Less Happening as Missionaries Start Leaving -- #20

We've been in our new apartment for about 2 1/2 weeks.  We continue to make progress on fixing it up.  This past week, we've put up blinds (some of the old ones had sun rotted strings), put up curtains, and fired up our heaters (got down to freezing a couple of days).

Bedroom with Heater in Corner

On Thursday of this past week we had a visit from the missionaries who previously lived here and, thanks to their help, we now have satellite internet.  It isn't all that fast, but it is way better than what we have had up to this point.

Elders Maxfield & Smart Working on Internet

Now that we've got things going pretty well, guess we should leave -- at least for a while.  Yes, we'll leave this next Saturday and go home for a week.  We'll take care of doctor visits, look for a winter car, and make arrangements to be gone for another year.  Sometimes we wonder if it is really worth it since we need to take care of all our responsibilities in the office for the week we are gone and the following week, as well.

One of the things that we acquired this past week was scheduling.  Sister Smart is now in charge.  She puts it together on a magnetic  board and then does it on a spread sheet for each of the missionaries.  This is how we know whether we are in the visitors' center, cleaning toilets, in the office, etc.

Nice Shoes!

Everyone has been busy this past week getting our handcarts ready for next summer.  If we're not doing handcarts, we're pumping toilets so we can get them ready for next year.

Handcart Sealing

Handcart Prep

We've all had several socials getting ready for missionaries to go home.  This past week, we had family home evening on Monday evening.  We had a get rid of all your frozen and excess food on Thursday evening.  On Saturday evening we had a good bye social for the eight couples that will leave us this next week.

Get Rid of Food Social

We're not sure that we mentioned our 8;30 am daily correlation meetings.  Here we have prayer, read from Preach My Gospel, read from our mission handcart experiences book,and issue daily works assignments.  The Smart's had the prayers and readings this past Saturday.  

Missionaries @ Correlation Meeting

Every once in a while we have some unusual "happenings" in the mission.  This past week Sister Smart took a phone call from one of the nearby ranchers asking if we had any fire equipment so we could come help them put out a fire on their property.  We had a big water truck that we sent.  The rancher ended up losing a baler and tractor.  Could have been worse.

On Friday evening a Sister at the Visitors' fell and broke her nose and had other bruises and injuries.  She and her husband were closing the Center.  It was cold that night and she had her hands in her pockets.  She went down head first and ended up in Casper in the hospital.

A few weeks back one of our visitors saw something on her way to Martin's Cove.  She even got a picture of it.

Unexpected Visitor

Our prayers go out to the Barr family.  They had just been here a month ago.  They thoroughly enjoyed their visit.  Dave was in an accident on Friday.  The accident broke his neck.  He never gained consciousness and passed away at midnight on Saturday.  Connie and Dave have been good friends of the Smart's.

We have very good feelings about this place and our mission.  We know that we are involved in the work of the Lord.  What a privilege it is to honor our families, both past and current, by serving here.

We may not get to a blog next week so we'll be a little ahead by wishing Audra (24th) and Elder Smart (25th) happy birthdays.

Love you all,

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

Settling In Week, # 19

Back to work on Monday.  Both of us used the day to catch up on our assignments in the office. Sister Smart "snuck" in some time to get things put away in our new apartment.

Kitchen

Living Room

Computer Corner

We had the privilege of doing Ra Ra duty on Tuesday.  It takes half of the time it used to because all of the trek restrooms are now closed.  We were finished by noon and so we spent the rest of the day working in the office.

All week we had a horrible smell in the car when we turned on the air conditioner.  It started at Rock Creek Hollow.  Of coarse we expected a rodent of some kind.  We could not see anything in the engine or car.  It was suggested that we check the filter behind the glove compartment.  Sure enough the culprit was found.

Mouse Droppings & Nest Materials in the Filter
(Looks Worse if You Enlarge It)

On Wednesday we were off to Casper to make a mission deposit and to take the 2017 Wyoming Mormon Trail Mission year book, put together by us, to the printers.  It turned out to be an awesome book.  We grabbed a few groceries while we were there so that we did not have to travel on our P day. We hurried back to make it in time for our afternoon visitors' center shift.

Friday we helped with the training of  leaders for next years treks.  Many of them choose to camp out on our lawns to be ready for the 8:00 start time.

