July 26, 2015 part 2

I thought I would add some more pictures.  

We had the opportunity to Trek with Evanston Stake. 

It was like being with our own Stake we knew

lots of the people and will get to see them every

week at church.  This was a drone they used to take

pictures with for their Trek.  It sounded like a 

huge bee hive coming down to get you.

This is a shofar that Bro Richens used to call the kids to

different activities and to wake them up in the morning.

It is from Jerusalem and is a rams horn.  It is what 

the Prophet Joshua would have used to blow down the walls

of Jericho.

Elder Kennedy shot a bear in Wyoming last year and he

showed the hide to the Evanston Stake.  Look at the claws.

He will show his collection of skulls and hides to Willowwood

Ward when they come this next week.

While with Evanston I got hit in the face with the front

bar of the handcart.  I was trying to keep them out of a 

badger hole and instead I got whacked and I went down into

the hole.  I thought for sure my nose would be broken, my

glasses busted, but I was truly protected.  It hit with a 

loud whack sound and everyone thought I was knocked

out because I went down into the hole.  But it didn't hurt

me at all, it cut the bridge of my nose but no bruising and

it never really touched me.  I now call the place where it 

happened the "Valley of Angels" because they protected me.

This was the finish of our Evanston day.  The week they

came we had 90 degree weather and we were roasting.  We

didn't have any real problems and felt truly blessed by

Heavenly Father.

This last week we were with a Stake from Murray and

they did a river crossing without the water.  They had the

boys carry all the girls over the stream bed and it was

fun to watch them try to get across.  I know it sounds,

and looks kinda silly but it really was a bonding time

for each of the families.  They told them the story of 

crossing the Sweetwater and how hard it was for them.

We truly do feel the stories as they act them out.

One Pa with this stake brought a big rock with him from his home.

They named him "Uncle Ted" and painted up his face.

This is his backside, with a tattoo they gave him.

The Pa was feeling kinda bad that they had a mark across his

name, the kids loved teasing him.

This is Tracy, they picked her up along the trail.  She has

a injury from a accident she had with a horse but Uncle Ted

loves her anyway.  By the time the trek ended they had little

babies along with them also.  It was a quick wedding and

fast family but they all loved the fun they had with it.

I thought they were a fun family and they agreed to 

let me be an adopted member while on trek.

This is the view for their woman's pull.  I love seeing

all the men standing on the hill waiting for the sisters

to get to the top.

The men were dressed in White shirts and singing as the

sisters pushed the carts up.  We are so lucky to be part of

this every week.

Check out this hair, I was totally jealous of her hair.  When

I told her that and then showed her my hair under my hat

she laughed out loud.  She said it takes 3 days to do it.

That is crazy.  I figure it must be super hot so then I

think maybe my short hair is better.

Along the trail on the last day they staged this scene for

the trekkers to walk past.  It was pretty moving and made all

of us think about how hard it would be to leave behind

a loved one along the trail.

At the finish they enjoyed Pizza and then loaded the bus

and headed for home.  The pizza businesses love the

trek groups.

On July 6th, we got a visit from Joanne Baird and Doreen Lloyd.

They are sisters to Marjorie Hinckley.  They love Trekking and

have great pioneer heritage.  The Goble and Pay families came with

the Hunt Wagon Company that was with the Martin Company.

They brought with them a grave marker of Edith Goble who

died on the trail.  It was recovered and given to them

by a couple in Idaho.  The story is remarkable and very

touching.  We were lucky enough to hear them last

year and even happier to see them again this year.

They drive themselves here and love an adventure.  They

have a beautiful sense of humor and they truly love to 

bear witness of the gospel and all that the pioneers did 

to leave a legacy to us.  They truly stand as witnesses of

God.  We hope to see them again real soon.

On Tuesday our ward comes to Trek and I will be sure

to take lots of pictures.  The best part I don't have to spend

time memorizing names and trying to remember faces,

I already know them and love them and will get

to be with them when we return home.  There are so many

I can't wait to sit and visit with and spend time with.

This is going to be a GREAT WEEK AT THE

DL & L!

July 26, 2015

I know it has been a month since I posted anything.  We have been so

busy.  We had no days off, they were busy with visitors and 

groups coming, firesides and other things.  So this is a quick

look back at some of the moments.  This is Jeff with

a log chewed by a beaver.  It was a awesome beaver pond 

and all around it lay the results of a pretty busy beaver.

Todd Black the wildlife manager for the ranch took the

missionaries for a tour of the "HIGH COUNTRY" the part

of the ranch they keep us out of.  They have a fancy lodge and

it is always fun to go there.  They let us look but we can't stay.

I thought you'd like to see what we see everyday, our shadows.

Elder Johnson is the one on the side.  I have gotten so I talk

to my shadow, we have become such good friends.  When the 

groups are doing things we find ourselves standing and listening 

and my shadow is always along for the ride.

This is a game one stake had.  They had stilts for the kids to use.

Well some of the boys decided it would be fun to hold themselves

up with the stilt and slowly lower themselves to the ground with

only their feet touching, Then reach out and move the knife in

the ground and put it further out, then push themselves back

up the stilt until they were standing.  WOW.  They were

working really hard to lower and raise themselves back up.

Did we mention that big knives like this are not allowed! 

Needless to say, we watched and even took pictures.

We teased this young man that he was a Missionary in Training.

He had the tan pants and light blue shirt.  So the rest of the Trek

we let him show his skills and make decisions for the group.

He did and great job and at the end we told him he had

passed the pre-test.  (Did we mention the big hunting knife

belongs to him!  Just like the missionaries, always breaking the rules).

Check out the beautiful purple flowers in the field.  Yes

they look so cool but they are actually THISTLE!

Not so good, yet pretty.

Can you see the little weasel in the corner of the porta john?

Waiting for the group to come Elder Cowan spotted the

little guy coming out from under the john.

We aren't sure when he decided not to go with us on the

Trek, to bad.  I think it would have been fun to see someone

when he came out under their legs.

One Trek we had some beautiful storms come in to lessen

the high heat we had been having.  I was so excited for the rain to

come.  We were so hot and dry.

The bad side of that was the lightening that also came with the storm.

We had to leave the carts on a ridge and go down into the valley to avoid the

lightening.  We got wet but not "LIT UP"

The result of all the rain, She had a two Tone dress from then

on.  They had been trekking about 15 minutes before it began to

pour on them.  This is what I heard, "Do you think we should put on

our rain gear?"  "Yeah, I would say that was a good idea".

"Oh no, it is buried in my bucket, buried under all the 

sleeping bags and stuff"  Yes, we love trekking

The next morning they used those same stilts to make clothes

lines to dry all the wet sleeping bags.  Pretty cleaver use of a stilt.

This is my new YELLLOW rain coat, I love it.  Jeff says I

look like a yellow banana.  His make him look like Gumby!

Lucky for us we have used them several times during the last

three weeks.

Time for the annual yearbook pictures of the missionary couples

This is our favorite thing.  We always think we look kinda silly

when we are supposed to look nice.  We don't mind snap shots

but to pose is kinda tough for us.

All ten couples in front of our favorite Depot.  What do all those

old people thinking going on Treks every week.