December

I had a 'tender mercy' experience with my sister Gail in Inkom, Idaho. Alisyn and Anna went with me to go see her. She had cancer and was put on hospice. We arrived about 5:30 pm and visited with her long enough to tell her we were there and loved her and were planning to spend the entire next day with her. She was in a coma but I know she knew we were there. Gary asked us to go get some rock salt, since they had just had an icy snow that day. When we returned she had passed away---just a few minutes after we had visited her. I am sure she waited for us to come before she passed on. She was always good like that--trying to be good and serving everyone. Now this picture of all us sisters at her wedding with Gary in 2005 seems very appropriate. She is in white and is now 'our' angel.

December 2008

Here are two of my favorite Christmas decorations at the Visitor Center. The tree was decorated by one of the Stakes in St. George--there are four stakes who do it every year for us. We called this our 'star' tree. It is paper stars cut out of water-color paper--folded and sprayed gold. The little shepherd and lambs are so precious and seem to draw people.

The other is a nativity creation by one of our young missionaries, Sister Robinson. She drew and water-colored it and did the cut-out paper and set up the display. She is very talented and creative. I think the 'Mary' looks like Sister Robinson.

Christmas on a mission is so wonderful! I love the closeness you feel to Christ and really long to tell people about His love for each of us.

November

I see I have put these posts in 'upside-down' order. Maybe that's because I've been so long since I have 'posted' that I forgot how. Anyway, I want to add a picture from Thanksgiving. Alisyn and Anna came to Ivins on Monday and spent the days till Thanksgiving cleaning our house, shopping for the Thanksgiving meal---and even putting the final touches on the Brigham decorations. It was such a delightful time for us! Then Mike and his family, Erik and his family and finally Eric and Darrin and Darrin's brother arrived. We had such a good time visiting and eating. Elder Hansen and I still had missionary shifts to do--but they came to visit us when they could. This picture is Grandma enjoying a surprise visit with grandkids at the Visitor Center.

November 2008--continued

November was also when we began getting ready to decorate Brigham Young's Winter Home. Elder Hansen and I were in charge---so we decided to to decorate with a Victorian Theme---which hadn't been done before. It was extra work to gather everything and get it all in place, but, we felt good about the whole project. One of the great things we did was to make the Home smell like Christmas. I also loved the kitchen--we had it making and baking gingerbread men. The helper's room was making handmade gifts and Amelia's room was wrapping gifts. We had the extra bonus of snow for Christmas!

I believe this did help with the missionary efforts--many people were involved and brought their friends and family to Brigham's to enjoy the Christmas Spirit with us.

November 2008

November was a very important month for our family. Anna and Darrin were married in the Salt Lake Temple on the 8th with a reception in Lindon. It was so very fun to be with family and friends for this beautiful and important event! Senior Missionaries are allowed to go to immediate family weddings--so we did. Anna and Alisyn did all the planning and work to present the fun reception. The nieces and nephews had a special room with lots of things to do so they wouldn't get bored....they didn't. We took some of the breads, which were part of the refreshments for the reception, back to St. George and shared them with the missionaries--since they couldn't come. I highly recommend a Wedding while you are on your mission!

October 2008

Elder Hansen is ready to start his missionary work for the day. Our chitolpa tree (behind him) bloomed all summer long. We put another one on the other side of the front yard....they have been beautiful this year. He keeps our front and back yards well groomed and cared for even with all the hours we spend doing missionary work every day.



Elder Hansen uses his 'down-time' at Jacob Hamblin's to study. They keep reference books at all the sites for us to study. We really like the Jacob Hamblin site---it is more like the 'every-day' pioneer homes. They were industrious and persevering and never lost faith.



It's a slow day at the Visitor Center.....however, Elder Hansen wakes up quickly when someone comes in. He is very good at getting to know people quickly and being able to teach them what they want/need to know. He is getting the reputation among the missionaries as the one to go to when you need facts and details---about anything.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

October weather is the reason people live in St. George---the weather is beautiful, the temperature is perfect and there is so much to do here! It is Cultural Month and we have 15 EXTRA events in the Tabernacle. This community REALLY works to keep everyone happily busy and united in good things.

