16 May 2018 - Wednesday

16 May 2018 - Wednesday

It is now official!  We have been in the mission field for one calendar month, and what a busy month this has been!  And it is all mostly covered in the previous blog posts!  Except for today... I am now unveiling today's activities...

This was an absolutely beautiful morning.  We woke up to low 40's, in the temperatures, that made for some very restful sleeping.  We were up at 4:30am and getting ready for the day by 4:45am.  We had the assignment to open the Visitors' Center this morning at 8:00am, so we got going a little earlier.  Our morning prayers and Scripture reading got us jump started, and then my three mile walk was so invigorating.  I was watching rather intently on the sunrise.  Each morning we have such a unique look, and today was no exception;

I took 5 other pictures to get the sun peeking through the halo just right!

I was able to walk on the gravel roadbed, at the speed I needed to, so that I could register walking a mile in fifteen minutes.  I really feel the workout with the quickened pace.  We then left for the Homestead, at Martin's Cove, right at 7:30am.  That got us to the Visitors' Center a few minutes before 8:00am.  Our routine is to open the center, the museum, the wash-house, the bunkhouse and the Martin Cabin.  While mom was vacuuming the Visitors' Center, I  sweep off the sidewalks and got all the buildings unlocked.  And then mom helped me wash the bird droppings on the sidewalks.  

After finishing the opening procedures, we had our first guests.  The center is supposed to open at 9:00am but these folks got there at a little past 8:30am, and we were not about to make them wait.  We had several visitor's that came before 11:00am and mom had a sweet single sister, who was not a member, that we know of, and spent some time with her.  

She wanted to walk out to Devil's Gate, and we gave her directions to get there.  When she got back, mom gave her a tour of the Visitors' Center, and ended up bearing her testimony, and gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon.   We also gave her a copy of, "Tell My Story, Too.  She was so impressed with the information mom shared with her about these precious handcart pioneers that we decided to give her one of the two copies we brought with us.

Here are some old rocks and petrified wood pieces

This is a big piece of petrified wood.  Check out how it is developed on google!

There is so much to see here in the area.  The rocks and the formations are beautiful.  Mom and I are always looking for arrowheads and different unique rocks.  Perhaps some of our granddaughters might want to go exploring for rocks with us when they come to visit!  And believe me, when you come to see us, expect a lot of hugs and kisses!!

Today we had three ladies come from the Church History department to look over the artifacts here at Martin's Cove.  I had a chance to say good morning to them, but they were not too anxious to speak to me.  It is always too bad when some church members get in certain Church positions that they treat others with dis-respect and disdain.  I only mention this so that our young and older family members never treat someone any different than they would treat Jesus if He came walking by you.  I am sure He would make sure He was never too busy or too preoccupied to make someone feel inferior!  Enough said....

At around 9:30am the school group came from Paradise Valley, here in Wyoming, about an hour away.  They were a group of 4th graders and they were excited to be there!  I was standing outside the Visitors' Center, and greeting them just like I did with the three from Salt Lake.  One precious girl named, Nancy, saw me as she was heading for the restroom and stopped and ran up to me.  She looked at my name badge and said, "I am a Mormon!".... "Where did you serve your mission?"  She was so proud of who she was and wanted me to know it!

Here is a snapshot of the school students filing in for orientation.

The school groups taking the handcarts through Prairie Park

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we were all proud of who we are?  And especially knowing who we can become!  Being enthusiastic about being a Mormon tells me a great deal about who Nancy's parents are! 

A few days ago one of the senior missionaries was showing a school group what a typical 17 pound bucket would possibly contain for these handcart pioneers.  When she asked the group what they would take along, another very enthusiastic 4th grader said, "I would take my Book of Mormon!"  These precious young people are teaching us how we should be and how we could be as faithful and enthusiastic members of the Church!  And how much better it is if our classmates, and fellow citizens of the Saints, hear our enthusiastic declarations!

The cloud formation coming home this afternoon

And the clouds showing the setting sun who is in charge!

And finally, the last two pictures of the day.  The clouds were absolutely gorgeous.  Mom snapped the first picture of the thunderheads off in the distance towards Martin's Cove from our Missionary Village.  Then I caught the setting sun as we were taking our evening walk.

The views are spectacular and I hope I don't post too many of these wonderful pictures.  But it does give you an idea of how our environment is here in the mission field.  Every day is a special day!