Winter in the middle of May

Monday May 15, was our preparation day and we were able to go to Salt Lake and pick up 1000 board feet of wormy maple wood to make handcarts with. This is such beautiful wood and once you put the linseed oil on the finished carts it looks amazing. We made it back to the trek center and parked under the awning just before the rain started.

The wood being loaded for making handcarts.

Jolene Allphin was our guest speaker for family home evening tonight. She is the author of "Tell my Story Too" we use this book for our pioneer stories at our preparation meetings. This is a collection of biographical sketches of pioneers and rescuers of the Willie, Martin, Hodgett, Hunt Companies of 1856. She has some amazing stories of these wonderful people and how these people sacrificed to come to Zion. She asked if we had ancestors who were with these groups. When we told about Anson Call, Elder Call's great-great-grandfather, she said that there theme in Stake Conference in  Fruit Heights Stake is, " hold on." She shared with them the story of Anson Call and Margeretta Clark. This is where he rescued her from freezing with the Martin Company. He pulled her out of the wagon and with help of another man run her up and down so she would not freeze to death. She said he was hurting her hand, he said "I calculate to hold on." Even today his legacy lives on all because it was recorded in a journal. We are seeing the importance of journal keeping.

Jolene Allphin, author of the book, "Tell My Story Too"

Tuesday May 16, was project day around the ranch. The burn pile was burned and some of us sisters worked behind the pavilion cleaning up pipes and wire and filling in badger holes and painting the electrical box and weeding and making the area so much nicer. Elder Call moved all the wood in for the handcarts. We finished one handcart, and were teaching some of the new missionaries how to build the carts. We made 31 new port a john plugs and, also welding steps and modifying trailers for the port a johns, were happening. Wiring for new lights upstairs in the trek center, so many projects happening.

Burn pile

Cleaning up behind the pavilion

Painting the electrical box

Elder Moritte welding

Finished port-a-john plugs drying.

We were eating dinner tonight and two big sheepdogs came to our village. The word must of gotten out from the younger dogs that we have prime rib to give out here. Then some of the cowboys got struck in there truck in the mud, and Elder Call was asked to go help pull them out, with three trucks hooked up they were able to get them out. This is the story of this Spring so much water and mud everywhere. This is about the 5th or 6th time people have gotten struck on the ranch. So while he was gone two cowboys on horse back came up through our camp and waited under the awning of the trek center to wait out the rain.

Cowboys finding shelter out of the rain under the awning at the Trek Center

Wednesday May 17, a super cold morning today, lots of rain last night and when you are living in a trailer it gets really noisy on the roof with all the rain. We woke up to snow, not too much this time but it was really cold. We are having Winter in May. We are so grateful that we are not pioneers and freezing on the plains of Wyoming, it makes me appreciate so much what we have and we take so much for granted.

Snow again in May

More projects today. Elder Call made steps for the three missionary couples that didn't have some or needed some modified. Sister Call helped finish the port a john plugs and took down our handcart display so we could start learning how to call a hoe down and how to dance a hoe down. We had our first "Rook" tornament of the summer with the Ekins. This started last year and is continuing on. We had a fun time and also played Mexican Train Dominoes. A fun night on a cold day at the ranch.

Elder Call making steps for the trailers

Practicing the hoe down

Elder Call calling a hoe down

Thursday May 18, today was another cold day woke up to 22 degrees and the phone said felt like 17 degrees. The truck windows were so covered with ice, Today was one of those days when we took Elder Durhams advice to be positive, Today Elder Call has been here a month, time flies at the ranch, and two weeks and the trekkers start coming.

A really cold morning on the ranch

Ice frozen on our truck windows.

Sister Call  sorted through the burn pile for all the metal that was left, and filled up a 5 gallon bucket. We took the trash down to the dumpsters and pull bars down to the handcarts that still needed them. We had missionaries that got stuck in the mud again trying to take the bypass road around the gates. This is almost a daily occurrence this spring. After lunch it started snowing again. We worked on projects. Painting new pull bars, putting wheels on the handcarts, Elder McDowell finished installing two new lights in the Trek Center. We have a much brighter preparation room now. They had to cut a lot of the floor open upstairs to get them wired.

Elder Barton, with the cut out floor for the electrical to run.

