Christmas Come and Gone ( but memories stay). Week #35

We really enjoyed the Christmas season this year.  We worked hard to "Light the World" and what a joyous time of service!  We were blessed to have Eli and Mickell and their kids join us for Christmas.  What a blessing this was for us.  We missed the rest of the crew, but were able to talk to them all on the phone.

Opening Gift of New Pajamas On Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve

Modelng New Pajamas

Eli Sharing the Christmas Story With Kids

Grandpa and Grandma with Grandkids

Reading Notes from Grandkids

Santa Made it to Our House

Getting Ready To Open Presents Christmas Morning

Excited About New Picture Calendar

We said goodbye to Eli and family on Christmas afternoon.  It was back to work on Tuesday, except we had Prep day and we choose to just stay home and rest.  We worked in the office on Wednesday and had work crew on Thursday.  Our assignments included going to Muddy Gap with a mission truck and pick up a picnic table from our friends at the gas station there.  We brought it home and began working on sanding, scraping and painting it.  We prepared it for painting and then painted the underside.  It was still wet and we were not able to turn it rightside up to finish it.  Sister Smart also  helped paint the parking sign shown below.

Elder and Sister Smart Getting Ready
to Sand & Paint

          Sister Smart's Sign

Friday was back in the office and Saturday we worked in the Visitors' Center and cleaned the sewing room.  Sunday we woke up to a little new snow and  it was our turn to do the Visitors' Center again so we took the beeper to church with us. This allows us to know if anyone walked towards the Visitors' Center from the parking lot.  No visitors came today. 

 

A New  Bronze Statue Donated to the Visitors' Center

We love serving our Savior on this mission.  You are all in our prayers and we know the Lord is with you.

Love you all,

Grandpa and Grandma, Dad and Mom, Paul and Annie, Elder and Sister Smart

Worrking on Blog

Christmas Just Around the Corner, Week #34

Another week has come and gone.  They seem to come and go so fast.  Seems like we've spent most of our time in the office or on the road doing "Light the World" activities.

We went out three different times to do caroling to neighbors.  Seems like the later in the week we went, the colder it got.  Friday it was one cool (COLD) night.

Caroling Group

On Thursday we spent the whole day at Casper helping the Salvation Army give out Angel Tree Gifts.  It's quite an operation they have.  We figured that there must have been around 330 families that were helped in one day.  We saw more bikes than we have ever seen in one place.  Accompanying the bikes were several other gifts in red and green plastic bags.  Anyway we spent the whole day on this project.

Sisters Smart & Honey Organizing Bags

One or More Bags Go to Each Family

You may remember that when we visited one of the schools that one of the four students, one was not there.  We learned that he and his family had some serious needs.  After consulting with his teacher, we decided to do a sub for Santa.  As you might gather from the following picture we went all out.

We had a really enjoyable family home evening this week.  We exchanged gag gifts based on shaking dice and pre-selected ways of moving the gifts around.

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Family Home Evening Group

Perhaps our greatest thoughts at this time are of our family and friends.  We can't even  begin to express how much we miss you all and, yet we know we are where we are supposed to be.  One blessing that arrived in our lives this week was the arrival of Eli, Mikell and family.  The grandkids have brought us so much joy.  The missionaries have all enjoyed them and they all enjoyed having them here for our Christmas Eve pot luck dinner.

Emyli & Kaeson

Connor

Pot Luck with Missionaries

We wish you a Merry Christmas and send our love and best wishes from Martin's Cove.

Grandma & Grandpa, Mom & Dad, Sister & Elder Smart, Annie & Paul

Week #33 It Looks and Feels a Lot Like Christmas

Lots of  #Light the World going on this week.   We did more caroling and gifts of Christmas goodies.
Our caroling on Wednesday evening took us to neighboring ranches to the East, Dumbell Ranch and Pathfinder Ranch.  We sang with Elder Smart leading the vocals.

Caroling at the Dumbell Ranch

On Friday evening we traveled to Sixth Crossing and Riverton.  Our first stop was to sing and share a goodies basket with two ladies, Polly and Linda, that lived across the street from Sixth Crossing.

Polly and Linda

We then traveled onto Riverton to carol at the home of Ross Ramsey, a former missionary at Martin's Cove and Rock Creek Hollow.  He is a carpenter and continues to make miniature handcarts for our use at the Visitors' Center.  He is a widower that gets lonesome at Christmas.  He delighted in singing with us and then joined us for dinner at the Trailhead Restaurant.  It was 11:00 p.m. before we made it back to the Homestead.

