the sunday morning post, 33rd ed.

they're here! pictures from our camping / hiking experience!

here's the story.

katie, rudy, and i left as soon as katie got home from work, around 7pm wednesday.

we hit the road.

i made a totally random, fun playlist for us

with lots of "sing-a-long" songs.

so katie and i sang a lot for rudy.

i was driving.

get off at exit 27.

ummm, it's closed--construction.

"katie, call ian!" i shouted, half panicked.

"he didn't pick up. i'll call..."

"call brad!"

brad says, "exit 27's closed? okay, get off on the previous one."

"uh, brad. we already passed it."

and we laughed.

and we laughed some more after she got off the phone.

so we got off, we got back on and back tracked.

closed on both sides.

pulled over and talked to the construction workers.

got off, got back on.

got on a road.

got on the right road.

we got there around 11.30pm.

set up our little tent.

washed up.

katie and i had some tent time:

chatted for a few minutes,

read scriptures,

and hit the sack.

it was super windy.

and i was excited.

and uncomfortable.

really uncomfortable.

and i laid there.

and i laid there.

and i checked the clock: 2.33am.

and i laid there.

and i checked the clock again: 4.40am.

really?

finally sometime after 4.40am i fell asleep.

then at 7.03am my alarm went off.

greaaaat, 2 hours of sleep before a 6-7 hour hike!!

so we woke up.

got ready.

ate some granola bars.

cleaned up the camp site.

and hit the road for the subway.

and then it began.

the first part was just a nice little nature walk.

then we were walking down giant slabs of granite {as pictured above}.

and then we were making a steep decline and

plop!

there we were at the subway part in the canyon.

SO neat! pictures just don't do it any justice. it was absolutely gorgeous!

we climbed,

we bouldered {climbed up and over huge rocks, aka boulders}.

we waded through water.

we climbed down logs leaning against waterfalls.

we repelled.

we had to jump in and swim.

sometimes dive down and swim under a little tunnel.

{actually, that was optional, but it was fun. and i almost lost a contact.}

{i'm sad my eyes are closed here because i love this picture!}

we stood under waterfalls.

then both cameras died. and so we couldn't take anymore pictures.

but.

the remainder of the hike

[after the waterfalls, swimming, repelling, bouldering]

went as follows:

walk through rocky river, it was shallow.

no more than 3 feet deep in some parts.

then the last 30 minutes went straight up!

it was a climb!

and i loved it.

the whole thing was SO fun.

can't wait for our next camping/hiking adventure!

which is another reason why i need to have a super productive week!

Happy Sabbath! My favorite day of the week.

i'm teaching today, too. about this. or here. so grateful for the Atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Alma 7:11-13

"11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me."