Sister Call painting pull bars for the handcarts

Elder Call and Elder Thealer putting on the axle for the wheel of the handcart

Elder McDowell fixing the lights in the Trek Center

We had a nice dinner together and  a guest speaker tonight, author Andrew Olsen,  He is the author of "The Price We Paid," and "Follow Me to Zion." These books started with a Stake Calling in 2003 for trekking at Martins Cove, and he started researching the Martin and Willie Handcart Companies. These guest speakers are so knowledgeable and really bring the stories of the handcart pioneers to life. He shared the story of  his wives relative. Jane Howard Barnes. She has no written record but left a legacy of 10,000 decedents. She was never bitter of what she had to go through.

Andrew Olsen author of "The Price We Paid"

Friday May 19, Sister Call's son Scott was to go to Martin's Cove for training for his Stake's Trek this summer. He texted the roads are closed, so we looked on the Wyoming roads website and I-80 was closed just outside of Evanston all the way through Cheyenne. We kept checking it all day long and it was still closed. This is May and I-80 is closed? We were just thankful that it is not snowing here.

We found out on Sunday at church that Cheyenne got over 36 inches of snow in two days. That is why the freeway was closed for almost twenty-four hours. We went into Evanston and there were 8 semi's parked on our exit. The port of entry were full of trucks and at Walmart there was a man directing semi parking in the parking lot.

Some of the trucks waiting for I-80 to open up from all the snow.

The five returning Elders singing the song to the new Elders, we will be singing in most of the wards again this summer.
 The song is "To Those Who Came Before Me."

Saturday May 20, more projects to work on and riding trails today. We had a good ride in the four wheelers with the Anderson's and McDowell's on trail 7. There were plenty of wet spots and water crossings and wet fields to go through. The sheep were up on this trail and it's always fun to see how big they are getting in this last month. One sheep dog was lying in the road and as we came by he raised his head and lied back down, he was so tired. Riding these trails takes 3 to 4 hours. They are a long ways, between 25 and 30 miles and gates to open and signs to mark. When we return we are so dusty. We have an air compressor by our trailer that we blow off a lot of the dirt. We have a saying; "Pure Dirt Don't Hurt." We are also on these trails deciding how we are going to get around the water or ways to make it manageable for the trekkers. At 4:30 Sister Call's brother and sister-in-law and there 4 year old grandson came for the weekend, Keith and Sue Sabin. They brought their trailer and we had a great few days with them. We showed them the ranch and they were glad to get away for a few days.

Keith, Sue, Aden Sabin came to visit for the weekend.

Sunday May 21, another wonderful Sabbath day with the great people of Evanston. All the missionaries split up and go to 3 different wards, they sure know how to make you feel welcome. We had a nice dinner of make your own enchiladas and Keith and Sue brought corn on the cob. We eat really well. The five returning missionary couples had a meeting to see how we are going to make these trails work with all the water. We are changing our first week's trail and so a lot of phone calls had to be made and they are so wonderful to make these last minute adjustments to their schedule. A few hours of visiting with Keith and Sue finished up our day.

The circle of life and the circle of seasons.

Monday May 8, 2017 Our Preparation day was spent around the Missionary Village with getting in some walking so we will be ready for the trekkers. Laundry and cleaning the trailer. We had a fun lunch in our trailer with Elder and Sister Howard. About 2:00 a big hail storm came through and it was really noisy. We organized our missionary notes and route review details. For family night Mike Erickson who is an author and songwriter presented for us. He wrote the book, "Upon Destiny's Song." this is the story of his great-great-grandmother who came with the Willie Company. He also tells the story of Ole Madsen who is his great-great-grandfather. He gave us a book and DVD's about the pioneers.

Mike Erickson ,song writer, and musician, and in the, group Cedar Breaks

 Hail outside our trailer

Tuesday May 9, was our second route review with the Spanish Fork Stake. It's great having two Stakes from Spanish Fork. They know where our home is and some of the same people we know. This stake is coming July 19-22 and will have 23 carts about 200 youth.  Like our other route review they are having struggles with Satan working on them with lots of trials of things not all working out and key people baking out, I told them it will all work out and keep on planning and praying and it will all come together for these youth.

