Culkein

7 Aug – Our next to last trek arrived yesterday. We trekked them cross country over the hill from the Corrals into the Dairy Bowl. I got to walk along with them cross country while Arnold spotted the support vehicles. They had lunch in the Dairy Bowl. Before they finished lunch I started walking up to the next way point (abt 2 miles – to the 4-way McKay/Stacy) because I wanted to collect flowers and just enjoy the solitude and the walk. I was nearly to the next 4-way before the support vehicles caught up to me.

One of the women (adult) who walked the first leg, rode up in one of the vehicles to the 4-way. After being there several minutes she got out, walked across the road to another vehicle, got woozy and collapsed. Her husband and another man were there to catch her from falling. We sent for the medical person, who came up from the trek (he was walking with the kids).

When he got there, she’d kind of come to and was conversing with others. Then, as he checked her vitals she deteriorated again and began shaking (I thought convulsions or seisures which can be really serious. But then, I’m not that knowledgable.) The medic quickly called for the back board with which to load her in the back of a pickup and took her to the main gate. Two of us called 911 asking for an ambulance to meet them at the gate, which it did. (The ambulance can get to the gate from Evanston faster than we can get to the gate from nearly any place a trek might be located.) We heard that one of the EMT’s had actually climbed through the gate to the ranch side so he could begin treating the sister as soon as the vehicle arrived at the gate.

Pretty scarey!!!!!! We didn’t know if she’d gotten too hot, or dehydrated or what.

The vehicle that took her to the gate had been pulling the porta-potty trailer and there we all were, short a tow vehicle and the rest of the trek needed to continue. So, I suggested I pull the potty trailer with our ranch truck. Only thing we could do, really. Arnold had to ride with the water buffalo fella to show him where to fill up.

And everyone trekked on.

This trail boss wanted to give the youth something to think about, so he made up a story about vehicles braking down and not being able to get back to the trek. So he “camped” them with the news that the food trailer had a broken axle and the water buffalo had engine problems and neither would be able to reach the group before the next day. All they had with them were what water was on the handcarts, their tarps and their 5 gallon buckets with their personal possessions in them……no food, no tents, no sleeping bags, no way to cook anything even if they had something to cook. He let it all ride for most of an hour as they began creating shelters with their tarps, then called for the group to move on to the real camp where everything was in order. I suspect, they were very thankful it was a ruse and they didn’t have to rough it so severely.

I asked him later how his ruse had gone. He said, “It elicited all the weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth that I’d hoped it would.” I hope those youth and leaders were more thankful they did have sleeping bags, tents, water, potties and good food that night.

Later in the day, we learned the sister who had been ill was stabilized, then released to go home. She was very hypertensive (high blood pressure) to begin with and the cause of all her problems was that her blood pressure went too high and caused her to be light headed and delirious.

Other than that, this trek had only blisters and a couple twisted ankles – a very good track record!!! They were a fun, organized bunch. Sorry to see them go!!!! We’re sorry to see any trek leave, we want to keep them. We learn to love them in the short time they’re here!!!!

As the Elders have been rebuilding handcarts, they have created extra chunks of wood. The little pieces they have left over, are just the right size to make into children’s blocks. We called around and sure enough one of the Wards Young Men wanted to make blocks jout of these waste pieces of wood for a service project. I’m glad we found a use for them, rather than burning them or dumping them in the dumpster. I’ve saved some of the old handcart side racks so I can make myself a shadow box out of it.

Next week (our last trek week of the year) there will be four treks on the property. We’ll have the largest trek of the four – about 350. They’re only doing a 2-night/3-day trek, where the other three treks are 3-night/4-day treks. It’ll be busy, but fun!!!

9 Aug – Today it puckered up, rained and hailed. Arnold and I took a walk while it was raining and we both got soaked even with our rain gear on. And, I hear you thinking, “Well, duh. Whadya expect?” Giggle. But, we had fun!!!!

While it rained, one of our local bunnies hid himself under a board next to our trailers. These bunnies are fun, they don’t run away easily, they just sit and watch us. They don’t move off until we’re within about five feet of them. Then, they get up, stretch and leisurely wander away.

We were planning a hotdog/burger cookout in the pavilion this evening, but????? Maybe we’ll move into the depot. We’ll have to see if the rain changes our plans. It did, we just ate in our own abodes.

This morning, I created myself a shadow box out of scrap handcart side racks (before Elder Sherwood burned them). I found some interesting knotty and distressed pieces to create with. It looks nice!!!!!! First I have to get a glass for it. Then, I’ll decide what I’m going to put in the various compartments, how I’m going to arrange them and assemble the whole thing. Something to add to my picture wall when I return home.

12 August – Last night the temps went down into the 20′s. Fall is here!!!!! The cowboys are vaccinating calves this week right here in the Shearing Corral beside our camp. What a cacophony of moo’s!!!!! Moos in all different tones, some that squeak, others that gurgle, some that sound quite frantic, some that sound like a whistle at the end of the moo, and one of them sounds like somebody is out there getting hurt.

They herded a big bunch (as many as the corrals could hold) in yesterday, separated the calves from the cows, vaccinated the calves and moved the entire bunch they’d collected to another pasture behind the Shearing shed. Some of the cows and calves did not get gathered together – one half of a pair was in the new pasture and the other half in the old pasture. So the mooing went on all night as babies and mommys searched for each other – what a lullaby!!!! And it is being repeated again today, tonight and maybe for a few more days.

The Hawks have been designated our next year’s Lead Couple. We’re all tickled about the selection. Arnold and I are better at grunt work in the back ground. I have been helping Sister Hawk update the manuals for the Seminar (for next year’s treks) which happens in a week and a half and for our new missionary couples that’ll come next year.

As I’ve maintained the computers (a desk top and a laptop) for the group, I have reorganized the file structure (just the trek files) so they are exact duplicates of each other. The Hawks will take the laptop home with them so they have access to the files during the winter. Before we go, I will make sure all the files are current with the ‘paper’ copies of trek calendars, among other things. I will also back up the entire “trek docs” directory on CD’s and we will have a copy on our computers, as well. Is that enough redundancy? I think so!!

When I was given the computer job, trek related files were all over both hard drives in many different places. There was no order on either computer. I’ve compiled, culled and categorized the files 5 found into something that makes more sense. The most used docs are in the basic folder and shortcuts exist on the desk top so those less conversant with the computer can quickly access what they need. The organization has worked quite well through the summer.

15 Aug – Our last trek arrived yesterday. This group has divided themselves into three companies each with their own “trail boss.” The trail boss of company #1 is a gazelle. He takes off with his group and just keeps going. Company 2 and 3 at least keep within visual sight of each other – most of the time. It’s like trying to herd cats!!!!! Or, like having three separate treks to keep track of all at once. Yesterday, the Stake President decided it’d be better put the “gazelle’s” at the back end of the trek rather than at the front. We’ll have to see how that works today. Maybe having the other two companies ahead of him will keep the group together better.

We’ve just said good bye to our last trek of the season. Every trek we’ve assisted has had something special about it. This one had something special about it, too. We have had the blessing of meeting and working with so many good people over the summer. They come in the gate as strangers and before a day is out, we are friends. Then, when it’s time for them to go home, we’re sad to see them leave. We wish we could keep them with us always. Maybe some day we will – be together always serving where needed.

One fella, the food chairman – Rick Anderson, had his daughter along on the trek, but her boss wouldn’t give her the whole time off. She got to come for just the first day of trek. It’s easy to see, she’s the apple of her dad’s eye and a grand girl in her own right. He’d told her he wanted her to come (even for just one day), and if he had to he’d carry her home on his back, he would. What a dad!!!!!! I gave him one of my flower pictures to give to her which pleased him a heap. I’m glad we all crossed paths!!!!!

This stake president is something else. Pres Palmer takes so much time with the kids. Amazing man. Of course, that’s quite in keeping with his profession as Seminary teacher. He told me a story this morning that is just so special. The story goes…….he wanted the Stake Patriarch to speak in Sacrament Meeting. Somebody failed to inform the Patriarch. But, he came to the podium to speak anyway and said, “I don’t have to have someone to ask me so I can accept the job, because I have already covenanted with Heavenly Father to give all that I may possess, which means, I’ve already promised my Heavenly Father to do what ever I am asked.” What an awesome lesson!!!!!!!!!

This morning, I watched the handcarts go up over the hill when they left camp. The early morning sun shone across the prairie with that special light only the early morning sun renders to everything it touches. What a sight!!!! That’s the last time for this year. It moved me to tears.

Arnold had the blessing of walking with them the first leg of their trek back to meet the busses. A bit later in the morning, I had a wonderful walk with them on the last leg of their trek. Awesome, wonderful walk!!! We had lunch with them at Fox Hollow, helped them tidy up their carts and their porta-johns and waved them goodby as they passed out the gate.
Again, I was in tears.

Before leaving, Rick Anderson, the cook, gave me a photo of his daughter, Kira, and shared email addresses with us. This bunch were so huggy, even the guys were hugging Arnold and thanking us for helping them. Little do they know, that we are the greater benefactors because we have the wonderful opportunity to serve them. I like to tell them, that if they didn’t come, we wouldn’t have any fun. It is an absolute privilege and a joy to assist them in any way we can. Brother Gardner, the trek organizer, knows some of the other missionaries serving here. Of all the ones he knows, he said was sure glad we were their missionaries. That made us feel really blessed to have served his group in a way that made him glad!!!!!

18 Aug – I met the porta john pumper person this morning to let him know to pump the potties dry. We’ll be putting them away in a day or few. While I awaited for the pumper to arrive, I removed the ropes and pull poles from all the carts at Fox Hollow. Neatly piled the poles and laid out the ropes so they could be counted. Then, the Elders came along, power washed the carts and sprayed them with linseed oil which protects the wood. Come Wednesday, I expect we’ll be parking trailers (pottie & water buffalo) and hand carts in the Dairy Barn for winter storage.

Tomorrow is P-day – probably our last one as we may be pulling out of here Tuesday a week from now.

19 Aug – Every one else left early in the morning. We dawdled around most of the morning taking care of little things we hadn’t had time to do during the week. After lunch, we decided to drive across the ranch to the main ranch. We wanted to give the secretary one of our flower pictures. She said she was going to take hers home, so we left a second one for the office wall. Then we drove up to Woodruff and Randolph, saw Wilford Woodruff’s home – actually log cabin – which has been restored, stopped by some historical markers and just took our sweet time.

We drove back to Evanston in time to do some shopping and attend a ward social – a dutch oven cookout. Yummy!! We took a pot of “gooder beans” – pork and beans doctored with bacon, onions, brown sugar & ketsup. Arnold said they were “to die for.” We’ll miss this ward!!!!!!!!!!!! Good folks!!!

When we arrived home, we discovered a dust devil had played some havoc with, and around, our trailer. The trash can and table on the porch were dumped over, the lid to the trash can was about 50 feet out into the drive way on the other side of the truck, a box on the porch had been moved in the other direction to the other side of the trailer and the front window guard had been messed with in quite a drastic manner. One of the supports was pulled clear out by its roots. And some things at other couples’ locations were toss about, as well. So we had some repairs to do before bed. Next time we leave the trailer for the day, we’ll put the window guard down instead of leaving it up like an awning.

Love & Laughter
Arnold & Syd

July 21 – During last week’s trek a wedding band was found at the Lake Hollow campground. The Trail Boss asked all his people and noone in his group had lost the ring. He gave the ring to us so we could try to contact the other treks who had used the same campground. I emailed two of the three groups who used the site this year.

This morning I had a phone call from a brother McConkie who described the ring which had been found. He said he’d removed the ring because his fingers swelled so much while on trek. When he realized it was lost, he thought he’d never see it again. He stated that it was a miracle someone had found it and found him.

He was so anxious to have his ring back he drove up to the ranch on Monday from Bountiful (in the middle of a work day) to pick up his ring. I met him at the gate and as he slipped the ring back on his finger he said, “Now I feel whole again.” Again he stated that it was a miracle the ring had been found and returned. I’ll bet there were some prayers said that the ring might turn up.

We are thankful to have been a small cog in the happening of his little miracle.

The ground squirrels and I are having a war over the garden. I think the chard, turnips and cabbage will recover, but the lettuce and peas were gonners when they got through and only time will tell if the carrots will still grow.

I discovered their entry holes and plugged them with chicken wire. One of the holes was under the garden gate. So, I dug out a place beneath the gate and inserted a 2×4 for the gate to rest upon when closed (no way for them to get in between the 2×4 and the gate). Then I dug up the ground outside the gate and buried some chicken wire up against the 2×4 and a good foot and a half out from the gate. Now, when they try digging under the gate they meet the 2×4 and the buried chicken wire.
They have already tried burrowing under the gate again, but could dig no deeper than the chicken wire. I think I’ve out foxed them. I hope!! Elder Sherwood suggested a BB Gun might work.

July 22 – We had a fun P-day today. Arnold and I drove the truck up the road about a mile or so and walked up to the top and along the top of the ridge just NW of the Depot, then along the top of the next ridge to the west of the first one. Actually these two ridges look like two tables with their flat tops. The second ridge we have dubbed Lone Pine Mountain in reference to the single large evergreen on its eastern flank. The tree was extremely prominent sticking up through the middle of the snow bank before it melted off.

