Completed First Month -- Week 5

Following a relaxing Sunday, we looked forward to our P-day on Monday.  We spent most of the day running around Casper.  Paul got a haircut and Annie got her bangs trimmed.  We then met two missionary couples, the Schow’s and Harris’s at Applebee’s for lunch.  Whenever we go to town, we always gas up, because we don’t know when we’ll be able to do it again.  We got back to missionary village just in time to grab a bite and go to FHE.

At Rock Creek Hollow

Tuesday brought about a real treat.  Following our usual morning correlation meeting, we were told to go to Rock Creek Hollow where we would be trained on hosting groups and individuals who might visit this site, another sacred and special (hallowed) area.  At the base of Rocky Ridge is Rock Creek Hollow where pioneers were buried. Handcart pioneers gave their lives struggling to get over Rocky Ridge in freezing temperatures and deep snow.  At least 13 are buried at the bottom of this ridge including Sister Smart’s 3^rd great grandfather, William James.  Following our training we drove into Lander; saw a river go into the ground; and had hamburgers before heading for home.

Grave Site: Rock Creek Hollow

Grave Marker, Rock Creek Hollow
William James

River Sinks into Ground, Lander

Large Hqmburger in Lander

Happy Missionaries at Rock Creek Hollow

The next day was Wednesday and Sister Smart led her next to the last school group around the Martin’s Cove site.  Elder Smart was busy painting and later in the day, Sister Smart joined him in painting outside the office, visitors center, sheds, and trash buffaloes (small sheds to hide the garbage cans).  Our district leader also took us to rattlesnake pass, the place where the wagons and handcarts came into this area.  While there we also visited a grave for a young man who died in 1847 coming through by the name of Fulkener.  One last thing that caught our attention was the worn area on the side of the trail where you could actually see the tracks left by those pioneers that came through here.

Rattlesnake Pass; Wagon/Handcart Tracks

Rattlesnake Catcher; Elder Schow

Thursday Sister Smart took her last group of 4^th Graders around the site.   While she was doing this, Elder Smart and some of the other men were completing the building of a dyke around the outside of the site.  We’ve seen quite a bit of rain around here.  That, along with a swelling Sweetwater River have caused us to flood a little.  Elder Smart was sent to a six hour first aid class and sometime in the early afternoon many of the Sisters, including Sister Smart were sent home – too much rain.

Sister Smart with School Group

The next day started off with the two of us being trained as “outfitters”.  This means that we greet groups of trekkers, get them parked, assign them to handcarts, get their pa’s briefed on safety while the ma’s are helping load the handcarts, and anything else that is needed to get them on the trail.  This coming week we will begin to get hit heavy with arriving groups.  The group we were expecting on Friday didn’t show up, so we did all our preparations for nothing.  It still rained some more on Friday, so the two of us spent time cleaning the chapel.  Good thing we were there. An old friend from Tooele showed up  -- Phillip Roach.  He and Elder Smart had a good reunion.  Friday we had a "night of a thousand pies".  It was actually a missionary get-together.  There were more pies than you could shake a stick at.

Chapel Cleaning

Our Pie, Thanks to Sams Club

Roach Family

By the way, Friday was our one month anniversary of being on our mission.

We started out Saturday doing more painting of benches.  In the afternoon we touched up the chapel and then came home a little early.  We cut our grass and then spent time putting finishing touches on our lessons that we were to teach on Sunday.

The Lloyds

Sunday started off by us attending Church.  We were a little excited to meet the Lloyd’s from our home ward in Draper.  Sure enough; they were there waiting for us.  We attended all three meetings with them and thet even got to hear us give our Priesthood and Relief Society lessons.  Following our meetings they attended our pot luck lunch and then we had to rush to our Visitors’ Center assignment.  They soon came along and we had a good experience with them in the center.  Our final experience with them was to take them to the trail going to Martin’s Cove.  We let them off and they walked to the cove.

It’s been a great week and we’ve enjoyed serving.  However we’ve missed some family events.  Today we missed the Deacon ordination of Bryton.  Sorry Bryton.  We love you and know that you will be blessed.  Our oldest grandchild, Harlie, will graduate from high school and seminary.  Again we can only be there in spirit. 

Bryton

Harlie

Please know that we love you all.  We have been promised that you will be blessed with even greater blessings due to our service.  We pray that you will come to recognize those blessings in your lives.

Love to you all,

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

Site of Pony Express Station