Winter...baby it's cold outside!

Dear Family and Friends,

Well all that preparation we did last week paid off big time when the first storm of the winter arrived and we were warm and snug in our little home. The high temperature Monday was 25 but with wind chill it was 3!

Elder Lindsey was struggling some with joint pain as he lowered his steroid dose  so we spent a quiet morning watching the snow fall. In the afternoon we went to the elementary school and watched the Veteran's Day Program. We try to get into the community for all of the activities, both to support to the community and so that we can get to know our neighbors.  

The Scoutmaster is President Allen, our District President. He and his wife have 10 sons and one daughter so he has had a lot of experience with scouting!

After the program we treated ourselves to lunch at Subway, the only fast food place in the area so eating out weather for lunch or dinner is always a treat. 

Wednesday was our first scheduled ARP class and unfortunately no one came. Elder Lindsey and I ran the class just the same giving ourselves some training for when we do have participants.

 Thursday we got a call from Family Support Services asking us to attend a meeting on Friday for an inactive Sister who is struggling with addiction and with maintaining a safe home environment for her children. They asked us to present information on the ARP classes that they might use with their clients. We felt like this was an answer to prayer, a way to get community support for the ARP classes. It was a productive meeting and we were given the name and phone number of the person to contact to start our program in Parmelee where it is really needed. We also gave FSS a couple ARP manuals so they can become familiar with the program.

Saturday our plan had been to drive to Pierre (pronounced Pier) for our District Conference but we woke up to a huge snow storm and before we headed out we got a call saying the Conference had been postponed until December 6th and 7th. 

There is no home delivery of mail in Rosebud, everyone has a PO box. We decided to get our mail just to get out for a bit.

Driving home from the post office.

Home sweet home!

Look back at the first picture...that's the difference between the first and second snow storm! My flowers will survive, after all they already survived the Wyoming winds!

Elder Lindsey keeping the church accessible!

We realize this is only November 15th and winter is over a month away! That being said ...it could be a very long winter season! The temperatures have been cold...single digits with wind chill taking us below zero but the air is clear and when the storm is over the sky is a beautiful crystal clear blue. 

Many of you were concerned that we would be OK living in the motorhome during the cold weather. We are happy to report that we have hot and cold running water, the tanks still drain and we are warm and comfortable. As the snow piles up around the plastic skirting we winterized with it will continue to insulate the undercarriage which will aid in keeping all hoses and drains from freezing. We are very grateful to Elder Young (whom we served with at Martin's Cove) who gave us a deal we couldn't turn down on a heated hose!

While Elder Lindsey used the snow blower I baked more pumpkin chocolate chip muffins and stocked the freezer. We often take muffins or cookies with us when we make visits and my freezer supply had dwindled.

Sunday we got a text message saying we would have only Sacrament meeting today so everyone can be home before the winds start blowing and we get what is called a ground blizzard. I guess when this happens the conditions on the road deteriorate quickly with almost no visibility.

 Sacrament meeting was wonderful. We were asked to tell something about a favorite hymn and then we sang the hymn. Music brings such a wonderful spirit into any meeting and today was no exception. Elder Lindsey told about the hymn "Go Forth with Faith" and that it is special to him because it was written by Lyle and Ruth Gardner for their son Paul's mission farewell. He told about Lyle being a member of our Branch at Highland Cove and what a good man he was and how much he enjoyed getting to know him. 

I told the story of Cyrus Wheelock, someone I came to love as I told his story at Martin's Cove. Cyrus Wheelock had just returned from a mission to England three days before the call to rescue went out. He heeded the call and was among the advance party who found the Willie Company. He was then at Fort Semone when the Martin Company was found and traveled with the rescuers to Greasewood Creek where he met and gave aid to the Martin Company. It broke his heart to see these people (many who he knew and loved having served with them while on his mission) suffering in unimaginable ways and he did all he could to assist them. When the company was moved up to what we now call Martin's Cove he gave a prayer on their behalf that was remembered 50 years later in which he pleaded with Heavenly Father to spare them and take him if he'd done anything in his life to have such suffering come upon these people he loved. There are three hymns in our hymnal written by Cyrus Wheelock but the most famous is "Ye Elders of Israel." When I read the third verse I can't help that think Cyrus Wheelock was thinking about the rescue of the handcart companies of 1856.

We love you all. You are in our hearts and prayers,

Elder and Sister Lindsey