7 May 2018 - Monday

7 May 2018 - Monday

I know, I know... I am guilty of too many morning pictures.  However, you have got to see the shot I took this morning!  I was walking on my three mile trail when this came into my view;

I caught the antelope right in the middle of the sunrise!

There was a herd of antelope and one, in particular, who wanted to be in the picture.  I could not resist and this was such a neat shot!  It made the rest of my walk this morning so much fun, and I was so anticipating showing this picture tonight!

Mom and I got to the correlation meeting early this morning.  Our assignment was with the work crew to go out to the Cherry Creek Campground to finish clearing the fields of cow pies.  However, it was a sad state of affairs when I had to delay going out until I finished making copies of the emergency mission plan for all the missionaries.  

Instead of going out in the hot sun, I had to stay in the coolness of the mission offices and make these copies, and laminate some emergency numbers, and then distribute them.  By the time I got this very difficult task finished, I only had less than an hour left in the work detail to clean out those wonderful cow pies.... Here is an action shot of mom and Sister Criddle making their marks on the clean-up, and the next picture is one of me doing my duty on the doody!

Sister Criddle is Cambry's friends' grandmother serving here with us!

Doing my doody...

Needless to say we had fun!  We finished up this work at this campground, and then headed for home.  We did pass this one memorial, on our way back, for this dog named Oscar.  Here is the picture of that memorial and the story that goes with it;

Oscar was a stray dog adopted by the Sun Family whose ranch was purchased by the Church in the late 1990's.  Oscar lived with the adult daughter of the late Tom Sun and would come over the Cherry Creek Campground to check out the trekkers.  This was a distance of about 5 or 6 miles.  He would then "adopt" a family of youth trekkers, usually one group each week during the trek season.  He would come over to the Cherry Creek Campground and stay with the group he selected for the day or two of their stay at Martin's Cove.  

Now here is the interesting part of his life and purpose to the trekkers;  He would sometimes bark and not let the youth do certain things.  On one occasion he would not let some boys go into their tent.  When an adult came over to investigate this unusual activity, they found a rattlesnake in the tent.  On another occasion, Oscar would not let a group of girls use the restroom potties.  When the adult came to the girl's rescue, they found that Oscar had really rescued the girls because there was a rattlesnake in the bathroom.  

Oscar would finish his trek with his pre-selected group and then return home to the ranch until he decided to join another group the next week.  His story was published in the Friend Magazine sometime after he died.  Isn't that an interesting story?

A mother groundhog near the bathrooms we were preparing.

This mother groundhog stood up in this pose for several minutes.  We decided she was protecting her young groundhogs below the cement surface.  There is quite a selection of wildlife here in the Wyoming countryside!  

Then tonight we had a Family Home Evening Fireside at Sixth Crossing.  This area is about an hour's drive from our Missionary Village.  We went out there for a 6:00pm dinner and program and were taught all about the Willie Company's struggles here, in this area, and their subsequent rescue.  Here is how they welcomed us;

Handcarts lined up all along the entrance to Sixth Crossing.

We had 24 of these carts that we used in Nauvoo.  At the end of our mission there, we found out they sent them to Sixth Crossing.  I saw several of them here tonight as I was walking down to take this picture.

More of the original pioneer trail traversing through the Cherry Creek Camp 

This has been a late night!  Mom and I got home at 9:15pm and we have a six mile trek training exercise tomorrow, back at Sixth Crossing.  Mom went to bed at 9:30pm and now it is well after 10:00pm and I need to follow suit.  We hope you have had a wonderful day!  We love you!

6 May 2018 - Sunday

6 May 2018 - Sunday

We hope you all had a wonderful Sabbath Day.  This was our second Sunday here in the mission field and our first Fast and Testimony meeting.  I had the privilege to help bless the Sacrament.  The spirit was wonderful as we shared testimonies, and I was prompted to share mine.  There were some visitors that joined us for our Sacrament meeting, and a granddaughter of one of the senior missionaries was there who just received a call to serve in the Philippines Naga Mission.  

The morning sky on our way to Martin's Cove from missionary village.

In our announcements this morning, the mission presidency gave us some of the comments from the trek leader training.  As I said yesterday it was exciting to be a small part of that training and to anticipate the trek season with these dedicated leaders;

"I came to be instructed and I am leaving spiritually fed"

"When we get home we are going to change our entire focus"

In our scripture reading this morning, mom had an insight about recording our thoughts and prompting when she read Mosiah 26:33; "And it came to pass that when Alma had heard these words he wrote them down that he might have them".