From the top of Lone Pine and its sister mountain, one can look down on the Depot, Shearing Pond and see a bit of Suttons Reservoir beyond the hills to the south. To the immediate north is Oil Pad ridge and further north is the Crane Hollow drainage which parallels Lake Ridge. McKay Ridge can be seen off to the north east. From our bird’s eye view, we had fun picking out the handcart trails that ran below us.

When we finished walking across the top of Lone Pine, we came down off the hill and followed the drainage which leads into an unnamed reservoir north west of the Depot. It was a strenuous walk as we were busting brush all the way – there were no trails, paths or traces to follow. It’s a pretty awesome thing to sit high on the hill, have a birds eye view of places you’ve walked and realize you know how to navigate around all these square miles as well as you know how to navigate around your own home.

As we came down the drainage, we discovered a currant bush and some other bushes with berries (still green) so we could not figure out what they were. We’ll go back in a week or three and check to see what’s developed. Maybe we can identify them eventually.

In the late afternoon we went into town and attended a ward social. Food was very good, company was great!!!!!! I think that’s the first time I’ve feasted so much since I started losing weight four years ago. But, then we have a trek coming in later this week……so I’ll have a chance to walk it all off. That works!!!!

July 25 – Our trek came in on Thursday morning – Pioneer Day – what a grand way to spend the holiday!!!!!!!

They had all sorts of interesting adventures right at the start of their trek. First, their equipment trailer blew a tire; a bus (bringing the kids up) broke down on the highway; and just after lunch they started having dehydration and other medical problems with several of the youth. That evening/night two of the youth had to be taken home. Sad they missed the rest of the trek, but such things happen.

The odd thing about the whole thing is they had medical problems on the easiest parts of the trek. When it came to the Women’s Pull (the toughest part) later in the day, not one medical problem.

The trail boss is glad we walk them cross country. He says, “I’d get lost.” The last leg of yesterday’s trek was from the top of Lake Ridge following a drainage down the side of the ridge into Lake Hollow, a little over a mile. We could see their vehicles down in the camp from the top of the ridge and we asked if he thought he could make the journey on his own. He allowed he probably could. The drainage didn’t go straight down the side of the ridge it meandered, as they always do. We listened in on their band on our walkie talkie radio as they traveled down the draw to make sure things were going OK. As the drainage wandered, he dropped behind a bit of a hill and could no longer see the camp, got a big nervous, called into camp to inquire if they could see him. The folks in camp could see the flags mounted on the carts just above to top of the hill he gone behind and assured him he was headed for camp. Cute!!!!

We get to love these folks every time we have a trek and we are sorry to see them go. We count our blessings they have given us the opportunity to be a small part of their event. We wish we could visit with them when we go home. Maybe we can add them to our email friends.

Once again we are thankful for the blessing of a hot shower – to get all the dried sweat, dust, sun screen and just plain dirt off ourselves. We feel so badly for those on trek who do not have the same blessing tonight.

There is a dear Bishop along on this trek who is recovering from cancer and must take some special medicine which really saps his strength and he must walk with a cane. This morning, he determined he would walk the entire way today. I kept checking on him through out the trek. Every water stop, I’d walk back to his cart and check with him.

When the group arrived at their mid afternoon potty break, he was wasted. Some of the bretheren gave him a blessing as he sat in our truck soaking up the cool air conditioning. Arnold hauled him the last little bit into camp and sat with him in the cool truck for about an hour, chatting with him as he gathered his strength. What a gutsy man!!!! What a dedicated man to want so much to stay with his youth.

A couple of the medical people here have interesting nick names…..Loonie Linda and Bruce Almighty. I told Bruce it was better to be called Robert the Bruce instead of Bruce Almighty and explained that it was Robert the Bruce who first declared independence from England. He allowed that might be better. Both of them are very caring attentive people – most medical people are – but they’ve got an extra dose of the goodies.

Once again, small miracles happen. One of the bretheren lost his cell phone. One of the sister missionaries noticed it on the ground near the dumpsters, picked it up and gave me a call about the lost phone. I inquired around the group and discovered the brother who’d lost his. His description of the phone matched what had been found and we were able to reunite the owner with his cell.

This group brought ‘babie’ for each family…….a cloth dolly stuffed with sand weighing about 10-15 lbs. Each family had a ‘baby’ which had to be carried by someone in the family for the entire duration of the trek. The last day of the trek, they had to ‘bury’ their babies (leave them as though dead beside the trail). One of their support crew followed behind to pick up the ‘babys,’ and let the sand out so they didn’t leave any ‘trash’ behind. I was able to retrieve one of the ‘babys’ as a souvenir (they were going to toss them all in the dumpster). I will eventually clean it up a little and stuff it with batting.

We were really sad to see this group go. And we realize it’s going to be a sad day when we must leave this wonderous place – these wide open spaces, the cooling breeze, the grand vistas from the tops of the ridges, the beautiful dawns & sunrises, the delightfully cool nights, not to mention the wonderful and awesome blessings of serving our treks.

1 Aug – The last several days have been quite slack. We have no trek this week, only a rental to check out, then check back in again. I have kept busy with computer work as we gear up for our 2009 Trek Orientation Seminar later this month. Sister Hawk and I are also creating check lists of things that need to be known by those who will be here next year. The Platts and Sherwood’s won’t be coming back. Hopefully we and the Hawk’s will return. But, we realize that may not be possible so we want to leave as good a ‘trail’ with as much detail as we can for those who follow.

The Elders have been rebuilding old handcarts. Sometimes the sisters assist. They take the side racks off the old bed (
with axle attached), pull the wheels off the axle, clean and repack the axle bearings, shorten the bed a few inches (so all the carts are a standard length – which they currently arent’), build new side racks, attach the racks, replace wheel bearings, put the wheels back on the new cart and roll it out into line. All the new carts will be sprayed with linseed oil.

I had some time to myself this week to play with my pressed flowers. I’ve been picking flowers as we trek, bringing them home and pressing them between sheets of newspaper weighted with several huge hunks of wood. With these, I have created a book of all the varieties I’ve found here on the ranch. Naturally, I do have extras and multiples. So, I took those and created a flower picture for each of the couples. I found some wrapping paper in the Depot, wrapped the ‘gift,’ created a card for each and left them on our meeting table. They found their ‘gifts’ at various times during the day. Each sister came to me separately and thanked me for it. Glad it made them happy!! They get to take a little bit of this lovely place home with them.

Also during this slack time, I scraped all the old and loose paint off both of the depot porches. Then, I applied a primer and am just about finished with the final coat. I want one porch to dry throughly before we use it for traffic. Then I’ll finish painting the traffic area on the other porch late on Saturday. Won’t have much traffic until Monday morning, so that should be time enough to let it totally dry.

I’m running out of ideas of things to do when I have spare moments. The depot building needs painted badly but that’s not a job this one person can tackle alone. There are still some door jambs I can scrape, prime and paint, but that will only take part of a couple days. There is some floor repair to do in the depot which I might tackle. A door blew open, the floor got wet and damaged the varnish. I’ll have to putty the cracks before revarnishing. And the floor where the “office chairs” have rubbed the finish will need revarnishing. Maybe I’d better get moving on those jobs.

Here it is, only two treks left and the summer is basically over. One trek next week and another the following week. I’m not eager to see the end, I want to keep walking this country, seeing those carts strung out across the ridge or coming down a drainage, hearing them sing as they walk, feeling the wind in my face, the sun on my back and thoroughly soaking up the spirit of this place. As we assist, the leaders become our dear friends, our teammates. The youth come in the gate smug, haughty, standoffish, full of themselves and full of the world. Some of them are obviously spoiled. Three days later, we watch them go out the gate – happy, humble, full of the Spirit, eager to help each other and everybody on equal terms. . I don’t think one can ask for anything more wonderful than that!!!!

Arnold has been talking with Church HQ in Salt Lake about somewhere for us to serve this winter. The new co-ordinator will be in the office on the 7th of August, we are told. Maybe we’ll be able to figure things out once they arrive. We thought we had a possible spot near Bakersfield, CA, but they have no sewer hook up. Kinda cuts that one out cuz we’d have to tow the trailer off every 3-4 days and find a dump some place. There are several other possibilities, but nothing can be done until the new co-ordinator arrives. However and where ever, it will be a new adventure just as precious and wonderful as this has been.

Aug 2 – Our last route review took place today. Fun bunch of people!!! Then we tended the gate for the two treks that were leaving today. It’s much easier for the missionaries who are assigned to be with the trek, when there’s another set of missionaries free from trek duties to be gate tenders. The trek missionaries don’t have to be two places at once – with their trek and at the gate.

Last night we added another interesting bird to our list – a burrowing owl. We saw them standing on a mound of dirt some way off the road. From a distance they looked almost like Prairie Dogs keeping watch – but not quite. We stopped, walked toward the mound and the ‘Prairie Dogs’ flew away. Ah ha! Not Prairie Dogs!!!! Some didn’t fly very far and we had a chance to view them in our binoculars. Definitely owls. How interesting they nest in a burrow underground!!!!! I would think they didn’t dig it themselves, but took over an abandoned burrow.

And tomorrow we meet with our dear friends at “our” ward in town. If we are asked to return here next summer, we won’t be able to meet with them as their meetings will move to 11am and our instructions are to attend the 9am services. Darn. They are such good people!!!!

Love & Laughter
Arnold & Syd

July 8 – We took Do-Si-Do (the trailer) to town today to get a new rear bumper. The old bumper, we discovered, was quite flimzy and would not have continued to support our cargo box that attaches to the bumper like a trailer hitch. On our short few hour travel from home to the ranch, the box twisted the existing bumper and some of the welds began to crack. So, we have a new heavier bumper that will do the job.

Since our trailer is a convenience home (not just a convenience kitchen) we have to use the box for extra space to accommodate what’s needed. The back of Chief (the jeep) is our food storage and the back seat is our closet. It works, honest!

July 9 – Today while Arnold was weeding about the Depot compound he discovered a Killdeer nest right in our driveway/parking area. Of course it’s a part that is not frequently traveled. He marked her nest with a big rock close by so nobody accidentally drives over her nest. She has three eggs in her nest right now. It’ll be fun to watch!!!!

Saw a HUGE Redtailed Hawk while on a route review today. He was sitting on a branch near the road and just watched us go by. When we stopped to get a better look, he flew off.

We have no trek this week just a route review which we did today and a rental which we’ll get loaded up tomorrow. So to stay busy, we’re doing odd jobs about the place, fixing broken hand carts, painting, weeding, watering – one can ALWAYS find something to do – thank goodness. It could get boring otherwise.

The upland birds are returning – we saw several Sage Grouse on Lake Ridge this week. Oh my gosh, we have only four treks left to go and the summer is over. Darn, it’s barely gotten started!!!! All the more reason to return (Lord willing) next summer. Already we are eager to do so. It’s like we’re just beginning to get the hang of it, and it ends way too soon.

I’ll be anxious for next spring, as I missed collecting samples of quite a number of early flowers (the belly flowers) to include in my pressed flower collection. Arnold has learned when we’re driving and I say, “Stop,” that I’ve just seen a flower I need to pick. I’ve collected samples of the grass seed heads I’m finding on the property. I have 4-5 pages with up to six samples on a page. I didn’t know there were so many different kinds of grasses. WOW.

Jul 12 – Enoch, Kerrie and the children, Seraya, Kaija and Liam have just been to visit for two days – they arrived Thursday and left on Saturday. Seraya and I made a pressed flower picture for her to take home. They took the kids for a short trek walk to the north of our camp. Liam is such a cutie, they all are cuties for that matter, but we hadn’t seen him since he was tiny.

Friday night we all attended the “Relay for Life” (cancer fund raiser) in Evanston. Just before attending the Relay, Kerrie hooked up, for a mini reunion, with a fellow Estonian missionary and his family who now live in Evanston. Our ward had a hamburger stand at the Relay – free for ward members – where we ate dinner. We all walked a mile or more on the track – the kids rode on dad’s shoulders or in the stroller. We purchased luminaries for Tammy and for my mom. What a nice, though occasionally poignant, evening!!! It was so good to see them all!!!!

July 16 – The day after Enoch left, Royan and our neighbor/sister Marilyn Ogren came up together for a two day visit. Royan cooked up a steak dinner for us on Monday night…..what a treat!!!!!! Monday afternoon, after we’d gotten all our assigned tasks completed, the four of us went exploring a new piece of trek route we’re going to use for our trek this coming week. On Tuesday we took a nice long drive along McKay Ridge. Up there on the ridge, it seems one is on top of the world. You can see for miles in all directions. Absolutely lovely.

