Good Bye Martin's Cove!

Well today is the day we leave from the Wyoming Mormon trail Mission back to home in New Mexico. We have finished working on getting things done and training the Criddles as the new FM’s. I was a little worried as it got closer to the end that I might not get everything done but I barely slid under the wire finishing typing a document on the road home and emailing pictures of the document while driving. I will later email the whole document when I get home.

We had many express their love and well wishes as we got ready to go. Last night the Pace’s asked what time we would be leaving and we told them 7 a.m. Then Elder Sigmon asked if she would have the water heated for him. She told him she would. It is a joke between them but not really. She usually showers before him. When they were gone for about 3 days Karl said he really missed not having the Pace’s home because it took a long time for the water to heat up and she would have it already done for him. When I told that to Sister Pace she laughed and said “Yeah I turn it on and then do a few other things before I even come back.”

This morning when the alarm went off. True to her word I could hear the shower running. As we went out with the first last items we needed to pack I could see the Pace’s door wasn’t tightly shut. After a bit on one of the trips out they came out and Sister Pace said “you can’t escape are you leaving now?” When I told them we had some more things to pack she said “just knock on the door before you go.” Just a few minutes later my phone was ringing and Sister Bowden was asking when we were leaving. When I told her 7 a.m. she said not to leave before they came up.

We managed to get everything in comfortably into the bed and cab of the truck. We had the bikes on the car hauler trailer and Elder Hysell’s handcart sign screwed down to the trailer floor. We visited with the Paces for a bit. I told her we were one of her kids now and we expected Sunday phone calls! Sister Pace and I went and did one final walk through to make sure I hadn’t forgotten anything. When we came back to the kitchen she asked about the cabinets there. I said I thought I had gotten everything but to humor her I started opening cabinets and drawers. Then when I opened one drawer there were 3 things I would have forgotten. My power cord to my griddle, my canning funnel, etc. I couldn’t believe I would have left those things! Glad I looked! Thanks Sister Pace.

The Pace’s left and Elder Sigmon was going to load the car hauler and I was going to the FM office to print off a couple documents. Then the Bowden’s came up and we took a few pictures with them. Then Elder Bowden went to help load the car hauler and Sister Bowden came with me to print the documents. We talked about how we could get together again sometime in the future. So we will see each other again. Maybe in Hawaii.

Sister Bowden and I

Even the deer were out early to say good bye once more.

I couldn’t ask for a better send off. Visiting with the Paces and then as we drove away the Lashers and Bowdens waving and then going through the flags on either side of the road. 

This is the car hauler. We did manage to ride our bikes twice. We just were much busier this year with our duties. The handcart sign is a piece of Elder Hysell we got to take home and put in our garage. We will treasure his beautiful work.

As we have been driving you have a lot of time to think and talk. One thought I had was how long it has been since we retired. We figured out it has been 2 years and 3 months. Then I mentioned we served 2 missions in those 2 years. Crazy. Then Karl said and we bought, fixed up and sold 4 houses too. So it actually works out to we did 4 houses in 1 year and 3 months and served a mission in 1 year. No wonder we have been so busy since Karl has retired!

It is funny as I look back at how scared and uncertain I was about retirement and to see where I am now and how great it has been. It was a good thing for us. No regrets! Now we are starting another chapter in our life and only the Lord knows where it is going to take us but with him in charge I think I am ready. I am ready now!

If you have a chance to serve a mission as a senior couple, even if it is scary or hard, DO IT!!!! It will not be easy and it will be hard BUT IT IS WORTH IT!!!!!

I know serving in the Wyoming Mormon Trail Mission has been like nothing I will experience anywhere else ever again. I am excited to serve another mission somehow someway but I know it will be very different and not like this one. But that’s okay. I have lifelong friends, brothers and sisters, from these last 2 years. One of the things that makes me happy is that 3-4 of the couples from this year live in New Mexico with 3 of them in Edgewood and Los Lunas. The other couple is from Farmington but still doable for a get together now and then. We talked about maybe going to the temple and then to lunch or dinner. I like it and I don’t have to say goodbye.

Sunday, September, 24, 2018

We met with President Saxton who officially released us. This picture is the last time we will wear our name tags.

Good bye for now and we hope everyone is well.