As I have thought about this scripture all day, today, I can't help but think that I have missed so many profound messages, directed to me, that I have forgotten, because I did not write them down!  Mom has led the way in writing down thoughts and impressions that she has received every day and sometimes several times each day.  I am trying hard to follow her example!

Before our meetings began this morning we got to talk to the mission presidents wife about her conversion.  She was born into a family that was not LDS, but pretty much lived the standards of the Church.  They lived in Southern California near Anaheim.  Things went well in their family until she was about 16 years old.  Her father then decided he did not want to be married anymore and he started womanizing and drinking and smoking.  

That caused her so much grief that she began to drink and smoke and do drugs, as was so prevalent in the 1960's.  She had a friend that was LDS but very inactive.  One day she saw a copy of the Book of Mormon in his apartment and asked him about it.  He explained a little to her but basically shrugged it off.  As time went on, her life continued in a downward spiral until one night in her 18th year she decided life was not worth living.  She took a massive amount of drugs one night and then realized she was going to die.  

She remembers the thought coming to her to call her Mormon friend.  By this time he had moved back to Utah and was trying to get active in the religion.  She woke up the next morning, still very much alive, and called him, and he invited her to come to Utah.  She got there on, a Greyhound Bus, and the guy asked his Bishop if he could have a Sacrament Meeting in the mountains with her.  

The Bishop thought for a minute and said, "no", she needs to come to the meetings.  Now, keep in mind that he did not know her, but he was following his impressions.  She came to the meetings and did not want to leave.  She loved the feeling there and decided to be baptized just three weeks later after taking the lessons.  She quit her job in California and moved to Utah.  By the time she moved to Utah the friend had gone inactive and left the Church.  He told her he just could not live the Mormon lifestyle.

She remained active, and later met her future husband about two years after her baptism.  She said it took two years just to figure out the Church!  We were so grateful that she was able to share these intimate details with us!  We were, again, very happy to come to Church early!  

You know, it is very hard to even talk about religion here in this sacred place without getting emotional.  The pioneer spirits are strong and very active in helping us know that we are in the right place.  Now, I am showing you these next three pictures;

Split Rock landmark looking south and west

The mountain range looking north

Looking toward Martin's Cove to the east and north

I have had some impressions on these three pictures relating to the path of the pioneers.  These pictures were taken about 500 feet from our trailer here in Missionary Village.  Currently these are the pastures that the church purchased from the Sun Family and the Church runs somewhere around 1200 head of cattle. I can picture the handcart pioneers walking through these fields as they left Devil's Gate near Martin's Cove and heading toward the Split Rock landmark on their way to Salt Lake City.  

They were starving, tired, nearly worn out and feeling that dying would be much more preferred than living.  But they continued on with encouragement from the rescuers and their faith in God and His prophets.  Sometimes we feel like it would be so much easier to stop trying to make a difference when we are met with so much opposition each day.  But these pioneers have shown us the way and I echo the words of Elder Holland; 

“Don't you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead. Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. It will be all right in the end. Trust God and believe in good things to come.”

Then, to close our day, mom and I had our prayers together and she went to bed.  Her ankle was swollen after being on it all day without a brace.  She is worried that it is taking so long to heal.  I went outside  where most of the senior missionaries were gathering around a fire and singing some songs.  I took a picture of the Criddle's leading the singing.  Sister Criddle plays the guitar and they are the grandparents to a friend of Cambry's in Liberty Lake.  I took this picture for Cambry to see!

A close-up of Sister Criddle with the guitar.  Elder Criddle is on the right.

A group shot of the senior missionaries who gathered tonight.

Well, my precious family and precious friends, it has been a good day.  Perhaps the only downside was mom's ankle being swollen tonight.  My take away from today is that we all have burden's in our handcarts.  Some are physical, some are emotional, some are mental and perhaps some are spiritual.  

Like those precious handcart pioneer Saints, they could only place their burden's on Jesus and set the example for us.  When it gets too hard to pull, or too hard to push, hand it over to Him who has already taken these burden's upon Himself so that we can navigate mortality with so much less baggage.  

Have a wonderful evening!  We love you soooooooooo much!!