As we came down the east end of the ridge into the Dairy Bowl, Royan heard a hissing sound. Sure enough we were developing a flat. Come to find out there was no longer any lug wrench in the truck. Wonder who took it out as it was there earlier in the summer? So we gingerly drove back toward camp as the tire got flatter and flatter and flatter. In the end, it stayed up sufficiently that we weren’t quite running on the rim when we arrived home. Good thing we made it home, too. The lug nuts were so tight, we’d never have busted them loose out there on the road. It was necessary to use a ‘cheater bar’ (long piece of pipe) to get them to come loose and we twisted the lug wrench in the process. They were REALLY on there!!!!!
Because of our haste to get home before the tire went flat, the picnic lunch we planned to enjoy out in the ‘wilds’ had to be eaten in the pavilion instead – which was just as fun anyway.

As we drove around we saw a heap of wild life – lots of antelope including three does each of whom had an accompanying set of twins – count them, six babies!, lots of hawks and other birds, we heard an eagle scream right above us, saw a mule deer doe playing hide and seek from us amongst the tall sage brush, prairie dogs, rabbits and, of course, the proverbial and innumerable ground squirrels. Royan and Marilyn left Tuesday evening after dinner. They found it so peaceful and nice up here, that neither wanted to go home. We had a great time with them!!!

Jul 16 – Yesterday the men prepped the earthen floor of the pavilion for a cement floor. This morning at 7am, half the floor was poured. Then the sky puckered up and sprinkled, only a little, on the new floor. Thankfully it wasn’t a downpour!!!!! Tomorrow morning, the other half of the floor will be poured.

Jul 17 – Our week’s trek arrived today. They had their women’s pull toward the end of the first day. Yhe group’s women’s pull was amazing. They had a long hill, the first part was pretty steep, the latter just continued up but not so steeply. Those girls were stretched to the max, discovered how much they could give and found the depth of their strength and gumption!!! Those girls were animals. Amazing strength and stamina.

I walked up the hill beside the first cart and one of the ‘brothers’ who belonged to that family walked behind them. He was hugging himself as he went up the hill behind the cart. (The ‘brothers’ had not yet been allowed to assist the girls.) I looked at him and he said, “This is really hard to watch.” I smiled and asked him what it taught him about being a man. The boys learn they are born to be protectors and helpers for their women.

This trek had one girl who ‘didn’t like to drink water.’ The medical team had to rescue her several times during the trek and even do an IV once to keep her hydrated. How foolish!!!! Their nurse made a good illustration of what this wind and sun does up here. She took a slice of bread, held it up to the wind and said, “This is your skin.” In a matter of moments, the slice quickly dried out like stale bread. I think we’ll use that illustration in the future.

During our trek’s last night in camp, one of the young men in the group approached Arnold and struck up a conversation. He said this was his second trek. The first took place when he was 14 and it “turned my life around,” he said. He is now waiting his mission call. Arnold gave Jason his email addy and said let us know where you’re called. We hope he’ll write!!!

One of the support crew on this trek is an avid antler hunter – meaning he likes looking for antlers that have been shed. During the trek he found one 6 point antler, several antelope ‘skins’ (as they are called but are actually shed antlers) and a huge elk rack still attached to the deceased beastie. He has an amazing sense and can see things everybody else misses.

Jul 20 – Once again it is a day of rest (Sunday) – ahhhhhh!!! Our trek left yesterday. There is always something good that each trek does exceptionally well, not that the others do poorly, and this one was organization. We also had a Ma & Pa training and a route review yesterday for a Stake that is coming in two weeks. All went well everywhere.

The number and variety of water birds has dwindled. Wonder where they went. But those that remain, trail flotillas of fluffy hatchlings. The bluebirds who nested somewhere near the garden have fledged their nest full of five babies. The group hung around here for several days before going elsewhere. The swallows nesting under the eaves of the Depot have increased exponentially as their babies have fledged. Thanks to them, we have very, very few mosquitos around here. A group of yellow headded blackbirds brought their fledglings to the fence north of the depot for a short rest. The fledglings would fly near the parents and beg food and the parents fed them right there on the fence.

We see lots and lots of ‘pot bellies’ (ground squirrels) scurrying around and lots and lots of air born predators floating on the currents hunting for a meal. One day we saw seven Feruginous Hawks flying over a hill top together. The story goes, the greater the ground squirrel population, the greater the bird of prey population. Guess the birds can figure out as they begin nesting that it’ll be a good food year and they lay and hatch more eggs.

We have decided that a pair of big Red Tailed Hawks have a nest somewhere down near the entry gate. We nearly always spot the pair perched in one of the two big trees down there, perched on top of one of the telephone poles that parallel the road or flying on the breeze nearby. If you know where to look we can spot them almost every time we go by.

Some little ground squirrels discovered they could burrow under the garden fence. They had a feast before we discovered them. We plugged the hole with dirt and rocks and will watch to make certain they don’t burrow again. He nibbled the leaves on the cabbage plants, nibbled the tops of the chard and turnips, totally mowed the lettuce and stripped the pea vines of leaves. Man, they must have eaten enough for weeks – it’s a wonder they got back through the hole. They didn’t find the carrots or the squash plants and didn’t touch the beans. If we can keep them out, I think the chard, turnips and cabbage will recover sufficiently. Since we’ve been busy with a trek for several days, they may have been in there munching for more than one day. Hope they didn’t tell all their neighbors!!!! Grin!!

Love & Laughter
Arnold & Syd

26 June – We had a great P-Day down in the valley……accomplished all our errands and wound up with dinner at Royan’s and all the kids in attendance.

I think we’re spoiled. The air up here is so clear and clean, the sky so blue – not so in the valley. But one thing that did look strange to us was the shade in the back yard. Shade? What’s that? Grin.

27 June – Another trek arrives. It’ll be a busy few days!!!!! Then we have a Sunday day of rest and back at it early Monday morning. The treks are coming on Monday next week, because of the 4th of July. So, it’ll be the 4th before we see a break.

One thing we have learned – no trek ever goes as planned. There are always wrinkles and happenings that change the plans. I think Heavenly Father gets a chuckle out of turning over apple carts.

I’ve begun a collection of posies. I find a nice specimen of a flower, press it, fasten it on a piece of card stock, ID the specimen and put the page in a binder.

29 June – Our trek from Bountiful left yesterday. There were some real uplifting stories we were blessed to know that came out of this trek. One girl decided she was going home after the first day of trek. After much effort, the leaders were unable to reach her mother. Shortly after they gave the girl the info, she chose to join in the fun at hoedown night the group’s second night. From then on she basically participated, finished the trek and had a good experience.

The second story is of a young lad whom Ted (one of the support crew) had taught in Sunday School. The lad moved out of the stake a while back, but Ted encouraged him to come back for the trek. Ted is a real outdoorsman, straight forward and very friendly (super combination for teaching teenagers). Ted repeatedly asks former trekkers to come into his class to read a portion of their trek journals in an effort to encourage his class to go on the next trek. Without exception the former trekker will break down in the midst of reading their trek journal. The experiences they had are still so strong even years after.

The first evening, Ted walked into the medical tent where the young lad was receiving treatment for blisters (or something similarly minor). The lad pointed his finger at Ted and with great excitement said, “I had one of those things today!!!!!”
Ted inquired what he meant by the comment. The lad said, “Like the trekkers read out of their journals.” Ted verified that the youth meant a spiritual experience while on trek. The lad proceeded to tell of his ‘thing’ that had happened. Everyone in the tent was thrilled with his story. We were all so glad to hear the lad had had ‘one of those things’ and, in the end, knew what to call it.

Every night, after we come home to our camp, we go down to the depot to shower. I count my blessings I can take a hot shower while I think of ‘our’ trekkers out there in the sage brush, dust, covered with sweat and dust from the day’s trek and nothing more than a wash rag and cold water to clean up with. I count my blessings again and think showering will never again be the same. It’s one of those things we so much take for granted that is really such a great blessing.

We had a fancy dance on Saturday – Arnold and I had to be in so many places at once – but we thought, talked and organized until we covered the bases!! We had three things going almost simultaneously…..a Ma & Pa training followed by a route review, a three day trek leaving, and a rental coming to pick up hand carts for a training elsewhere.

With the Ma & Pa training, I was able to do a little sharing of ideas how they can use their handcarts to create shelters in bad weather. It was heartening to see how they ‘practiced’ and ‘created’ using the suggestions during their training. Maybe I helped them learn how to keep their kids dry during a sudden summer thunderstorm.

Later at the route review, I explained how every stake did their trek differently, but in the end the results came out the same – the kids and support crew had a great experience that worked for their group. I told them, “You bring them in the gate and the Lord takes over and makes it all work.” That is exactly what we’ve seen happening. The ‘trail boss’ was greatly relieved to hear that. He’s been losing sleep worrying about the outcome. Evidently this group hasn’t done a trek before.

I may have told you this story before, but it bears repeating. Once in years past a Stake President came on trek – the first for their stake – and, upon arriving, he informed the missionaries, “This is WAY TOO MUCH work. We’ll never do this again.” At the end of trek this same Stake President admitted, “I’ll do anything & everything to bring our kids back again.” It’s absolutely amazing what happens out here!

I had the opportunity to meet the ranch’s wild life manager the other day. I was able to discover what one of the birds we’d seen was called. It was a big hawk or eagle, dark colored with a white tail. It didn’t exactly fit being a bald eagle or a golden eagle. He explained to me that what I’d seen was one of the color phases of the Ferruginous Hawk (that’s fur-rue-gin-us with the emphasis on the rue). He also told me where I could see their nests. Over the years, the hawks have built three nests on top of some rocks and have used these same nests for several years – they just rotate from one to the other as the years pass. One of these days, I’m going to walk out there and take a look through my nocks (from a distance so I don’t disturb them).

Every trek we do, we grow to love the people we work with and I miss them when they leave. They are such hard working, dedicated folks. In our last trek, one couple were the cooks for a group of 150. They organized, developed the recipes, purchased and dispensed the food for the whole group. Most of the time, the food was divided and sent out to the ‘families’ to cook for themselves. But the for the group’s first camp, they two of them cooked dinner for the whole 150 of them.

29 June – Another Sabbath/day of rest. It was SO BUSY this week, we were both so fatigued that we napped (off and on) through church today. I guess that’s OK. We were where we were supposed to be, trying to do what we’re supposed to do and naps are a permissible activity on Sunday. GRIN!!!

1 July – Another trek came in yesterday. Most of their route is cross country and Arnold and I have decided not to turn them loose in places they cannot follow a road. Arnold walked the whole way (save 1 mile) with them. His feet hurt when he was through. We figured he walked 12 miles with the trek yesterday.

In the afternoon after spotting the potties & water, I walked out to meet the trek. Good thing I did cuz they had a couple medical emergencies (heat related) out in the boonies. Since I was out there, I was able to guide the medical truck to the patients. I also walked down from the top of Lake Ridge to the bottom of Crane to witness their women’s pull. They dallied along the way so they didn’t arrive at the women’s pull spot until just after sunset. Most of the pull took place in the almost dark. It was awesome, none the less.

I watched two little 12 year old girls, pulling on the front of the cart and three more pushing on the back. And they were getting the cart up the hill somehow. Amazing, brings tears to the eyes watching them struggle, but keep on going and not giving up.

The group is safely camped not far from the Depot (just a couple miles) and will remain there tonight and tomorrow night. No trekking tomorrow. So we’ll kind of have the day off, other than to check up on them. Then on Thursday we’ll trek them out to go home. I’m going to walk part of the way and Arnold will take the other part. I have found, I’m more comfortable standing than sitting so I might as well be walking. Sitting seems to scrunch the surgery area.

Today I found a patch of Sego Lillies in bloom. I’ve always wanted to see the real thing not just a picture. Now I have!!!
Took some pictures, too, so I can remember.

We have been blessed with lovely, puffy clouds the last several days. And, in the distance, superb thunderheads. They lend a little shade as they pass over and greatly enhance the views. One of the support people with this trek has so enjoyed taking photos of the grand views we have from the tops of the ridges. He has remarked that the clouds have made his photos so much better.

One of the youth on this trek is very small (either dwarf or midget). She has a hard time keeping up with the rest of them – she must make three steps to their one. As a result the “family” she is with, got creative and made a seat across the cart yoke right at the front of their handcart, cushioned it with a sleeping bag and let her ride some of the time. What a great example of everyone working as a whole to make the best of it for all of them. What a grand example of taking care of one’s family members.

That same little girl bore her testimony the last night of trek. She told how her mother died of cancer when she was seven.
And how she had the blessing of feeling her mother with her helping during the women’s pull. Wonderful, wonderful!!!!

This group had such a great testimony meeting!!!!! I think, if the leaders had let it run past midnight (they started before sundown), that in the end all the kids would have born their testimonies. There was a huge line all during the several hours of testimony meeting. Many told how they didn’t want to come in the first place and how thankful they were they had come. Several told of them told about this being their second trek (they first came when they were 12) and how much more they learned this time than last.

One lad told of how he felt this land was dedicated (it is owned by the church). And how much he felt the peace and spirit out here. The next day the leaders were expressing the same thing. I’m so glad others have felt what I feel when I enter the gate to the property. It is SO VERY peaceful out here.

Last night (3am ish) the wind drift was from the south east. I could hear the rumble of the trains going by several miles away. It sounded just like a vehicle going by on the road near camp. I was worried one of our treks had an emergency and had to take someone to the hospital, so I got up to look and realized it was the trains, not somebody on the road. How thankful I was, that it wasn’t a vehicle on the road that our treks were all sleeping peacefully in their camps.