Winding Down

Short Version:
Elder Sigmon says he is tired and doesn’t have a lot of words. But he agrees with everything I wrote.

Long Version:
As I sit here and write I am reflecting on these last 5 1/2 months. Man have they flown by. In many ways I can’t believe that September is here and before I know it our mission is going to be over. But on the other hand when we look back on all we have done, we have done a lot!

I decided I would go through and give you a glimpse of the many things which I didn’t post about earlier or which are coming to an end. There isn’t any particular order just my many thoughts and pictures.

We have played shuffle board for one of our family home evenings. Elder Honey was very clever in creating our indoor version of shuffle board. Isn’t that what old, retired people do? Or maybe we are just preparing to go on a cruise? You got to keep people guessing.

We have had many beautiful skies

You can almost see Elder Sigmon at the rescue statues. But the sunset was beautiful!

Split rock (picture courtesy of Sister Ward). It is a landmark and 20 miles from Devil’s Gate.

Another beautiful sky just because they are so plentiful and beautiful here. I am limiting to just three.

Our last trek with kids came last week. They came on Friday and trekked Martins’ Cove. They had their base camp here at Cherry Creek campground. Then on Saturday they drove to trek at Sixth Crossing. They even attended church with us on Sunday before leaving for home on Monday. It was kind of sad to realize this was the last trek with kids that Martin’s Cove will see this season. When the season comes to an end it is quite abrupt! We kind of build at the beginning but when school starts there is no tapering down—the treks just stop. We actually had 2 weeks of nothing and because it was Labor Day weekend this one group scheduled to come. The hustle and bustle has come to an end. It is sad.

We have had a lot of friends (previous missionaries) come back. Some we knew about and some were great surprises!

    The Schows and the Gillespies

Jennifer Ziegler (big surprise) friend--not previous missionary and the Turpins

The Wards had us and the Swingholms to dinner. The Swingholms were on their way to serve another mission.

The most exciting visitors were Ethan and Zoey. They were finally able to come and visit us. They came on a Friday and left on Monday. It was a lot of fun. We were able to go to the Cove, to a couple of dinners and a campfire one evening at the Wards. It was fun to share this experience with them and to be able to take them to our favorite places. As always we were able to cram a lot into a short time.

While they were here we had a dog who forced its way into the porch of the office. It was afraid of the lightening and wanted in really bad. He actually took his mouth to grab the corner of the screen and ripped it off the one door. Then when that left no way to enter he went to the other door and ripped the screen off of it and managed to squish himself through the small opening and laid there on a rug, wet and shaking. It had one paw which was bleeding so there was blood everywhere in the porch area. Ethan and Zoey came to see and comfort it. Ethan found a red bandana in the lost and found handcart and tied it around his little neck. We checked with all the visitors to make sure it wasn’t their dog and it wasn’t. Sister Pace took a picture of it and sent it to Tina Sun who has a ranch near by to see if it was one of her dogs. We knew Tina was out of town. We were thinking it couldn’t be a ranch dog if it was afraid of the thunder and lightning. Maybe it was an indoor dog. 

In the meantime it was decided to take the dog over to the rover shop so it could be inside but not in the office porch. There was a rug it could lay on. Ethan helped us walk him over there. As we were walking a rover drove by and the dog perked up and got excited. We looked at each other and said it is a ranch dog. Then Elder Sigmon was close with our rover and I told him to stop and call the dog. The dog didn’t hesitate a second. He ran and jumped right in like it was what you are supposed to do. We decided to call him Rover until we found out his real name.

It turned out that Tina did know the dog, it was her brother’s dog who lives near her ranch. So they were sending someone to come and get him and the dog’s name is Beau.

It was a sweet dog and he went home with the red bandana. We were happy we found his home and owner and were able to return him back to his home that same evening. We figured his paw was probably cut from the long distance he had traveled through the sage brush, grass and weeds.

Zoey, Ethan, Me and Elder Sigmon

Then we decided to give Ethan and Zoey a Work Order. We wanted them to move the handcart over just a little from where it was. Come on--a father can give his son and daughter in law a small job, right. How hard can it be? Elder Sigmon as he always does, he lined them out and showed them the best way to do it. Then he turned it over to them to get it done.

Well they didn’t manage to move it.

