar, in which we will get more training from the church leadership in preparation for our new calling.  The first of September is when we will actually begin serving, and we are looking forward to the experience.  In some ways it feels like there is simply too much to learn in order for us to be truly ready for our service, but we also know that the Lord will bless us as we dedicate ourselves to him and seek to do things his way.  We appreciate, and indeed, rely on, your support and prayers, and pray that all is well for you and your families as well.

Love,

Elder and Sister Reading

aka

John and Delkys