Last Days

Dear Family and Friends,

Sunday evening we decided to have one last "fireside" so we invited everyone down and enjoyed time around the campfire. It was another opportunity to make a memory we will hold close forever.

The Henningson's Burdette's and Bigler's

Elder Lindsey, The Stull's, Meier's, Smith's, Sister Reader and the Morris's

Elder and Sister Morris. We were in the MTC together and have served together for two seasons. We sure do love them. We all sang "God Be With You" to them tonight as they are heading home tomorrow.

Monday morning we were up early getting the laundry done so we could head into Rawlins for one last lunch with Elder and Sister Stimpson. We enjoyed lunch at Buck's then headed off to get groceries, a few for us and a few for our farewell dinner that we are cooking for Friday evening. Then it was home for a relaxing afternoon and evening.

In our mailbox Tuesday we found this sweet note from President and Sister Bushman.

Tuesday we served our last Visitors' Center shift in the morning. My day was International as I took a small tour group from Italy through (all non members), a family from Australia (members) and three friends from Salt Lake City whose faces were familiar to me as they served missions downtown and ate regularly in the cafeteria. We then went home for a couple of hours before heading back to the Trek Center for a special Tuesday evening Family Home Evening program.

Family Home Evening was lovely. The plan had been to go up into Martin's Cove together but the Wyoming weather didn't cooperate so instead we met in the barn and started with an early dinner (leftovers from last Friday's dinner...but I heard no complaints). Then we had special musical numbers by Sister Brandon and Elder Hunter. They played music that we heard on our treks this summer and just like it did then it brought the spirit into our gathering.

Sister Brandon and Elder Hunter ended with a lovely duet of "come, Come Ye Saints."

After the music Elder Bigler asked us to share any special experiences we might have had in Martin's Cove. Many shared sweet experiences. I shared that we loved being in the Cove each time we went but our favorite times were when we had the opportunity to trek with our family and bear testimony of our Savior and the Gospel to them in that sacred place.

Our work crew assignment for Wednesday was to pack up and that is exactly what we spent the morning doing. When you live in a small space for 18 months you find ways to keep the things you need close and today was the day we packed all that stuff up! In the afternoon we took a field trip with some of the other missionaries to the Pathfinder Ranch and the grave marker for Cattle Kate. I love that even on the last week of our mission we are having new experiences.

Ruth and her husband manage the Pathfinder ranch and she took time out of her busy day to escort us to the grave and tell us the story.

Ella Watson aka Cattle Kate and Jim Averell were on their way to Rawlins to restock the liquor supply for their saloon when they were captured by a group of ranchers who wanted to scare them away from homesteading in the area. The took them to a tree and put nooses around their necks. The story goes that Kate struggled and slipped off the rock she was standing on and then they pushed Jim off. There were three witnesses and one fled the country and the other two disappeared...a real tale from the old west.

The Sweetwater River is overflowing it's banks.

We parked and walked up the hill to the grave marker.

We love this beautiful country.

Thursday we worked in the kitchen doing end of the year clean up and some food preparation in advance of tomorrow nights farewell dinner. With help from Sister Stull we got the pantry shelves washed and organized. I cleaned and organized the spice cabinet and refrigerator and made a double batch of cinnamon rolls that I will bake in the morning before correlation meeting. I also made the tres leche cake that will go with Sister Bushman's Texas sheet cakes for dessert tomorrow. 

On the way home we stopped to check on the progress of the repairs to the water leak next to our laundry room. We have all had to rely on our water tanks since Wednesday. Hopefully it will be fixed today. That's Elder Lindsey and Elder Meier surveying the situation.

Friday started early for me. I arrived at the barn to bake cinnamon rolls about 6:20am. Elder Lindsey rode in with the Smith's at 8:00am. We sent cinnamon rolls to the Pathfinder Ranch, Tina Sun, on her ranch, the men at the sewage treatment plant where we have been taking numerous trips as we clean out our potties on the trail and we also saved one for the Fedex and UPS drivers and put one in the mail box for our mail lady. Then we had a little breakfast complete with chocolate milk for the missionaries after correlation before they headed out to finish the handcarts.  