You would think we gave them a full 6 hour shift of work. They just can’t hang with the big dog! lol

We have had the most bizarre weather here again this year. But it has been different from last year. One day it can be 90ᴼ then the next day it can be in the 40’s and we have hail! Not just for a few minutes. It went on and on and on. Elder Sigmon ended up running out to our truck and moving it to a building for protection. I think he ended up running out to move his truck about 3 times.

We also had some strange visitors appear. In my many travels on the rover between the wood shop and to the office traveling on chapel alley as I would look down by the bank of the river there was this thing. It looked like a porcupine almost. I would say to myself you need to take a picture of that. But I was always in a hurry and would forget about it until the next time I drove by. But on this one day as I drove by I actually had to stop because my porcupine looking thing had changed. It made me laugh. Obviously it had attracted someone else’s attention. It no longer even looked close to a porcupine! This time I took a picture.

Meet my new friend with red sunglasses! Too funny!

We also received a surprise package of numalicious food. It was a homemade carrot cake from Elder Sigmon’s sister. It is always a sweet unexpected surprise and it didn’t last too long. We did share some of this goodness with other people. It was truly a sacrifice to do so but we did. Okay now I’m thinking about that darn carrot cake and how good it really was and now my mouth is watering for a bite hahaha!

The cake pan has a little wear and tear from the mailing but there was nothing wrong with the cake!

We have this deer and her two fawns which hang around in the evening very close to the Homestead. We are always surprising each other. One night we came home to our pet deer hanging out in our yard. It was kind of comical because of where they were if you didn’t know any better it almost looked like we had them in a pen there all the time.

We had Elder Legrand Curtis come to a dinner and our mission conference. That was a special treat!

We had the privilege of having Bishop Gerald Causse and his family come to Martin's Cove. He even played the most beautiful rendition of "Come, Come Ye Saints." (Picture courtesy of Elder Bowden)

I know in another post I talked about our orphaned twin antelopes. Well I am happy to report that the orphaned twins are still around at this time. Which makes us very happy.

I actually have some great memories and good times going out early on a Saturday or Monday morning to pump the porta potties. Some of the excitement was the challenge of getting out there after correlation and back before the trek hit the trails. We got it down to doing it in an hour which is actually quite good. I only realized it when we had to substitute some other people at different times because Elder Bowden wasn’t available and it took longer to do. We were a well-oiled machine and knew what needed to be done and we each did our part to make it all work quickly. Plus and more importantly—we had fun!! It was during these duties I was able to spray the water truck, laugh and we also found some treasure (a cell phone) which no one wanted. Hmmm. So now the porta potties are all locked up until the next season. I know you are going to think I am crazy but I am going to miss those early mornings of fun and good company.

Here is our final porta pumping selfie.

Elder Bowden, Me, Elder Sigmon

After we pumped the porta potties for the last time we headed back to the Homestead with the water truck. Elder Sigmon and Elder Bowden drove the water truck and I followed them in the rover. As I was following them they sprayed water for me. It is so beautiful to see the water coming out of all the sprayers. I thought I had pushed the button to get a video of it. But I apparently did not and missed it! I was not a happy camper!!!! I had no way to tell them to do it again. 

When we get back to the homestead we refill the water truck so we are ready for the next fire or pumping of the vault toilets. The river is very low. It was never this low last year. Elder Sigmon had to turn off the pump before the water truck was full because it was working too hard. We are going to have to move it to a deeper spot in the river. When Elder Bowden went to detach the hose (which is a real firetruck water hose) from the water truck. I was videoing it because it was the last time we were doing it. I could tell the hose still had some water in it because it was all fat. Well….when Elder Bowden detached the hose it sprayed all over the front of him from about the waist down! I wish I had a picture to show you but I was laughing so hard! It was soooo funny! I’m super glad I got it on video! At least it was water from the water truck and not other yucky stuff.

We were able to do a little sightseeing and went to Ayer’s Natural Bridge. It was quite relaxing and very pretty. It has a park like area and just some nice places to relax and walk. If it were closer I think I would have managed to escape to it quite often. We went with the Bowden’s. 

Sister Bowden and I sat on the bank and put our feet in the water and visited while the boys went on ahead.

