Our grandson, John (JT), turned 12 on May 2. We are only about two hours from their home in Grantsville, UT. So, we got to go down on Sunday and Grandpa stood in as he was ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood, and we had dinner with them before we headed back up to the Ranch.
The kids are raising three lambs, that will be in the freezer next winter! They have done this for several years now. The kids really like them when they are little, and don't seem too sad when they are gone. It is just natural for them. They are kept in their garage while they are little, but are being slowly weaned to the back yard, by way of a walk through the house!
Sarah, Jenna, and Lyndee are giving them their second feeding of three feedings a day,.
It is a little hard for Jenna to keep her two little ones back while Lyndee finishes feeding hers. What a great time we had spending a few hours with the Ussings.
For Family Home Evening we had a special guest. Michael Erickson writes songs and plays the guitar. Most of his songs are about the pioneer treks, and some about his family.
Brother Erickson has helped to produce a movie about his pioneer great-great grandfather, Ole Madsen, who brought his family across the plains in the Willie Handcart Company. He has also written a book,
Upon Destiny's Song, which is the story of his great grandmother, Ann Marie Madsen Erickson, and his family to the present time. He presented each of us with a copy of the movie, the book, and also a couple of CD's of his music.
We have been keeping very busy getting ready for our trekkers, who will be coming in three weeks. It is still too wet to get out on the trails, but we have been riding most of the support trails. When the weather is bad, we try to find work inside. We got some new ropes for the handcarts. It comes in a big roll. We had to cut it into the right lengths and then we learned how to weave the ends of the ropes with an I-splice to make loops on each end. Sisters Call, Clark, McDowell, Anderson, and Theler are hard at work!
It took us most of the day to do almost 40 ropes. Another picture of Sister Anderson and Theler, with Sisters Peart and Moratti. We we still have about 80 more pull ropes to make, as soon as we get more rope.
The weather got a little better and some of the Elders were able to dig a ditch so the Church Maintenance Facilitator laid pipe to connect the Depot to the rest of the Village, instead of using water from a (now) irrigation well. Elders Call, Clark, Ekins, Wilson, Peart, and Barton are doing a good job of filling it up.
Several of us Sisters went back down to the freeway to gather more trash. Sister Moretti worked so hard, she put holes in her gloves.
Also with us were Sisters Clark and McDowell. I think we must have the cleanest exit there is on I-80!
We planned an excursion to the Star Valley Temple. It is a new temple that was dedicated last fall and is located in Afton Wyoming. We circle together out in the parking lot to have prayer and to decided who will ride with whom (is that correct English?) We missionaries clean up pretty good!
The Star Valley Temple is a very small temple. It is very beautiful--the building and the surroundings. We made reservations to go because there were 22 of us and each session only holds 40 people total. They did squeeze in a few chairs and we had a very full session. I was very excited because I took three names of deceased people from my family tree who need their temple work done for them. We were able to get all three baptized and confirmed members of the Church. Now, next time we go to the temple. we will be able to continue their work for them.
We ate at a really good seafood restaurant and then bombbarded a chocolate candy store. I think that between all of us missionaries, we bought half of the store out! They have a very unique crossing in the middle of town, made out of elk antlers. The sign says, "Afton Wyoming--World's Largest Elkhorn Arch."
One of the big jobs for the week was sanitizing the porta-johns and putting in the toilet paper and waste cans. Sister McDowell and I are busy getting the job done.
We really needed to start getting out on the trails, wet or dry. As you can see, they are pretty much wet! We only have three more weeks till the trekkers start coming. We are praying for dry weather and wind to make some of these "rivers" a little smaller so we can get across them. The groups always seem to ask if there is a water crossing! This year, we may be able to accommodate them.
Elder Howard, McDowell, and another Elder are looking of a place we can get across.
We have sheep on the Ranch right now. They are supposed to be just crossing, but the snow is slowing them down. These two puppy sheep dogs keep coming into our Village. Elders McDowell and Ekins are befriending them. Elder McDowell even ended up feeding them some leftover prime rib steak! No wonder they keep coming back!
Elder Howard's mechanicing work never seems to end. He is going to have to stop a little more often so we can get out on the trails more. It would be embarrassing to get lost on one of them, especially if we have new missionaries with us, or we are leading the trekkers!
I try and find things to do until Elder Howard finds a little time to ride the trails. Sister Call and I oiled some new pole bars that were made.
Yup, that is Elder Howard, underneath a vehicle or trailer again. It is good that he is wearing his bibs--keeps him a little bit cleaner. But, it is hard to get them off of him long enough to wash them--they usually get dirty every day.
It was a cold, windy day and we only had a few more porta-johns to spray down and clean. So, Sister Call and I got the idea to wear our rain gear. It kept us warm and dry from the spraying water and the wind. Although, we got some funny looks from the rest of the missionaries and the trekking group that had come for their route review!
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