Kelowna, baptism, and canoeing

Ben and I get along well, can't you tell?

I've discovered the "interior" of BC! Two weeks ago, a handful of us Vancouverites traveled to Kelowna for a YSA conference. Kelowna is about 4 hours away from Vancouver, and is a small town on a big lake. We were planning on going sailing, but there were thunderstorms that day and they wouldn't let us out on the water. Something about getting struck by lightening...

We did one of my favorite things instead though; we drove up to the top of a hill and watched the storm! The drive through the interior of BC was one of my favorite parts of the trip actually. My one vivid memory of Canada before this summer was years ago driving through farmland with my dad as the sun was setting and it was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. For some reason I've always loved the countryside and it has more of an appeal to me than even the mountains and coastline of Vancouver.

This is Ben losing a bet and jumping in the pool with all his clothes on.

The following week, Ben and I took the same drive to the interior and went canoeing on a lake. Well, I actually fell asleep in the boat while Ben paddled us around. We also took a short hike through swarms of mosquitos (literally swarms, we were running to try and get away from them but it was impossible. I am still suffering from the effects of those darn mosquitoes.) to a couple of waterfalls. The first one was perfect, it was 8:00 am and the sun was just beginning to shine through the trees which created this glowing mist over the water.

This is the first lake we went to.

Notice all the water in the canoe as Ben wrings out his wet t-shirt. That is because he tipped the canoe over while I was still in it. Yeah, thanks Ben.

The highlight may have been getting the canoe back into Ben's apartment at 3:00 in the morning. His apartment is on the second floor. Do you believe that canoe actually fits through that window? Believe it.

One of the other highlights of the last

few weeks was the baptism of Ben's best friend Colter. He was baptized in a creek in North Vancouver, actually the same place that I first hiked with Ben and Colter. I've never been around missionaries and new converts much before this summer, but it has been exciting to see people that I learn to care for make huge changes in their lives for the better. Why do they do it? Not only because of the greater peace and fulfillment that comes from living correct principles, but also because the gospel that the Church teaches is real and true.

Something else that was fun was on Friday night, Ben and I had dinner with Kun and her husband. It's a new thing for me to associate with people I work with outside of work and I like it!