Mondays are our P-Day (preparation day). We can pretty much use this day for whatever we want. We usually do laundry, clean the house and car, work on the BLOG, go to town (which we don't like to do very well because we have to wear a dress and white shirt & tie), do our cleaning assignments if we have one. Three couples are assigned to clean the Trek Center and the Depot once a week--usually done by the Sisters. We haven't had that assignment yet, but it is coming up our turn.
We didn't have FHE last Monday because we had it on Sunday evening with Brother Clark Kelly Price. So, Elder and Sister Peart decided we should have an impromptu hotdog roast in the new, three-sided building (built last year) where we could be out of the rain and the Wyoming wind.
It worked so well, and the wind was blowing the right way to keep it away from us. Most all of the missionaries came. We just brought food that we had in our RVs and had a great meal--they all gave me a bad time about my black hotdog. Afterwards we played Chicken Taco Boom that Elder Peart had taught us on one of our trail rides. Then Sister Cowen taught us Big Booty. We all laughed until our sides hurt. Elder Peart was the champ of Chicken Taco Boom, but he couldn't get out of last place in Big Booty!
Sister Walker treated us with one of her cowboy poems she wrote about a cowgirl getting old. It was hilarious. She is so talented and willing to share her talents with us.
It was rainy so we decided to take a day on Tuesday and go to the Payson Temple. Elder and Sister Caverhill are missionaries on the Ranch and are building houses for some of the Church employees who live and work on the Ranch. They are the only missionaries there so we have been inviting them to some of our activities. Standing in front of the Payson Temple are Brothers and Sisters Peart, Ekins, Walker, Barton, Higginson, Brinkerhoff, Call, Hutchings, Cowen, Howard, and Caverhill. The Payson Temple is so beautiful inside. The decorating theme is apple blossoms. Afterwards, we all went to a little restaurant where they gave us a huge (at least 6/12 inches) scone and honey butter with almost every order. We were all full by the time our meals came! A wonderful day!
We worked all day Tuesday finishing our spiffying up for our special visitors who came on Wednesday. DL&S Trek Mission is under an Area Authority of the 5th Quorum of 70's of the LDS Church. For the last five years, Elder Lynn Summerhays has been that person. He was released in April and Elder Mark Durham has been given that assignment. We will miss Elder Summerhays, but are looking forward to working with Elder Durham. President Platt, a councelor in the Evanston Stake Presidency also came. Elder Summerhays is on the left, with Elder Durham in the middle and President Platt on the right.
It was a really special meeting. Our Missionary Choir (yes, both Elder Howard and I are part of the choir) sang a beautiful song (even with us singing) called "To Those Who Came Before Me." We have been practicing for a couple of weeks. Elder Durham gave us several special blessings. He blessed our families while we are away from them. He blessed us that we could ask and receive renewed strength if we need it as we are trekking. He blessed us with the ability to call down miracles and to speak through inspiration. Those blessings have calmed my fears and have given me confidence.
Elder Call is showing Elder Durham and President Platt how we use a template to make the new handcarts we are all doing. The Cowans took them on by some of the Trek routes, which they really enjoyed. I think they enjoyed being here as much as we enjoyed having them.
After our Area Authorities left, we all got in trucks and followed one of the escape routes we have off of the ranch in case of a range fire or some other calamity (hasn't happened in 30 years, so we are not counting on it happening this year.) What a ride we had. I think it was only about 30 miles long, but with the bumpy roads, it took us about an hour and a half to drive it. Some said they were glad to not have to do that again, but I would do it in a minute. It was beautiful country. We ended up at a a restaurant on the way home, off of the freeway, called Taggarts. (It seems like we eat out a lot, but that is fine with us--one of our favorite things to do!) Our group of missionaries always make a statement when we all go somewhere together!
We were about the last couple to go into the restaurant and we met some people coming out. They asked who all of us missionaries were. After we told them we were DL&L Trek missionaries, we found out that they were from LaGrande Oregon and were on their way to visit a daughter and son-in-law who were missionaries at a girls camp in Utah. Our son, Ryan, and his family live in LaGrande. Come to find out, they not only knew our son's family, but she had been a cub scout leader for our grandson, Chaz. What a fun visit we had with them. The world is so small, especially in the Church family.
We had our last two route reviews this week. It rained all night on Thursday, so we were a little afraid we would have trouble getting out on the roads. Brother Horsely and Bishop Larsen, the Trail Boss, from Cedar Hollow 2nd Ward , Lehi, UT, said they were ready to go. They had a 4-wheel drive truck and knew how to drive on muddy roads! We drove on the support roads and we were able to show them the top of their women's pull and the direction of their campgrounds. We had some good discussions and we will continue to work with them on more ideas for their trek, which is one of the last ones of the season--the first week of August.
We showed Brother Horsely and Bishop Larsen the new handcarts we were building. Bishop Larsen demonstrates how much energy it takes to pull a handcart!
Out on the route review, we spooked a couple of antelope and one of them got caught up in a fence. He really struggled before we were able to back up and decide how to help him. Brother Horsely had hunted antelope before, so he was smart enough to know to get on the other side of the fence to help him and keep from getting kicked by his sharp hooves. I took a video of the "rescue" and it was amazing. (I posted the rescue on FB) I was afraid that the antelope would thrash around too much and break his neck before he was loose, which is usually what happens, but he got away, with Elder Howard and Brother Horsley's help. They will have a good rescue story to tell their youth on the Trek.
The same group of trekkers will pass this scene right after they go by the "rescue" place. This poor elk caught his leg in the fence as he jumped over it. There were no rescuers around to save him. Someone even cut off his antlers after he died.
It didn't rain much Friday night so when we took our last route review out, we were able to make it to all three of their campsites, but they didn't get to see their women's pull. But, we told them that they would have an awesome one! This is Brother & Sister Riley, Assistant Trail Bosses, and Sister and Brother King, the Trail Bosses, from Canyon Crest Ward, Alpine UT. They will be trekking July 13-16. It will be fun to be with them and their youth.
Many of us missionaries had route reviews on Saturday, but we all got back in time to practice our hoe down dances. We learned "Oh, Johnny, Oh." It was so fun. I think Elder Howard is actually starting to enjoy these dance lessons! Elder Walker needed a little more one-on-one practice with Sister Walker and Sister Cowen--but he finally got it.
We know that we are supposed to be here on this DL&L Trek Mission. But, this week has been really hard. Down in Gilbert, AZ, we have a grandson who graduated from high school last Thursday, went through the Temple for the first time on Saturday, had his mission farewell and spoke in Church on Sunday, and is leaving on his mission to the Philippines on May 30. Their family is experiencing some major medical issues and it is hard to not be there for them. We have been there in spirit for all of this, but it is still hard. They have assured us that they are okay and want us here on our mission. After Elder Durham, our Area Authority 70, gave us a special blessing that our families would be okay while we are here on our mission, it really helped us feel better. Thank you, Elder Durham. We will do all we can and Heavenly Father will take care of the rest.
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