Trailhead Restaurant, Riverton Wyoming
 over run by Missionaries

Sunday afternoon we traveled to Alcova and sang and delivered goodies to the workers at Sloan General Store and Kay, our dear senior friend.  We stopped at Independance Rock and delivered a care box to Bobbie Butler, a less active member, as we sang.

Singing to Kay.  (Notice missionaries in mirror.)

On Tuesday and Thursday we were privileged to accompany Santa to the two neighboring Elementary schools.  Alcova has a total of 4 students and Jeffrey City has a booming 6 students.  The Sister missionarys knitted hats and we bought gloves to be given to these children by Santa.

Santa and Alcova Children

Santa with the 6 students at Jeffrey City
They are wearing their new hats and gloves

Wednesday evening Jolene Allphin came from Utah to share her latest edition of "Tell My Story, Too."  Jolene has researched the Willie and Martin companies along with the rescuers for many many years.  She has walked where they walked and read every journal and considerable information about them that she can find.  She is probably the most knowledgeable of anyone on these handcart pioneers.  She has written other books, including "Follow Me to Zion" a book about families on the Willie Company.  This book has an entire chapter on the William James family,  Sister Smart's 3rd great grandfather.

Sister Smart and Jolene Allphin having lunch

We have had a challenging experience these past two weeks.  Our mission president, President Pace has been diagnosed with cancer.  He had his first surgery two weeks ago and then was back in this week.  He was having horrible leg pain,  They went back into his lower back where they had removed the tunor to see if there was more tumor putting pressure on his spine and affecting his legs.  It turned out to be a big blood clot and now it is removed, his legs are fine.  They are in the process of determining the plan to get rid of all the cancer.

We are  busy trying to share Christmas cheer. but we miss family.   Remember the reason for the season.  Love ya all.

Mom and Dad, Grandpa and Grandma, Paul and Annie, Elder and Sister Smart

Week 32, More Christmas at Martin's Cove

Although one of the main elements of Christmas is missing -- family -- we still have tried to make things here a little more like Christmas, at least with a few decorations.

Backlit Decoration

Poinsettia & Creche

Tree 

One of the highlights of this past week was the program we presented at a Casper Care Center.  We had them singing with us and even trying to lead us. Sister Smart recited "Twas the Night Before Christmas".  Elder Smart was asked to lead the group singing.  We were really touched by the response from the patients and the staff.

Elder Smart Visits with Patients

This Lady Said She Volunteered
at Martin's Cove

Following our visit to the Care Center, we enjoyed a meal together at one of the local restaraunts.

We also had the "opportunity" to go mouse hunting again.  We think that our count is up to 10 as to the number we've caught.  Our latest search has taken us to do some serious looking in our stove. So far we've found the beginnings of a nest but we probably need to take the back off our stove.

Makings of Mouse Nest

Another event pf our past week was our participating in the Rawlings Christmas Parade. Elder Smart drove the Mission truck and Sister Smart and the other missionaries walked along side a trailer that had a nativity scene.  They also handed out "Light the World" cards and candy suckers.

Driving the Truck

The Float

Float with Sister Smart in Brown Coat

Sunday we had a special visit from Lorne and Debbie Diebel from Florida.  We showed them around and they stayed overnight.  It was great to have them even if it was only for 24 hours.

Lorne & Debbie at Martin's Cove

Even though it's winter here, we still have some beautiful country.  Here's one of our sunsets from this past week.

Please know that we love you all.  We love the work we are involved in.  We know it is the Lord's work.  Our hearts are heavy as we contemplate being without you all at Christmas season.  About our only way to deal with not having you around is for us to stay busy.  Between our usual work and the efforts we are making to "Light the World" for Christmas, we stay busy and that helps.

We are excited that  Eli and his family are planning on being here for Christmas.  We hope all goes well with the weather.  It has been a mild December so far.  The weatherman expects the mild winter to continue through this month. 

Grandma & Grandpa, Mom & Dad, Annie & Paul, Sister & Elder Smart

Lots of Christmas fun starting week 31

Weekly schedule

Here is this week's assignment schedule.  If you enlarge it, you can see everyday what we did.  Sister Smart is responsible to  put this together each week.  You will see that we had 3 days in the office and two 1/2 days in the visitors' center.  The other two half days Sister Smart helped quilt in the sewing center and Elder Smart helped finish some of the reupholstered chairs in the wood shop.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Decorating our trree

We decorated our apartment for Christmas this week.  It is always fun to have Christmas in the house. and all around the homestead.

