Rock Creek Hollow/Transfers

August 10, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

Surprise! The people we are serving with here at Rock Creek Hollow have a mobile hotspot and are willing to share it so I decided to continue with my weekly postings.

Monday and Tuesday were very busy days what with our regular assignments (Welcome Post on Monday and Visitor' Center on Tuesday) and getting ready to move a weeks worth of stuff to Rock Creek Hollow.

Elder Lindsey working hard at Welcome Post.

 A highlight of the Visitors' Center for me was the opportunity I had to show a young man from China around and tell him the story of the Martin Handcart Company and also tell him a little about the restoration of the Gospel. At one point he put his hand over his heart and said, I am feeling something here when you tell me these things. He was in San Francisco on business for three weeks then was taking a week to go to Yellowstone and the Tetons then to Martin's Cove and Salt Lake City on his way back to San Francisco to fly home. He happily accepted a Book of Mormon in Mandarin and was excited to know they would have Mandarin speaking missionaries on Temple Square. A coincidence he chose to travel to the places he did...I think not. To me it is another example of how Heavenly Father orchestrates things for our good.

Wednesday morning we left home just after 7:00am and headed for Sixth Crossing for our orientation. When we arrived their Trek Center was full of young people and leaders as they had had a huge storm the night before that flooded the campground. After orientation we headed to Lander for a little sight seeing, grocery shopping and lunch.

Our first stop was The Sinks State Park. It was just a few miles out of Lander and absolutely beautiful.

This is where the river flows into the underground cavern.

This is the pool the water flows into from the underground river...no fishing allowed!

We arrived at RCH about 12:30pm unloaded and got settled into our trailer before the first group of trekkers arrived. We welcomed them into camp and helped them get their handcarts cleaned and loaded on the trailers to be taken back over to Sixth Crossing.

The young men love using the power washer!

Load them up!

Sister Berry fixed us a wonderful meal of steak, potatoes, corn on the cob and green beans. We  were in heaven! After dinner we took our chairs down to the amphitheatre to listen to the youth bear their testimonies about their experiences at Martin's Cove and Sixth Crossing. For us it was wonderful to hear as we always wonder when they leave us if they felt the spirit of these sacred sites and did it make a difference in their lives. After listening to them for three nights we know with assurity it did and it does. It was a gift and a tender mercy from Heavenly Father for us to learn this. 

Friday afternoon Elder Lindsey and I drove into Atlantic City ( 9 miles, dirt roads, tiny town) for lunch. The Sixth Crossing missionaries had been telling us about the Grub Steak and they were right. Lunch was wonderful. We hope to sneak over there again next week.

Elder Lindsey commented Saturday morning as we watched our last trek group of the season pack up for home that we've had the special experience of being trek hosts to the first trek of the season at Martin's Cove and RCH hosts for the last trek of the season. We truly have been blessed.

RCH is such a special place. The Willie Handcart Company lost 15 people in this spot after crossing Rocky Ridge in 18 inches of snow and blizzard conditions. The stories of courage, faith, obedience, sacrifice and charity are life changing to those who visit here. We know we are truly blessed and it is an honor for us to do this small service to honor them.

Rock Creek, looking into RCH.

RCH is under the direction of the Sixth Crossing missionaries so every Monday a new couple arrive to spend a week. Then on Wednesday a new couple from Martin's Cove arrive to assist them. There are two church trailers parked side by side that each couple occupies for a week. It gives each of us from the two sites the opportunity to get to know the missionaries from the other sites on a more personal level. While at RCH we greet visitors and if they'd like share stories with them. We make sure all the areas are clean and well cared for including the rest rooms and when we have treks we act as campground hosts.

Elder Lindsey got this picture of Sister Bearry and I in front of our trailers. We were headed down to the flag pole to raise the flag, say the pledge of allegiance and have prayer.

Elder and Sister Bearry with us in front of the now empty campground. They are from Auburn, California and we have loved serving with them at RCH.

Saturday evening we roasted hot dogs over Elder Bearry's propane fire pit, ate dinner outside then sat around the campfire and visited until it was time to retire the colors. Sunday morning Elder Lindsey and I attended Sacrament meeting at the Windriver Ward in Lander. The people were friendly and we felt very welcomed. On our way back to RCH we stopped at Red Canyon Overlook and took a few pictures.

Friday morning we received the call we'd been anxiously waiting for from President Anderson (our mission president). We have been assigned to serve in Rosebud, South Dakota for six months. We will start up an Addiction Recovery Program for the Sioux and Lakota people in that area. President Anderson said this is a pilot program for this area and we will be the pilots! You all know from reading this blog how much I wanted to remain at Martin's Cove for the winter yet the moment President Anderson issued the call both Elder Lindsey and I knew immediately this was what Heavenly Father wants us to do. We are very excited for this new opportunity. We will take our motorhome and most likely park at the church for the six months we are assigned there. The plan is to return to Martin's Cove in April and serve as second year missionaries for another season before going home in late September 2015.

We will be making a quick trip home in late September to trade the Toyota for the Tahoe and pick up a few of our winter clothes. We are really looking forward to seeing Ernie and attending church in our home ward, probably on September 28th.

Love and prayers to all of you,
Elder and Sister Lindsey