The leaders on this trek were such super neat people. The support crew is always neat on all the treks, but this one seemed more so than most.

This morning, Arnold walked with the trek part way and I walked the rest of the way. One of the women groused about the walk, “I thought this was only four miles.” (Distance up here is quite easily miss guessed) Later I had a chance to tell her how thankful I was that I could walk the distance with them. Four years ago, I could barely walk around the block – now I can hike and backpack. Two weeks ago I was in the hospital – now I’m able to trek for short distances. How thankful and grateful I am that I can!!!!!!!

At the end of the trek one of the carts was having real difficulty with blistered feet, heat and dehydration. They lagged way behind the group. We almost had to send the medical truck in to ‘rescue’ them.

The rest of the group had all arrived at trail’s end. One of the leaders asked for volunteers to send some ‘valley boys’ back to ‘rescue’ the lagging cart. Several of the boys actually ran back up the hill (almost a quarter mile) to assist the cart. After three days of trekking they RAN!!!! Amazing!!!! One of the lads put the girl with the blistered feet on his back and carried her piggy back all the way in. The rest of the group lined the road on either side and cheered them home. Amazing bunch of kids!!!

4 July – This morning we had a ceremony by our flag pole in honor of the day. Brent, Emily, Kiley & Ben arrived this afternoon. They joined all the missionaries for a big pot luck in the ‘pavillion.’ The Hawks conducted a flag retiring ceremony during our pot luck for the old flag that was flown over the missionary camp last year. Later in the evening Kiley and I made flower pictures out of some of the pressed flowers I have collected.

5 July – Brent, Em, the kids and the two of us went down to Fox Hollow to ‘trek.’ We took water and some lunch along. We trekked up over the ridge out of Fox Hollow, down into the bottom then up another ridge where we stopped and had some lunch.
Then we turned around and trekked back again. Ben rode in the cart some of the time and some of the time he went exploring out in the sage. We saw lots and lots of Sego Lillies while we were trekking.

6 July – Today the whole family attended church together before Brent, Em & the kids headed home. Sure was good to see them and fun to go trekking with them!!!! Arnold says, “I sure have a heap more respect for the kids who pull the carts. Our cart was basically empty (save for a bag of food water & Ben) and it wasn’t easy to pull up a hill.”

This next week, we look forward to seeing Enoch and family for a couple days, then Royan & Marilyn will visit for a couple days.

Next weekend is the Payson Games. It’ll be the first year I’ve not been involved for well over a decade – nearly two perhaps. Sure hope all goes well for them!!! I’ll miss seeing all my friends who attend!!!!!!

Love & Laughter
Arnold & Syd

10 June – There is a bird out here that has a call much like the southern Whippoorwill. We have finally identified it as the Willet. Often the Willet will call while in flight and the sound seems to come from somewhere on the ground. I think it is a ventriloquist.

We have another trek coming in tomorrow (Wed). Just a Ward, this time, instead of a Stake. They’ll stay until Saturday morning.

13 June – We have been busy keeping our Ward trekking. These kids are animals!!! They trek faster than I can walk and I’m no slouch and faster than Arnold can walk, too. Anyway, it’s been interesting finding ways to give them enough mileage. They are so eager to trek.

Their first camp was down in McKay hollow. It was cold (down in the 20′s) and part of the water buffalo froze and broke. They couldn’t get water out of it any more. So, first thing in the morning we had to take them another buffalo (with water in it, of course) and bring the broken one back to the Depot. One of the other couples has the “week off” (meaning no treks), so they fixed the broken pipes on the buffalo.

One of the groups out here this week, numbers about 400. From up on the ridge, I watched them come through a meadow. They were so strung out it was 45 minutes between the first part of the group and the tail end. Another group is 350 strong. And our is a small group of 50.

The wild flowers are coming into bloom. Up on the ridges it’s like a carpet of flowers – white, several shades of pink, yellow, lavender/purple, red and a few blue ones are just beginning to bloom. The hills are all greened up – they look like velvet. Absolutely lovely!!!!! This country grows on you!!!

Every time I drive along a ridge and view the green hollows, I’m thankful we’re here. Every time I watch a kid conquer a hardship or help another, I’m thankful we’re here. What a great place to be, what a great mission to serve.

Today on the way home from settling in our trek group at their last camp, we saw an Antelope doe cross the road in front of us with two tiny fawns. As soon as the fawns hit the vegetation on the other side of the road they disappeared. We stopped to watch. Suddenly, one of the fawns jumped out of the brush right beside the road and ran towards mommy. We wondered where the other fawn went. I looked into the grass at the edge of the road right beside the truck, and there it was laying in the grass. Yep, they look like cow pies with eyes – just like the fella said. It got up, ran across the road and disappeared again. Arnold snuck up on it and got some photos of it lying amongst the brush.

We also saw a fox on the way home. This place is teeming with wild life!!!!!!!!!!! What fun to see!!

14 June – We had a route review today with a group of people who were extremely careful about the trek they would be presenting to their Stake. Arnold stayed with our other trek group who was leaving and I did the route review. It took those folks five hours to do their review. Usually it takes a max of four hours. But, they wanted to check things out very thoroughly for their kids. I expect their trek will be very well done!!!!!

Ya know, it’s kinda funny how the treks work out. Some leaders plan lots of things, some don’t, some plan really tough women’s pulls, others don’t. But no matter what the leaders do or don’t do the trek always works out well for the group. As Elder Sherwood says it, “We get them into the Lord’s arena and He takes care of the rest.”

15 June – We had a surprise visit from Debra & Dave (Arnold’s daughter and her fella). They came in about 7pm on Father’s Day. She didn’t want her dad to know so she had me in cahoots with her. She called me from the gate and I told him we had someone to meet at the gate NOW. He went along, suspecting nothing. When he saw who it was he was surprised. We spent the evening catching up on all their news.

The following day we took them on a bit of a drive through the ranch property to show them where we took the trekkers. They left Tuesday morning early while we were down at Fox Hollow getting a load of rental carts off to Las Vegas Lone Mountain for their trek in Nevada. That’s the same stake we were in when we lived in Indian Springs. How great we were assigned to assist them!!!!!!! We discovered that our friend’s daughter, Corrin Patty, was indeed going on the trek. When we visited Indians Springs in March, we made her promise us she’d go. Hope her promise to us made a little difference. We are anxious to hear how their trek went. They return the carts Sunday afternoon or Monday morning.

20 June – It’s been an interesting several days since my last entry. Today I am home from the hospital. My twenty plus year old hernia (in an old gall bladder incision) decided to get nasty. Tuesday evening I started cramping up. Such a thing had happened before and a couple hours of relaxing in the lazy boy usually took care of things and there is a lazy boy down in the depot. I was pretty uncomfortable by bed time so I went down there to lounge in the lazy boy. After a couple hours things weren’t better they were worse. I thought I might have a touch of food poisoning as it was acting quite like the time I did have food poisoning. Just before midnight, I came back up to the trailer and told Arnold I thought he’d better take me in.

We didn’t remember the directions to the hospital. So, just as we reached the outskirts of Evanston, Arnold called 911 for instructions. He made them stay on the phone until we were sure we were there. Meantime, a cop spotted him speeding (about 10-15 over the limit) and turned his lights on just as we passed the entrance to the hospital. Arnold quickly told the cop what was going on, got turned around and into the Emergency Room. Once I was admitted, Arnold gave me a blessing.

The doctors quickly assessed the difficulty and said I must have surgery IMMEDIATELY. We decided I needed anointing as well, so they found another LDS Elder in the hospital to assist in the blessing. Wonder of wonders, they didn’t have to use mesh to patch me up. I was scared I’d have an allergic reaction to the stuff.

The doctor said a couple more hours and I’d have been in a lot worse situation. My intestines were turning blue already from being pinched off – he called it incarcerated. Arnold and I thought that was an interesting word considering Arnold’s recent line of work.

Arnold didn’t get any sleep that night – neither did I for that matter, unless you call being anesthetized getting some sleep – har har. He let the other missionary couples know where I was the following morning.

Some of the meds I had to take made me itch like crazy, so they had to give me something to counter act the itching. It worked enough I wasn’t going crazy with scratching, but I still itched and couldn’t sleep for the itching. Not to mention the pain med they gave me caused me to stop breathing everytime I dozed off so the low oxygen alarm would go off and wake me up. Go figure. The first night I really had any sleep was Thursday night – I slept for a solid 4-5 hours. Ahhhhh!!!

So, for now, I’m all fixed up. That hernia won’t ever bug me again, I’m back home at the Missionary camp, on light duty and not supposed to lift anything for many weeks – I can drive and I can walk. Needless to say, I’m pretty dadgummed sore and don’t move quickly – it’s even really hard to cough. But I can still serve, I can still find things to do to be useful.
And, best of all, it all happened on our “week off.” We didn’t have a trek this week, just a Ma & Pa training today (Friday) and a route review tomorrow (Saturday) both of which Arnold can handle with out my assistance. By next week, when we do have a trek, I’ll at least be able to drive and position the support vehicles at the next potty stop, while Arnold can walk cross country with them.

Otherwise, the Garden of Eat In is sprouting!!!!! Everything – raddishes, carrots, swiss chard, lettuce, peas, onions, turnips – is up except the bush beans. Wonder what’s keeping them? I could not find any cabbage plants in this town. Thought I really kinda doubt it, maybe Grant’s will still have some when we go down to vote next week.

21 June – We both had a wonderful sleep last night in our own bed!!! After no sleep for three night except for part of one night in the hospital and Arnold’s restless sleep while I was not here – it was immensely welcome!!!! Why is it that sick people in the hospital are not allowed sufficient rest? Kinda seems like an oxymoron to me.

Another week closes – all the treks have gone home and many special events happened.

One of the couples had a VERY spiritual experience with their trekkers. The Elder said it was the most spiritual experience he’s ever had on a trek (he’s been here three years). He got so choked up he could hardly speak about it.

One of the lads on their trek actually passed out as he pulled the cart. The medical person made him ride in one of the support vehicles and that made the kid angry. The Elder driving the support vehicle explained to the lad how a guy always wants to do his best, and then some, for his “family.” It’s just the nature of a man. That was why it was the men who pulled their carts across the plains that died first. They gave their all for their families.

Another instance, the trail boss’s wife decided she was going to walk all the way. The two of them are in their sixties. Toward the end of the trek, the wife began to struggle. The trail boss sent his assistant to the head of the line to lead the trekkers back to the staging area (ending point) while he (the trail boss) walked with his wife with his arm around her waist to help her along. When the two of them finally arrived at the ending point (the last ones of the group to do so), everyone else on the trek had lined up in two facing rows making an avenue for the couple to walk down through. And they sang songs to welcome them to the end. A VERY stirring moment. Both the trail boss and the wife were in tears.

Arnold’s Ma & Pa group had a women’s pull he was able to witness. The gals took the carts up a steep hill while the guys stood by. They really had to struggle to get the carts up the hill. Very moving!!!!! Arnold said, “I don’t think I could have stood there and watched.”

We heard that our friend, Corrin Patty (from Indian Springs) made her trek and received the letters we sent. We were told she was thrilled to get them. We are so proud of her for going!!!!! We are so thankful we were able to be a small part of encouraging her to go. We hope the experience will guide her in the right path in the future!!

My what an adventurous couple weeks we’ve had!!!! And another wonderful, restful Sunday to top it all off!!!!!!!! We are blessed, indeed.

We will go down the mountain on Tuesday to cast our ballot, visit some special friends, visit family, do errands and have a REAL P-Day for a change.

Love & Laughter
Arnold & Syd

4 June – Our first trek arrived this evening. The youth are divided into “families” to which a Ma & Pa are assigned. Each family has their own cart on which they must store all their gear.

The trail boss chose to trek for about a mile and a half off the main road and make camp for the night. The weather was threatening. We got them settled and came home. As soon as we came home it began raining and blowing – blowing hard. We worried all night about our group. Every little while we’d wake up, hear it blowing and raining, say a prayer for the trekkers, turn over, go back to sleep – a scenario which repeated numerous times all through the night. We didn’t get much sleep for worrying about our group.

When we awoke in the morning our lead couple informed us the roads were too muddy for anybody to move any of the support vehicles (water buffalo, porta potty or food vehicle). We hurried over to where our trekkers were, left the truck and hiked into where they were camped. We had to inform them they could not move that day. But, we discovered there were several who had wet sleeping bags. We all decided we would have the kids load the carts, trek to the first main road to the west and we’d load all the wet bags on one cart and get it to the Depot so I could put them in the dryer and hang them around the wood stove.

Come to find out nearly ALL their bags that were wet. There was no way we could get that many bags dry with one dryer and a wood stove.

We went to plan B. We had the brothers load the tarp full of wet bags on the back of the truck. Myself and two of the sisters took the load to town to a laundromat and started feeding the dryers. We discovered there was a second laundromat about a half block away. One of the sisters and I took a bunch of the bags over there and started feeding those dryers the soggiest bags. The less soggy bags we hung on the truck – on the mirror, across the hood, on the bed, etc. and let them dry in the partial sun and breeze. Ever see a truck closeline??? Mean time the first sister spread out her driest bags along the planters in front of the first laundromat and all up and down that little strip mall. After about 3 hours and a HEAP of quarters we had the lot dry.

