Campground Hosts,Sunday Blessings and Mormon Messages

June 15, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,
This has been a VERY busy week! We were Campground Hosts at Cherry Creek Campground. Cherry Creek is the campground that is three miles from the homestead where most of the treks stay while visiting Martin's Cove. This week we had seven different treks spending anywhere from one night to four nights with us. Our job as hosts is to welcome them, show them their campsites, restrooms and fire rings and explain the rules...and then make sure the rules are followed.



We also kept the restrooms stocked, the water buffalo filled, and just helped the visitors in any way we could. Before the groups leave they clean the restrooms and do a sweep of the area to pick up all trash, we then check to make sure everything is taken care of before they leave.

A view of the South side of the campground.

Often the groups will invite the missionaries to dinner. We had some excellent dinners and even a breakfast. Everyone is very kind and respectful of us as missionaries and we observed some great young people which leads us to believe the Church of the future will be in very good hands.

One of the Stakes hired a Chuck Wagon catering company to do their meals.

In the evenings we assist with square dancing and we help the missionaries who do the Ephraim Hanks story and the Pony Express where the missionaries deliver the mail that the trek leaders provide. In the five days we provided services to over 1,000 people! Our day at the campground started before 7:00am and several days didn't end until 9:30pm. Friday since we had no arriving groups we got to go home while the treks were out. We took advantage and enjoyed nice naps!

 Elder Lindsey as a Pony Express Rider bringing the mail.

 Elder and Sister Stull as Ephraim Hanks and Thisbe Reed.

 Square Dancing in the corral.

On Saturday morning we assisted the four remaining trek groups do their clean up and get on their way. After they did their work we restocked all the restrooms, filled the buffalo with water, filled the generators and rover with gas, restocked the missionary cabin with supplies and that was all before 9:30am! The rest of the day was our "P" day and we spent it relaxing and working around home. I made banana bread and in the evening we went to movie night in the pavilion and watched "Secretariat".

Every Sunday we say, on our way home, how can this get any better and then the next Sunday comes and the Spirit flows and we are blessed once again. Today Elder and Sister Clark of the First Quorum of the Seventy were with us. They attended our meetings then enjoyed pot luck with us. After pot luck we all went back to the trek center for a 90 minute fireside in which they both taught us.

First a picture of us with Elder and Sister Clark

Sister Clark spoke for a few minutes on the power of being a missionary and that we as missionaries need to be aware of the power we have as missionaries to have the Holy Ghost with us as we meet with people and that we will be guided in what we should teach. She also taught that if we do what we should as missionaries the Savior will walk beside us. What a blessing that is!

Elder Clark was mesmerizing to listen to. He started off by giving some instruction never given to young missionaries...ten kisses a day! Elder Lindsey and I are happy to comply...his call sign when we were boating with friends wasn't "Pucker Lips" for nothing! Elder Clark told us that when we are released from our mission we should go to the Temple and sit in the Celestial Room and review our service with the Lord and that we will feel of his love and appreciation for that service.

Elder Clark had us read D&C 100:1-3. He told us that if we serve faithfully we have a right to ask the Lord to bless our families that those who might be less active will be brought back into activity. This was a true answer to prayer for many of the missionaries serving here. He also admonished us to look at our name badges every night and do a little mini report on how we represented the Savior that day. We must always remember it is his name with ours on those badges.

He urged us to serve a Christ centered mission and to remember how much power is in the Book of Mormon. He said the trails we walk are powerful but that if we walk them with the Book of Mormon they will be even more powerful.

We feel so lifted and blessed.

Last fall Elder Lindsey participated in the filming of a "Mormon Message." It came on line this week and we thought you might enjoy seeing it. He plays Walter and he says it was type casting. You can find it on lds.org under True Christianity or on U tube under the same name. I have it linked to my Facebook page also.

We love you all,
Elder and Sister Lindsey