We are done with the 11th week of our mission, out of 18 weeks. The time is flying by and it seems that I am always about two weeks behind on my BLOG! I had to lead music all this week, for the last time. It really doesn't matter how you lead, because no one usually watches you. I don't do too bad on the 2/2 and 4/4 time, but I kind of have a little trouble on the 3/4. We sang patriotic songs all week because I got to pick which song to sing. I will probably never lead singing anywhere else!
On the 4th of July, all of us missionaries went to Woodruff, UT, and walked in their parade. We had been asked to pull a handcart. Here are Elder and Sister Johnson and some of their family, Elder and Sister Brinkerhoff, Howard (can't remember who that is behind us), Barton, Eikins, Elder Cowen, Elder and Sister Peart, Call, Sister Cowen, and Elder and Sister Higginson.
It was fun throwing candy out to all of the kids. It was amazing how many of the people recognized us as the TREK Missionaries and yelled for us and waved at us. Maybe they only wanted candy, but it was fun anyway.
Elder and Sister Peart had a couple of their grandkids visiting and they rode in the cart.
Our trek this week was from the Misty Meadows Ward from Harrisville UT. What a great ward it was! There were only about 75 people, with six handcarts. Small groups are fun because you usually get to know them better than you do the people in the larger groups. We follow all of the trekkers with our 4x4, which is used as the medical emergency vehicle. We also use it to give "catch-up rides" to some of the trekkers who might get behind because of cowboy or cowgirl stops (potty stops) or some of the leaders who might get a little behind.
This group brought "babies" along with them. They had their faces painted on and even gave them names. They took very good care of them, but some of them "died" on the trip!
They had "trail trials" as they trekked. This boy broke his leg and had to ride in the cart. The "trial" was for his family, because they had to pull him!
This girl "died" on the trek!
This cart "broke down" so the family had to beg some of the other carts to carry all of their stuff!
The girls had some cute pantaloons under their pioneer skirts! Their bonnets matched their dresses and they had aprons on. The pockets on aprons really come in handy sometimes!
They are always glad to see camp ahead of them.
The cooking crew was great! They never let us go hungry. It is a good thing we walk a lot!
We had a really fun hoedown. Elder Howard and I, and Elder Walker went out and got them started. No pictures of us--we stepped out so I could take some pictures.
They got the Virginia Reel down pretty good!
Elder and Sister Walker were the lead missionaries on this trek and we were the assistant missionaries. Sister Walker called the hoedown and did a great job!
Each trek has a women's pull. The boys have just left and the girls are getting ready for their devotional before they start up the hill.
The girls are starting up this first hill, not realizing that there is another one after this one. But, they do have a down hill and a bit of level trail before starting up the next one.
The girls have almost made it! The boys are lined up down the hill, all dressed in white shirts and showing respect for the girls. This activity shows the girls that they can do hard things and the boys learn how special the girls are.
When we missionaries deliver mail for the group, we can deliver it by "Pony Express." We have a "pony" named Sliver, who is a thoroughboard. He comes from a good family tree--maple!
Mail is delivered to all of the kids and sometimes even the leaders. Usually the letters are from their parents.
Elder Walker did a really good job delivering mail by pony express!
Sister Walker, getting a well-deserved rest after getting into camp, as Elder Howard looks on. We had such a good group. We have been invited to their Sacrament Meeting on July 24, where the kids will be giving talks about TREK. It is in Harrisville, near Ogden, and we are looking forward to going.
We have several jobs we have to do on Saturdays, after all of our trekkers have gone home. We have to empty the water buffalo, vacuum it out, and sanitize it. We have to wash and gas up the truck and 4x4 that we used all week. By then, we are ready for a couple of days off from trekking, even though we have lots of other work to do during those days!
I have mentioned that we have a "Missionary Choir." Well, it is getting quite popular and we keep getting invitations to sing in the wards in the area. The song we sing is "To Those Who Came Before Me" by Sally DeFord. We are pretty booked up. In fact, this week we had to sing in two wards--one at 9:00 and one at 1:00. So, we went to the 3-hour block church service at 9:00 and then to just Sacrament Meeting at 1:00. We were all so tired from trek the week before, and sitting in Church for so long, that when we sang at 1:00, there is a part where the men start singing first, and then the women join in. Well, none of the women joined in! Even the choir director, Sister Barton, didn't start singing it. It was hilarious, although I don't think that anyone but us noticed it! Then, as we and the congregation stood to sing the closing song (The Star Spangled Banner), Elder Ekins took out his music to sing our missionary song! He forgot that we had already sang it! What a hoot it was! We decided we better all go home and have a good nap!
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