Well I’ve debated whether or not I should tell you this but I’m going to because it’s too funny not to. Apparently you get a piece of paper in your mailbox that says you are to say the Opening and Closing prayer in church for Sacrament. We never got one of these last year so it was something new to us. Well one day we got this blue piece of paper in our mailbox which tells us this upcoming Sunday we are to say the prayers. I gave it to Elder Sigmon and he looked at it and said “this can be for anyone. I don’t see my name on there. Go put it back in Sister Smart’s mailbox.” I argued a little but then I did what he asked me to do. Well the next day there was the blue slip of paper again but this time in big black Sharpie was his name. 

For those of you who know Elder Sigmon this isn’t a big surprise. We had a good laugh over that one. Poor Sister Smart.

This is one of my favorite moments, working with the Taylors and Sister Criddle. We were replacing some of the benches at the top of the cove. Elder Taylor was driving the tractor and we would pick which bench we wanted to use. He had it on the forks ready to move it into place when I got the brilliant idea we should all get on the bench for a picture. We had spent the day moving a bunch of benches there and at the statues. Probably a total of at least 12 benches. It was a good day.

Elder & Sister Taylor, Sister Criddle and myself 

We put on a Facilities Management appreciation dinner for all the missionaries. For the center pieces we had different themes of the many jobs they have done. A pom pom, toilet paper and rubber gloves for RRA, wrenches, sockets, oil etc. We have grown to love all these people who have so graciously come every morning to find out what they will be doing for the day. You often see them with smiles on their faces painting bathrooms, putting up barb wire fence, mowing, pumping out potties, framing a garage or putting in a garage door. Everyone worked hard these last 6 months. I was able to capture people doing various duties and made each couple a Work Order which had been completed with pictures of them doing their various jobs and all the wonderful qualities we have noticed and love. It was a hard evening to get through. I went before Elder Sigmon thinking, he always makes me cry with the sweet things he says. Well it didn’t work well at all. I cried any way!

As second years (that is what we call those people who came back for another summer or stayed through the winter and are here for the summer again) we all went to Rock Creek Hollow for a barbeque lunch together. At least those who could get away. It is a long way to go for lunch (2 ½ hours) but it was worth the memories of being together again for possibly the last time. Some of us started this journey last summer, going into the Mission Training Center together. To be in such a special place was a nice afternoon.

We had the Honeys, Moses, Houghs, Pauls, Taylors, Ashbys, McMillans, Spencers, Roundys, Bowdens, Greens and us.

We’ve said goodbye to our first couple to leave the mission. The Roundys. They have been such great friends and we can always count on a kind word and hug from them. They are missed.

This next week we will lose at least 2 more couples and goes downhill from there.

Lastly we had our final trek with Trek Leader Training on Friday. The really fun thing was that Elder Sigmon and I were stationed at Welcome post. I told Elder Sigmon I wanted to wear his hat. He looked at me and said “what if it gets hot and I want my hat?” Being the nice wife that I am I told him that I would give it to him if it got hot. Well our time frame to be at Welcome post was 7-9 a.m. It isn’t going to get hot by then so I knew I was safe. Besides—who looks better in the hat anyway? I’m just saying. If it was a little smaller and I actually had a place to wear it when I went back to New Mexico it would so be my hat!!!

When we got there Welcome post really ended up being parking and not Welcome Post. I would hand them their paper with what they needed to unload and take with them and direct them to Elder Sigmon who told them where to park. But better yet I was able to greet 5 people from our Stake who are coming in 2019 to trek here. So it was fun to see the Southams, President Christensen and the Cardons! I only wish I would have thought to get a picture of everyone. Darn! We even ate dinner with them after their trek!

Well as I have said things are winding down and the next few weeks are going to be filled a little more tears than usual. We are experiencing a lot of last times. We are also training and preparing the couple who will now take the responsibility of keeping this place running. They are a great couple. They are very loving and kind and will be able to let those working know how much they are loved and appreciated. I am going to miss this place and the spirit that is here. Not to mention the beauty which is all around. I am going to miss the view out of my bathroom window every morning. There is so much more I’m going to miss but I will have the memories and the experiences which no one can take away from me. I’m grateful we had the opportunity to serve at this special place, Martin’s Cove, in Wyoming. It has been such a blessing in my life and I hope in some way I have touched other people’s lives.