5 May 2018 - Saturday

5 May 2018 - Saturday

Today we had a busy day of traveling to Casper and filling back up our supplies.  We stopped by the mechanics shop at Martin's Cove, this morning, to balance the air in our tires and then headed off to Casper, about 60 miles away.  I did get my 3 mile walk in this morning and the temperatures were a little warmer than yesterday.  

Our whole purpose today was to get in range for our Verizon phone signal to work!  Talking with some of our family throughout this morning was uplifting and the highlight of our day.  It was so good to hear your voices!

Once we got all of our shopping done, we headed back to our little home in missionary village, and settled in for the day.  I could not help but close my eyes for just a minute as I sat in my chair.  Here is an action shot of me blogging and me ready for a nap!  What are prep days for??!!!!

Getting ready for a little nap action.

My blogging post!

The countryside along the highway to Casper is so peaceful.  I can picture the handcart pioneers walking along this corridor struggling to get to Zion.  They were so tired and cold and nearly worn out from their experiences.  All toll, there were about 200 deaths in these two handcart companies and these two wagon companies.  But the marvelous miracle that occurred on this trail of tears is that over 1,000 lived to tell their stories. 

And from their faith and their obedience to following a Prophet, we have their stories to help motivate us in our daily struggles and challenges.  And I can't help but think that they rejoice, on our behalf, when we choose to live the Gospel, and when we choose, and commit, to following living Prophets today!

It has been a very quiet day of preparation for mom and me.  We got the trailer cleaned inside and the laundry finished.  I have been studying tonight about the Sweetwater Rescue and preparing for the Sabbath Day tomorrow.  And, it was another "Green status" day for me.  That is translated into both readings on the blood pressure monitor being in the green, or the normal, measurements.  Very good news!

4 May 2018 - Friday

4 May 2018 - Friday

Oh, what a day we have had today!  It was filled with exciting events and conversations.  Mom and I were both up at the usual time of 4:45am and ready to begin the day.  After our morning prayers and scripture reading together, I took my morning 3 mile walk to the highway.  It was chilly and so peaceful as I watched the sky light up with the morning sunrise.  I am afraid that I might be taking too many morning pictures but this is another one I had to capture;

The sun just peeking over Martin's Cove

We drove to Martin's Cove early to see if we could be of any assistance with the trek leader training.  Mom had the opening prayer and I had the closing prayer so we wanted to be ready to go.  Mom's prayer came right after the missionaries sang "Hallowed Ground" to the leaders.  I think that was the hardest thing anyone had to do today, including the seven mile trek these leaders had to go on!

As we got to the trek center, we got to meet a few of the leaders that were here for training.  Then we sang the song and mom gave the prayer.and we were off to the day's assignments before I needed to return around 4:00pm for the closing prayer.  We worked in the Visitors' Center and met some wonderful people.

Lot's of display tables filled with trek ideas

The 200 trek leaders coming back from the 7 mile experience

A picture right before I was called to give the prayer.

At the Visitors's Center, Mom first saw this couple with another lady come into the front yard of the center and went to greet them.  One of the ladies said they were just passing through and only had a few minutes to see the center.  I joined with them and got to talking to the man.  It turns out he was the secretary to Bishop Burton of the Presiding Bishopric back in the 1990's and he was here when the Church negotiated the purchase of the property from the Sun family.  They spent about 20 minutes in the center and then watched a movie we will show you when you come. 

Then, while the secretary was in the movie, I went out to meet another visitor who was by himself and began talking to him.  (I never did get back with the secretary to ask him as many questions as I could!)  The gentleman that I went out to meet wasn't real free with information, at first, but he had a little time to spend there.  I showed him the sites around the center and we had the most wonderful conversation after he warmed up to me!  He was married to a lady who wanted nothing to do with the church.  She passed away about 9 years ago and he got back into the church and is serving as what was previously referred to as the High Priest Group leader.

He was on the internet about two years ago and began a correspondence with a lady in China who was not a member of the Church.  His Bishop tried to discourage him from internet dating but somehow he got to the point of going to China to meet her.  She was a lawyer in China fluent in Mandarin and speaks little English, and he is a bank executive in Wyoming.   They kept corresponding and she later came to America where she is on a temporary visa.  She will qualify to become a citizen next year.  

They decided to get married in Las Vegas about 18 months ago.  They were there on the Las Vegas Strip where there are lots of wedding chapels.  Each chapel has hawkers trying to get people to use their services at their chapels.  He told me that they were trying to decide which one to use when a black man handed them a flyer to the chapel he represented.  They took the flyer and then looked around and he was gone.  They considered the flyer and then went in to the chapel.  It was the only chapel that could marry them in her native language.

