19 September 2018 - Wednesday

19 September 2018 - Wednesday

This was the second day of farewells, this week, and we have one more day on Friday.  The Missionary Village is slowly emptying out with trailers being vacated, and fifth wheels and motor homes taking to the roads,  We said our goodbyes to the Reese's  at 6:00am, as we were starting our walk, and passing their trailer, at the end of the row of trailers.  They invited us in to say family prayer, and we gratefully accepted.  Then we went down past the cattle guards as they dropped by the Gilliland's to say goodbye and, as they drove out a few minutes later, we stood waving.,,,

Reese's packed car at 6:00am this morning

The Reese's heading out and on to home to New Mexico. 

We finished our walk and then had breakfast.  The morning sunrise was brilliant again.  We enjoyed the early morning lights that began appearing at least 30 minutes before the sun rise.  It seems like the morning scenes are always a little different each day!

I love the coloring of the clouds right before the sun appears!

"His countenance shown above the brightness of the sun"! 

A view from our trailer

Another view right behind the Gilliland's trailer space about to be vacated

Our work shift at the Visitors' Center started at 12:30 this afternoon so we had a wonderful morning together.  At 8:00am, we went back outside to wave goodbye to the Gilliland's.  They were heading back to Colorado;

Elder Gilliland making the final inspection before pulling out.

With each passing farewell here in the mission field, we come one farewell closer to our return home.  How can anyone say farewells are sad?  What a precious experience we have had here!  And the sweet tender mercies continue to bless our lives!  As we were working in the visitors Center, today, we had a service missionary couple, Elder and Sister Smith, come to the Visitors' Center with her 92 year old mother, Sister Barbara Macphee.  The missionaries are serving in Cody, Wyoming and head home to Canada in two weeks.

For Sister Macphee, this has been a lifelong goal to come to Martin's Cove.  She lives in British Columbia, Canada!  Mom and I decided that it would be best to take her around the area in a Rover.  She is the great granddaughter of Tamar Loader, who came with her mom, Amy Loader, and dad, James Loader, and their children, one of whom was Tamar, with the 1856 Martin Handcart Company.  The father, James, died early, (September 27th), in the trek of diarrhea.  

Sister Macphee was so grateful for the Rover ride and the chance to see the area up close and personal.  Needless to say, it was such a pleasure to take them.  Mom had to stay at the Visitors Center.  She would have driven if the weather had been warmer.  We went to the River Crossing area where Amy Loader may have crossed and helped her daughters across.  We stopped at the Rescue Statues where they represented the rescuers helping her great grandmother, Tamar, across the Sweetwater.  Then we drove up into the Martin's Cove area going up the back way, along the ravine.

Sister Macphee wanted to get out at the bottom of the steps on the back side of the Cove and walk up those 35 steps.  I was privileged to have her take my arm, and we went up there one step at a time.  She was so overcome with emotion as I shared stories, and she shared stories, about her pioneer ancestors.  After a few minutes she offered a beautiful prayer of appreciation for those precious memories of her ancestors and for the service of the current missionaries.  I felt that Tamar was in that prayer circle!  What a sweet experience.

Sister Macphee's missionary daughter and her husband, walked back the trail, from the top of the Cove, towards Handcart Parking, and Sister Macphee and I took the Rover to meet them at the crossroad of the ravine.  On our very slow ride back, I found out that her husband was killed in a plane crash in December of 1953.  He was a new private pilot who got caught in some bad weather.  She was 27 years old and he was 29.  She never remarried.  I then told her about my dad dying at 29 and my mom being a widow at 26.  We had a wonderful connection.

Sister Macphee with her missionary daughter Sister Smith at the top of the Cove.

Needless to say, I got to be a very small part of a priceless and sacred experience with this family.  Just another tender mercy that Heavenly Father bestowed on one of His senior missionaries.  The trip of a lifetime, on a day that mom and I had the sweet privilege of serving together here at Martin's Cove!  And we became a part of this once in a lifetime experience...