Elder Lynn L. Summerhayes was the Area Authority 70 who gave us our call to be DL&L missionaries in Augusst, 2015. When he was released that next spring, the mission gave him a handcart wheel. This spring, he donated it back to the mission, along with a memorial rock. The Evanston Stake presidency and a High Councilman came to plant them.
They were put right at the gate entrance to Missionary Village. The stone was so heavy that it took a big boom truck to lift it into the hole.
President Lester and President Smith got it all leveled and then the missionary Elders put rocks and dirt around it and tamped it all in firmly.
The handcart wheel was mounted behind the rock in such a way that it actually spins. Pictures were taken of some of us after it was finished--come as you are with our work clothes on!
There is still lots of water on the ranch. A trail goes right through this stream. I have been trying to convince the other missionaries that we could use kitchen garbage bags as a fast solution to not getting our shoes wet. So, I had to try it out. I tied them onto my legs above the knee, and they worked just fine. I plan to take a roll with me on our trek in another week and a half in case anyone needs them.
We have spent a lot of hours riding the trails this week to learn them better, so as not to get the trekkers lost! We were on our first trail and ran into a band of sheep that has been here on the ranch for several weeks. None of them had lambs with them, so they must be babies from last year.
It was fun to watch this large white sheep dog handle them. He guided them right over this cattle guard and wouldn't let them cross back over as we drove through them.
I think the prairie dog is my favorite animal on the Ranch. He just pops up on his hind legs as if to say "hello." Sometimes there is a whole town of them and they all pop up together. We learned that the prairie dog is a key animal on the ranch, although the cowboys don't like them and their holes. If they weren't here, some other other birds and animals would not be able to survive here either.
Riding the trails, we also saw a couple of mule deer. There are not very many in the area of the Ranch that we trek on, but we get to see them once in a while on a couple of the trails.
Over the Memorial Day weekend, our Daughter Jill, organized a family get-together by renting a big cabin at Bear Lake. It had six bedrooms, five bathrooms, two family areas, a big kitchen/dining room area, and a two/car garage turned into a game room. It was fun. All five of our married kids and their spouses were there, with 15 of our 19 grandchildren, and our great-grandson. We had such a fun and relaxing time.
This is the view of Bear Lake from our balcony
What a great family we have. This was the best family picture we took, even though it had the lights on above our heads. We sure love all of these guys! (A granddaughter and great-grandson are missing from the picture.)
We went to Bear Lake on Friday, but came back to DL&L for a route review on Saturday. These fellows from Kays Creek Stake in Layton UT, are trekking our second week, which is June 14-17. There will be about 275 people, with 21 handcarts. Hopefully, some of the water crossings will be a little dryer by that time. They will be a great group and we are excited to trek with them.
Now, it is back to Bear Lake for more family fun! Not many missions would allow you to do this, but we are so glad that it works out with ours.
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