The second laundromat was also part of a dry cleaning business. When the clerks learned of our predicament they volunteered to dry some of the bags in their big dryer. And, they took no pay for it. So nice of them!!!!!
We laid all the dry bags on the tarp in the back of the truck, ran a rope through the eyelets and pulled it tight, just like closing a string purse. By the time we arrived back near camp, the roads had dried sufficiently that one of the support vehicles could come out to the main road to meet us. We simply rolled the bundle from one truck to the other.

We began calling this experience our “Sleeping Bag Rescue.”

While we were busy drying bags, Arnold took the trekkers and their carts cross country in a round about way back to their camp.

6 June – Thank goodness there was no more rain and things were dry enough we could move the group. They really had a long haul today. They were trekking from 10 am to about 7pm before they made camp. I walked them cross country from camp to what we call the Bottom of Oil Pad Road where they lunched. Arnold took them cross country into Crane Hollow for another potty/water stop. Then they went down the Crane Hollow drainage to an old road up the hill to the top of McKay ridge.

They stopped at the bottom of this hill to prepare for their Women’s Pull. A couple soldiers carrying an old American Flag marched down the hill toward the group and announced they needed to enlist all the men in the “Mormon Battalion.” The boys all dutifully marched up the hill with the soldiers leaving the girls and carts at the bottom.

One of the sisters gave the girls instruction and encouragement explaining they’d have to get the carts to the top all by themselves. There were 5-6 girls per cart which weighed about 500 pounds. Some of the girls became scared of the job before them and began crying even before they started up the hill. The ground was muddy. The traks were uneven and full of ditches. Some could barely get their carts rolling up the hill. If they hit a hump or a rock they had to work to get going again. Many more were crying as they came up the hill. It was easy to see that some simply gritted their teeth and pushed forward. Some leaned so far forward in pulling their carts their bodies were nearly parallel to the ground.

After the girls were part way up the hill, the boys came in sight again. They were instructed to remove their hats and watch silently. As their family’s cart passed they were allowed to walk along side until the trail boss gave them a signal to jump in and assist the girls.

One cart had some really slight girls pulling it. They kept getting stuck. One of the girls pulling the cart right behind them, let go of her cart, and hurried ahead to assist the ones who were struggling. Then, she’d run back and help her own cart. I saw her switch carts several times during the pull. What a trooper!!!!!!!

Later I shared what I’d seen with the trail boss’s wife. She related some additional facts that make this an even more stunning event. Three of the girls on the struggling cart were feeling under the weather which their sweet helper knew. What a stalwart young woman she must be, helping two carts to the top. In the end , all carts reached the top of the hill.

It was so stirring to witness, both Arnold and I had all we could do to keep ourselves from sobbing. What an awesome experience. I told Heavenly Father that it was the trekkers who were supposed to have such awesome experiences, not me. But we feel so blessed we are allowed that blessing, too.

Toward the end of the day, I walked with the group again down the road from the ridge down into the hollow we call the “Dairy Bowl” where they made camp for their last night in a nice sheltered meadow. Much better than their exposed hillside of the last two nights. I all, one of us walked with the group all the way except for about a 2 mile stretch along the road across the top of McKay Ridge.

That night it rained again, gently this time, and caused the roads to be so muddy the porta-potty truck nearly didn’t make it out of their for getting stuck in the mud. But with answered prayers, we got it turned around and were able to proceed. Their testimony meeting at the end of their trek was so sweet. I was sorry to see them leave.

During the trek today, my phone rang. On the other end I heard a babbling child. I finally figure out it was Jacklin who was playing with her mommy’s phone.

We learned two things. #1, the person who opens the gate, must stay to shut the gate until all trekkers have passed through. Each gate has it’s own way of being securely shut and only the one who opens it will know how it’s to be closed. #2. When you make camp, be sure the heavy porta potty trailer is headed out of camp the way it needs to go the next morning.

During the week, one of the bishopric from the ward we attend called and asked us to speak in sacrament this Sunday. He wanted us to tell about our mission. The old wooden spoon story will serve me once again. Some of you have heard this before, some have not. I shall include the “Old Wooden Spoon” story here for those who have not.

Today you have the opportunity to learn this old spoon’s story and the application of the story.

Several decades ago, I found this spoon in a junktique shop in Arkansas. It isn’t fancy, it’s just an old wooden spoon. It isn’t decorated, it isn’t even pretty. Just a plain old wooden spoon. It was already well worn when I found it. Its bowl already had this flat side from being stirred against pan bottoms. I can’t really tell that I’ve worn it off any further in the decades I’ve had it, so it’s been around a long time. Through the years it has become darkly stained with grape juice which does not wash off. As a whole the spoon is a far cry from being perfect.

However when I’m canning, this flattened side of the bowl is absolutely perfect for scraping fruit off the bottom of the pan before it scorches. It’s long handle is absolutely perfect for stirring clear to the bottom of big canning kettles and absolutely perfect for keeping my fingers away from boiling, splattering jelly. The straight shape of the spoon & handle is perfect to slip down the inside of a jelly bag to scrape the fruit free from the bag which allows the juice to drain more readily.

As a whole the spoon is old, beaten, battered and stained, but there are things it can do more perfectly than a beautiful brand new spoon could. It can do them better because of the experiences it has survived.

Just like this old spoon, we have our imperfections, we have been bruised and battered by trials and tribulations, and are certainly not perfect in many ways. But there are still things we can do more perfectly than others. If we live the gospel as well as we can, our experiences and trials will shape, mold and refine us for further service in the kingdom. I believe it behooves us to do our best to live the gospel and do all we can do to serve in our Father’s kingdom – then Heavenly Father will take care of the rest.

This plain, worn, stained old spoon serves me well. It has become my most used, and my most treasured, canning tool.

I hope, when the day of reckoning comes, that I will be found as useful, versatile and long lasting in my Heavenly Father’s service as this spoon is in my kitchen.
The two of us are serving a mission so we can become more useful ‘old wooden spoons’ in our Heavenly Father’s Kingdom.

It was agreed before hand that we’d wear out weekly “missionary clothing” (our pioneer clothing).. Then just before church we learned the First Presidency asked we not use such props (clothing and spoon) when giving talks. Since we did not learn this until the last minute, the Bishopric said it was OK to proceed as planned — this time only. We let the congregation know we weren’t being willfully disobedient.

9 July – Another lovely, sunny, peaceful & restful Sunday. We left early and did a little bird watching on the way to church – and more as we returned.

10 July – Two sunny days in a row. WOW!!!! What a blessing after last week’s weather.

We saw a baby antelope last week, bounding along with its mommy. About all we could see was its little white rump bouncing through the sage brush. As we related this to some of our trekkers, their photographer told how he’d come on a sleeping baby antelope the year before. He was climbing up a hill for a shot, chose to step around what looked like a cow pie and realized the cow pie had eyes. From a distance, they watched the baby for a good while. It did not move until its mommy came back for it.

Mondays are our “get everything ready for this week’s treks” day. Carts to check for mud & garbage, possibly move carts from one staging area to another, water buffalos to clean, camping spots to plan, ourselves to organize, the depot to clean, trucks to clean and service, etc. etc. And, another route to learn. The snow has finally melted sufficiently to utilize our westward route down Trail Hollow to Lost Creek Dam.

While we were on our trek route today, I spotted two more species of birds……Pine Siskin and some kind of a very light colored hawk which we were told was rather rare – possibly a Northern Harrier. These sightings bring our total to nearly 50 varieties of birds that we’ve seen. Most of them we see frequently enough we are now able to recognize them from distance without using our Nocks. The Pine Siskins were feasting on dandylion seeds.

Included with the mail today was a letter from Scotland. My friend, Ishbel MacAuley, in Stoer received the books of extracted data for seven villages that I sent to her just before we left for our mission – my Stoer Project. In her letter, she said, “I have been engrossed in them since they arrived. They are excellent and will be of great assistance to people coming here looking for their roots.” YEAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She is a multi-generation native of the area. I am absolutely thrilled the tomes have a home and she thinks it’ll all be of help to others.

Love & Laughter
Arnold & Syd

25 May – We heard/saw a super illustration of keeping the Sabbath in our Sunday School lesson today. The teacher asked two bretheren to be the ‘guinea pigs.’ She had bottles of condiments on the table and asked each one separately if they liked each of the condiments. If they liked the condiments, she placed the bottle beside that brother. First she asked if they liked ketsup, next mustard, A-1 Sauce and Tobasco sauce.

As it turned out one fella liked them all and the other didn’t like any of them. Then she brought out two bowls, filled them with Ice Cream and placed the bowls beside the two brothers. The teacher began to pour the condiments over the ice cream in the bowl next to the brother who liked all the condiments and he grimaced at the concoction. The brother who didn’t like any of the condiments began eating his ice cream with nothing poured over it. The teacher concluded the lesson by pointing to the bowl with condiments on the ice cream, and said, “Some things are not appropriate on a Sundae.”

In the evening, Arnold and I hiked to a hill top over looking Sutton’s Reservoir to watch the water birds – through our binoculars, of course. We spotted two new ones to add to our growing list. We also saw a pair of Canadian Geese shepherding five goslings across the water. We were amazed they’d hatched so early in the season!!!!

The water was like glass and some geese at the west end of the water decided to fly to the east end. They flew low, not far above the surface. We could see their reflections in the water just beneath them. Beautiful!!!! Arnold had his camera with him, but was so mesmerized he totally forgot to take a photo.

26 May – Emily tells us that Kiley used an experience she had last summer with her mom for a talk in church recently. They were out on a horse back ride. Kiley was ahead of Emily and a thought came into Emily’s head, “She’s OK.” At the time Em’ thought it rather strange because she could see Kiley up ahead – of course she was OK. Then, Kiley’s horse decided to do it’s own thing in a big hurry. A thought came into Kiley’s mind, “Get off this horse now!” She did a fast dismount and the horse went its way. Em came up to where Kiley was, calmly checked her out and they went about their business. Em and Kiley feel the Holy Spirit prompted them both to remedy what could have been a nasty, scary situation.

Today we awoke to pouring rain. During the day it tried to snow, too. No hiking trek routes today. Darn!! Instead we took care of other business. During a lull in the weather and a in the midst of a short sunny spell, the Elders took the high pressure hose to their trucks – all four of them (wink) – to wash off all the red mud from the muddy roads. They also checked all the fluid levels and tire pressure.

I helped a couple of the sisters move photos from their camera cards to their hard drives. Then we burned backup CD’s of their photos. Fun!!!

Over the last couple days, the cowboys (yeah, real cowboys) moved cattle from one part of the ranch to another. The first leg of the drive brought the cattle to a pasture right beside our camp area. The cattle remained there from Saturday night til this morning. The cowboys came back this morning and moved them on down the road elsewhere on the property. Kind of fun to watch.

It cleared up this evening, so tomorrow looks promising. I hope!!!

27 May – Beautiful day with puffy clouds floating about. The Sisters all went to the main ranch to pick up the mail, packages and deliver check requisitions. We had to go around, rather than through the ranch, as it was too wet to go through. We did errands in town on the way back. The Elders spent the day prepping porta potties and hand carts. They took the trucks over to the Dairy Barn, pressure washed the porta potties, hauled them to their beginning trek parking places and moved about 30 handcarts to the Corrals. There are more handcarts yet to move in the next few days. Last, they brought a smaller water tank over to the Depot. The water trailers (water buffalos) fill up here at the Depot.

In the afternoon, I finished splitting the big chunks of wood, but some were too full of knots and wouldn’t split. I drove down to the main gate, scraped the old paint off the sign at the entrance and painted it with primer. Then, I started in scraping old paint off the door jambs on Pappy’s Bunk House.

This evening Elder Sherwood took a few of us for a look see at some territory we had not yet seen. We drove Clutch. While we were miles away, on top of a ridge, we heard something clunk really loud under the truck. We stopped, got out and took a look. The carrier bearing bracket had fallen out and the drive shaft was almost on the ground. Elders Hawk and Sherwood scrambled under the truck to see what could be done. I wandered back up the road we’d just come down and discovered (quite happily for everyone) the carrier bearing bracket lying in the road a hundred yards or so back. I brought it to the Elders who joyfully discovered the nuts that hold the bracket onto the truck were still in their ‘well’ up under the chassis. There were tools in the truck and the bracket was quickly re-fastened in place. And away we went. Interesting adventures!!!!!!

Once we were rolling again, there were a few comments at the incompetence of the mechanics who recently replaced the clutch.
To replace a clutch, they would have had to loosen the bracket. It appears they did not tightened up the bracket when they reassembled the truck. Well, it’s fixed now – by two Elders lying on their backs under the truck on a dirt road out in the middle of nowhere!!!!!!!! GRIN!!

