SLO and Easy, but Too Short

We took advantage of the Furlough Friday weekend to visit David and Teresa in San Luis Obispo.

Not wanting to intude too much, I managed to get camping reservations at Lopez Lake, a county park. David and Teresa came camping with us Friday.

When we first got to the camp site, we were all a bit disappointed. Small. Open to the access road. Then we realized that it was one of, if not the, best in the campground. Most of them are like parking spaces - no natural division or “privacy screens” between small sites, but nicely open to nature in back. Ours had a bit of a hill to one side and no camp for a good distance there. At our entry end, was parking for us and the neighboring site which was back around the hill just a little. So we had no one on either side, just a row of neighbors across the street. (Who all had to come to our site for water, but I like having the water right there!) Despite the close proximity, most people seemed to be enjoying themselves. Most of them are there for the lake – fishing, boating, and, I think, swimming. It was pleasant enough.

We saw several deer and wild turkeys and birds, several red-headed woodpecker types. Fun!

I haven't been camping since the old van and trailer days when we carried a full kitchen. This time we had a fire ring and not even a grate. It was coal cooking and setting the canning pot in the coals for hot water. It worked.

Ben had made us foil dinners which turned out great. We had Woofums and one or two people had S’mores.

Saturday we were rather lazy. After exploring Lopez Lake a bit, we went to El Chorro where David and Teresa have camped (but you cannot make single site reservations). It is a better campground in some ways. Natural growth between the sites and much nicer restrooms. We hung out there a while. We were too lazy and too warm to go to the beach. We wanted to be where there was shade.

We spend Saturday night at David and Teresa’s - cleaner, softer, and closer to church. By then, they had decided that Anna was not too unruly and gotten landlord ok. I am pretty sure they will even let us come again. They are very comfortable to be with – even if their place is tiny.

Sunday, we left Anna in the car parked in the shade during church and checked her every hour. All went well.

The ward choir (and anyone who wanted to) sang, what did David call it? I forgot, anyway, unrehearsed. David is the choir director and Teresa, the organist. David worked out the dynamics of the song with a little input from Teresa, photocopied the notes, and handed it to the people who responded to the invitation to sing. "I Know That My Redeemer Live" It was quite good! Better than many rehearsed performances I have heard. One thing is that "they watch the director more when they are terrified". They did not look terrified. They seemed to enjoy singing and looked pleased when they finished.

One speaker, a returned from serving in New York missionary, shared some bulletin board quotes his mother sent him. among them - "If you don't like the life you were born to, try being born again." "The church is not just for perfect people, remember Moses was a basket case, too." and my favorite "Need a life guard? Ours walks on water."

The concluding speaker shared powerful experiences from his life of when he did not and when he did heed the guidance of the Holy Spirit. One time, in college, he chose not to follow the promptings in making a decision. The spirit left him and he was in some degree of darkness, despite being active in church and doing the right things, for a couple of years. Finally, he could stand it no more and pled with the Lord how to make their relationship right again. Within a week he lost his job, his girlfriend, and his educational course was finished. He was without attachements or responsibilities. He tried to find a job without success. Finally, he decided to use this time of unsual freedom to go on a road trip including visiting his mom. While there he met a friend who was, although he did not call it that, a kindred spirit. They attended the temple together had some good experiences. This person's friendship and spiritual insight helped him find the answers and spiritual peace he was seeking. Another time he was dating a really wonderful girl who loved him. He prayed about their relationship and whether he should pursue her as his eternal companion. Despite her being a great gal, he felt frustrated with her and their relationship. He broke up with her. She was heartbroken. He was lonely. They got back together. He got frustrated and broke up. She was heartbroken. He was lonely. They got back together. He was frustrated. Finally he realized that the frustration was the Lord's answer to his prayer about whether she was "the one". She wasn't. They broke up a third and final time. Not long later, she married a man much more suited to her and he found his wife who fits him wonderfully (and whom the Lord confirmed.) The Lord has guided him in career decisions he might not have made otherwise. His message Act on the directions you get from the Lord. Trust God and allow Him to guide your life.

We had a nice lunch with David and Teresa. Too soon, it was time to go home. We left not too long after that. Arrived home safely to find the house still standing and the cats and bird apparently well. (I think Joseph has seen his cat)

Mark your calendar. David graduates this December! I think he “walks” the second weekend. I do not know where we can all stay, not a particularly good time of year for camping, but I have already called dibs on D&T's little place. Teresa graduates in March. She could walk in December, but that just doesn’t feel right to her and I think she deserves to have her walk when it feels like the real deal. That means June. (Good time of year for camping. If you can come, let me know, and we can reserve space in El Chorro - dutch treat, of course, I am afraid)

I am hoping to help with any celebration they want in SLO and then to also have a Sacramento celebration. (for each or both of them as we all can work it out) I THINK they might come to Sacramento for Christmas, so maybe right after Christmas for David (and maybe Miss T if we think we can't work her own in June or so which would be better of course)