Five of us sister's went down to the freeway to clean up the trash once again. Sister Howard did some missionary work. There was a van stopped and she started talking to the lady. She is traveling cross country and she told of how one time 6 wonderful Mormon boys, (missionaries) helped her as her wheel came off in the intersection and wheel and lug nuts went flying. The missionaries picked up the lug nuts and wheel and picked up her small car and put it all back together. Sister Howard is following her Facebook adventures. You never know when you will do missionary work.

Spanish Fork Stake,key trek people for route review

A big sheep dog on the road during our route review

Wednesday May 10, we left at 8:00 am for the Star Valley, Wyoming Temple. This was about a 2 hour drive and we passed by so many fields that are flooded. It has been such a wet winter. Going with four other missionaries the time goes fast as we visit and laugh with each other.

SThe Temple is a very small temple, and we called for reservations. It has special meaning for us as it was dedicated on October 30, 2016. They used 5 of our new handcarts in the cultural celebration. It is the only Temple in Wyoming. They have a beautiful old stained glass window behind the recommend desk that was taken out of a Presbyterian Church in New York City.

"What are the chances," a saying we have on this mission, as we walked into the Temple there was Elder Kennedy, who was a missionary here two years ago and I have been trying to get a hold of him to come for our family home evening. He is a true mountain man and has so many animal skulls and pelts, and inspirational missionary stories to share. Of course he is excited to come.

Star Valley, Wyoming Temple

Star Valley, Wyoming Temple

Elder Call really liked this Temple, He said when we came out this must be heaven, because there is a golf course next door to it.

We went to lunch at a fish place in town that we had reservations at. It was so good, and they sure know how to cater to all 22 of us.

Largest elk-horn arch across the road 

Elder Call

Call's, Wilson's, Clark's, eating at the wonderful fish restaurant.

We stopped in at Cokeville, Wyomin and ran into two missionaries that are from Texas and the Ekins have children living there and they know the area. "What are the chances." We found the elementary school where the movie the. "Cokeville Miracle," took place. Another, "What are the Chances," the Pearts our trek directors ran into some people he knew when he was a Chrysler Rep, and they are coming to do a fireside with there daughter who was in the school when the bomb went off.

Cokeville Elementary

Had a wonderful 3 mile walk when we got back and watched the big full moon come up over the hills here. It was one of those tender mercies that filled my soul, with the majesty of this beautiful world and all it's creations.

Moon coming up over the Hills

Thursday May 11, Today was a work day with lots of projects to get done at the ranch. Sister Call went with Sister McDowell and Sister Moretti to put pull bars and ropes in all the hand carts. We have 163 carts. The sisters made 30 new ropes, they had to cut and braid them. They are a work of art. We had to repaint some of the numbers on some of the handcarts.. Then we put TP and trash cans with liners in most of the 89 port-a-johns.

Sister McDowell and Sister Moretti putting ropes and pull bars into the handcarts

Elder Call helped fill the trench that was dug to move a water line from a different well. He also helped replace a water valve that split on the water buffalo filler station. This station can fill a 550 gallon water tank in 5 minutes. He then built a bottom of a handcart to show the new missionaries. We are getting wood next week to built many more. Some missionaries cleaned the dairy barn and some new missionaries rode some trails to learn them. Sister Wilson mowed the huge lawn that took about 3 hours to do. There is always the vehicles that need fixing Elder Howard is in charge of keeping everything in top notch shape. The Pearts were gone to Salt Lake all day to get two new port-a-john trailers, a new welder and many other parts needed to fix things here. At 7:00 we had a special fireside with the Frogley's they are friends with Elder and Sister Theler. He taught institute for years and gave a wonderful fireside about the ministering angels that are all around us. Our ancestors are those ministering angles, and they have a vested interest in  us. As the youth do temple work for their ancestors they are around them. We see miracles like this all summer long as we trek.

Sister Howard and McDowell loading TP and garbage cans in port-a-johns

Call's, Frogley's Theler's

Elder Call after filling in the trench

 

Sister Wilson mowing the lawn

Cleve Erikson (facilities manager) Elder Call

Elder Ekins and Cleve Erikson

Friday May 12, after preparation meeting, we were asked to train all the missionaries on handcart safety, so they can train the ma's and pa's when they come. The five returning missionaries couples took one of the six new missionary couples out on an assigned trail to see how wet it was and where we will get bogged down in the water and mud. We had trail 6 and went with the Clark's. Most every trail has problems and so we will have to be flexible in where we trek and maybe have the trekkers bring water shoes. We fixed poles where the cows knocked them over and remarked the arrow signs.