We spent the day in the kitchen preparing for our missionary farewell dinner. Elder Lindsey and Elder Smith were in charge of the roasts while Sister Smith and I did the salads, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, green beans with mushroom sauce, parker house rolls and tres leche cake. Sister Bushman made Texas sheet cakes and we had ice cream. It was a wonderful meal, everyone was very complimentary. I made the horseradish sauce for the roasts that I loved when I worked at the COB and it too was a hit. The committee put on a fun program. First there was a contest to see who had the most splattered painting clothes...there were some real masterpieces. The evening ended with a goodbye song written by Sister Reeder to the tune of the "Sound of Music" song "So Long Farewell..." that included something about every missionary couple. It was amazing and brought laughter and tears to everyone.

There’s a change in the weather

Starting here at the Cove

And the calendar says it too.

Still up at the homestead

We are all working hard.

But we know  we are  almost through.

Woo, whoo, Woo Whoo!

We’ve made so many friendships

And gone on many day trips

It’s hard to say goodbye to      YOU   OOOOO

You work so hard and never do complain.

To Widdison we say Auf Wiedersehen

Bugs and Weeds and Sewing Center too.

Roberts ‘ we bid to both of you Adieu.

For 2 seasons their woodshop skills were great!

The Laytons will be missed!  They are first rate!

Cutting rocks, and being campground host

Big lers we say a heartfelt Adios.

You cleaned the pots.  Each day you did the Ra Ra.

To Mor-ris’  we say ee –Sigh on ar a.

You cook, you clean, you even like to fry.

Lindseys’ good luck.  We wave a fond good bye.

At Martin’s Cove you’ve loved to serve your mission.

We’ll miss Burdetts !  Perhaps they will go fishin’.

O John’ nee O and the Virginia Reel

To trek with Lloyds was such a special deal.

Our new FM! Their work is never done

Mosers, We hope your winter here is fun.

The Meiers came back to serve a second year

Their love for Martin’s Cove is very clear!

Pictures’ you take.  Work hour after hour.

Oh dearest Paynes, we have to say Au revoir.

Poems to write and wa ter ing the flowers

Hawkins are great! We thank them for their hours!

You paint. You talk. You show to youth the view

Black Blackhursts’ we wish a happy life to you.

Your lovely flute and stories at the fort

Brandon's it’s time your mission to report.

You love, and lead, you feed us all ice cream.

Bush’ mans we know that trekking is your dream.

Your craftiness and mischievous smile

The Cooks are going in just a little while.

You came and went, you made our talent show.

Haurands come back! We really miss you so!

You walk and walk and then you walk some more

Dear Henningsens, it’s time to say au revoir.

A spraying rover keeps the weeds from thriving..

Elder in front and Sister Hoskins driving..

Playing trombone and trekking ‘til you’re blue.

Your job is done.  Hunters we say Adieu.

The James’ did great and really made outfitting

The best they could and never thought of quitting.

At the desk and everywhere outside

With Jensen's here all things will go in stride.

An-sir’-ing phones and fixing all the Rovers.

We’ll miss the Johnsons  when our mission’s over!

Upside down piano playing artist

“Good Morning Martin’s Cove, Stulls you will be missed.

Dance in circles, Writing lyrics too.

The Schmidts don’t stop until their work is through

The tall and short, we bid you sayonara

McRaes’ we’re glad we really got to know ya’

Sweet, sweet smiles. We say adieu to you

Stimpsons we love! We really, really do!

Pot ten gers, we all look up to you!

We love your poems and story-telling too.

Smiths came twice to serve here at the cove

Helping here is what they really love!

(Reeders) you’re brave to take on this big task

You smile, you sing, you dance if you are asked.

Mellors and, Grovers, and the Christensens,

We miss so much our missionary friends!

I’m glad to go, I can not tell a lie

I flit,     I float,       I fleet  ly    flit,      I fly

Good bye, Good-bye, Good bye, Good-bye.