A few months later they were walking on temple square and were approached by two sister missionaries, and you guessed it, one spoke Mandarin!  The sisters asked if they had any questions and the new wife did.  She was taught in her language and baptized a few weeks later.  She still owns a condo in China, that they visit regularly, and she wants to bring her mother and sister to the United States when she is granted citizenship.  

One year later they were sealed in the Draper Temple.  When he called the temple to arrange the sealing, he somehow was connected directly to the recorders office.  He asked him if they could be sealed in the Mandarin language.  The recorder said they could do that.  He wasn't in the Draper Temple district, but just chose that temple because his sister lived nearby.  

A day before the sealing a sister called him to let him know the temple could not do the sealing in Mandarin language.  He told her that the recorder said they could!  This sister was mistaken.  She was not aware of that capability, and she was not aware that one of the sealers had been the president of the Hong Kong Temple.  The sealing was performed in both Mandarin and English, two separate sessions on that day.  The sealer told him, and the Spirit confirmed to me, that with President Nelson's connections with Chinese leadership, he could be a key player in the opening of China for the Gospel to be preached.

Then mom and I went over to the Trek Center and listened to the last 45 minutes of the leader training, and I gave the closing prayer and blessed the food that had been prepared for these leaders.  All the senior missionaries were invited to the dinner and asked to sit with these trek leaders and answer any questions.  Mom and I sat with two couples who will be Ma's and Pa's.  We got to answer a few questions and then we asked about them and their backgrounds.  

The two couples we sat with at dinner

Both couples were so much fun to get to know!  The couple on the right will be coming back with a group of 40 on June 4th.  The couple on the left come back with a group of 400 on July 24th.  Their callings in their wards and stakes back home are from left to right, Humanitarian leader, High Council, YM President, YW Secretary.  These couples and individuals are all very special!

The High Councilor is in the Stake that includes, President Nelson, Elder Bednar, Sister Bingham, (General RS President), Sheri Dew,  and several of President Eyring's children.  And Sister Wendy Nelson is best friends with Sister Dew, who lives three doors down from President Nelson!  Just a quick question, how would you like to be the High Council speaker when any of these leaders happen to attend their own wards?

Inside Fort Seminoe

My last story of an amazing day involves this chest on top of this organ.  When Fort Seminoe was replicated for the trekkers experience, the Church worked with a local historian/museum curator to make this experience as authentic as possible.  The goods and treasures of the Hunt and Hodgett's companies were unloaded here and stored for the winter to provide wagon space for those too sick and frozen to walk to Salt Lake.  

The curator went to the church history warehouse and was pretty much free to choose period pieces that may have been on either wagon company.  He saw a trunk similar to this one sitting on top the organ.  He could not easily choose this one or the other one not pictured.  He choose the one not pictured and was getting ready to take it off the shelf when the church history person at Salt Lake stopped him.  The other trunk similar to this one was the trunk Joseph Smith used to hide the gold plates....

With the events of today, we are even more excited about the summer season.  These leaders, and the trekkers they bring with them, have been spiritually prepared to come and experience this sacred area.  We now get to help activate these spiritual preparations that they may not be fully aware of!

What a wonderful day FULL of tender mercies!  We are so grateful to be here and to be involved with so many wonderful people!  We are so excited to have you come and see us here!  We love you!

Oh, and by the way, I hit "green" status again today!

3 May 2018 - Thursday

3 May 2018 - Thursday

We had a beautiful sunrise this morning.  I was up early, even before mom, with thoughts about our part in the correlation meeting this morning.  Every missionary couple has a thought and prayer on a rotating basis.  Today it was our turn.  We read from the mission handbook and then gave a thought from Preach My Gospel.  I think I over did my part in reference to Preach My Gospel, but mom read from the handbook and we both gave the prayers.  I had the opening prayer and mom had the closing prayer.  

Here is a picture or two of this morning's walk and sunrise.  Mom is not yet up to walking in the mornings, but we will probably start walking, again, together next week.  Here are the pictures;

Taken at about 5:30am this morning

Taken at about 5:45am this morning

Taken about 6:10am this morning

I took the Granny Highway to the main road and saw some marvelous pictures.  The Wyoming sky with the morning clouds offer some wonderful morning light shows!  I made the 3 mile walk in under 45 minutes this morning and felt so invigorated.  The quietness of the mornings is breathtaking and a great opportunity to commune with Heavenly Father.

