Tuesday, May 9, 2017

The Fun Continues!

It has been another busy week here. Worked on mowing lawns, replacing a tire on the big grader (someone cut the tire with the blade this winter when they angled it too much) looks like we need a better grader operator. Checked all the Rovers oil and changed some etc. We had another district meeting where Elder Scussel cooked and he redeemed himself. He cooked a brisket and it was so delicious we also had baked potatoes, asparagus, and salad. It was a wonderful meal and training.
On Friday we had trek leader training for people coming this summer on treks. As missionaries we demonstrated square dancing and sang a song. Yes you read that right Elder Sigmon can sing and dance…..sort of.  We had another great day in the Visitor’s Center. It is so faith promoting to share the pioneer’s story with people and feel the spirit it brings. And even more glorious when they feel the spirit and cry with you.  I know our Heavenly Father loves us and I feel his love every day.
Love you all,
Elder Sigmon

Read on for the longer version:
Well it has been a very busy week and then with things that happened over the weekend we were unable to get our post on the computer so it is late. That is what happens when you live in such a rural place as we do.
Monday I got introduced to the riding lawn mower. As Elder Sigmon said there were 5 of us in charge of mowing the lawns. The Waldmanns, us and Elder Hough. Let me tell you there is a lot of lawn here! There were other places where only the push mowers could be used. So Elder Hough and Elder Waldmann did those areas along with trimming the edges and blowing the grass off any sidewalks left behind. Poor guys. It was one of those better days weather wise and eventually I wasn’t even wearing a coat. I was in my element. As we were driving to the last 2 lawns needing to be mowed and finishing (about 3:30) the novelty was wearing off and I was thinking about how much fun this would be on a HOT summer day. NOT!

Elder Sigmon started Sister Waldmann and me out by driving down the middle of a big section making a dividing line. Then he showed us how to run the riding lawn mower. After I drove off Sister Waldmann left saying she was going to go and use the push mower. I think it intimidated her. Not me I’m riding! But after a bit she was back and I saw Karl helping her get started and going. I think her husband told her to come back and use the riding lawn mower.

There was one area where we had to mow the lawn right along the Sweet Water river. Just prior Sister Waldmann’s husband told her to make sure she didn’t land in the Sweet Water. Elder Sigmon was pretty nervous about her landing in the river and was figuring out what he would take off if he had to jump in and save her. He told me he was going to take off his coat and shoes before diving in. The river was moving pretty swiftly so he was sure they would go down stream some before they would get out. Then he just decided to have her get off and let him do along that edge on her half.  I told him it was probably good he did it if both him and Elder Waldmann were nervous about her landing in the river.
Later on when we were close to finishing Elder Crist, the Facility Manager, came by and found Karl saying Sister Waldmann wanted to talk to him and if he knew what that was about which Karl didn’t know. We came to find out she wanted to confess that she was getting too close to a building and decided to try and back up but when she put it in reverse she only tapped on the gas a little but it went really fast and hit a fence post and knocked it off with the lawn mower. She then went on to say she hit the nail back in as best as she could but someone might need to use a hammer to fix it the rest of the way and here are the two pieces she wanted to give him that broke off the lawn mower.
This is what the lawn mower looked like after its little accident.  Elder Sigmon bent some of the front frame back into place before I got the picture taken.

A few days later in correlation Elder Crist was assigning the Waldmanns to take a rover and go do something. He did ask that Elder Waldmann drive. Something about a rover trying to tip. Then Sister Waldmann pipes up and says the women had no problem with her driving it was the men they wanted her to straighten out the wheels but she wanted to know how you do that on a right hand turn.  We all laughed and then Elder Crist presented her the two piece of the lawn mower she gave him saying she was welcome to make earrings out of them. I love Sister Waldmann! Sister Waldmann was a good sport to let me take a picture of her with her pieces of lawn mower.

There were times while mowing that Elder Sigmon and I were working on a section of lawn and there were a bunch of picnic tables in this section. I would go around them while he was going around the bigger section. It almost felt like we were dancing on these riding lawn mowers and not communicating just turning and swerving around each other. We had full confidence the other knew where to go and we could just maneuver around each other. Kind of like we were dancing. It was really kind of cool. Later when I was telling Karl he said he had the same thought. So I guess we don’t only like to dance in the garage, front room, etc but while mowing the lawn too.

