amazing autumn

Fall colors have peaked in Palmyra, at the Temple (flowers) and at the Joseph Smith farm.

 

So grateful to be serving in this beautiful place.

Here is the amazing view from the Hill Cumorah, where just three months ago, thousands gathered to watch the Pageant.

With no more summer tourists,  we were pretty much by ourselves in the Sacred Grove, where we stopped after a long day of inspecting some of our missionary apartments.

 

 We surprised Bambi as we walked around a corner. He stood still and stared at me until I walked away.

The most amazing of God's creations are the people we have grown to love out here.

Sister Raines, is one of the many missionaries we have gotten to know and love.   She is so talented and sang one of her original songs her last evening with us, before she was transferred.
We love all the missionaries in this mission! They are very special young men and women who have chosen to devote 2 years (1 1/2 for the young women) of their lives to serving the Lord. In a few more months, we'll get many more missionaries due to President Monson's announcement lowering the ages at which they can serve. Things will get especially busy as we scramble to find more apartments and furnish them.

We sure do enjoy being with these young missionaries.
This Saturday, a few of the missionaries in the Rochester Zone participated in a 5 K run benefiting the House of Mercy, a homeless shelter helping more than 4,000 people a month. It was so much fun running with our missionaries through scenic Genessee Valley State Park.

Elder Larsen, Elder Ivie, Elder Perkins, Elder Robertson, me, Elder Ellis, Elder Worsham, Elder Jones, Sister Wall and Sister Raines

Other missionaries from the Rochester zone helped cook the pancake breakfast we enjoyed after the run.  Our church is a major sponsor of this race benefiting the House of Mercy.