While the Elders were fixing Clutch, I walked back to the top of the hill behind us just for a look around. Lovely view. WOW!! I could see clear down Crane Hollow to the reservoir and the Dairy Bowl beyond. I’m tickled to death that this country is starting to make sense……all the little pieces are beginning to form a bigger picture in my mind.

Tomorrow is P-Day. Two of the Elders are going to Salt Lake to pick up NoSeeUm. At least, we hope they do!!!!!!!! Another couple will visit some of their family in the valley. Arnold and I will stay around here, meet a person at the main gate who is returning handcarts, do some repairs/fixing up around the Depot and make a trip to town for more errands. We’ll have the day to ourselves out here in this glorious, interesting country.

29 May – Lovely day!!!! Early this morning (before breakfast) I planted seeds in the garden. In the evening I ran a home soil test on the garden soil to find it highly alkaline and very low in other nutrients. I have some general fertilizer which will help the latter but must get some sulpher to counter act the alkali in the soil.

The Elders prepped handcarts all day. I finished painting the main entrance sign but still have some touch up to do on the letters – darn paint ran under the stencils. I, also finished getting all the loose paint of the door jambs at Pappy’s. Tomorrow (possibly) I’ll mask and caulk and maybe even get some primer on. And maybe the sisters will have time to clean at Pappy’s. Pappy’s Bunk House is our ‘guest house.’ It has two ‘apartments’. Each has two bunk beds and it’s own full bath.

Sadly, NoSeeUm is still NoSeeUm. The Elders returned from the valley without the fourth vehicle.

Recently we purchased some topo maps of the area and have mapped out the way points for each route. We used post-it flags to mark the way points – a different color for each route. It really helps me to ‘see’ the big picture!!!

31 May – The last couple days the Elders finished hauling the porta-johns and the hand carts to the staging areas at Fox Hollow and the Corrals and making sure they were all properly prepared. It was necessary to power wash the handcarts because birds had roosted in the barn all winter and left their calling cards all over the handcarts.

We sisters have dusted, cleaned, polished and scrubbed Pappy’s Bunk House within in inch of its life. We now have clean, though rudimentary, guest quarters when guests do come. Guests have to bring their own bedding (or a sleeping bag), towels, etc etc. We do keep Pappy’s supplied with toilet paper and hand soap, but that’s it. And, the Depot kitchen will most likely be available to guests for cooking purposes. The kitchen has dishes, silver and a yard sale selection of pots and pans – ie all different types, mismatched lids, an odd assortment of baking pans and an various serving/cooking utensils.

Since three couples were busy with route reviews and Ma & Pa training treks throughout the day today, the fourth couple washed and sanitized all four of our water buffalos.

Our first week of treks starts this next Wednesday (4 June) and all four couples have a trek. It’s been a huge choreographing job to position all four treks so they can feel like they’re the only ones out there while they’re out trekking. Just today during route reviews we discovered some of the different groups’ itineraries do not work with the routes we had previously planned. So we must sit down tomorrow and re-choreograph a little to make it work for everyone. Not to mention the fact that one of the routes, Lost Creek, is still too full of snow to use. One thing about this place, it’s always an adventure.

I purchased a small soil test kit and tested the garden. Of the four elements tested, three were at the utmost low. The fourth, went off the top of the charts. Bottom line, the soil is extremely alkaline which we will counter act with a top dressing of soil sulphur. The lack of the other three (nitrogen, phosphorous & potash) will be remedied by the application of a bag of 16-16-16 fertilizer. That ought to make green growing things happy.

During our route review today we discovered a fun thing this group does. The porta-potties are a green color – you know, white top and green sides. The trekkers are always looking forward to their next water/potty stop. So, during the Stake’s last trek a few years ago, the Stake President put on his thinking cap and gave the porta-potty trailers a new name – The Emerald City. “Follow the red clay road to the Emerald City.” What fun!!!

This week one of the other couples saw a doe Antelope with two fawns. There are several does hanging about the hillside north of the Depot. They tell us that’s where some of the does come to have their babies. We’ll have to watch and see.

2 June – Lovely sunny Sunday yesterday!!!! A baby was blessed in our ward so we took a baby bath towel to give the new baby. I took notes and Arnold took pictures. Next week we’ll give them our “transcript” of the blessing.

Today, Arnold went with Elder Sherwood to the meeting at the Home Ranch. Since I was up early (they leave at 6am) I went out to the garden to work. Got it thoroughly weeded, fertilized and hauled off all the dug up weeds and roots. Also worked some more on the door jambs at Pappy’s – all but one door is ready for masking off and primer. Maybe tomorrow?!

While cleaning Pappy’s this week, I discovered a sign for the building that someone laboriously carved out of a 2×12. Today I finished repainting the sign. Looks nice!!!! Now, Arnold will assist in putting it up. We think we’ll use a metal fence post out front.

Arnold and I went up on Lake Ridge to spot a trail coming into Lake Ridge that our trek this week is going to use. We’ve seen it from the east end, but we wanted to get a good bead on the west end – which we did!!! It’s so lovely up there. You can see for miles. It feels like we’re on top of the world and we’re the only ones in it.

However, the forecast for the latter part of the week is rather grim – showers Wed & Thu with possible snow showers. How I hope the weather will not be a hazard to our trekkers!!!!!

3 June – P-Day again – a working P-Day. We watered the garden, gassed up Charlie, picked up supplies in town, filled water buffalos and other miscellaneous jobs that needed done.

When they were filling water buffalos, I climbed into Clutch to move the truck and attached buffalo away from the hydrant so another buffalo could be filled. I realized it was needed down at Fox Hollow tonight and asked if they wanted me to deliver it down there. They did, so I did. Elder Sherwood found out I can drive a stick shift (none of the other women can) so he quickly designated Clutch as “our” trek vehicle. Arnold gave me the dickens cuz it’s a Chevy and he doesn’t like Chevys, but what else could be done? Giggle.

Our tally of wildlife seen has gone to nearly 50 different species of birds….ones I never thought I’d ever see. Grebes, all sorts of ducks, snipes (yes there is such a bird), Sandhill Cranes, American Avocet (the bird with a stuck up bill), white faced ibis, Bald & Golden Eagles, several other birds of prey, and lots of little perching birds. One of the birds has a call very similar to that of a Whippoorwill. It took us until this week to figure out which bird was making the call – it is called a Willet and looks very much like a Wilson’s Snipe.

We have everything ready to GO!!!!! We know our routes, campsites designated, water buffalos are filled, carts are in place, and porta potties are in place. We have set the Lord’s stage – prepared His arena. Once the trekkers arrive, the rest is in His hands. We know good things will happen for the Trekkers. Hopefully, we’ll get to hear about some of them.

Love & Laughter
Arnold & Syd

12 May – Awoke to snow this morning. Somewhere in the middle of the night the wind stopped blowing. The quiet and stillness woke me up. It took me a few minutes to realize why. Had to giggle. We had spits of snow throughout the morning but it was all gone by afternoon. Boy the wood stove sure felt good today. Then in the late afternoon, the wind blew in again heralding the next approaching storm.

Because of the weather, we did no hiking along the trails today. Maybe tomorrow. Instead we did paperwork, cleaned the Depot some more and had a fun home evening with the other three couples. We all get along super fine…..no clashes, no one upman ship, just good folks. It’s wonderful!!!!!
Arnold did some repair and fixing this afternoon – when the weather was milder. He refastened some sheet metal that had worked loose on one of the big flatbed trailers used to haul handcarts from spot to spot. And, he dug a drainage ditch which will allow water on the road to drain away rather than causing a mud hole.

14 May – Oops I skipped a day. Today was P-Day and we went down the mountain to take care of errands in Utah Valley. Yesterday we learned trek routes about the property. We drove on the roads the trekkers will use and walked overland where they’ll be going cross country (no roads). We have learned the three Corral routes – Corral West, Corral North and Corral North North (no that’s not a typo, that’s really what they call it). Next we start on the Fox Hollow routes. The Lost Creek route will be last and, hopefully, the drifts will be melted and wet spots dried up soon so we can learn that one.

The snow banks that kept us snowed out in the beginning are nearly all gone now. Had the warmer weather come a couple weeks sooner, we wouldn’t have been snowed out. Elsewhere the snow banks are melting fast – you can almost see them shrinking.

Most of the routes make a full circle and end up where they started. The Lost Creek route is the only one that does not end where it starts. But, we manage that by taking a trek down and leaving the carts at the bottom. The next group to do the route brings the carts back up.

I’m beginning to realize I have a pretty good built in GPS in my head. I cannot give you co-ordinates, but once I’ve been over the ground, I can usually see (in my head) a bird’s eye view of where I’ve been. I guess all the times I helped my dad navigate by reading maps for him as he drove about the world have taught me quite thoroughly. I can remember him teaching me how to read a topo map when I was in 4th grade. Not to mention, I was born with an internal compass. I can remember the direction most of our houses faced clear back to when I was 3 or 4. For a long time I thought everybody thought about and comprehended directions just like I do. I was an adult before I learned I was ‘strange’ that way. However, I can get lost and totally confused on a cloudy day, but not on a sunny day. I guess my internal GPS takes note of and plots directions from the sun.

While we were down in the valley today, Arnold purchased a new pair of binoculars. I can actually see with these. I’ve never been able to really use binoculars – never could figure out why, but these really work for me!!!!!!!!!! YEAY!! We went bird watching tonight by Shearing Pond (just south of our camp at the Depot). We spotted some Ruddy Ducks and another duck we cannot identify with the bird books we have. It looked like an oreo cookie – black head and chest, white middle and black tail. We also saw a lone Antelope buck come down the road near our camp’s gate. Since we both constantly wanted to look we kept the Nocks (binoculars) really busy. Arnold decided we must purchase a second pair so both of us can look at the same time. Giggle.

I also purchased some towels & wash cloths to make some baby bath towels. The wash cloth is shaped & sewed then sewed onto the middle of the towel to form a hood for the baby’s head. We sisters are going to gift these baby towels to the new babies in the wards we attend. One couple has already had a baby blessing in their ward. In our ward they announced a new birth last week, so we’ll have one coming up soon. I’d never seen these neat little baby gifts until our friend, Lynette Taylor, made one for one of our grandchildren. The other missionary sisters were glad of the neat idea. Thanks Lynette!!!!!

16 May – Looks like I skipped a day again. We walked and drove routes yesterday morning, then spent the afternoon working with our GPS phones to get the waypoints correctly marked and put into the phones. These GPS phones are kind of a walkie talkie and kind of a portable GPS device. Neat toys!!!! Grin.
The computer guy came up from Salt Lake this morning to get our satellite up and running. The desktop has a problem with an unknown password on a virus protection program that’s on it. We worked with that, without resolution, until nearly noon. He had tried all the tricks he knew and finally determined he’d have to do deeper research to remedy the situation remotely.

As soon as he was done, the sisters all drove cross country to the main ranch – cross country meaning across ranch property, not by highways. Lovely place!!! Good thing I had my map along as the two sisters who were here last year would not have remembered which way to turn at a couple intersections. The map I have is a copy of a topo map with the roads hand drawn on the original topo. We have discovered some of hand drawn items aren’t quite accurate.

I pulled a James/Brent (for those of you who don’t know, James & Brent are the two in the family who are always playing with words) on the sisters as we drove to the main ranch house. I saw a couple of hawks flying, pointed them out to the other sisters and said, “There’s a couple hawks up there……and there’s another in the back seat.” (One of our missionary couple’s last name is Hawk.) It took the other sisters a minute or two to get it. But, we had a good giggle.

After visiting the ranch HQ we drove into town (via the highway), did some shopping and finally got home in time to fix supper. The Elders were just winding up their afternoon of route plotting on google earth and had me type out a list of co-ordinates for one of the routes. We are getting organized in a techy way!!! We’ll give these lists to our trek groups so they can plot their path and create their own route maps.

After dinner Arnold and I took our lawn chairs down to Sutton’s Creek Reservoir to bird watch for an hour or so as the sun sank toward the horizon. We saw six new species we hadn’t seen before and many we had already spotted. Some of the ducks are so colorful!!!! A pair of Sandhill Cranes foraged up in the sage brush along the far shore. A fearless American Coot pottered about very close to where we sat.
While the Elders were out driving trek routes this morning, they added a Red Tailed Hawk and a Golden Eagle and lots of big game to our list of beasties sighted.

17 May – Kind of a lazy day today. Did lots of little jobs around our “camp.” We brought our splitting maul up from the valley earlier this week because some of the logs are too big to fit into the stove. One of my jobs today was to restocked the wood box in the Depot. I also tidied up a pile of wood near the Depot which had some big logs in it. I used the splitting maul on the big logs and discovered I can still split wood without breaking the handle. Yeay!!!! I did some sewing on pioneer clothes for myself – made a pair of pantaloons and almost finished a blouse.

The Hawk’s had their first route review this morning. They left quite nervous about the job they’d do, but came back grinning. Before they left, Arnold took their picture in their pioneer finery out by our front gate. Man they really looked the part!!!!! Arnold also made them a nice booklet to give to the trail boss that came for the route review. The Hawks were pleased with his efforts.