President and Sister Bushman. We have loved serving with them. 

We received this wonderful gift from President and Sister Bushman (made by the very talented Sister Cook) and will cherish it forever.

Saturday morning we pulled out of Missionary Village at 6:40am waving goodbye to Elder Smith and Sister Schmidt as we left. Our trip home was uneventful but when we got to about Park City Utah and hit the traffic we briefly considered turning around and heading back to Martin's Cove! We pulled up to our house at 1:00pm and just like we did when leaving our friends at Martin's Cove we were greeted with hugs and expressions of love by our neighbors and friends. Around about our third hour of unpacking the motorhome Elder Lindsey turned to me and said "sanding handcarts was easier!" Our Stake President came over to our home at 5:00pm and spent a wonderful hour with us and then released us and we removed our badges...as much as we felt ready to be home that was a tough thing to do. After President Wight left we put on jeans and shirts and headed to Cafe Rio for dinner. The rest of the evening was spent doing more unpacking. 

Sunday morning we were up and out the door early to report to the High Counsel. It was a wonderful spirit filled opportunity. Our Sacrament meeting was at 1:00pm. It was like heaven to see our ward family, special friends, people from Rosebud, (Jack came running and threw himself into my arms and Averie was right behind him), some of our Temple Rider friends, friends from my work, and Marilyn and Doug who represented our family. 

Jim's sister Marilyn and her husband Doug. We were so thankful they were able to support us. We love them very much!

After church we had a few friends from outside our ward over for dinner and to visit. I just couldn't get things together enough to do a big open house and could only do this much because my dear friend Sue Larsen shopped for me and she and others potlucked other dishes.  

This has been a wonderful time in our lives and it is bittersweet that it has come to an end. We love and appreciate each of you. We could not have been successful without your help, weather you watched over and cared for our home, or gave us a place to stay when we needed, or visited us, or sent us letters, or even just remembered us in your prayers each of you contributed to the joy in our journey and we will be eternally grateful.

Our love and prayers,

Jim and Carol

Fun Times in the Kitchen

Dear Family and Friends,

Monday for preparation day we did our chores in the morning and then took the FM truck and headed into Casper to do our shopping for our last trek training dinner on Friday and for our winter missionary lunch on Tuesday. Our first stop was at our favorite Mexican Restaurant in Casper, On the Border, where we enjoyed a great lunch. Next it was on to Walmart where we filled two carts with everything we needed for Friday's dinner and Tuesday's lunch. After that it was on to the Walmart at the west end of town where we got our groceries and 12 more packs of hamburger buns for Friday's dinner. The back end of the truck was pretty full at this point especially with two large coolers full of ice cream (11 buckets!) so we headed back to Martin's Cove to unload. A tender mercy for us was two missionary couples we found as we arrived at the barn who then helped us unload and put everything away...we love the Schmidt's and McRae's!

Family Home Evening was great fun. Everyone brought a white elephant gift in a Walmart bag and there was much haggling and trading and a lot of laughing.

Tuesday Elder Lindsey and I worked in the kitchen getting the luncheon ready. Each district set up an area to represent part of the Visitors' Center and we did different foods for each area so it was a "progressive dinner." We had a cheese and cracker tray, chips and pretzels, a veggie tray, a fruit tray, buns for our sloppy joes, homemade rootbeer, ice cream sundaes and popcorn. Our choir sang a wonderful song written just for the occasion and everyone had a great time before heading back out to stain and sand handcarts.

Our district had the restoration room so that's our display behind the sloppy joes, a picture of the Savior and Book of Mormon's in a variety of languages.

Everyone had fun making their own sundaes.

Cute Sister Stimpson (my dear friend) manning the popcorn booth.