After breakfast and a nice warm shower, mom and I were ready to begin the work day.  We gave our prayers and thoughts and got our assignments.  We were on "cow pie" duty.  This involved clearing the cow pies from the Cherry Creek campground.  We were on a crew of eight senior missionaries.  The Teuscher's  were in on our group, and here are some action shots;

The producers of our work assignment

It did not matter what we did today, mom was so anxious to get back to work!

Clearing out the "load"...

Oregon trail marker - see the wheel ruts?

The willows in the cove area that offered a wind break

More shots of the embedded trail ruts over 150 years old! 

This picture is taken from Cherry Creek towards Martin's Cove

It was so peaceful out here this morning.  We are cleaning out the camp grounds in preparation for the first trekkers due at the end of this month.  I have heard that over 15,000 trekkers have scheduled to be here.  Tomorrow we are training 200 trek leaders as a mission.  Mom and I are giving the opening and closing prayers for this training tomorrow.  Bob, did you ever attend these meetings before your trek?

Again, this is such a sacred place.  The trail marks from the ruts and the whispering from the pioneers makes this such a peaceful and hallowed place.  From this view, over 500,000 travelers came in the mid 1800's.  Each seeking various rewards such as gold in California, open lands to homestead and raise their families, and, a very few, looking for religious freedom and a place called Zion.

This fella did not make it.  Some of his hide is still covering his bones.

The Martin's Cove site marker with Martin's Cove directly behind

I can only imagine 12" to 18" of snow covering the ground as 700 freezing pioneers attempt to reach the shelter of the cove or ravine, later know as Martin's Cove.  This was almost an insurmountable challenge except for the determination of the Saints, and the Rescuer's, to pull together and witness miracle after miracle occur to preserve those who did make it.  

It was interesting to note that one of the many rescuer's to reach these precious pioneers was Able Garr.  He was so willing to come from the warmth of his home in Salt Lake City to assist these beleaguered Saints.  Now the interesting thing that sets Able Garr apart from all the other rescuer's is that he was not a member of the Church.  He was baptized by George Grant, the rescue captain, and confirmed by William Kimball, another rescuer, in May of 1857.  

That was about 6 months after the rescue party arrived back in Salt Lake City on November 30, 1856.  I have to assume that his work and efforts were activated, and then rewarded, by the Spirit that each of these noble rescuer's carried in this sacred effort.

Brave rescuer's helping these precious pioneers

Statue depicting the rescue across the Sweetwater

What is interesting to note about these statues is the fact that there were five known rescuer's that were named in journals, but over 20 may have also been involved.  These statues are here honoring the young men of the Aaronic Priesthood.  These are young men like Zac and Isaac who honor their Priesthood and are fearless in ministering relief to those in need.  Zac, Isaac, and soon Bobby, Cody and Jackson, I can't help but think about you and the excellent priesthood holders you are, and you will be.

2 May 2018 - Wednesday

2 May 2018 - Wednesday

I want to begin my blog tonight by thanking you for your comments.  For some reason, my feelings were deeply touched and I felt so close to my precious family.  So thank you for your comments and support!  We miss you and are so grateful that we are part of your family!

Mom and I just got back from Elder and Sister Ward's trailer next door.  They had us over for dinner along with the Teuscher's.  We had a fun time sharing Chicken tacos and some great conversation!  Within twenty minutes we were sharing family stories and pictures!

Dinner with the Ward's and the Teuscher's

Yes, that is a huge plate of brownies that was placed way too close to me!  I had to get up and take a picture!  Elder Ward is sitting next to Granny and he is such a wealth of mission knowledge for us.  The Ward's were here last year and the Teuscher's and mom and I are trying to absorb as much as we can!  However, it is almost 8:00pm in this picture and we were fading fast!

This morning after our prayers and scripture reading, I took the three mile walk down the gravel road to the highway.  It was crisp and very cloudy this morning.  The temperature was just at 40 degrees.  But it was none-the-less invigorating and I made the walk in about 45 minutes.  I even took a picture of the roadway that I call "Granny's Highway".  She will most likely never walk this road again!  It is along this forbidden path that her ankle gave out...