I started turning over the garden this afternoon. Just as I finished a row, Arnold came out to tell me we had a route review Monday morning. Kinda slipped our minds this morning when we were organizing things. So, he’s been working on creating the paperwork ever since. He’s creates the route maps using Google Earth – an impressive job!!!

Took some time this evening and walked out to Shearing Pond to watch the ducks and water birds. Found yet another new species. GRIN!!!

The snow banks have melted fast – really fast- this last week. I sure hope the water levels in the rivers and creeks aren’t getting too high down in the valley.

May 18 – The brother who collapsed in church last week, is home and mending. It appears he had a bad case of pneumonia. We are thankful he is mending.

Tomorrow is our first Route Review. We dress in our pioneer garb, meet them at the gate, give them a map of their trek route, then drive them around (the part that is on roads) on their route so they can see where they’re going. We have to figure out how far they go their first day and each succeeding day, where they’ll camp each night, where the water/potty stops will be during the day and where they’ll have their Women’s pull. Man there’s a heap of logistics that go on behind the scenes to make a trek work.
When a group has Woman’s pull the fellas are called away and the women have to continue pulling the carts alone…..usually up a pretty good grade. Near the top, the guys have to stand and watch the gals struggle. Finally, close to the top of the pull, the fellas are allowed to assist the gals the last bit to make it to the top. It’s really hard for the guys to stand by not helping and it’s tough for the gals to pull all alone. It’s a very concrete lesson for both the guys and the gals in male/female team work.

Went bird watching on Shearing pond this evening. Got a really good look at an Eared Grebe. He has red eyes. Amazing looking bird. While we were out, we checked on the nesting Killdeer to find she has abandoned her nest. Darn!! I had hoped we could watch the progress of her nesting.

19 May – We did our first Route Review today with S Jordan 9th ward. Drove them over their route, explaining possible camp sites, women’s pull areas, water/potty stops and such. It took about three hours from start to finish

This afternoon, after lunch, we walked a part of the Fox Hollow routes. We went cross country from Fox Hollow (down near the Wahsatch gate or Exit 191 on I-80), over two ridges into Sutton’s Hollow then over another ridge into Shearing hollow where we stopped at a point called 235 along the pipeline not far from our camp (The Depot). The pipeline is a big, buried petroleum pipe line that crosses the ranch property from east to west. It starts across the property at the Corrals (SE corner of the property near I-80), passes just south of the Depot along Shearing Hollow and continues west.

20 May – P-Day today. Arnold and I went to town, out to ranch head quarters to pick up a package then back to town. The package was our second set of 10×32 binoculars. We purchased one set last P-Day and liked them so much we called Out-n-back and had them ship us a second set. On the way back to town from ranch HQ we stopped to watch birds a whole bunch of times. The Bear River bottom runs down through the ranch and has lots of little water spots where the birds gather. What fun we had ID’ing the birds. With two sets of ‘nocks’ we could both watch the same birds at the same time. (Didn’t have to share one pair, giggle) We saw a young Bald Eagle (his tail was white but his head had not yet turned white), a pair of terns doing ariel acrobatics, gulls, Cinnamon Teals, Western Shovelers, Long-billed Curlews (their bills are as long as their bodies), and the usual mallards and coots. When we were through we looked at each other, chuckled and said, “What a couple of crazy’s we are.”

In the evening all the missionaries (all eight of us) gathered for a BBQ in the pavillion then sat around swapping stories. Lovely end to a leisurely day.

21 May – After a night of wild weather (so wild all us sisters thought the wind would roll our trailers – the wind came broadside at the trailers) we awoke this morning to snow. It snowed off and on all day long. The Sherwood’s had a route review, but due to the wet weather, some roads were too muddy to travel on. In fact, the road out of camp to the interstate is best driven in 4-wheel drive. Even then, the truck will sashay and slip in some spots.

All the rest of the missionaries found things to do inside. Sister Platt and I did computer things while Elder Platt, the Hawks & Arnold worked on creating route maps – all of which is work that needs done to make a trek work.

Looks like the weather is going to continue for a few days, so Arnold and I went to town this evening and picked up some contact paper, among other errands. Tomorrow I shall keep busy doing a “contact attack” on the kitchen cupboards at the Depot. Currently there is no shelf paper at all on the shelves.

Our ‘camp’ is in a hollow with low hills on all sides. The main road comes in from the SE before turning west to come up our lane and into the ‘missionary camp’ which every one calls the Depot. The entry gate is on the SE corner of the parking area. The trailers park in a east west row with the hitch end pointing NW and the back end pointing SE. As you come in the gate, our trailer is the first on the left, followed by Sherwood’s motor home, Platt’s 5th wheel and Hawk’s 5th wheel. Pappy’s Bunk House (which we don’t use) is on the north side of the parking area on the right as you enter the gate. The Depot building is just north of Pappy’s. On the NW corner of the parking area is the pavillion. South of the pavillion and on the west side of the parking area is the tool shed. On the south side of the tool shed is our garden, dubbed the Garden of Eat In.

22 May – When we are assisting a trek group, each couple needs a vehicle and we are not to use our personal vehicles. So, a couple weeks ago the Elders went over to the main ranch and picked up two trucks which are designated for trek use only. One broke down on the way home. – the clutch totally went out. Thankfully they made it into Evanston, just barely, where the truck totally stopped right next to the Chevy garage. The truck is a Chevy – guess it knew where it needed to be. The other truck wouldn’t pull hills with any power but it did make it home.

About a week ago, the Elders went down to Salt Lake City where they were supposed to pick up two more trucks from the church motor pool. They came home with only one, another Chevy, which has been dubbed “Fancy” because it sure is fancier than the other two. The one that broke down in town is now named, “Clutch.” and the other that came from the ranch is “Charlie,” a Ford. Charlie has now been fixed (new fuel pump and filter) and has good power. The fourth truck we were promised has yet to be seen and is now named, “No Seeum.” So there you have it, our four trek trucks are Fancy, Charlie, Clutch and No Seeum.
The Elders have fun talking about the trucks by name and, of course, comparing Fords to Chevy’s, etc. Yesterday, I over heard them planning a photo of the four Elders with their four trucks. Of course, there’d only be three trucks in the picture cuz No Seeum is invisible. Giggle.

Clutch has been in the shop almost two weeks now. First they forgot to take a look at it, second it took them several days to order the necessary parts, then third, they broke the clutch pedal in the process of replacing the clutch. Go figure!!! GRIN But, a couple of the Elders have gone into town today to pick up Clutch. Hopefully, it’ll be reliable for the rest of the season.

We are house bound again today, weather is too wet to get on these dirt roads to do any route training. We have, in fact, attempted to postpone several of our route reviews so we don’t rut up the roads (something the Ranch does not want us to do). So to stay busy, the Elders are building route maps with the help of Google Earth and another similar software program, plotting way points on the maps, and generally preparing master route maps and lists of way points for the future. This way they become better acquainted with the routes, get them mapped in their heads and our master lists will serve others in succeeding years.
These route maps are really important to the success of a trek. The terrain here is rolling hills covered with grass and sage brush with hollows between and an occasional pond. There are no significant landmarks for one to use to take a bearing and one hill looks just the same as the last. It’d be so easy for someone to get lost without the information necessary to stay on track. And, we as ‘guardian angels’ must know the route like the back of our hand to keep groups from getting lost. Frequently, adverse weather may change a trek in mid course and we have to move a group to a more sheltered location. If we don’t know the area like we know our own homes we can’t do the job.

With the wild, wet weather we’ve been having, I’ve tried to comprehend how a group of trekkers could successfully manage. I don’t think they could have. I think we would have had to ‘rescue’ them. I sure hope the elements are gentler and kinder when the trekkers come.

Down in the Depot, there is a kitchen, a living room (complete with wood stove), a bath room with showers and a huge room containing several bunk beds, our laundry and our ‘office.’ We have our Sunday dinners in the Depot kitchen and our daily meetings are always around the big kitchen table.
This morning I did a ‘contact attack’ (putting contact paper on the shelves and in the drawers) on the kitchen cupboards at the Depot. I was able to do all but one of the cupboards before lunch. Of course, I finished the remaining cupboard right after lunch.

This is a very different kind of mission. We have been told that if we see something that needs done, do it. So besides our regular responsibilities, Arnold keeps the low spot in our drive way drained so it doesn’t become a total mud hole and we will be repairing handcarts in the very near future . I’m doing the garden and have planned to repaint the sign at the Wahsatch entrance gate and some door jambs on Pappy’s bunk house that are badly weathered. It’ll be interesting to see what other ‘jobs’ we find to do in our spare time.
When treks start, the first week of June, we’ll be really busy all day shepherding our group, making sure they have water, know where to camp, keep their vehicles on the road and don’t park them on the meadows, show the ‘water buffalo’ driver how to get back to where he can fill the tank again and knows how and where to find his group once the fill up is complete. We’ll also be the ‘enviro-cops’ who make certain they leave no trace as they agreed to do.

We understand that some times a group leader has his/her own ideas in spite of the rules the ranch has laid for the trekkers. We’ll have our jobs cut out for us should we meet such a person!!!

May 23 – Last night there was a power outage and today the phones and the internet do not work. All the missionaries here use Verizon and most use Verizon for the internet as well. However, the church satellite system is not down and it does allow us to read our email.

All day today it either rained, sleeted or snowed. Our jobs were all inside today. I washed windows at the Depot and scraped spattered paint off the glass. I typed up lists of GPS way points for the various routes then plotted them on Google Earth. In the process of plotting, I found some errors which the bretheren quickly corrected. I think we have good lists now.

Several of the missionaries are filling spare time by building leather scripture totes for themselves under the tutelage of Elder Sherwood. They really look nice, and I’d love to have a leather one, but cannot figure out how to make it a zippered case like I’m using right now. I really like the way the case opens in my lap like a book. We tried to figure out how to make a leather tote just like my current one, but didn’t come up with anything that really worked. Guess I’ll have to do some research on the topic and see what develops.
Today one of the Elders took photos of our trucks. I reminded him he should not forget to include No Seeum and asked him if he wanted me to be a “Vanna” to indicate where No Seeum might be parked. He did, so I did, and we both had a good giggle. The next morning he printed the picture with a caption explaining that I had my hand on the tail gate of the 4th truck. What a hoot!!!!

The Sherwoods and Platts have been doing this mission for 2-3 years now. I understand, they won’t be returning next year so we have a eye single to leaving a good paper and electronic trail for the next lead couple to follow in succeeding years. We hope to come back next year and I think the Hawk’s are also planning to return.

24 May – Today dawned clear and crisp and sufficiently dry that we were able to walk a cross country leg of the Fox Hollow Route. As Elder Sherwood shows us the cross country portions of the route, there is invariably an antelope standing on the far hill right in line with where he says the route will take us. The joke has become that the instructions are to, “Just go straight toward the antelope.” Arnold and I chuckle that this is much like the expression the Brits use in their directions, “…and it’s just theah,” which can mean ‘right there’ or several miles down the road. We Americans can never figure out which.

As we were hiking this morning, we intersected a route we walked the other day. I decided to see if my “internal GPS” recorded things correctly and started off ahead of every one else. I went in what I thought was the direction of the next way point. Part way through Arnold shouted, “Hey, Syd, turn left.” I thought it odd, but obediently turned left. When we came out near the way point we were well to the left of where the way point was. My internal GPS had been correct, the rest of them just decided to go another way. GRIN!!!!!!
Tomorrow is Sunday – another day of rest and feasting on The Word. I do enjoy Sunday and church!!!!

Love & Laughter
Arnold & Syd

May 6 – We arrived!!!!! The snow banks were removed – all be it was pretty sloppy muddy going – and we had all utilities by the end of the day. By the time we arrived, the snow banks had diminished to two feet deep of rock hard drift, certainly enough to keep anyone other than a dozer from getting through.

There are snow banks everywhere on the lee side of every hill and anywhere else that broke the wind.
The antelope are about, as are the ground squirrels and jack rabbits (BIG ones that stand nearly a foot and a half tall). Not to mention the many birds – LOTS of different ones.
There are several large stock ponds close by that always have ducks paddling about and we can hear the frogs croaking in the marshy spots. We’re going to have to get busy and study up on these birds so we can identify them.

I found the garden located on the west side of our ‘camp.’ It is snuggled against the south side of the tool shed. The garden gate has a title bar across the top that proclaims, “The Garden of Eat In.” Cute and creative!!!! The soil is too wet to work yet, but I have plans and I did remove dried vegetation and uprooted some weeds. In the garden, I found multiplier onions and rhubarb plants just sprouting and something else yet to be identified. The garden is fenced to keep big and little critters out. Little ones still find ways to get in, I’m told. Hopefully, we’ll get enough warm dry weather soon and I’ll be able to begin getting things organized for an attempt at high elevation gardening.

May 7 – Just to the NW of our “camp” is an old shearing shed used many years ago for shearing sheep.
The wood is beautifully aged. What a blast it would be to make picture frames out of the old boards. North of us is the old “Depot” building which was moved from the Wahsatch siding (right next to I-80) onto the property. What an interesting old building it is – high ceilings, tall windows and an interesting hipped roof. We hold our meetings around a big table in the building which is warmed by a wood stove. Oh how I enjoy wood heat!!!!

