Making Movies

Dear Family and Friends,

Monday was our preparation day and after doing laundry and housekeeping chores we went into Casper to do our shopping and have a little fun. We met our friends Elder and Sister Stimpson for lunch and then after lunch we all went to see the new Mission Impossible movie. It was great fun!

Before FHE Sister Stimpson helped me get my snake ready for a hat band.

                     First we trimmed the skin. Then I took it home decided how wide I wanted him and folded the excess skin under and glued it and put some books on top to flatten it as it dried. Then I carefully glued him to my hat.

Tuesday we had work crew and since it had been raining most of the night with more expected we worked inside making the medallions that we hand out to the children who come to the Visitors' Center.

First Elder Lindsey cut the squares.

Then Sister Payne drilled a hole for the crocheted lanyard to go through and handed them off to me and I sanded them using the belt sander. We then put them in the Sewing Center where others will stamp them with our handcart logo and attach the lanyards.

The Homestead and surrounding areas have been taken over by by a movie company who are making a film for St Louis, Missouri about the westward movement in the 1800's. It is not a Church film but one the BLM is doing. The barn is now a costume and makeup studio, there are oxen, horses, mules, chicken and calves everywhere and some of them are pulling covered wagons. We even have portable dressing rooms set up outside the chapel and a huge catering tent across from the horse corrals. If all goes well they will wrap up filming Wednesday and head on over to Chimney Rock to continue filming. It has been quite a feat to have treks on the trail and coordinate the movement of the film crew so our treks can stay in 1856 mode.  

Getting ready to head out on the trail.

Now I know how they transported their chickens!

Hitting the trail!

Wednesday we again had work crew and this time we did lawns Elder Lindsey along with some other Elders mowed and I used the weed eater to trim around things they couldn't get with their mowers. I was also driving the Gator to take the grass out to the dump spot and learned a very important lesson...look before you sit! I found a new use for the hand dryers in the ladies restrooms!

Thursday we were assigned to Handcart Parking. Trekking season is winding down so we only had two treks out. I was able to finish attaching my hatband to my new hat so here is the finished product.

Aparently the youth on our trek on Friday were very impressed with my hat band as they told some of the Missionaries they saw at Sixth Crossing about it!

Eight rattles!

Thursday evening just after we arrived home our Temple Rider friends who had been on a week long trip to Sturgis for the 75th Anniversary celebration arrived. We were so excited to see everyone and give and receive hugs all around. After they set up camp everyone came to our yard where we enjoyed a dinner prepared by their ride leader Dave Farmer. After dinner we headed to the Homestead where we took a couple of rovers and drove them out to the Lower Monument at Martins' Cove. We returned just before dark and did a quick tour of the Visitors' Center then it was back to the campground for ice cream. All to soon it was time to say goodby but it was a little easier knowing we will be riding with them again in the not too distant future.

 Here's the gang at Lower Monument.

On Friday we trekked with the River Ward from the South Jordan Stake. It was a wonderful day. There were 37 people on the trek and Elder Lindsey and I were able to tell many of the stories of the people we've grown to love.

We enjoyed these people so much we asked for a group picture just before we went up into Martin's Cove. In the small world category the Bishop had worked at Coke with our son in law, one sister grew up in our ward and her mother still lives there just around the corner from us (Stephanie Larson, Linda's daughter) and another sister rented a basement apartment on our street 30 years ago when she was first married.

This sweet sister sang like an angel " Prayer of the Walking Child" on her knees and then on the 3rd verse the young man joined in with "Come Come Ye Saints". It was beautiful and it brought a wonderful spirit into our group that we carried with us as we trekked into Martin's Cove.

This is Dane Durrant and he just turned 13. His mother wanted a picture of us together and he sweetly complied. Despite his family name and heritage he doesn't much care for basketball!

Saturday we had the morning shift at the Visitors" Center and we were so busy that the time absolutely flew by. In the afternoon we had the special treat of joining most of the Missionaries at Sixth Crossing for a tour of their trails, a program in Willie Meadow and a wonderful dinner. 

They have a very friendly Indian Chief who sometimes leaves his camp to greet the trekkers. The Indians were generally friendly and sometimes helpful to the pioneers of the handcart companies.

Elder and Sister Haner performed a beautiful song they wrote that tells the story of the Willie Handcart Company. It was a sacred experience to feel of the spirit that was in the meadow as they sang.

Sunday truly is a special day here at Martin's Cove. We heard wonderful talks on the sacrament and prayer and then learned of Paul's mission in Sunday School and then in Relief Society and Priesthood we had fun learning about how to serve "the elderly" in the Church. You can bet we all got a kick out of that!

We send our love and prayers,

Elder and Sister Lindsey