Those saints who came from England, Wales, Denmark, Scotland, etc have forever left a mark on me. Their examples of faith, charity, sacrifice, obedience and faith is a legacy I would like to emulate. They paid a price to come to know their Savior in a way I would like to know my Savior. I hope I am willing to pay the price to know Him like they do. I can’t wait until I can meet them and tell them how much I have come to love them. They are no longer stories but people to me. 

I have seen many tender mercies in my life and the life of those around me. There have been so many while we have served here. The Lord is aware of us and our needs and desires. He is involved in the details of our lives. We just need to ask and have faith. Things may not be answered in our time or the way we think it should be but the Lord knows what is best for us and has a great plan for each and every one of us. We just need to trust and have hope and keep trying. These things I do know! I love you and hope you are all well. 

Hot, Busy and Fun Visits!!!

Short Version:
It has been a hot one, literally. We had lightening that started a brush fire on the Sun ranch, our neighbor. While I was on a trek at the top of Martin’s Cove I saw the lightening hit in the distance. When we got down back to the Homestead from our trek you could see the smoke. Elder Roundy and I had to take out the water truck again to go help put it out. It was in a pretty remote area and I wasn’t sure I could get this water truck in there. We did finally find a path that we could travel on. We were able to help put it out and get it under control. Then of course when we get it under control the big boys show up and finish putting out the hot spots. It burned about 5 acres. Luckily the Sweetwater river was on one side of it.

We’ve been doing some trekking. One group that we trekked with we met them the night before and one of the older men and I had a great conversation together.  Then he presented to me a small leather pouch with a bottle of consecrated oil in it. They wanted all their Priesthood holders that were Elders to “Be ready now” like Ephraim Hanks was. I have been able to see the Priesthood in action through blessings and service of all kinds.

I have been busy on the Homestead mowing lawns, pumping septic tanks, working on plugged up toilets, and fixing everything else that breaks. Our projector in the Visitors’ Center in our video room quit working. But we were able to call Salt Lake and have them send us 2 new bulbs (one for a spare). I had a box that was labeled spare bulb for the projector but when I opened it up it was a piece 3” pipe threaded on both ends. Needless to say I was a little surprised, disappointed, dumbfounded, etc. Anyway Salt Lake overnighted it and we were back in business the next day.

The 6 couples that will spend the winter have been identified with one of these couples being the new FM. It is sad to think of going home and being replaced at the end of the season. But they are a great couple and we will start mentoring and training them after trekking season winds down. It has been fun learning new stuff every day and having the experiences we have had and are having. I love you all and miss you.

Elder Sigmon

Longer Version:

As Elder Sigmon said we have been so busy! It is a constant coming and going of so many different things. We love to wake up and stand at our bathroom window and look out at all the comings and goings or even the quiet stillness before the buziness begins. I like to tease Elder Sigmon and sometimes as I walk up and ask him “Looking over your kingdom again?” The sad thing is when it comes to an end it doesn’t ease off, it just drops off, which is different than how it slowly builds at the beginning of the trekking season. The end will be here sooner than we know. After the first week in August with everyone busy getting ready to start school and back to their lives all the treks just end—that’s it everyone is gone. Having been through it once before I don’t want to miss a minute or experience. Even on the days it is hot and I’m tired and it would be nice to do nothing (like that ever happens lol), I am thoroughly enjoying it! I know I have said it before but I’m sorry I am going to say it again. I am so glad we came back to serve one more summer at the Wyoming Mormon Trail Mission! It is going to be a sad day when we are all packed up and drive home. We have so many cherished memories and friends. There are days we drag in, eat dinner and then we need to go back out and check on how projects went, what needs to be done and just see how things are in general. As we climb into the rover and are sitting side by side and heading down the road seeing the beautiful Sweetwater River, antelope and Martin’s Cove. I can’t help but slide a little closer so grateful to have my husband by my side sharing this wonderful experience. Then I say to him “It doesn’t get any better than this. What mission can you do this on? Where else can you have these experiences? This is the best mission ever!” 

