Information Overload Week 2

This week our training was intensive with learning all that we needed to do for the treks. We got all the assignments for what Treks we will be head missionaries on and which ones we will be the second missionary couple. We have to learn the trails that we will be on. We called the stakes we are lead missionaries on to schedule them to come up for a 4 hour route review before their stake comes, for their trek. We have to learn the trails that the youth trek on and also the support roads that the kitchen staff comes on to set up camp each night, the port-a-john stops and water buffalo stops. There are 6 different trails to learn and each one is about 30 miles long for a 4 day 3 night trek.

We have 11 trek missionaries that are staying here in the missionary compound. Each morning we have prayer meeting and tell missionary stories. Spencer shared some of Anson Call's story the morning we were assigned.

Cows are delivered. There are over 1300 cows that are being delivered to be branded, vaccinated, and tagged, and cut. All week about 4 semi's of cows were delivered from around promontory point. We had quite the choir of mooing every day. The corral is right next to our compound. We fed the cowboys lunch on Friday. It was fascinating talking to them at lunch. They all work for the ranch and have bachelors and masters degrees.

A lot of morning we woke up to a skiff of snow and Friday we woke up to one of the missionaries scraping our porches. With the wind blowing it dries up really fast. We have all temperatures every day. If you don't like the weather wait a few minutes and it changes.

Wednesday April, 27 we went to the Ogden Temple and it was a nice outing. We then ate in the cafeteria after our session there. It seemed so different to see green grass and flowers again since we are away from it here at the compound. We then went shopping at Costco, and Home Depot for supplies for projects at the ranch.

Thursday and Friday April 28,29 were spent bringing in part of the 150 handcarts to be checked out. Each one has to have all the bolts tightened and screws tightened, and see if boards need replaced, or repairs done. We also get to build some new ones. We started the first one, and have another month to do a lot more projects, before the treks start. Each missionary couple has different assignments to work on. Many hands make light work.

Saturday April 30, 2016 We left at 6:00 am and went to see the greater sage-grouse mating dance. We watched about 29 males do their mating ritual with two hens. Each Spring at dawn the  greater sage-grouse puff their chests and fan their starburst tails like avant-garde turkeys. They act like Jr High boys, trying to win the hens.Where they hang out is called a "lek" so we saw a lek of sage-grouse.

This is a little information overload for the week for you to read all this. But we are loving our mission and so glad to be here.