Granny's Highway

So mom took one more day to rest her ankle and ice it and prop it up.  It was a very good decision as her ankle looks so much better this evening,  However, I went in to participate in the correlation meeting at Martin's Cove and take some work assignments.  My first assignment was to update and edit the mission safety plan.  Here is an action selfie;

Elder "safety" Lasher

 I was talking to the counselor in the mission presidency and he told me the reason I was asked to do the mission safety assignment was because I know word and excel.  It worked out really well and I finished the first draft in about two hours.  The copy is on the mission presidents desk for his approval.  It reminded me of my work to write the remodel merchandising manual for Longs.

A few days ago I posted a picture of the words to the song, "Hallowed Ground".  It is a song all the Martin's Cove missionaries will sing Friday for about 200 trek leaders who are coming here for a two day training meeting for their upcoming treks this summer.  Mom and I have been asked to offer the opening and closing prayer for the first day's activities.  Mom will have to pray right after singing this song.  Read the words and imagine the pioneers coming through Martin's Cove starving and nearly frozen, and yet struggling with all their might to get to "Zion" and the great Salt Lake City;

It is not possible to sing this without crying

Our chorister had an impression this morning as we were practicing this song.  She told us that the pioneers appreciate our empathy for their struggles and challenges and especially for those who gave their lives to make this attempt to get to Zion.  But she said we should be happy as we sing this song because many of these pioneers are warmly in the Hands of a loving Father and that their stories are being told to thousands of modern pioneers who will be uplifted by their sacrifices so long ago.

And it is especially noteworthy that the pianist saw this music less that a month ago and knew she did not have the talent to play this difficult piece.  But through the willingness of this sister to make the attempt, we have seen miracles transpire and we all know that we can do hard things in the work of the Lord!  What a blessing it is to work with such dedicated senior missionaries!

Have a great night!   We love you so much!

1 May 2018 - Tuesday

1 May 2018 - Tuesday

We had the second day of cool weather here in Wyoming.  Mom and I attended the correlation meeting this morning in Martin's Cove.  At the meeting, the mission president and his wife gave us some of their impressions and notes from the mission presidents conference in March.  There were some excellent insights as Elder Neil L. Anderson and Elder Ulysses Soares were the presiding authorities, with Elder Soares there as one of the Presidents of the Seventy.

Here are some of the messages I wrote down.  First, write down each member of the First Presidency and each member of the Quorum of the Twelve on a piece of paper.  Then write next to their names what they spoke about at General Conference.  What a simple and yet profound idea, and a very quick reference to these vital messages!

With trekkers coming from all over North America, how can we be missionaries to them?  Since we are not tour guides but set apart missionaries, how can we fulfill our mandates as missionaries?  Well, one way is to talk to the trekkers about their plans to serve a full time mission.  How can they prepare for this service and what do they need to know from walking these hallowed grounds that will help them to be excellent missionaries.  Plant some seeds in their minds about serving and getting the most out of their trekking experience.

One thought that was emphasized was that if we choose the wrong road, we choose the wrong destination.  Profound!  For the missionaries assigned to this mission, pray for those youth you will be meeting.  Elder Anderson gave some ideas from the meeting that could be used directly here in our mission.  

He said, have faith in miracles!  Where have we heard that before?  He repeated what President Nelson taught us about expecting miracles in the days to come, and that we will not be able to survive spiritually unless we have learned to receive revelation.  He further stated that over the next two years, there will be more ministering, and less reporting.  There will be more doing the work of the Lord.  And he said there will be fewer chapels and more temples.  These things will bring the faithful closer to the "Second Coming" of Jesus Christ!

After our meeting, mom and I got our work assignments and they were for some projects back at our missionary village.  I was also asked to be the safety coordinator for the mission.  The mission presidency counselor intimated that since I knew "word" on the computer, I could update the mission safety manual!  Inspired!  I start the editing tomorrow!

My first safety violation - hanging off the Rover!

Mom had her ankle checked out by the mission nurse and she was ordered to elevate it for two days.  With our assignment back at the missionary village, that worked out perfectly!  My assignment was to repair some camping site posts and work on the drip system to water the trees here at missionary village.  Here are some action shots;

The newly replaced post at campsite #3

Me supervising Elder Hestler!  Best job ever!

We got our work assignments done by 2:00pm and I went back to the trailer to make dinner for mom.  I fixed one of our favorite meals.... a bowl of cereal!  What an excellent caregiver I am....

We love you!  Every day we look forward to the visits from our precious family members!