We have been receiving a lot of rain the last several weeks, sometimes as much 2 or 3 inches in a storm.  This is the Green River from the bridge near Morgantown.  It is up about 10 ft above normal but still just below flood stage.  As you can see from the picture it is way up on the trees along the banks.

This is a picture off the other side of the same bridge of land bordering the river.  You can see the flood waters that have backed up on some of the land.  It is also a good view of what the Kentucky landscape looks like.

Another view of some flooded low lying farm land.  Most of the land that is farmed is the rich bottom land in the valley areas.  All of this flat will be planted to corn when it finally dries out.   Unfortunately it has been so wet that very little corn has been planted to date.  Farmers around here believe that their yields go down every day that corn is planted after May 1st.  So  they normally try to have all their corn planted by that date.  This year the spring has been cold and wet, so there will be plenty of moisture and the drought is over, but the season is late for getting good yields.

Our current district missionaries:  Sister Toone from Colorado next to Sister Peterson, next Sister Harmer from Idaho Falls, Elder Earl from Sandy, Utah, and Elder Olson from Gilbert, Arizona next to me.  Sister Harmer was in band with Kaiti Ackerman at BYU-I.  Elder Earl is a visa-waiter called to serve in Copenhagen, Denmark.  As soon as he gets his visa cleared he will be headed to Denmark.  Elder Olson bears a great resemblance of the Prophet Joseph Smith.  When President McKee sent me to find him at transfers, he said to look for the Prophet Joseph.  The resemblance is strong enough that I easily found him in a crowd of missionaries.  Elder Olson is our District Elder and does a great job.  All are very good missionaries.

Sister Peterson is standing by a beautiful azalea bush.  The blossoms are very large and an unusual off-pink almost orange color.  Azaleas are very common here and come in many beautiful colors.  All the rain this year has made the flowers appear outstanding.

Sister Bratcher, one of our dear Hartford sisters that we visit quite often.  She's had some severe health challenges and can't come out much.  She has had heart problems, a stroke and suffers from quite severe diabetes.  She lost her leg from diabetes complications.  Despite her health challenges, she has a great attitude and a sweet testimony.  We love to visit her and always come away feeling blessed.

Just a picture that shows the beautiful woods that are everywhere here unless there is a yard or farmland.  There are many hills and hollers but the hills aren't very high.  If you get up 300 ft, you can see forever.  This week we saw a Baptist billboard with the following saying:  "Forbidden fruit creates many jams".

Elder and Sister Peterson - Enjoying the beautiful Kentucky landscape