As you know we have had so much wildlife around us. We enjoy seeing the antelope and especially when they start having their babies. They actually have quite a few twins. I remember when we lived out at Missionary Village they were right there on our lawns and weren’t really afraid of us. They kept their distance but they are used to having us people around. Moms and babies would be right there. One day I even caught a mom and her babies playing what I would say was a game of tag. It was so cute. Well once again the babies appeared. But there is that circle of life that goes on and Elder Sigmon was called and told that a mother antelope was dead near one of the trailers and probably would need to be removed. The sad thing is she had two twin babies. They spent the remainder of the day laying right where their mother had laid. But it has been about 3 weeks now and they have still managed to survive and are staying in Missionary Village. There is water out for them and they had been eating grass prior to their mom’s death so that was a blessing. We are hoping they make it to adulthood and I’m glad they at least have each other. It would have been sadder if it was just one.

It is always sweet to get pictures from the grand kids and so when this picture came it just melted my heart. I can’t believe how grown up they are getting and they now have some additions to the chickens. They have three new baby ducks and a few turkeys. The baby ducks I believe were only a day old when they got them. Aren’t they the cutest!

Since we are talking about critters. We have one that has been getting into Bertha (the place where we put our trash to burn). It will dig out the trash and spread it all over choosing what it wants to eat. Elder Roundy put the old well pump in front to block it and a bunch of gravel. Upon inspection the next morning the critter managed to pull it back along with the gravel. It is almost like it has swept everything back. That pump is not light and easy to move either. 

Upon further inspection we noticed some sooty footprints along the water truck fire hose. Yes, we believe it is raccoon prints. We ended up welding another flat piece of metal along the bottom so it can no longer reach in and make a daily mess. We don’t have time to clean up after it lol.

We had a wonderful family come from New Mexico, whom we dearly love, come to experience Martin’s Cove with us. The Biggs family! They came on a Sunday evening and spent Monday with us before leaving for Sixth Crossing on Tuesday morning. We were able to share the Visitors’ Center with them where we found one of their ancestors, Daniel Tyler’s, journal entry. It was a 3 pager. He was with the Martin handcart company. They pulled a handcart. You know Lana she wants to see and do it all.

We walked the Cove.

We were able to talk and visit for a little while at the top of the Cove before heading back down.

Thanks for everyone’s patience while I remembered how to set the timer on my phone to get this picture. I have several pictures which I deleted with my face up close looking at the phone. Obviously because I was taking the picture instead of setting the timer but we got it figured out. Failure is not an option! J

Everyone who knows Lana knows she is so creative and fun! Sister Pace’s birthday was Wednesday and I had the brilliant idea it would be fun to decorate her door (only because Lana was here). So I asked her if she would help me do it. Of course she was more than happy to do it. Her first question was “Do you know what her favorite color is?” I had no clue but I did say she likes to scuba dive. So then Lana says “Oh we can do some seaweed, and bubbles with the letters in it…do you have some colored cardstock?” I had the cardstock and she left me to make the bubbles and the lettering. She then proceeded to freehand everything else. I was amazed. She just looked at a cartoon crab and then cut it out and drew a few things on it to finish it off. Last but not least we put it all up using masking tape. There again she amazed me. I was cutting one piece at a time to make the round loop to put behind the cardstock and trying not to get all tangled up at the same time. Lana had me tear off a very long piece of masking tape and then she would proceed to do about 4-6 of those loops and have them done and stuck on different parts of her fingers and wasn’t even tangled up a little bit. Crazy!

Here is our finished project!! It shows the creator and the receiver. It was really fun to do and I love working with Lana. She even taught me how to make a lei out of yarn. She made one and I made another. She said I did really well for my first time. I didn’t even have to start over. I had a little trouble with tying it off but it was easily taken care of.

Elder Sigmon touched on a trek we had been on and I wanted to talk about a few things which really touched my heart with this same group. We went to meet with the Trek Leaders in their camp the night before we were to go out trekking with them. They were a big group so they were going to be going in two separate groups. They had put a lot of work and effort into preparing and having their leaders and kids do the same. We went down to the amphitheater to visit with who would be with our group and as we walked down there they had used those strings of white lights as a rope going down to the front as a border or fence from either side with a big picture of the temple in the center. On this string of white lights (which weren’t on) there were these strips of white fabric with something written on them flapping in the breeze. It was covered. It was eye catching to see and then one of the leaders told me as a stake they had been trying to do temple work. They had asked the kids to find a family name they could take to the temple and their goal was 1,000 names. They actually had 1,022 names that were done. These names were each written on their own strip of white fabric. This is what was tied onto those lights flapping in the wind. It was a beautiful sight to see. They had accomplished this goal and on this evening they were having a special fireside and were even going to surprise a few of the kids with a picture of their ancestor and their story which would be totally unbeknownst to the kid. They also had every Bishop from each ward and I think all of the Stake Presidency there with this group. These Bishops were bonding and getting to know their youth better in these 3 days than they have been able to in the last year. The spirit you felt being with them was awesome.

