18 May 2018 - Friday

18 May 2018 - Friday

We can't believe another week has come and gone for us in the mission field.  Our day began with our morning preparations and travel into the Homestead at Martin's Cove.  The morning was cloudy with the sun trying to come out for our benefit.  However, the clouds ended up prevailing and we had thunder and lightening and hail and rain this afternoon during our district meeting.  But we were safe and out of the weather, and for that we were grateful.

You see, we had the assignment to work out at one of the camps for the trekkers, as we countdown to the beginning of the trek season on May 31st.  We cleaned up the many of the hundreds of groundhog holes and tunnels at the Cherry Creek campground, and then did some weed clearing at the amphitheaters.  We also had some other cleaning assignments for our district meeting before the actual meeting at 3:00pm.  

Some of these holes took logs and large rocks to help fill!

As we capped off hundreds of holes, the varmints uncovered them again!

It was a lot of hard work to fill in these holes.  The concern was that the campers would get hurt if they stepped into one of these holes while walking or playing at the campgrounds.  But we soon discovered that these animals have a system of  "ministering" amoungst themselves... When one hole was covered, the word got out to come and help uncover it again and the response was amazing!  They would pop up out of the newly uncovered hole and give us a lecture on messing with their work!

Here we are reducing the spring weed crop at the amphitheater overlooking the Sweetwater River

Being outdoors this morning, we were at the mercy of the weather patterns.  However, we were spared any rain, hail of thunder and lightening until we were safely in our district meeting this afternoon.  Elder J. Taylor is our District Leader.  This is his second year here in the mission.  He has several metal pins in his back from a terrible accident several years ago.  When the weather gets cold, he can hardly move.  When they were asked to stay last winter, he told the mission president that he had a very low tolerance for cold due to his back surgeries.  

The mission president, who himself has been afflicted with cancer, shingles and a severely injured back, gave Elder Taylor a blessing and told him he would be able to thrive here during the winter months.  And wouldn't you know it, they had one of the mildest winters on record here last winter!

In our meeting we also heard a wonderful testimony building story from Elder Reese.  He had lost his radio on a work day that his parents from Arizona decided to come and surprise him and his wife.  His parents  must be in their 80's, but they were very active and took several hikes around the area including the hike to the top of Devil's Gate!  Elder Reese was excited to see his parents, but was torn between his work assignment and the key part he was given before he knew his parents were coming.  

Add all this concern to his losing his radio!  We all have these radios and they run about $200 each.  When Elder Reese came to work on the next day, he and his wife looked everywhere for that radio.  They tried to retrace every step and could not find the radio.  He even went out to a place far out in the fields, where we dump the grass clippings, to see if he had dropped it out there. Still no radio.  

Then he and his wife offered a prayer and said something to the effect that the radio could be replaced, but he pleaded for divine help to locate it if possible.  Within 30 seconds of ending that senior missionary prayer, he looked out in the field, about 25 yards away, and there was the radio.  His humble and sincere prayer confirmed to him that Heavenly Father was is the very intimate details of his life and in each of our lives!

Such learning opportunities and teaching moments come regularly as we serve together.  What a blessing it is to serve a mission and we hope and pray for all of our future missionaries to know that heavenly Father needs them to prepare well for their future service!  It will be an awesome experience as you learn the things that you are being taught today!

The official mission hat!

Finally, take a look at this hat.  I can order these hats for any family member who wants one.  If you let me know by text message as soon as possible, I will order them and have them here with me.  Just let me know if you would like to have one!  Granny says I look good in mine!