Earthquakes, Hurricanes and Snakes?

     On Tuesday we were in a Zone Conference at the Denbigh Chapel.  During the last discussion by President Perry the benches began to shake.  We looked around to see what somebody was doing to cause the benches to shake and realized that nobody was doing it.  We looked up and saw the chandeliers swinging.  We all realized together that we were in the middle of an earthquake.  About the time we began wondering if we should be worried and go outside, the shaking died down.  We didn't yet know whether the quake was local or really big somewhere else.  We later found that it was in  Virginia, closer to DC.  Some buildings had damage, including the DC Temple, but nobody was injured that I heard of.
     Now we are gearing up for Hurricane Irene.  It is supposed to come through here on Saturday and be quite severe.  We have been receiving instructions from our Zone and District Leaders in the mission.  First we were told to put a 72 hour kit with water in our car, fill the gas tank, put the phone charger in the car, and stand by for more information.  Later we were told that gas was being rationed, in fact some places were out of regular, and that the freeway was already at a standstill.  We are still more than 24 hours away from the hurricane in our area.  Fortunately we filled the tank this morning, before everyone got the same idea.
     I went outside to remove the patio furniture so it wouldn't blow around in the hurricane.  There was a snake in the corner staking out a secure place before the storm starts.  Elder Elkins said, "It's just a garter snake."  I said, "JUST a snake?  Just a snake? It's a snake and that's disgusting enough!"

     OK, he can have that corner, I won't challenge that, but when the storm is over, if he is still there, he'll have to go.  That's my patio.  I wonder if a snake would fly through the air in a hurricane.  hmmm.