Wednesday we had RRA and since there are no restrooms on the trail or at Outfitting to clean we went in at our regular time and attended correlation meeting before cleaning the Visitors' Center restrooms and the smaller ones the missionaries use. After we finished we headed to the barn to set up extra tables and chairs for Friday's dinner. We also cooked the potatoes and eggs for the potato salad we will be making tomorrow. After lunch we did a little cleaning out of the refrigerator and freezer before heading for home. In the evening we went over to the Stimpson's and watched the movie 2012....great special effects!

Thursday was our 22nd wedding anniversary and to celebrate we worked in the kitchen preparing for Friday's trek training dinner. Elder and Sister Smith and Marilyn Cooper (wife of the blacksmith who comes twice a year from Vernal) worked with us. We made potato salad, Ranch dressing, banana bread and cut up many carrot and celery sticks for the little individual relish cups we will put by each plate tomorrow. It is always fun working with others. Even when the work is hard it is enjoyable.

To celebrate our anniversary we BBQed steaks in our yard with Elder and Sister Blackhurst who were also celebrating their anniversary (47 years). After a delicious dinner we built a fire and enjoyed visiting and watching the sunset. It was a great way to celebrate.

Elder and Sister Blackhurst and us enjoying our anniversaries.

We will always remember # 22 and the beautiful place we celebrated at.

Friday we headed into the kitchen about 8:00am. First order of business was to put out the call for everyone to come get a slice of the banana bread  we made the day before. Then we got the meat on and Elder Lindsey worked with Elder and Sister Moser and Marilyn Cooper to set the tables while I made the topping for the cherry crisp. In the afternoon we put together relish cups and we baked the cobbler then we had some down time while we waited for the trekkers to head back before we filled the water glasses and set the relish cups out. Dinner was again a success and everyone got plenty to eat and seemed happy with the food. We sure couldn't do these dinners without a lot of help from other missionaries and we love how willing everyone is to jump in and help.

Saturday was a work crew day. Elder Lindsey and I started out in the kitchen taking down the extra tables and chairs we had needed for trek training. After that it was handcarts...today we sealed. Elder Moser gave us an early release of 1:00pm but we managed to finish all the handcarts that had been stained.  We can finally see the end and will hopefully finish the job next week! We will all do a major happy dance! In the evening we had another BYU football tailgate party at Elder and Sister Morris's place. This time we potlucked dinner and then sat under the stars and enjoyed the game. For those who stayed to see the end it was well worth the short night!

Sunday was wonderful. We had four well prepared talks that helped us feel closer to the Savior in what they taught. Sister Moser challenged us to read and memorize the definition of Christ that is in our Bible Dictionary, it is powerful. The Sunday School lesson was also well prepared and we learned much of Paul and his teachings. We have grown to appreciate the words of Paul and the counsel he gives us as we've studied him this year. 

Sister Brandon taught an excellent Relief Society lesson on Pride and there was good discussion.

The Relief Society Presidency gave each of us an envelope with these inside. The card says "I am beautiful...because generations of strong women live in me." 

Today was our last potluck. Eighteen months ago when we arrived we received this bag filled with our dishes to use at potlucks and other functions. When you go into the barn after church on Sunday you search for your name card...you sit with different people every week which gives you the opportunity to get to know everyone over time. If it's your birthday that week everyone sings to you and you get a candy bar. Anniversaries also have their own special song...but no candy bar. Potlucks have been a wonderful part of our sabbath day activities. 

We are starting the last week of our mission. It doesn't seem possible that 18 months could have passed so quickly. We have a busy week ahead and then one last blog post next week. Our love and prayers to each of you.

Elder and Sister Lindsey

Beautiful Wyoming

Dear Family and Friends,

Sunday evening after a thunderstorm blew through Missionary Village the skies were clear and the air still and Elder Lindsey said lets have a fire and invite everyone over and so we did and they came, marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate in hand and we had a delightful evening, telling stories around the campfire and watching the moon rise over the mountains. A beautiful Wyoming evening.

We will miss our friends!

Monday was another busy preparation day. We left home shortly after 7:00am but this time it was because we and the Smith's decided to go to Casper and have breakfast at Eggington's. It was delicious and I ate such a large breakfast I never got hungry again the rest of the day!

