Three Quarters of a Century and Going Strong

 "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."  Psalms 90:12

Elder Blain had his 75th birthday yesterday and some wonderful young women prepared a surprise party for him!  Other than catching the table cloth on fire while trying to light the candles, everything was perfect for the best mission birthday you'd ever want.  The flying match luckily missed Elder Blain's white shirt--a torched Elder would not have been a dignified birthday picture.  We were touched deeply by the effort they made to mix up a delicious cake by hand (their electric mixer was even broken) from a great grandma's scratch recipe.  It was a happy day!  There are some very good people in the world and we are blessed to get to know them and teach them the gospel.

Two of the lovely young women we told you about.  They made the cake and put up the birthday sign for Elder Blain.

Good thing they didn't use 75 candles!  It was a project just lighting the ones on the cake.

More help lighting the candles.

We are singing, "Happy Birthday to You."  Look out or you'll catch on fire!

He blew them all out but you can't call him a blow hard.

YUM!  He gets his wish.

Our Zone Leader on the right leaves for home Thursday.  They stopped in at our flat so he could say farewell.  It is hard to see him go!  What a fantastic missionary leader he has been.  He ends his service with three baptisms this last weekend.  We're not sure how many he has had, but it has been far higher than normal in England and Zone Leaders have to work extra hard to get them because they don't have nearly the time or opportunities to teach because of all the leadership responsibilities.  We learned a lot from him and admire the exceptional example he has set for obedience, faithfulness, and diligence.  Besides that, we never saw him without that brilliant smile.

Oops, caught me in the act of stuffing my face.  Ladies must maintain their figure, you know.

It IS a bad hair day.  How dare you capture me at my worst!

Speaking of adding pounds and bad hair days . . .  I had to crop this picture for the benefit of Elder Blain and myself.  We are beginning to display the evidence of too much feeding of the missionaries.  Our dear Elder on the left, however, actually trimmed down while on his mission and he will go home in great shape.  Ah, to be young and burn up calories faster!  Guess we need to get out there and work harder walking everywhere.  Having to drive to most of our areas is not enough exercise to trim the waistline.

Oh, well, the damage is done and documented, might as well go back to munching my life away.  Bring those pounds on!