The next day we trekked with them and I actually did my very first river crossing. This is because I wear a knee brace while trekking and I didn’t actually go through the water on any of the river crossings last year. I rode in handcarts or walked around to the bridge. When the year was done I was kind of sad I hadn’t. So this time I decided I would take off my brace and do at least one river crossing this year. So it was today. Sister and President Pace had come to join our group for the river crossing and she was kind enough to take a few pictures for me.

I am so glad I did it! 

They also did a women’s pull on the way back to their campground. They usually have a talk before the girls pull the handcarts up the hill without the help of the men. There are similarities but there are also differences in some of the points or things which are discussed for each one. One of the things which was said that I hadn’t heard before was the difference between the words “can” and “will”. If someone asked you “Can you pull your son 700 miles in a handcart or pull your husband you would probably say “No I can’t.” But if someone asked you “Will you pull your son or husband 700 miles in a handcart.” It is different. Sometimes we don’t think we can do things but if we are willing to try we may be surprised at what we can manage to do especially with the Lord’s help. Before we left to pull the handcarts up the hill they gave all the girls a bracelet. It has a heart with footsteps on it and on either side there is a knot. We were told this bracelet represents “Faith in every footstep—Doubt Not—Fear Not!” I love mine and I have worn it every day since I was lucky enough to also receive one. Sister Pace has one too! We need to do exactly that have Faith in our Savior—Doubt Not and Fear Not. What a great everyday reminder to have. Sorry it looks a little worn. I had to take it off to get a picture.

We had some unexpected people. I was home when there was a knock on my door asking if I was Sister Sigmon. This girl was here on a trek for a family reunion of one of the missionaries serving here with us, the Hansens. Well she ran into my niece while shopping for pants to come on trek and mentioned her aunt and uncle serve at Martin’s Cove. My niece said “so do mine! You need to take a picture with them!”  She lives 2 doors down from Laura. Nice to meet you Reghan Rohner!

Then one evening while we were at home we got a call that there was a family at the Visitors’ Center who were from Albuquerque, New Mexico and they really wanted to meet us. It turns out they lived in my son’s ward and knew them really well. Their son was good friends with the twins. They have recently moved to Utah. Of course we had to send a picture to Lance and say guess who we met. The Paxton family!

As for the work side of things we have been pretty busy since the 1st of July with 9 to 14 treks a week. Both sites have been busy. There are a couple of weeks that Sixth Crossing needs to take 2-4 of our couples to even cover all of their treks they have over there. Not to mention 35 of our handcarts too. It is crazy but it is exciting to see how it is all going to work out and the Lord is in charge so it will all work out. This year we are 5 couples less than last year so it has been interesting on Mondays and Saturdays which are preparation days to see how some of the necessary work crew jobs get covered along with everything else for the treks coming in and going out. 

We have some porta potties behind some vault toilets at Handcart parking. They need to be pumped out every week on Saturday or Monday. How it has been working out is when Elder Sigmon and I don’t have preparation day that is the day it gets done because we are the only ones on work crew. Elder Bowden is Trek Coordinator or Base depending on what is happening and usually tries to help with it too. So there we are the three of us pumping them out. To do it involves the water truck which is the same truck Elder Sigmon went to fight the fire with Elder Roundy. It holds 1,000 gallons of water. I mainly hold doors open and spray and wipe things down after it is all said and done with sanitizer spray. 