Tuesday I shadowed Sister Waldmann on a school group tour to learn how to do the field trips to Martin’s Cove. We have 8 stations we go to and spend 10 minutes at each one. It is not very much time at these sections. They are #1 - The Sun Room which tells about the Sun family and their ranch. #2 – Prairie Park which is where you can take a handcart around. This is good because it gets their energy out after being on the bus. #3 – Fort Seminoe/The Dig Museum which was a trading post used for refuge by some of the Martin Handcart Company. #4 – Monuments which is right on trail where the 4 trails came through; Oregon, California, Mormon and Pony Express. #5 – Blacksmith Shop where you hear the Prairie Diamond story and get a prairie diamond ring. #6 – Sewing Center where you learn about the usefulness of the clothes and what they wore and sewed and get a wood Medallion to take home as a souvenir. #7 – The Museum where the people of Sweet Water and Sun Family have left the things they have collected from this area over the years for us to take care of and preserve. #8 – Wash House and Bunk House where the cowboys might have lived and how they lived and how the pioneers, etc might have washed their clothes and how precious water was. It was fun. We wear Pioneer Dress for these school tours.  Here I am in my outfit. It was a chilly morning so I wore my thermal top underneath and a scarf to stay warm. I do have a bonnet but it is tied around my neck and not on my head.
I have also been busy making what is called “possible bags.” It started with me wanting Sister Gillespie to help me make one. It turned out I got the dimensions from her and I ended up making a bunch and even her one. She had made one and I thought it would be easier to carry while trekking than a backpack for my water, radio and other items I would need to keep with me. This way I wouldn’t have to go find the handcart with my things to get a drink, etc. Especially as a Trek Host because I would be at the back of the pack (the sweeper) making sure we didn’t leave anyone behind and the group doesn’t get too far spread out. It has been awhile since I have sewed and so it helped to see hers to get the dimensions I wanted but I wanted some pockets in front and a bigger part in back to hold things like a rain poncho, snacks, bandaids, etc. Then there were some other Sisters looking at what I was doing and they asked if they could have one too. Before I knew it I was making 4 of them. It has mushroomed since then and I am up to 16. One of the husbands asked for one and has bragged to every other man or person he saw and said he couldn’t believe they wouldn’t want one it was the best thing ever. I ran out of material and so I had to find another fabric for the women. Luckily there has been enough of the tan for the men who have wanted them. I am not sure I am totally done but I think I am. The one in the center is mine with a white ribbon tied on it so it doesn’t get confused with any one elses. The sewing room has a bunch of fabric in it to make some humanitarian burp rags, and baby quilts, etc. We are able to use any of the fabric there for things on our mission. This is where I found our possibles bag fabric to use. 

The tan ones were for the men and the other two I made for the women. I started out with the dark blue but when I ran out of that fabric I made the rest out the striped fabric.

On Friday as Karl said we had Leadership Training for those who would be going on treks with their groups later on. This was a day we were scheduled to do Visitor’s Center from 1-7 p.m. But we had to come in to do our square dance demonstration and sing a song for them called “Hallowed Ground.” It is a beautiful song but words will make you cry. I can’t think about what I am singing or I won’t get through the song. Normally on these days when we have afternoon Visitor’s Center we can stay home and just come in for our shift. But it worked out well since on May 1st the Utah area was able to register for treks and 40 new registrations came in for 2018. I went by the office and picked up all of 2018 file folders to take home. It was nice to sit on the couch with my feet up listening to music and make sure all these files were in the computer and organized. It took the whole morning to do but it was a big chunk of work done.

The funny thing that happened while we were home I hear on the radio “There’s a bus pulling in. Did we have a field trip scheduled for today?” Then you hear “Elder Ward can you go over to the Fort?” Elder Ward answers with “yes, do I have 5 minutes or do I need to run over now?” The response “Can you run over now?’ All I can do is laugh and say “every day is an adventure!” I guess this school group called and talked to Sister Turpin about 2-3 months ago and asked if they could come out and have a field trip here. She told them they could and what they would do but to let her know if that is what they decided to do. Well they never got back to her. They just showed up. So everyone was scrambling to get the 8 different stations covered. Let’s just say the women were not in pioneer dress they were in trail dress. It always seem to work out. It reminds me of working at the temple. No one realizes the scrambling that sometimes goes on behind the scene to make everything come together and be a great experience. Because everyone looks so calm and collected.

Okay now for the survey!  I had my shoes in various places from changing from one thing to another and Elder Sigmon says to me. “You have more shoes than any woman I know.” In my defense, mind you, I have to have shoes for church,  trail dress, working, painting, winter boots, cold day slippers, etc. This is basically every shoe I own. Now tell me, do I really have more shoes than other woman? I did leave a 2 pairs of shoes with more of a heel on them at home but this is it! Be sure to comment to my survey!  This is the most shoes I have ever owned but surely others have more than this.

Sorry for the delay in getting this email out I will tell you about the power outage we had the end of this week preventing us to post. 
We love you! 
Karl and Monica

5 comments:

  1. I will tell the truth, I have many, many more than that :D

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  2. I have maybe a few more pairs...lol. But honestly you can't buy shoes where you are at that will work for you, so it is a good thing you brought that many!

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  3. You do not. Besides, it's better for your feet not to wear the same ones two days in a row. They need to dry out and not get too worn down or they do not provide enough support.

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  4. You have way more shoes than me, but that's my choice because I despise shopping in any form. The fault is mine! With all the work you're doing, it seems like you might wear through them all before you get home! They also look very neatly organized. At least you're not crashing lawn mowers.

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