After we finished our last trek we took off that night,
Saturday August 8 and drove to Rawlins Wyoming with the
Pearts. We wanted to go to Martin's Cove and see the
handcart sites. It has been 13 years since we had been there
and living and breathing handcarts for two summers makes
the visit all the better.
We went to Church with the Missionaries that serve at Martin's Cove,
Sixth Crossing and RockCreek Hollow. What a fun time we
had, they even invited Jeff to speak for a few minutes and
tell a little bit about our mission and what we do.
Lots of questions from them, many didn't know the
Deseret Land & livestock mission even existed.
They were very friendly and invited us to eat lunch with all
of them after church. They do a pot luck like us only there
are 50 couples instead of 10!
Afterwards they gave us a grand tour of the place. This is the
bedroom where the General Authorities stay when they
visit the Cove. Nice place. I guess that is why we don't get
them at our place, our "Addies" don't look as good as this.
We got great treatment over at Rocky Ridge, the missionaries there at
Sixth Crossing took us all over also. WE got to see so many
wonderful things we would never have seen. Jeff says
we should keep our badges and use them after we get released, they
open up all kinds of doors.
I know we are Trek Missionaries but it was great riding in their
4X4's instead of walking. We all agreed this is the way
to see the trail. Thank you Martin Cove Missionaries. And, no
we don't want to come and serve there. We like our own
little piece of heaven.
Our carts are beefier than theirs, Jeff said ours were
on steroids. Ray would say, "OOOO more power"
Up in Devils gate we got to climb around in the rocks. Jeff
hates small places and he was not excited about climbing in the
hole to get through. But, when Sister Peart went in the water
trying to jump from one rock to another, Cowan decided the little
hole looked better.
We had a fun time with the Pearts. They are new missionaries
this year and they have loved the experience. They are
currently homeless, except for their trailer. They sold their home
while here on the mission. Their kids are teasing them about
not wanting them to move in with them. They have been
looking for homes they could buy. Kids, even grown up kids
are funny. What, who wouldn't want Mom and Dad to move
in with them?
Being in the little meadows surrounded by the willows was a very
special moment. We got to be right where the companies would
have camped and looked for shelter from the wind and weather.
We will never forget our time in those sacred, holy places.
Funny picture of the Elders trying to clean off all the bugs we
destroyed and sent to heaven during our drive.
We got home to the mission about ten pm on Monday night, it
was a fast weekend. But, I have to say the showers were
amazing and the flushing toilets were heavenly.
This Saturday August 15th Jeff and I were asked to be
in the Rich County Fair Parade in Randolf, Utah.
All the other missionaries were busy with family that
had come for the family trek so only Jeff and I went.
This was our entry!.. Jeff wanted to buy candy to throw, I
am glad we didn't. We didn't have hands to throw it, we
were busy pulling the cart, up the road and then
back down the road. Yep, one of those parades where
you do up and then return the same route.
Lucky for us we had some dancers in front of us and
they would stop and do a routine every so often.
we would get behind but then catch up when they
were dancing. It was hot 90 degrees and we were
glad it wasn't Salt Lake City on the 24th of July, Randolf
is a small town and the main street not to long.
We did pick up a cute passenger. His dad works on the ranch
and they come to visit us all the time. When he saw us
he wanted to ride in the cart, so he made the trip so much better.
As we walked down the street everyone knew him and would
yell his name out, he would wave to them. Suddenly
we were more popular than before. So we enjoyed the
walk better, We gathered candy off the road to give
to him and he ate it while we walked.
After the parade they had games at the park, this is the
"FISH POND" Not like the fish ponds in Cedar Park.
This one had real fish and they spent the time catching
them with their bare hands. What a funny thing to watch.
They did age groups and then at the end it was a free
for all. Little towns have such a fun time celebrating.
On Tuesday August 11th, Quinns Birthday, we went
on a historical tour of Echo Canyon, Henefer and on to
Big Mountain. We had a great time seeing the
Mormon trail and learning the history. It was fun for
the first year missionaries. We even had the Brinkerhoff's
family with us on the trip. They came for a visit on their
way to the MTC. Their grandson was leaving on his
mission the next day. So it was fun having Two
Elder Brinkerhoff's.
In Henefer they have a museum for the Pioneers. They
asked us to donate a handcart to them and we did. It is
handcart #112 and we stopped by there to see how
she was doing. What a sight to see our cart on display.
So if you are in Henefer, stop by to visit her, she will
love the attention.
We were stopped eating lunch at Mormon Flat and look
what was up on the hill, a MOOSE. Finally I got to
see a Moose. There has been one on the ranch down by the
depot, out on the trail, everyone seeing it but me, I
keep missing it. So I was pretty excited to see one here.
This is our group at the top of Big Mountain with Salt Lake Valley
down below us. 2015 Trek is now a memory and
we were lucky to be a part of it again.
And like the sign on our buckets, "O.D.D."
Operation Don't Die, non of us old people died on
the trail, Happy day all is Well.
Here are some pictures of the building the Evanston Stake
has been building for us. What an act of service.
We purchased the materials and they did the work. They would
come about 5:00 pm, work until 9:00 pm. They didn't want
our help, it was, "Let us do the work, you just stay out of the way"
They were so skilled and fast. Really, start to finish maybe
seven times coming out to finish it.
They had all kinds of helpers, even small ones would work and
help. This little guy spent his time picking up stray pieces of
lumber and stacking them. He just loved being with his
grandpa. We had several families that had three generations
out helping us. Evanston is truly the Service Capital of the
world. You think of fireworks, but really, it is their
gift of SERVICE that I will always remember.
Notice the one foot on the side of the scaffold. Scary.
There are so many who came to help. Several came more
than once, they would show up with the work crew every night.
Even when their ward wasn't assigned. Many were with us on
Trek so that was fun to see them again.
This would be our TENDER MERCY PICTURE.
This week we have been washing the carts and then
painting them with linseed oil to treat the wood.
Someone took a oil soaked rag into the trek center
and left it on the table on top of a box of latex gloves.
The oiled rag got hot and was smoking and starting
to burn the cardboard box. Luckily, thankfully,
Elder Kennedy came into the room and smelled the
burning smell and saved our building. Truly
Heavenly Father was looking out for us that day.
We have seen His hand in our lives so many times this
summer. God does live and he loves us all.
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