So on my very first time to help them do it Elder Sigmon had told me it didn’t take very long. So he is in the first toilet trying to suck everything out and I’m holding the door open and standing there and standing there and standing there. He keeps banging and moving the pipe and I can’t figure out how at this rate it doesn’t take very long because it seems to be taking quite a while just to get one toilet done. Then Elder Sigmon finally pulls up the pipe and there is a cell phone stuck to it. Yes someone dropped their cell phone in the toilet. After he got it knocked off the suction tube worked much better. There was also a little bottle with an eye dropper top in there too. Elder Bowden was the lucky person to put a trash bag on his arm and pull those fun items out. I had a picture of them in the bottom of the toilet but somehow it got deleted off of my phone! I am so sad. So you only get to see the picture of the phone on the ground. No one wanted the phone so it ended up in Bertha. (Big Surprise!)

We went out on another day with the water truck and had to charge (fill with more water) the vault toilets because of the heat and evaporation. Here is Elder Sigmon charging the toilet. Again I hold the door.

On the way back from charging the toilet I got to run the water control panel and let’s just say I pulled every possible lever there was to pull. Left Front, Left Middle, Left Rear, Right Front, Right Middle, and yes Right Rear! Now I totally see why last year he was so disappointed when they ran out of water. That was so fun!!! Seeing the water go out there is awesome!!!!

The funny thing was at one point Elder Sigmon pulled one of the levers and his window was down and the wind was blowing and needless to say he had one nice little shower. I couldn’t help laughing! Luckily it was a hot day! 

Elder Sigmon and Elder Roundy had to get a tire off the water truck because it was flat. We had to take it into town to get it fixed. It was a little tough to get off and they had to use a cheater pipe.

Needless to say it was on tight and the cheater pipe did not help the breaker bar. It is going to have to be bent back into shape after it served its purpose. But once again….Failure is not an option!

We got the opportunity to do Base. This is the person who is like air traffic control for all the treks out on the trail. I’m not quite sure how we ended up with this job since we have never done it before and weren’t trained on it but we are up for anything. Luckily we only had one trek out on the trial and we were able to spend the day watching them move from place to place. I even got some computer work done while we were out there. Here is a picture of Elder Sigmon looking out the big window with his binoculars to make sure the group is together, still at the river crossing, leaving the statue or whatever they may be doing. This is where it all goes down. I think we did pretty well. We had no incidents, everyone was accounted for and I had fun!

Ok so I have to tell you a funny story. Well it doesn’t start out funny. Sister Roundy’s brother passed away unexpectedly and they left for his funeral. Whenever anyone leaves it is like something is missing and you notice they aren’t here. We have weekly schedules that tells us where we are needed and the assignments we need to do. With the Roundy’s gone there were certain things we needed to make sure were covered if they were assigned to them. Some of them being a Trek Host or handcart parking. On Thursday there was a trek Elder Roundy was supposed to do with Elder Honey and their wives were both scheduled for handcart parking. This is where the treks come and leave their handcarts before going up into the Cove and also eat their lunch. Elder Bowden asked if Elder Sigmon would go with Elder Honey and I would go with Sister Honey. Elder Sigmon’s trek was supposed to come in and eat their lunch prior to going out on the trail. I made my lunch to take with me in a cooler and left his in the fridge for him to eat before leaving on the trek. Eating before going out on the trail is out of the norm. Most of the treks eat on the trail. Other times we have been split up like this I will take both of our lunches in the same cooler and we will eat together at handcart parking.

Well when Elder Sigmon came in with his trek I saw him and went over to talk to him. President and Sister Pace were there. We had 5 treks out on the trail that day and the Paces try to hit each one at various points. So we were visiting and I asked Elder Sigmon if he had eaten his lunch and he says “no I brought it with me.” I guess something changed and they were eating their lunch on the trial now. So he reaches in his possibles bag and pulls out his sandwich. Taking one look at it I burst into laughter!!! Along with President and Sister Pace. He was trying to push it all back together and into shape.

He said “We didn’t have another cooler for me to put it into.” A picture is worth a thousand words.

Every once in a while something makes me think back on that sorry little sandwich on a hamburger bun and I begin to laugh. I haven’t said a word to Elder Sigmon and he looks at me and says “Well it tasted okay.” He knows exactly what I was laughing about. I think it will crack me up for a while. Can you see his bag of chips?

Sorry this is so long but I guess that is what happens when a whole month has almost passed by. As usual we hope you are all well.

Elder and Sister Sigmon