Floating Culvert, a very wet Spring makes havoc on our routes This black pipe is suppose to be covered with dirt to drive over. The water has washed all the dirt away, now it it floating in the water. We will have to do some major repair..

Sister Clark pounding in the posts

It was a wild and fast trip to be back for another route review with the Farmington Compton Bench Ward. This is the first trek of the season with only 50 people and 4 handcarts. It is always great to meet new groups and find out how each ward or stake plans their trek and the theme they pick and how they plan to cook and camp.

Farmington Compton Bench Ward Trek Leadership, and Elder Call.

We had 2 sheep dog puppies come to our camp. They are so playful. Elder McDowell fed them prime rib. Well they were still here on Saturday morning so we put them into the truck and drove them back to there herder. They returned about 2 miles away on Saturday night. We had the main owner of the sheep on our trek last year and he is in the Fruit Height's Stake Presidency. Elder Call saw him on the road earlier this spring. So we found his number in our notes from last summer and called him. He was so happy to here from us and sent someone out the next day to get them again. The Lord even looks out for his dogs. Another what are the chances.

Two playful sheep dog puppies that payed us a visit.

Saturday May 13, this was a big day for route reviews, and we had the scripture and pioneer story. Only 6 missionary couples were there, but it is always so good to research these wonderful faithful handcart trek pioneers. I told of Margaretta Unwin Clark. She ended up being the 3rd wife of Anson Call who is Elder Call's great-great grandfather.

She was with the Martin Company and joined the church at age 19 in 1847 in Nottingham England. When she heard the missionaries preaching it had a magnetic power to her soul. She "hugged  it to her heart" the newfound truth with such fervor that her mother and sisters all joined. She saved for 8 years to come to Zion. When she was on the ship she was a nurse and needed to get over her sea sickness so they lashed  her to the rigging in the bow of the ship that she might experience the full rise and dip of the waves so she could overcome the sea sickness more quickly.

She was freezing when the rescuers came and was waiting in Anson's wagon gnawing at a frozen squash which had been intended for his horses. When Anson saw the situation through the back of the wagon he knew that she was freezing to death. In his rough vernacular, acquired in the West, he told her of her condition and she replied: "Oh no Sir, I have been quite cold but I am comfortable now." When he took her by the hand she said, "Hold on Sir, my hand is a bit sore, you hurt it." As she struggled he said, "I calculate to hold on," and she landed in the snow, With the help of another man he ran her up and down in the snow to induce circulation and so saved for himself a wife who later bore him six children. Margaretta always maintained that a gentleman from England would have been much more gentle and not so persistent.

Sister Howard and I sanded and put linseed oil on the new pull bars that were cut. We then put on our rain gear to spray out the port-a-johns the winds were strong and it was cold. We put 5 gallons of water in each one to mix with the chemicals. With 89 port-a johns it has taken a few days to do,

Sister Call and Sister Howard painting the pull bars

Sister Howard and Sister Call in there rain gear washing down the port-a-johns.

Elder Call and Elder Anderson had to go repair some fence gates that had broken off. After lunch it was fixing a few more handcarts. Other projects are vehicles repairs and water buffalo redoing all the vales, finishing the upstairs sheerocking.

Elder Ekins and Elder Call making the bottom of a handcart

Elder Wilson working on the Water Buffalo.

Elder Ekins with all the parts for the water buffalo

Elder Howard working on the tires of the port-a-john trailer

Sunday May 14, Mothers Day, We all had a special sacrament meeting. The Evanston 1st ward had all 9 graduating seniors speak about honoring their moms. Then it was a special meal prepared by the Elders. We had muffins, pancakes with fruit and whip cream and homemade syrup, eggs, bacon and sausage. Orange juice, grape juice and chocolate milk. It was a wonderful meal.

Sister Call with the Apron for Mother's Day

Elder Call making the pancakes.

Some of the Elders cooking Sunday lunch for the Sisters.

The Sister's relaxing while the Elder's make lunch on Mother's Day.

We then had four hours of phone calls to most of our 13 children, sisters, sister-in-laws, and mother- in-law. It was a glorious day, and end to a busy week of projects, and crazy weather