After breakfast it was off to do our shopping for trek training on Friday and for ourselves. We arrived home in the early afternoon and I did laundry and cleaned house while Elder Lindsey mowed the yard. Our district was in charge of  FHE. We showed the movie Legacy and had popcorn and watermelon for treats. It was fun to watch Legacy after our FHE last week at Sixth Crossing when Rusty McNiven shared stories about the making of the film. We all spotted Martin's Cove!

Tuesday we had work crew and we spent the day sanding handcarts...tough work for us old guys but we accomplished a lot. Wednesday morning Elder and Sister Schmidt sang a song to us that they'd put together the night before. We had actually joked about writing this on Tuesday as we sanded. 

I hope you can click on the picture and read the words. It is sung to the tune of "Count Your many blessings."

 Wednesday we also had work crew but Elder and Sister Moser wanted to feed everyone lunch so we worked in the kitchen. I made a potato salad and doctored up some canned pork and beans while Elder Moser and Elder Lindsey shucked 160 ears of corn that the Moser's brought back from their quick trip to take their trailer home last week. Elder Moser grilled hot dogs and we had quite a feast. After lunch I made a large batch of cinnamon rolls for a service project President Bushman is doing in the morning then we finished cleaning up and headed for home.

We love this shadow of the old windmill against the barn door.

Thursday we headed into the Homestead at 6:00am to bake cinnamon rolls for the Wyoming road crew and our mail lady. We made plenty for all the missionaries too. After correlation we started the prep work for our trek training dinner on Friday. This week we are serving sweet and sour chicken over rice, salad, homemade dinner rolls with peach cobbler and ice cream for dessert. Before we headed home in the afternoon we made a triple batch of pumpkin chocolate chip muffins as a treat for the missionaries in the morning.

Friday was a busy day as we and the Smith's worked in the barn preparing dinner for 129 trekkers and missionaries. Elder Lindsey didn't feel well in the late afternoon and went home to rest but with everyone pitching in things ran like clockwork.

Saturday morning I worked in the kitchen again this time preparing sloppy joe's for our luncheon on Tuesday for the winter missionaries...the ones that stayed at Martin's Cove for the winter who will be going home on September 10th. Yes, we too were winter missionaries but since we served elsewhere we are not included in this early to go home group. We are only two dinners and nine days behind them though!

In the early afternoon we worked on packing and cleaning the motor home and hooking up the cargo trailer. We have much to do in the next two weeks so we are taking the time to prepare to go home when we can find it. After finishing our work we headed to the Morris's to watch the BYU football game and BBQ hamburgers and hotdogs. We were all certainly in the mood to celebrate after the game.

We had a TV set up and playing inside and out but most of us enjoyed watching outside.

Sunday was our last testimony meeting of the season before most of the missionaries go home and it was wonderful to hear the heartfelt testimonies of the Gospel as they were expressed and to also feel of the love that we all feel for one another. Elder and Sister Stimpson gave a great Sunday School lesson on more of Paul's teaching to the Corinthians. My favorite part was when he asked "should a man rule over his wife?" and Sister McRay (a very petite Sister) piped up "he can try...but it'll do him no good!" In Relief Society Sister Brown our Relief Society President gave a presentation on women starting with Eve, then Mary the mother of the Savior and then Sisters Bushman and Tippets talked about their favorite pioneer woman and Sister Stimpson talked about her favorite woman, Marjorie Hinckley (who Sister Stimpson shares her name with) wife of President Hinckley. It was a wonderful hour and ended with the Sixth Crossing Sisters singing a beautiful song about pioneer women in aprons and bonnets which was written by Sister Tippits. 

These guys were just outside our door as we were leaving for church. We will certainly miss living in beautiful Wyoming and having the wildlife so close and so often that it feels odd if we don't see them.

Well it is Sunday afternoon and like all good missionaries who have much to do the other six days we are going to take a nap before our break the fast breakfast at 5:00pm. As always we send our love and prayers.

Elder and Sister Lindsey