March Is Almost Over!!!

It's been awhile. We were able to go to Georgia the first of the month for the Alma chapel dedication. It was an incredible weekend. We arrived in Atlanta about midnight on Thursday. Drove to Macon and stayed with Vickie and Wayne Smith. Brad was with us. On Saturday Brent and I drove down to Douglas and stayed at President Fussell and Tami's Lake House. (Brad stayed in Macon to spend time with school and church friends.) We had dinner with the Fussell's at the Flying Cowboy...a great local restaurant. I had BBQ'd meatloaf and it was delicious! They BBQ everything in the South.

Sunday morning we attended the dedication. It was...just incredible. Brent spoke briefly about the promise his Dad had made 44 years ago..."Alma would have a chapel if they remained faithful." President Fussell gave a beautiful dedicatory prayer. The chapel was filled...lots of visitors. During the Sunday School session, one of the visitors was called to the pulpit. Elder Delores Stokes (currently living in Tremonton (Bothwell), Utah) who was the first missionary in the Alma area 67 years ago. He told of having meetings in the old Rockwell School. People came from miles around in their buckboards. One family, the Boatwrights, testified to Elder Stokes that they joined the church because a member of the family had heard and seen Elder Stokes in vision before he ever came to Georgia. Brother Stokes has remained in contact with the Boatwrights and they let him know of the dedication. As he spoke, he thanked the people of the South for teaching him about service. He said, "I grew up on a farm and knew how to work, but you people taught me how to serve. My life had been full because I have served ever since my mission."

I thought a lot about his statement, "I knew how to work, but you taught me how to serve." I think work + love = service. The Southerners taught me about service as well.