Week 26 - Mission is 1/3 Over

Like most weeks, now, we do a lot of the same things -- office, visitor' center, work crew, and whatever we are asked to do.

Our numbers are not big as seen in this get together for Family Home Evening.  We played games at this one and the men finaly beat the Sisters.  This is the first time the men beat the woman at any of our games.

Through the week we had a couple of interesting work assignments.  Sister Smart enjoyed some quilting with Sister Paul.  When quilts are finished they are donated to humanitarian centers.

While Sister Smart was quilting, Elder Smart was refinishing and re-upholstering chairs with Elder Bowden -- possible new hobby when he gets home?

Lately it seems that Friday evenings have been excursions to nearby tourist sites. This past Friday took us to "Dinosaur Trail".  For those family members that may have accompanied us to Fremont Canyon, the trail is not too far from Fremont Canyon.  Many of our group hiked to the top of the mountain (looking for dinosaur bones😀). Noone found any, but the hike was great and the views spectacular.

Group before Hike

Alcova Lake as Viewed from Hike

Sister Smart on Hike -- Is that a Dinosaur Egg Next to Her?

Every once in a while we get a big surprise!  On Friday they dropped off equipment to begin installing fiber optic equipment for Martin's Cove.  Although it is not completely installed, just the sight of it has got some missionaries excited.

Boxes of Fiber Optic Equipment

We sure hope that all of you have a great week! Eat some Halloween Candy for us and please send pictures of costumes.  For the time being that's about all the Halloween we'll have.

We surely enjoy telling the stories related to the pioneers to visitors that come to the Visitors' Center.  Often we can get referrals or place a Book of Mormon with them.  We had two half day assignments in the Visitors' Center this week

We miss all of our family and loved ones, but we know we are all blessed, in part, due to our service here.  Take care all of you and know that we love you.

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

It Feels Like Home Week #25

This is the week that the last of all the missionaries that are not staying for the winter went home.  The 6 other couples left, including the President and his wife, will become our family for the winter.  They are all wonderful people and we feel blessed to be apart of this group.  The beauty  and peace of this place is growing on us.  It feels like home.

Monday was Prep day and we took off for Casper again to get some shopping done.  Sister Smart dropped Elder Smart off at the Family History Center in Casper while she went shopping.  We had lunch at Sherrie's Restaurant with Elder and Sister Taylor and then we drove back to the homestead for FHE.

Sister Honey Catching the Snake

Elder Honey Dressing the Doll

We had a fun  relay for FHE.  We had to shoot the rubber band gun, dress the pioneer doll, throw the horseshoes, thread the needle, catch the snake, and wash and hang up the scarf.  The Sisters played against the  Elders.  Of Coarse the Sisters won.  Elder Smart was the only one to get all 3 of his horshoes in the bucket and all 4 of his rubber bands in the box.





On Tuesday we were assigned Visitors' Center in the morning and we were assigned to clean the inside of the fleet of trucks owned by the Church and operating at Martin's Cove Homestead, in the afternoon.

Some of the Fleet of Trucks We Washed Inside.
This Includes the Water Tank Truck on Left Back
and the Dump Truck on the Right

Wednesday, Friday and Saturday we spent all day in the office.  One of Sister Smart's office duties is to prepare the work assignment and correlation assignments sheet for all the missionaries.  This takes balancing and organization to make sure the assignments are fair and equal.  This is last week's assignent sheet.

Sister Bowden Works in the Office Next to Us
She Schedules Treks

Thursday we were on work crew in the morning and Visitors' Center in the afternoon.  Elder Smart was asked to cut and grind some conduit and Sister Smart worked with two other sisters to clean out the dead flies in some of the cabins around the site.  The welcome post, base, handcart parking and veil crossing are where the cabins were located.

Elder Smart Working in the Metal Shop

Sister Smart Ready to Sweep the
Cabin At Handcart Parking

On Friday we took a fun hike straight up the mountain not far from the homeastead.  Sister Smart joined the crazy adventure. 

Sister Smart on Top of the Mountain
at Rattlesnake Pass Near the Homestead

We had a surprise visit from Paul's 2nd Cousin, Julie Major on Saturday.

Julie Major, Her Friend and Mother at the top of Martin's Cove

Empty Camp Ground (No Missionary Trailers) at Missionary Village

Other Side of Missionary Village Camground.
The only trailers There are the Permanant Ones
of Which We Used to Reside

We celebrated our 7th anniversary on October 21. We didn't do much for our anniversary except watch BYU lose another game😏.

Not sure how the weather is where our family and friends are, but the winds are blowing like crazy here!

We are so happy to be able to serve at such a special place.  We have a strong testimony of the gospel. We enjoy serving in the Lord's Kingdom.

Love,

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

Week 24 Activities

This week started out with a very big snow storm.  We worried about what our P-day might be like travelling to Casper on Monday, but it turned out to be great.  We made a bank deposit for the mission and Elder Smart went to Sports Clips and got his hair cut.  We got the car washed and did some shopping.  We managed to work in a new restaraunt -- Sherrie's. 