Tent City at the Trek Staging Area

Elder Smart and Sister Smart ran the video and sound system for the training.  We also did our Patience Loader vinyette for the leaders.

Saturday was P day.  We stayed home and put up blinds, fixed doors and went back to the old trailer for a final clean up.  (Almost left the "Smart" sign, Aaron)

Saturday night was Elder Smart's time to enjoy (?) the BYU/UofU game.  There is a satellite dish in the Gathering Room for missionaries to enjoy.

Elder Smart and Elder Schow Watching the Game

Sunday morning we found a friendly visitor in our kitchen.  Oh the joys of living in the middle of nowhere!

MOUSE!

Sunday was our turn to be in the Visitors' Center during Church.  We were given the Sacrament before our shift started.  What a pleasant surprise.

Elder Smart ran into two of his fellow  Family History Department employees on their way home from serving missions in Nauvoo -- Sister Dawn Hole and Sister Debbie Latimer.

Coworkers Sister Lattimer and Sister Hole

We want you all to know that we have a testimony of this Church and of Jesus Christ.  We know he loves us and knows all about us.  He also loves you and knows your every thought.  We are grateful to be here where we can feel the Spirit of our Savior 24/7, if we just do what we know we should. We are also grateful for specific blessings witnessed in the lives of Jessilyn and Elly Stagg!  What a blessing!

Love,

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

An Adventurous Week -- #18

A week filled with adventures is putting it mildly.  We spent Sunday through Thursday finishing an absolutely wonderful week at Rock Creek Hollow.  This was a week of time for contemplating our mission, the pioneers who gave so much to gather to the Salt Lake Valley, and even our own lives. We also greeted some special people, both LDS and non LDS who wanted to experience this place. Additionally we got to know some great missionaries that were there with us -- the Rogers from Michigan and the Shugarts from Saschatcheon, Canada. 

Our Home @ Rock Creek Hollow

Smart's & Roger's

Shugart's & Smart's

Another highlite at this site was the opportunity that Sister Smart experienced with Sister Rogers when they were able to actually hike to Rocky Ridge where her ancestor lost his life being a grave digger in the service of others. 

On Their Way to Rocky Ridge

As we said goodbye to Rock Creek Hollow we passed a sign for South Pass City.  We were aware that the pioneers had mentioned South Pass.  So we ventured into this quaint part of  the area, just a mile and a half off the main road

The Big City 

Main Building & Tourist Site foe Mine Tour

Another Old Mine & Pretty Scenery

It was time to hit the main road and start back to our home.  As we came down the canyon we were again awe struck with the Red Canyon.  The following picture just doesn't do justice to this beautiful part of the country.

Red Canyon

We got home Thursday evening, after shopping in Lander.  However it had been suggested that we move out of our trailer at Missionary Village/Ranch 66, so others could use it and move into our winter apartment at the homestead/Martin's Cove.  So, we unloaded our car at our new diggs but went back to the village and spent our last night there.

Friday we continued to move and spent the day also working in the office.  We also spent our first night in our new apartment. 

Saturday we woke up looking forward to seeing some if not all of Aaron's (Stagg) family.  We went to the house that connects to our apartment to get things ready for our guests.  We found that the house was already occupied.

House Guest in Elder Smart's Glove

Aaron and three of the kids is all that could make the flight.  We were glad to see them but sad that Audra and Carter could not make the flight.  We did all the usual things with them before they left on Sunday afternoon -- Alcova for ice cream, Fremont Canyon, Independence Rock, Martin's Cove hike, picnic at handcart parking, Church, Visitors' Center, Devil's Gate and probably more.

On looker @ Fremont Canyon

Tourists @ Fremont Canyon

Handcart Pioneers

Visitor Center Patrons

Devil's Gate

Devil's Gate

Tourists' Transportation

Statues of Rescuers & Tourists

We want you all to know that we love our mission and we love serving the Lord.  We are grateful for the protection and blessings that come your way because of our service.  We were blessed with a new granddaughter this week, grandchild #27.  Although she was a bit early and although there were some very serious moments for her mother, we are pleased to say that once again both mother and child and proud grandparents have been blessed.

  

Love and choice blessings to you all,

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