Pre and Post Skin Cancer

Post-surgery meal

750m Swim, 17.5 mile bike, 5k run

Mary, Cherie, and I took off on Friday down to Asheville, North Carolina, to participate in the Enka (Sprint) Triathlon. It was a fun weekend despite the thrashing I gave my body. I did not train for the event and I will never do that again (not training).

We started with a 750 meter swim in a beautiful lake. I was in the first of four waves. By the time I finished the swim, everyone but about five people had passed me. We're talking young teenage girls, old men, everyone! The swimming killed me. I should mention that I have had pretty bad back pain for over a month and I was getting a cold at the same time as the race (excuses, excuses).

After the swim I jumped on my (rental) road bike and headed out for the 17.5 miles through gorgeous North Carolina hills. I caught up with Mary and we chatted the rest of the way. The 5k run was the last part and I barely made it to the finish line. I was exhausted.

Trying on my swim gear.  They marked both of my arms (166), both of my thighs, and they put "30" on my right calf (supposedly my age).

I finished in 2 hours 25 minutes.  To give you an idea of how slow I must have been going, there was a man in the 70-74 age category who finished in 2 hours 20 minutes.

The lake we swam in

Me, Cherie, and Mary

Walking the bikes back to the car.  What a fun time!

Mary had to go further south for work, so Cherie and I drove over to the Biltmore Estate to check out the largest house in the United States.  I highly recommend it.  Gorgeous house, gorgeous gardens, lands, etc, etc.  Absolutely stunning.  They even had a bowling alley built in the basement. 

Mount Vernon

I met up with Liz, Amanda, and Amanda's brother (Richard) in Mount Vernon yesterday morning.  It was a gorgeous morning (which was a small miracle considering the crazy storms we get almost every day now).

It is "Necessary" that you read the "Necessary" picture.  Makes me laugh.

Conference Weekend

I flew back to Utah for General Conference this weekend and I've had a great time being back with family and friends, and being spiritually uplifted all weekend.

Friday morning Mom, Dad, and I drove up to the recently-dedicated Draper, Utah Temple and did a session there.  We left Provo with relatively clear, dry weather, and this (above) is what it looked like just 30 minutes up the road.  The Draper Temple looks more like a fortress than other Temples I've seen.  Very fitting for the times in which we live.  We need those fortresses more and more in the battle against evil.

Friday night Jessica and I accompanied Mom and Dad to Dad's mission reunion up in Salt Lake. Elder Scott was Dad's mission president WAY back then. :)  Elder Scott talked to us about the importance of Temple attendance and then we had a question and answer session.  It was really neat being in a setting like that so close to an apostle of the Lord.  

Most of the things he talked about (with regard to the Temple) were also mentioned in his conference talk about Temples, but did say something to the singles that he didn't mention in his talk.  He said that women who do not marry here on earth will have that opportunity (with many more choices) on the other side, but that he wasn't sure it was the same for men.  Men have a responsibility to marry here.  I looked around the room to see how many other single males he could be talking to.  There weren't many. :)

Elder Scott said that some men who dominate their wife here on earth might be surprised when she pauses and says in the next life that doing it on earth was enough, more than she could handle, and wouldn’t care to continue on into eternity. “Brethren,” Elder Scott said, “treat your wife so she shall want to continue with you in the next life.” He told us that the sealing ordinance is not enduring until after it is sealed by the holy spirit of promise. It requires that beyond the veil both individuals are worthy and want the sealing to be eternal.

While we were mingling afterward and munching on refreshments (empanadas, veggies, and fruits), I asked Elder Scott if he and the other brethren talk about the gospel in the Middle East.  He said they frequently do.  The Lord's gospel will spread throughout that region too, someday.

Taking notes during the conference talks

Mom gave Caleb a little activity to help him listen to the talks.  He was supposed to color the ties of the speakers the color of the tie they were wearing, but I forgot to tell him that.  He put Teddy Grahams, raisins, or peanuts on the words he heard during the talks.

What a great weekend!

General Conference

 

Conference activities for Caleb

Dad and Daniel taking notes

Elder Scott, Jessica, Daniel

Draper Temple

Orlando/Miami

Friday morning I flew down to Orlando and took a taxi to the Orlando Temple. I spent the whole afternoon working at the temple. What a perfect afternoon! Beautiful temple, beautiful weather, and a great spirit. After the temple I caught a taxi to the Orlando bus terminal and got on a bus heading to Miami. The ride lasted about 3 1/2 hours. Jake was waiting for me (in a convertible) when I was dropped off at the Sea View hotel.  

Saturday morning we woke up and went to the Gold's Gym at Miami Beach where Jake worked for years as a personal trainer.  We exercised a bit and then had breakfast at a little Cuban joint next to the gym.  I had an omelet, potatoes, and some really good bread, along with fresh-squeezed orange juice.  After breakfast we walked down to the beach near Jake's place and relaxed in the sun.  I had lots of sunblock on and I only took my shirt off for a few minutes. :) This white boy doesn't do the sun-tanning thing.

Now imagine going from the temple one day to a slightly (haha) different place the next day. We spent Saturday afternoon at South Beach in Miami.  If any of you know about South Beach, it's probably one of the worldliest (is that a word?) places I've been to in a long time.  I'm not sure I've ever seen so much skin in my life.  There are plenty gays and lesbians (or if you want to be politically correct, they would be people who practice the "alternative lifestyle") and there are also lots of people whose gender is hard to guess.  I'm sure they all loved my BYU shirt.  When we passed one particular group of not-so-manly men, they made a comment about Mormons. 

We walked in some of the stores and looked at $800 shirts and other such modestly-priced items.  Yep, our economy is definitely suffering.  Jake and I had fun people-watching and enjoying the perfect weather.

What in the world?!  People drive up and down the street along the beach in their fancy (and some not-so-fancy) cars, showing off their money (or lack thereof).  Who puts rims like that on an old Nissan Maxima?  Makes for a great picture.

I shouldn't laugh at another man's misfortunes, but when you're driving up and down the street showing off your stuff, it's kind of funny when that fancy stuff doesn't function properly.  You should have seen the smoke when it first blew.

This is the former Versace (a famous fashion designer) mansion.  They turned it into a hotel sometime after he was killed right outside this place.

With Jake at South Beach

Jake, the rapper

We stopped at a little place along the beach to grab something to eat and Jake got a picture with Rihanna

On Sunday, Jake came to the Miami Beach Singles Branch with me. 

 

I had a great time on my first trip to Florida.  Jake wouldn't let me pay for anything and he made sure I was having fun the whole time.  Thanks for everything, my friend!