4 July 2018 - Wednesday

4 July 2018 - Wednesday

This was a busy day for these two senior missionaries.  We promised to help another couple get the 4th of July breakfast prepared for the mission breakfast, this morning, and then come back and help for the mission bar-be-cue this evening.  In between those two celebratory events, we served at the Welcome Post and at the Handcart Parking area.  

After mom and I got up at 4:30am, we had our morning Scripture reading and prayers before heading over to the Pavilion to help prepare the breakfast.  The plan was to make 80 small breakfast burritos for about 30 missionaries that could attend this event.   However, the missionary we were helping had us make enough eggs, and sausage, and grilled onions, and hash browns for 80 servings, but she only bought 40 tortillas...  Mom and I were not able to attend since we were the missionaries at the Welcome Post, but the report was that the burritos were awesome and just enough!

Early morning burrito assembly!  We need to make these for a family activity!

How is this for two "welcoming" missionaries?

Today was cold and windy, this morning, so mom wore her coat.  It was very comfortable as we sat here at the Welcome Post ready to begin the greeting activities.  The trekking group scheduled for today reportedly could not be here at the appointed time of 8:30am.  And the mission breakfast was at Independence Rock at 8:30am.  So most of the missionaries assigned the early morning shift went to the breakfast.  Mom and I felt we needed to stay and "hold the fort down".  

It was a good thing we did because the first car in this group arrived about 20 minutes after everyone left at around 8:45am.  I reported the arrival of the first car to the Trek Coordinator who came over from the office to greet them.  Then, about 5 minutes later, we had a string of ten more cars arrive.  The breakfast attendees heard my first announcement, on the mission radios, that the first car had arrived, and they scrambled back from Independence Rock to cover their posts.  They were only 10 minutes late by the time we got all the cars in!  I am not sure how much they enjoyed that breakfast knowing they needed to get right back after the announcement!

We did have a few minutes after the missionaries departed for breakfast to enjoy the morning.  As mom and I were sitting here on the porch of the Welcome Cabin, my eye caught what I thought was a stick on the side of the road.  It was not a stick.....

This is a "good" snake because it kills rattlesnakes and other varmints!

The wind came up as we were attending our post.  That wind can really be a friend, because it keeps the mosquitoes at bay.  During our shift today the wind stopped and started several times.  I got several bites on the face and was very happy we had Josie's miracle salve!  And I got a lot of sun even though our assignment allowed us to sit in the shade.  

After we greeted this group, and got them settled, we headed off to the Handcart Parking assignment.  We parked our car at the Base and walked in to the Handcart Parking site about a mile away from the Base Cabin.  Here is what mom did yesterday around the Homestead;

It was a festive Patriotic display of flags!

Handcart Parking is where we greet the trekking groups going into Martin's Cove.  This is where they park their handcarts, and use the restrooms, and refill their water bottles.  It is also the site where they can have lunch under a covered eating area.  The sun is brutal, here in Wyoming, where we are at an elevation of over 6,000 feet.  Here are some of the things we witnessed while waiting for the Upland Stake to arrive;

The huge granite rock formation

The view of the trail into Martin's Cove

A very scared and lost duckling

At about 11:30am we had the group beginning to arrive at Handcart Parking.  They were all members of the Upland California Stake that we greeted at the Welcome Post this morning.  They came as families in about 30 vehicles totaling over 190 members.  They were a lot of fun!

This group from Upland, California took up most of the shaded area

Everyone showing us they had water bottles going into Martin's Cove

This is the trail we took Saturday with the Sathre's!

The day went by quickly and mom and I walked back to the Base Cabin after the group headed into the Homestead.  We got some exercise and some sun today.  And I also met a decendent of Able Garr.  He is one of my favorite rescuers from the boys from Salt Lake City, in October of 1856.  He was a cattle rancher and a very generous man who had a tender heart for those in need.  He would butcher several head of his cattle every year, and take the meat to the widows and the poor.  

A direct decendent of Able Garr - Jennifer, his great great granddaughter

He "happened" to be in Salt Lake City on October 5, 1856, when Brigham Young asked for the rescuers.  He immediately responded that he would go and help.  But the best note of this story is that Able Garr was not a member of the Church!  Edward Martin baptized him in May of 1857 after he helped get over 1,000 to Salt Lake City that previous winter.  That was so neat to meet Jennifer, and I hope I remembered her name correctly!  If she reads the blog, and I have her name wrong, please comment and correct this oversight!

As mom and I were walking back to the Base Cabin, we had a cloud cover form.  It came right over our heads and gave us shade for most of the way back to the Base Cabin.  Having been fried in the sun all day, this was a most welcomed cloud covering!

Shade for two walking senior missionaries!

Now, the story of the day.  Kathi and Ron came to visit us with Tommy and Josie this past weekend.  Kathi lost her set of wedding rings.  One belonged to her, and one belonged to her mother.  Even though they were just "things" as Kathi bravely noted, they were much more than that to her and Ron.  We had a prayer with the grandchildren that we would be able to find them, and we looked everywhere we could think of to no avail.  She left for home yesterday without these treasured rings.

Well today, about noon, Elder Tuescher got on the radio and asked all the missionaries if anyone had lost two ring sets.  I could not answer fast enough to say that we thought they might be Kathi's!  He had found them at the Homestead, where I parked the car yesterday before the correlation meeting that Ron and Kathi attended with us.  

Two treasured rings being found as a result of prayer!

They were found in the dirt by Elder Tuescher,  It was Elder Tuescher who graciously gave up his parking spot for Tommy to park his trailer across the street from our trailer.  Ron, even though you gave them a plate of "thank-you" cookies for giving up his parking spot for three days, what do you say mom and I get him another plate of those cookies on our next P-day!!??!!

In all seriousness, I want our precious family to know that Heavenly Father is so willing to answer our prayers.  As we gathered together, here in our trailer, Monday evening, to plead for His help in finding these rings, He knew exactly where they were.  And after the trial of our faith, in this precious instance, He answered that prayer, through Elder Tuescher, and these rings were recovered.  How wonderful is that??  And Kathi, they are in safe keeping!  We have them stored in Mia's rock fountain!

We Love this Mia creation!

What a blessing it is to see these tender mercies every day.  Heavenly Father knows each one of us, and He is so willing to take care of each of His children.  I so often wonder, and mom and I discuss this frequently, what are we willing to do to further His work as He helps us further our interests?  What a blessing it is to be a part of this great work as senior missionaries!  We love being senior missionaries, and it is especially noteworthy when we see His Hand in the workings of our families!

Celebrating our Independence Day here in the Pavilion

We love each one of you for the part you play in our lives!  Thank you for joining us tonight!