Some of the lights on the homestead

  Making Christmas Gifts

We worked together to msome gifts.  Elder Smart is the camera holder so Sister Smart is in more pictures than he is.

We were invited to the Alcova Baptist church for a chili dinner and party on Friday.  We played several games, one being drawing a Christmas scene on a paper plate while on our head.  One of the Church members is Dustin Smart. He seemed interested in knowing if he and Elder Smart are related.

We  were invited to Alcova for a Christmas chilli dinner at the local church.  We played some games . One game was to draw a Christmas scene on a paper plate while it wason our head.

Sister Smart  doing her art work

The Baptist church choir singing to us at the party

Sister Smart made another trip to Casper this week with Sister Honey.  The missionaries are doing a sub for Santa for 4 children.  We started some of the shopping for this.  Fun!!!!!  Elder and Sister Smart went to Casper on our prep day and Elder Smart went to the Casper Family Hiatory Center while Sister Smart did more sub for Santa Christmas shopping.  Fun!!!!

We 're trying to #Light The World as a misssion.  Elder Smart is in charge of this and things are happening.  We will share all about it each week as things happen.

Happy Birthday this week to Kathie, Bryler and Cyntha.

We pray that all of you may feel the Love this Christmas season.  We sure love you all!

Grandpa and Grandma, Mom and Dad, Paul and Annie, Elder and Sister Smart

Thanksgiving Week #30

The Smart's surely do hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving. 🦃🦃  Ours was pretty good considering we didn't have any family around.  Guess it makes us appreciate ou family a whole lot more.  

Our Thanksgiving day started out with our sleeping in.  Sister Smart was the first one up.  She was busy fixing our contribution to the dinner with the missionaries and Pres and Sis Pace's family.  We watched a couple of Hallmark Christmas movies and then, about 2:00 pm we all gathered for the feast.  

Sitting Down for Dinner - Empty Plates

Loading Plates 

Plates Loaded - Go For It

We should probably mention the day before Thanksgiving, Wednesday.  The mission was asked if we could help the Casper Salvation Army serve a Thanksgiving meal to the less fortunate of Casper.  Six couples went, including us. It was a great way to serve and we managed to get some shopping done, a deposit for the mission, and a doctors appointment for Sister Smart.

Cleaning the Hall Prior to Dinner

Getting Ready to Serve It Up

Dinner in Full Force

This week also brought about our thinking a little about Christmas.  Although we're missing family and friends again, we are still trying to get in the mood.  The homestead has Christmas all over.  We found an extra tree and put it up in our apartment.

Putting Up Tree

We still are faced with dealing with little creatures around here.  We've probably caught around six mice in our apartment.  Maybe we're learning how to do it better.😁

Two at One Time

Every once in a while, we still take a little outing.  This was the case on Friday evening.  Our excursion was to Whiskey Gap.  We got off to a good start, but never actually got there.  We decided to get out of the truck and do a little exploring.  When we got out, the driver accidently locked the keys in the truck.  He hiked to the top of a nearby ridge and was able to reach someone at the homestead who brought a second set of keys.  We later learned that we were still some distance from Whiskey Gap.😆😆

Excursion to Whiskey Gap

While Sister Smart is devoted to Hallmark Christmas movies, Elder Smart looks forward to his BYU games.  Yes, football was a disappointment, but there is still hope for basketball.  Elder Smart tries hard to watch all the games.  Thanks to Kathie and Matt he even got to watch the BYU - Hawaii game via the internet and sling box.

BYU Game on Computer

Saturday, Sister Smart took off to Casper with Sister Crist. They both got their hair cuts and spent time shopping without their husbands looking bored and wondering how much longer they had to wait.  They spent most of the day going from one store to another.  Great girl's day out!

This is about enough excitement for the week.  Guess we better end this before we wear out our welcome.

We still love the missionary work.  We have also enjoyed helping some of our fellow missionaries with their family history.  We know this is the Lord's work and are excited to be part of it.  Until next time please accept our love and heartfelt gratitude for your support.

Mom & Dad, Grandma & Grandpa, Annie & Paul, Sister & Elder Smart