30 July 2018 - Monday

30 July 2018 - Monday

Mom and I were back into the full swing of things, here in the mission field, with an assignment, today, on Wilma.  Our first group of trekkers came in at 11:00am so we started the assignment at 6:00am to give us plenty of time to complete the Homestead area.  That took about three hours and then we headed off to Cherry Creek for six additional restrooms to clean there.  

Last night the Homestead had over 4" of rain!

The steam from all the moisture

The sunrise getting up for drying out the fields

Some erosion on a narrow road we take Wilma to the river crossing restrooms

These ruts were over 12" deep!

And, with prayer and faith, we were able to drive back up that road!

We took Wilma to the Base post first and headed down a hill that dropped about 100'.  The rain last night played havoc on this hill!  Right when I saw the washed out roadway, it was too late to back up.  (There was no way to turn Wilma around on this hill).  I was able to maneuver the truck, weighed down with 250 gallons of water, around these deep gulleys, and proceeded to the lower restrooms.  

In my heart, I knew we would be heavily challenged in getting back up that road since the dirt was soft and the ruts were deep.  What added to my concern was that there is no other way out of the trail these trekkers will take later today.  Before we left the restroom area, and headed up the road, mom suggested we pray for help.  And we offered up our most sincere prayer!

I felt that since we were on the Lord's errand, and we needed His help, we would be safe and watched over.  In addition, we know about the prayers from our precious family and friends for these two senior missionaries!  Well, added to our many tender mercies, Wilma went right up the hill, and we were able to straddle those wash-out ruts, and kept traction in that soft dirt.  We both said another prayer of thanksgiving for safely arriving back up on the top of that 100' hill!

Cleaning the statues representing the rescuers and the Aaronic Priesthood

Our assignment was completed by 12:30pm and we were on our way home for a quiet afternoon.  The next assignment we had was the Family Home Evening activity that our district had responsibility for.  It was planned around the Church Ranch cowboy, and his wife, and their new born daughter.  They are being transferred, August 1st, to another Church ranch in Kansas.  They have been here three or so years, and the Church likes to move the cowboys around the country.  Here are some pictures from tonight's activities;

The Jenga competition

The water balloon toss - mom and I won that contest!

The Jorgenson's on their last FHE activity as the ranch cowboy

Sister Criddle playing a special song we all sang to the Jorgenson's

The games were fun and the spirit of unity was felt.  The Jenga game was competition between districts, and that was fun.  Then we did the water balloon toss, and mom picked out the perfect water balloon!  We won the contest between about 14 couples.  And then the Criddles led us in the song for the Jorgenson's.  Elder Criddle wrote the song, and he wrote a cowboy poem that he shared.  He loves doing cowboy poetry and is very good at it.  They are such kind people!  They will be staying this winter and will be such an asset to the mission.

I have one pioneer that has caught my attention in the last few days.  Agnes Caldwell was a young girl about 9 years old that I have talked about before.  She and Mary Hurren were the two friends in the Willie Handcart Company who were seen skipping, and seemingly having fun together, until it was discovered they were jumping over rattlesnakes!  Here are some additional stories about her on her way to the valley with the rescue wagons and then later on in her life;

Story #1 - Agnes wrote of one incident that took place shortly before they got to the Salt Lake Valley: “Just before we crossed the mountains, relief wagons reached us, and it certainly was a relief. The infirm and aged were allowed to ride, all able-bodied continuing to walk. When the wagons started out, a number of us children decided to see how long we could keep up with the wagons, in hopes of being asked to ride. At least that is what my great hope was. One by one they all fell out, until I was the last one remaining, so determined was I that I should get a ride.

“After what seemed the longest run I ever made before or since, the driver, who was William Henry ‘Heber’ Kimball, called to me, ‘Say, sissy, would you like a ride?’ I answered in my very best manner, ‘Yes sir.’ At this he reached over, taking my hand, clucking to his horses to make me run, with legs that seemed to me could run no farther. On we went, to what to me seemed miles. What went through my head at that time was that he was the meanest man that ever lived or that I had ever heard of, and other things that would not be a credit nor would it look well coming from one so young. Just at what seemed the breaking point, he stopped. Taking a blanket, he wrapped me up and lay me in the bottom of the wagon, warm and comfortable. Here I had time to change my mind, as I surely did, knowing full well by doing this he saved me from freezing when taken into the wagon.”

Story #2 - The following talk was given by Agnes in her Canadian Ward Relief Society: The source of cheerfulness is hope. The supply of cheerfulness comes through faith. We can do a great deal if we are living as we should. Then we can go to our Heavenly Father in all confidence knowing that he answers prayers. Then we go to Him humble and sincere, believing that we will get that which we desire, if it is for our good, then is the time we will get that which we ask for. We can certainly be cheerful and thankful if we keep his spirit with us at all times. We should be cheerful at all times, knowing that no other spirit will creep in on us if we are on our guard. Faith and hope go together. If we did not have faith and hope, how sad indeed we would be. We must strive continuously to keep that spirit of cheerfulness with us at all times. Where there is cheerfulness there is happiness and love in the home. How nice it is to go into a home where unity and cheerfulness are with each member - the father, the mother and each of the children. You see it in their faces. Each one is trying to please each other. In a home where cheerfulness does not abide, you do not care to go into this home. Do you not feel much better when you leave the cheerful home? Did you ever know how many of us complain unthinkingly? We complain about the weather. We complain about the seasons. It is either too hot or too cold. Did it ever occur to you that our Father in Heaven rules over all and does all things well. This reminds me of a lady who stayed overnight with me. She had to go by team eight miles before she got her train. It was just pouring down rain that morning. As she was going, I said I was sorry it was such a bad morning. Think how I felt, me being a Latter-day Saint and she a non-Mormon, when she said, “The Lord does everything well.” I commenced to think how ungrateful I was of the Lord’s blessings. I started right then trying to be more conscious of the Lord’s blessings by trying to be more grateful, cheerful and uncomplaining.

I love the whole attitude about being cheerful.  Unity and cheerfulness and faith go together and it was so interesting to see the direction where Agnes' life went after this severely challenging experience.  Yes, we can do hard things as long as we include Heavenly Father and His precious Son!  And we can be cheerful as we go through all the experiences Heavenly Father sees we need to go through to be worthy to return to our Heavenly Home!