We just finished the 26 mile Marathon on the 4th of October. It is the first time in 25 years that it rained on the runners the whole day. Many people came into the Visitor Center to get out of the rain and chill. The finish line for the race is a park one block away from the Temple Visitor Center. There were over 5,000 runners who actually finished. One fellow I talked to has run three 100 mile races....I don't know how many 26 mile ones he has done. It must take alot of time.

Then we have two weeks of the Huntsman Senior Games in October. There will be more than 7,000 athletes---and they all have support teams. We think there will be an increase of visitors at our Center and the Historic Sites.

The past couple of weeks I have met two different couples who knew Gail and/or Gary. One was Richard Peterson's scoutmaster in Inkom. Richard Peterson was Gail's first husband. The other knew Gary when he was a chiropractor in Pocatello.

We had General Conference Broadcast at the Visitor Center. A few guests came but mostly the missionaries enjoyed the sessions. Every time we listen to Conference we all say--'that is exactly what we needed to hear.' It will be great to read the Conference Ensign.

We are getting excited to go to Salt Lake for Anna and Darrin's wedding. We got permission to go from the Mission President---because it is out of our mission. He is fine with our attending to family. It will be wonderful to see the family again and to celebrate together!

I want to thank you for your encouragement on our mission. We are glad it is a happy experience for you, too. We love you all!

September 2008

July brought the HOT weather....usually in the high 90's up to 105 degrees. That didn't stop people from coming to St. George.

One group we especially enjoyed were about 15 orphans from Kenya. They were between 10 to maybe 15 years old. They were traveling around America trying to get donations to help the orphans in Kenya. They anticipated their trip through America would take about 3 months.

One of their traveling-leaders was a LDS Branch President in Kenya. He had personally adopted many orphans, though he is not well-to-do. They had contacted Church members and were referred to places where they could perform and they usually stayed with Church members, though most children and escorts were not LDS. Arrangements were made for them to stay with members of our home ward in Ivins. Their Branch President was escorted throughout their stay by our good friends, the Boyles--with whom he also stayed. He kept saying---'this home is like a king's palace.' BrotherBoyle took him to do Temple sessions and they took a private tour of the Temple. He was so thrilled with everything!

The children were given a chance to perform at the pre-show at Tuacahn a couple of nights. They sang beautifully!!

We were going to be at the Brigham Young Winter Home when they planned to take a tour there. So, Elder Hansen and I decided to be prepared. I made little snack-sized packets with a flower of Dixie cotton( grown at Jacob Hamblin's), a pamphlet of the Brigham Young Home and a note of encouragement and love for each of them. Elder Hansen decided to share the almonds from the little trees in our back yard.

So, when they arrived, Elder Hansen explained about Brigham Young and the Cotton Mission pioneers. They sat with their arms folded and listened intently. Then Elder Hansen took them into the Brigham Young Home. In the parlor he asked the children to gather under the picture of Brigham Young that was made for his 75th birthday, which he had celebrated in St. George. He told how the people of St. George had a parade and sang two songs especially written for the occassion, and how the children dressed in their best and sang for their prophet. Then he asked them if they would sing for Brigham Young in this same room where the children had celebrated him so long ago. The children sang 'I Am a Child of God'---all verses, in English. It was a very touching moment for the missionaries---we hope for them, too.

Then, he took them outside to continue the tour. One of the nut trees the pioneers grew in Dixie were almonds. On the back patio, near the almond trees, he explained how to get the almonds out of the pod and crack the shell. He had picked the almonds that morning, so they were fresh---you could open them with your fingers. He had a five gallen bucket of nuts and an empty one for the shells. They gathered around and ate every nut---in a very short time!

When they had to go, we handed them the packets and shook hands and gave hugs as they climbed back onto their bus. It was a happy day for us!

It made me think again of what we choose to do with the precious time we have to live here on earth. Some people have spent their lives in unselfish service to others--it doesn't matter how much money they have or how smart they are. These are the people who can smile and be at peace because they know they are doing what God asks us to do---love one another.