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
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