28 April 2018 - Saturday

28 April 2018 - Saturday

It was orientation for us today in the Visitors' Center.  Our shift was from 8:00am until 2:00pm.  We had training on driving the Rovers, (4 wheelers), and went in to various buildings surrounding the Visitors' Center.  We will be showing you Ft Seminoe where the pioneers goods were stored to help the struggling members of the Martin Company ride to Salt Lake in the emptied wagons.  They were so destitute from lack of food, shelter and stamina, that they could literally not walk another step outside of where they camped for those 5 days at Martin's Cove.  

There is the Pioneer Museum that you will all enjoy.  The Bunkhouse and the Wash-house that will have some fun stories.  They were both buildings on the Sun Ranch in the late 1800's.  

The Sun Family has such an interesting history.  Tom Sun was well acquainted with George Albert Smith.  It was very apparent that the Church was interested in obtaining this property in the early 1900's.  It wasn't until 1996 that it became a reality.  The Sun Family did not have an interest in joining the Church but the members that came to know this family opened the doors to the Church to acquire this property.  It is interesting to note that the Sun Family owned over one million acres in this area!  The Church owns about 19,000 acres.

The sunrise over Missionary Village

The mama antelope grazing at 5:30am this morning

The 3rd bedroom:  AKA "The Man Cave"

Reporting for duty at the Visitors' Center

There is a Pioneer Park across from the Visitors's Center where visitors can pull a handcart around the trail.  One of our visitors this morning was the Area Medical Doctor and his wife.  He covers 11 missions in 6 states.  He was making his first visit to Martin's Cove.

It so happens that the area doctor is a partner with the doctor we had in Nauvoo in 2016!  We have also made connections with  Elder and Sister Criddle.  Their granddaughter is friends with Cambry in Liberty Lake.  The granddaughter and her parents plan on coming to visit Elder and Sister Criddle in July.  Cambry, hitch a ride with them!  We have plenty of room for you!

The Museum with lots of fun items!

This is a cabin that was located on the Sun Property

The Bunkhouse

The Ranch Wash-house

Some very old wagon wheels!

There are so many stories about the folks who traveled through here, other than the ill-fated Willie and Martin hand-cart companies.  There were over 500,000 travelers that came through this Devils Gate area heading for Oregon to settle homesteads, or to California for the promise of gold, in addition to the 65,000 or so Saints who were seeking the riches of the temple and the promise of Zion.  

It is interesting to take note of the motivations that different groups had.  The worldly goals would be sought after, perhaps obtained, and then lost at death.  

The eternal goals would see the pioneers suffer the most extreme challenges imaginable.  Their subsequent deaths, either here, or at their journeys end, would help them obtain those eternal rewards that will not perish, ever again, because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

I wonder what the story is here?

Look who is driving!

Here are two of the modes of transportation that can be seen here!  That buried truck won't get you very far, but that Rover driver can take you for the ride of the lifetime!  You have got to come and experience the thrill of Granny and the Rover!

Tom Sun got tired of this wolf killing his cattle

Hallowed Ground

Bob, Ali, Josie and Tom, did you hear about this song when you came to trek?  It is a song that we are going to sing for the trek leadership meeting and orientation next week.  There is supposed to be around 150 trek leaders from all over the United States coming here for a mandatory orientation before their scheduled trek.  What an absolutely amazing spirit was present as we sang this song this morning.  This is hallowed ground.

The huge and beautiful Wyoming sky

A pioneer grave from the 1860's

The sign you look for when you come to see us!

The grave marker was placed there by a family member a number of years ago. It is not easily apparent, but there is a wooden marker just above the memorial plaque.  There are still deep trails throughout the area of the path that the pioneers traversed.  If the rattlesnakes are not too prevalent, we can explore some of these areas for arrowheads, rocks and other markers set apart by piles of rocks.

Tomorrow is our first Sabbath Day here in the Wyoming Mormon Trail Mission!  We are looking forward to being with fellow missionaries for worship services and then for a pot luck dinner together!  

The weather has been mild with daytime temperatures hitting the high 70's and the nighttime temperatures hitting the low 30's.  Get ready for a wonderful adventure, and a treasured, and sacred experience with us here in the mission field, this year.