Sept. 23 - Sherrie (or Sister Downs) input for the week.  :)
As always, I'll share some things from our "temporal world" then share some of our "spiritual activities."

Local folks are saying this is an unusual late summer.  It still gets around 90 degrees or more but just doesn't seem all that bad with hardly any humidity.  We are continuing our early morning walks in a lovely park very close to our apartment.  This is a habit that we always "wanted" to do when in Missouri, but always found an excuse not to do.  You know, humidity, too many hills, too tired or old, etc. etc.  John rides his bike earlier than I get up because I am still a night person and he a morning person.  I just wanted to clear that up because I did not want to infer that I was lazy in any way.  :)  We almost feel like we have a new set of friends who walk when we walk but we don't even know their names.  As we approach them we hear them speaking in another language to one another but then we hear a cheery shout out hello or good morning.  Californians seem to be very friendly.  I even stopped one woman merely because she appeared to be Asian and asked if she knew of any good acupuncturist in the area.  She didn't miss a beat and cheerfully told me of 2 possibilities that her daughter had been to see and liked.  On an afterthought, I realized how silly it was that just because someone looked Chinese that they would know a good acupuncturist!  That is similar to someone finding out that I am from Missouri and asking me if I know someone who lives somewhere in Missouri.  They are often genuinely surprised that I do not know such a person.  All of us human beings have such funny perceptions of others!!  My biggest adjustment here has been to be out of my own kitchen!!  I go to make something and I don't have the staples on hand or don't have the right utensil to cook it with or cook it in.  I got  ready to make a batch of Annette Rule's incredible bran muffins and realized I didn't have any vanilla in the cupboard.  We feel like we go to the grocery store every day (we don't but it sure feels like it) because I'm always needing something that I don't have in the cupboards.  I expect the cashiers to soon be saying, "Ah Elder and Sister Downs, 5 days in a row.  Wish we had more customers like you!"  They really do act like they know us well since we go so often.  I will never take vanilla, measuring spoons or good cooking pans for granted again!!  I found out that the temperature in my oven is definitely off several degrees.  I attempted to bake a turkey breast and it was so dry and tough that I had to grind it up and make turkey salad.  The salad turned out great but goodness, a big turkey breast makes a lot of turkey salad.  Just more food to give to the young, starving missionaries we work with!  By the way, I did go to one of the acupuncturists my new Asian friend suggested and really like her.  She doesn't speak much English and has difficulty understanding me with my Midwest accent but hopefully she understands my body.  I am feeling better except for the bruises on my back which are the result of the Chinese "cupping" method to improve circulation.  So, I am feeling better and thank goodness I do not wear immodest clothing or someone might accuse Elder Downs of abusing me. I a