Visitors' Center

Merry Christmas

Deer?

Our Car & Rover

Lots of Food

Sherrie's

Most of the week was spent in the office doing work schedules, newsletters, financial reports,etc.  However on Wednesday Sister Smart and a few other missionaries went to nearby Alcova to weed their community garden.  They also ended up talking genealogy and brought back some genealogy referrals for Elder Smart to contact.  Will probably be fun and maybe produce a little missionary work as well.

Alcova Community Garden

Sister Smart @ Alcova

On  Friday we had RRA or cleaning the restrooms.  It isn't so bad now that most of the restrooms have been closed.  We  each clean only 8 toilets. They are so clean when we start that is easy.  We also have garbage duty which takes a little effort.  At the end of the day an activity was planned to see some of the church cattle ranch property.   We enjoyed rice krispie handcarts and warm cider before we took off.

Rovers on Trail

Making Handcarts

Rovers Gathered

Sister Smart on top of ridge

Hike to Old Cabin

The only day not mentioned is Saturday and Sunday.  We were on work crew on Saturday and cleaned the insides of a lot of pickups and one large water truck and one dump truck.  All this was done during intermittent snow and hail.  Today, Sunday was Church and we spent four hours serving in the Visitors' Center.

We send our love to all who may take the time to read this.  We also want to recognize our granddaughter, Zoey, who turns 11 this week. 

We continue to love the work that goes on here.  We fully testify that this is the Lord's work.

Love to you all,

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

Home and Back -- Weeks 21, 22, 23

We left for Utah on Sept. 23rd to prepare for winter, visit doctors and see family.  Elder Smart had 4 doctor visits and most went well.  His visit with his dermatologist left him with lots of burn offs on his arms, hands and face.  A biopsy was taken of a growth just to side of his left ear.   Result came back 3 days later with not the best results.  He had the beginning stages of a cancerous growth.  In office surgery was scheduled for the next day.  He was left with  2 inchs of  sutures.  Sister  Smart got to remove the sutures after we returned.  Elder Smart was really worried about Sister Smart removing the sutures but it turned out to be almost painless😅.

It was Elder Smart's birthday while we were in Utah.  We had lots of parties.  We had a birthday dinner after watching two children's Sacrament meetings in Tooele.  It was especially fun to see the Sacrament programs because both Rachelle and Velynn are the Primary Presidents in the wards we visited.  Both programs were very well done.  Way to go you two wonderful daughters. 

Birthday Cake Made by Brinley

The next night we enjoyed a birthday dinner out with Kathie's family and Aaron.  We also had another dinner with them the night before we came home.

Enjoying Time With The Family

Ranae hosted a luncheon for all of Sister Smart's siblings.  We had a breakfast birthday party with Elder Smart's siblings the morning we left to return to our mission

We spent most of our first Monday with Bob Smart, Elder Smart's brother, looking for a vehicle that we felt would be better for us to drive in the Wyoming winter.   He helped us find an awesome Burgundy Jeep Grand Cherokee.  He also took us to  lunch  at the Little America buffet.  Thanks Bob!

Our New Transportation

We also kept busy going to some of the sporting events of the grandkids, soccer and volleyball. We enjoyed hearing them share their talents. Our favorite thing that we did was get to see and hold our new granddaughter, Elizabeth (Elle) Stagg.

Raquel Playing Her Violin

Brinley Plays High School Volleyball

Enjoying Sweet Elizabeth

Relaxing at Draper Home

We enjoyed conference very much.   It is wonderful to hear from Christ's spokesmen. . . a very spiritual conference.

We returned to our Wyoming home on Monday, Oct 2nd

This week back in the mission has been busy catching up everything in the office and getting settled back in the routine here.  The number of missionaries here is getting smaller and smaller.  This is going to be the last week that any missionaries will stay except those crazy winter missionaries that we are part of.

We had fun Friday evening going to Enchanted Canyon just a few miles from the homestead.  It was beautiful and we kept warn in our coats with a nice fire to cook foil dinners.  It was beginning to feel like winter, but today it is not just feeling like winter,   It is Winter!  Three inches of snow on the ground  and still coming!

Elder Smart in Enchanted Canyon

Enjoying the Canyon

Looks Like Winter, 8 Oct.

Today is Sunday and we gave the Sunday School lesson in our Branch.  Sister Smart was sustained as 1st Counselor in the Relief Society Presidency.

The deer have discovered how good the grass is at the homestead. Many deer have decided to reside here.  We had lots of antelope residing near us at missionary village where the trailers are and the deer are here.  In fact one big doe stood outside our kitchen window looking in at us today.  Her face was right next to the glass.  She was as interested in watching us as we were watching her.

Deer in Our Driveway

We are very happy to be serving the Lord here.  The spirit that abides here is priceless.  We are blessed to be a part of it.

Happy Birthday to CJ today!

We love you all.

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

Working in the Sewing Room to Make New Covers For Handcarts
with Sister Crist, Sister Honey, and Sister Paul

Working in the Office