Also at our ‘camp’ there is a small bunk house (used in the fall for Elk hunters) and a pavilion (dirt floor with siding on just the windward side with some picnic tables) where we can seek shelter from the summer sun. Wonder how much time we’ll have to enjoy the pavilion?

We went to town yesterday and today for various supplies required to get things prepped for the summer. I thought Evanston was a pretty big town, but it is a small town! A big Wal-Mart and a whole heap of eateries supported by the freeway traffic is about it. We’ll have to go to Park City for ink cartridges for the ‘church’ printer.

Today it blew and rained, not enough rain to measure, but enough to send us scurrying indoors a few times. And, the wind blew hard and gusty enough to blow out the pilot on our water heater even though it is in a vented compartment under the trailer. Interesting!!

May 8 – Arnold and I took a walk last night along the little ridge south of our Camp. The ground was damp from the day’s rains and the soil stuck to our shoes until we were walking on an inch of mud that had stuck onto the bottom of our shoes. We could easily imagine what the trekkers will experience when a rainstorm comes through.

On our walk the previous night we spotted a HUGE jack rabbit over near the shearing shed. The rabbit must have been a good foot and a half tall as it sat on the ground. It had its back to us and didn’t notice our approach until we were quite close. WOW it was big!!!! Bigger than the bunnies I used to raise. Arnold teased that he thought he saw antlers but realized we’re still in Utah and Jackalopes only grown in Wyoming so it couldn’t have been one of those legendary Jackalopes. Giggle

We think we have solved our problem with the water heater. We troubleshot the situation via phone and internet with Miller’s in Spanish Fork. Together we eliminated the possibilities of air in the line, insufficient pressure, a malfunctioning thermocouple and bad gas. In the end, we reverted back to our first guess and erected a windbreak (while maintaining proper ventilation) and the pilot has not blown out since. Now comes the task to make the wind break more permanent and looking less like a collection of junk.

Today we cleaned the Depot building. The Depot contains our meeting room, laundry, computer room, a lavatory complete with shower, a kitchen for group dinners and that oh so nice wood stove to warm ourselves around. I went over to the Depot early this morning (before our 8am meeting) to finish tying a quilt, so I had the fun of building the fire this morning. By the time our 8am morning meeting convened the place was comfortably warm. I haven’t lost my touch!! Grin.

This evening after dinner, Arnold and I filled the wood box beside the stove, filled a 5 gallon bucket with kindling and removed the ash accumulation from inside the stove. Then, we took a walk down the road and along the power line to the east. We discovered some sprouting plants whose leaves look quite like those of a Hyacinth bulb. We’re going to watch the patch to see if they are Sego Lillies. I’ve never seen one growing, just pictures of the flower.

May 9 – Today I set up and organized the computers. Tidied up the hard drives, and got the printers hooked up and the copier running. I also built some documents for the lead couple.

Arnold and Elder Hawk did a lot of organizing on the GPS business. They have been instructed to use these walkie-talkies that also contain a GPS device. They are gathering the necessary co-ordinates for each of the various trails the trekkers will take and will give the list to the trek’s trail boss to help keep them on track.

Took a long walk this evening around Shearing Hollow Pond (a bit over 2 miles around). Shearing Hollow pond lies to the south of our camp. We saw a heap of birds, lots of wildlife scat and some white and yellow belly flowers in bloom. (Belly flowers are tiny, short things. You have to get down on your belly to really get a good look at them – hence the name) We decided to start a list to keep track of the flora and fauna we’ve seen. Tonight, not long before bed, we heard some noise outside. I opened the trailer door to hear better. A coyote or two were yipping not far away. This place is awesome!!!!!

The wind blew today – rained a little – sideways, no less. Arnold’s wind baffle for the hot water heater is working. The pilot didn’t go out today, in spite of the wind. HORAY!!!

May 10 – This morning we walked the part of the Corral North Trail that goes cross country from the Corrals to The Barn. The Corrals can be seen from I-80 east of where we’re camped. The barn is north east of the Corrals about 2.5 miles. There was lots of coyote sign all along where we walked this morning.

We learned that one cannot take a handcart up a hill that’s sloped sideways without putting great strain on the down hill wheel. So the trail boss must pick the most level pathway through the sage to keep the carts from breaking. And, we also learned that crossing rutted cow trails with the handcarts puts a great strain on the wheels, too. A wheel that’s taken too much strain will ‘blow out’ (the spokes come loose from the hub in the middle). They have a blown out wheel hung on the ‘pavillion’ here at camp. When a wheel goes it really looks nasty. I suspect we will use that as a visual aid when we do a Route Review with each group’s trail boss.

As we drove about the ranch this morning, we saw a pair of Sandhill Cranes, LOTS of antelope and a Prairie Falcon. While on our ‘trek’ this morning I found a large fluffy feather which Arnold now sports from his hatband. It must have come from a quite large bird as the feather is a good six inches long.

In the evening we discovered fresh coyote tracks in the mud which a melting snowbank left behind – which snow bank melted off only yesterday. The snowbank and tracks were in the ‘front yard’ of the depot where we have our early morning meeting. Had no idea coyotes would come that close, but that must be where they were when we heard them yipping last night.

This afternoon, Arnold busied himself with some sheet metal and made a more permanent wind shield for the hot water heater. He created the thing so it can remain in place even when we’re towing. It’s worked wonderfully and the pilot has remained lit. So nice to have that hot water for a shower after a dusty day!!!!!! We are very thankful the problem was so easily solved. It could have been something much more drastic.

Tomorrow we go to church in Evanston. Each couple has been assigned a ward to attend on a regular basis. All the wards meet at 9am. After church we return here to the depot for a group dinner. We are each assigned a portion of the menu (main dish, vegetable, starch & desert) to prepare and the assignments rotate from Sunday to Sunday.
The trek groups are usually organized into families – one family per handcart. A ‘ma’ and a ‘pa’ have been assigned 8-10 ‘children.’ Trough the course of the trek they do become like a second family to each other.

As I’ve tidied up the files on the computers and the files in the ‘office,’ I have come across story after story of the wonderful experiences some have had. Though we may never know if the people in the trek groups we assist have such great experiences, it is a honor to know that we are helping Heavenly Father. This is His stage. We are just back stage hands (for lack of a better description). We do the behind the scenes work necessary to prepare the arena and we may never get to see the ‘performance,’ but, it is an honor and a blessing to know we are doing things to help Him get His work done.

May – 11 Our day in church was quite eventful. One of the bretheren passed out on the floor just at the beginning of Sunday School. One of the other brothers had been some sort of a nurse and quickly took over the situation. The stricken brother obviously wasn’t getting enough air, so a very elder sister who had her portable oxygen there and offered it. His color came back to normal quite quickly. When the brother awoke he asked, “What am I doing on the floor?” The paramedics arrived and took him to the hospital. We all hope he’s going to be OK.

In Sacrament Meeting four graduating seniors all spoke. What a spectacular bunch of youth they are!!! We were really impressed!!!!

The wind is blowing a warm gale from the south – the trailer shakes from the gusts. I expect a good storm in the next day or so as always happens here in Utah.

Love & Laughter
Elder & Sister Young

What a busy a full week we’ve spent. Our group of trek missionaries, spent Monday morning (Apr 28) at the temple. The rest of the week we had training meetings every day. We learned all about the logistics and ecology preservation measures that we need to know to be good trek shepherds and watchful guardian angels too keep trekkers on the right trail and safe. A heap of stuff!!!!!!! So many things to learn!!!! Our lead couple say we’re kind of like police men when it comes to no trace camping (eco-cops as Arnold has put it).

Each couple were assigned a share of trek groups to keep tabs on and we were given the assignment to contact each group. We made contact with all but one – didn’t have much contact info on that one so it took us several days to track down that last one. But we finally made contact on Sunday by calling their Stake office.

I have been designated “care taker” of the “church” computer. As I was tidying up the computer, I found trek files all over the place so I put them all in a folder and organized them into appropriate sub folders. Someone removed the My Computer icon from the system and even the guru’s couldn’t find it again. So I must rely on key strokes to open it (FYI Windows Flag key + E opens My Computer).

In one of the files, I found excerpts of comments kids had made after going on a trek……tear jerkers, all of them!!!! I read the list to our group the following day. We’ll probably never hear such comments from the kids we assist, but just knowing many of them will come away with the same feelings about themselves and their lives is quite enough. Here’s a sample. Enjoy!!!

Boy- “….on trek I saw ruts on the road—as in life, despite the ruts we just keep pushing forward”

Boy- “I saw the strength of our YW-it put me to shame. As I pushed I saw my own weakness. I must rely on the Savior.”

Girl- “I came here to get closer to God and it worked!”

Boy- “The first day was the hardest day. The first day was my favorite day. The rain storm unified us.”

Girl- “My parents made me come—so glad—I found new friends, learned about pioneer struggles. I asked for help at the hardest time, and it came.”

Boy- “Trek has helped me gain a better understanding of what’s important. I think it was getting away from the world. I am recommitted to doing what’s right and serving a mission.”

Boy- “Before I came I thought about all I would miss ie. TV, CD player, computer, but I didn’t miss any of it. Trek has lit my fire!!!”

Girl- “Trek is now a piece of my testimony puzzle”

Girl- “My pa told me something cool. In church they are always telling us to have faith to move mountains. But sometimes it can take even more faith to climb over that mountain.”

Girl- “I will settle for nothing but a worthy priesthood holder in my home as a husband.”

Boy- “Because the pioneers were willing to sacrifice their lives for the Lord, I can easily sacrifice two years of mine.” (This youth was sharing his testimony of now wanting to serve the Lord by serving a mission.)

Girl- “I expected to gain a testimony of the gospel and pioneers but never expected to gain a testimony of the priesthood.”

Boy- “At home I was only worried about myself, but on trek I was always worrying about others…I wanted them to be ok and have water.”

Boy- “Every ounce of lazy and selfishness was drained from me, I never wanted to work so hard in my life!”

Girl- “I’ve never felt the spirit so strong for so long. It was in the scenery and the hardships”

Boy- “My mom does a “woman’s pull” everyday”

Girl- “Solo time was so neat. At home in a big room full of people I could feel alone and out here sitting far away from everyone, I could feel so complete and bonded to everyone. I started reading the Book of Mormon on day one for the first time. I love this book.”

Girl- “I shouldn’t judge others before getting to know them”

“Trek made me see how I live my life. ”

“I didn’t need strength from myself, I needed strength from the Lord”

“I want to strive for a pioneer testimony and an unshakable testimony in Christ”

And we are blessed to be a small part of such wonderful happenings!!! What a priviledge!!

We also heard a story about a past trek group whose leaders had micro-managed the details of their trek. The first day the leaders planned to have a mock rain storm from which the trekkers would have to scurry to seek shelter in order to not get drenched. Then, the first evening the leaders were going to tell the trekkers there was no food only to produce a dinner a few hours later. At least that was the plan.

Well, shortly after they started their trek, it really did rain. Later that evening they told the trekkers the planned story only to discover there really wasn’t any food. Come to find out the food for that evening’s meal had mistakenly been used at the send off dinner at the church house the previous evening. The kids really did go to bed hungry. Sometimes Heavenly Father has other plans, and a mere mortal’s plans go flying out the window.

Friday Dustina Garrison’s baby girl, Dustriana Lynn-Marie Garrison, arrived. Dustina is the daughter of our friend Tina whom we knew in Indian Springs and who now lives here in Provo. Hopefully, Arnold will be able to give the baby her blessing before we leave town.

Saturday (3 May) was designated our first Preparation-day, or P-day as it is better known. P-day is when missionaries do everything else we don’t have time to the other days, like grocery shopping and washing. We attended Jessica’s graduation in Logan for our P-day. She graduated from Utah State with a triple major. WOW!!!

Andre, Robin and the boys all came from Oregon. Ellery had a prom to attend so she stayed behind in Hood River. What a grand time we had with them and what a wonderful young woman Jessica is!!!

The guest speaker at the graduation was L. Tom Perry. About 40 years ago when Arnold was a brand new church member, Arnold came to Salt Lake for conference. When he was crossing the street to Temple Square, here came L. Tom Perry crossing the other way. At that time, Elder Perry had just recently been called as an Apostle. Elder Perry reached out and shook Arnold’s hand as they crossed the street. On Saturday, Arnold got to shake his hand again. Arnold thought that was pretty neat – so did I.

Adam and Maddy had their birthdays this last week. Maddy is now five and Adam is three. When we went up for the family birthday, Cash (Allen’s son who will be three shortly) was out in the yard as we arrived. I gave him a holler and he came running with arms in the air for a big hello hug. So neat!!!
Again this Monday the group attended the temple. Nice!!!!!

And, Arnold had the blessing of being able to give Dustriana her baby’s blessing on Monday evening. Sweet blessing!!

It’s Tuesday morning (May 6) and we’re headed up the mountain to DL&L property. We understand the snow drifts have been removed. If the utilities aren’t all turned on yet, we’re all prepared to dry camp a couple days.

We are off to the Mountains of Ephraim to dwell!!!!

Love & Laughter
Elder & Sister Young