When the numbers are tallied, it will be over 100,000 todate!

Dearest Family,

    Birthday wishes to Whitney, today - Happy 18th Birthday & on Wednesday Happy 20th Birthday to Nathan!  Next Sunday, February 1 – Happy Birthday to Bryan!  We love you all & pray you each have a wonderful, special day! 

    Today in each ward of the stake,  the YM-YW were recognized for their amazing accomplishments in Indexing! When the numbers are tallied, it will be over 100,000 todate!  They have two more weeks, until February 14 of indexing.  A letter from our stake presidency was read in each ward today about this, and that beginning February 15 thru Mother’s day, the adult Members are challenged to see how many they can do too? Who will do the most!

    Then, tonight, while at a YM-YW fireside, the story of Alma the Younger was reviewed!  The scripture in Mosiah 27: 16 was talked about in regards to Family History!  Now I say unto thee: Go, and remember the captivity of thy fathers in the land of Helam, and in the land of Nephi; and remember how great things he has done for them; for they were in bondage and he has delivered them.  In other words, learn about them, learn their experiences, learn about the Lord’s hand in their lives & how He helped them thru their challenges.  I had never thought about it in this way! Today is always so very special – the weeks are just flying by !

    We have had some special times this week, an evening with the Grants, looking for temple names, an evening with the YW of a Cowley ward indexing, several great classes today, & some time when we each did our own indexing. We enjoyed dinner with Allen & his family, they had been to the temple & the kids had visited at Darece’s, Talon  & the boys had done a little fishing in the A.M. at pond 5 with Grandpa!  Several appointments were canceled so there was a some time for quilting!

    Monday was a holiday so the Public Library was closed, so we opened the FHCenter & had several people came there. We were able to work with several missionaries, giving them ideas about ways to help people they are working with. We always enjoy covering the FHC, Tuesday evening was busy & Wednesday a distant Cowley family cousin called asking for help getting more information about his Biological father. There is always new & interesting things to help with & we feel the Lord’s hand in all we do!

    Love to all of you   Bro & Sis Croft

A little reminiscing, just for today!

Dearest Family,   

    A little reminiscing, just for today!  This morning at 7:30 a.m. gas at Maverick was $2.19, at 10:00 a.m. it was $1.97!  In abt 1966-8, there would be occasional gas wars in Laramie. This meant that the gas stations would be dropping their prices, just so they could be the cheapest! The price would get down to 29 cents a gallon!!!!

    Everyday has been a busy one!  Monday at the library was special!  Bro Croft has a brother, abt our age, coming from the Cody Stake, who really wants to work on his Family History!  He comes twice a week, Monday & Thursday, & goes home in between & works & practices on the things they have discussed.  He has added audio, put in pictures & stories, & is really excited about everything!  And most especially, is practicing & working at it!  Doing makes all the difference. Next, he wants to learn to index!

    We so enjoyed having Ethan & Bekah come out for breakfast on Tuesday!  Ethan’s favorite, french toast with Chokecherry syrup!  After breakfast, he & Grandpa worked on, you guessed it, FH!  Bekah helped me finish putting Kenny & Rosie’s quilt on the frames!  Thanks so much, Bekah! Dad and Ken tried to figure out where our RAV4 is leaking antifreeze. They had it at the shop on the hoist but still no real clues. Decided to try some “Stop Leak” product (suggested by the mechanic at Midway) that works well for most radiator leaks. It seems to work some days and then we see a leak again on the ground. We may have to have a more intense check out and repair.  

    Each day we had appts, at least three!  Wednesday evening we were in Cowley helping a group of YW  & their leaders, abt 12, with indexing!  The FHC was filled to the brim with two groups of YM indexing!  We understand there were about 20 young men!

    Even Friday & Saturday afternoon we worked with several people in the FHC!   Judy & Terry, newly weds at 71!  She has loved  FH for a long time & he has just discovered it!  And loves it!  On Saturday, a mother & 12 year old daughter, both wanting to learn about fathers they don’t know!  FS was not working good at all, so Bro Croft indexed with the young lady & I was able to help her mother on Saturday a.m.  We fished a little on Sat. morning, not much catching tho & enjoyed a wedding reception on Saturday evening!  And guess what we talked about? Our name tags always attract attention & questions about FH! The reception was for a neighbor girl who married a Gwynn from Cody. It is a grandson of Eddie Gwynn and wife who Mom and Dad Croft taught the gospel to years ago. They were neighbors, who bought eggs and milk each week from the folks. Now the third generation is enjoying the gospel!

    A grand daughter story!   Symph emailed me & asked, “ Grandma, what talk at Gen. conference was that which talked about FH being as important as prayer & scripture study?”  I emailed back, “Elder Alan Packer’s, “why? are you giving a talk or lesson?”  “No, just telling two of my friends about it”  She has the spirit of the work & is following the counsel, to learn about it, then teach a friend!

We love you all,   CTR   Bro & Sis Croft

It was a great day, 3 wards this morning

Dearest Family,   

    A very Happy Birthday to Michelle on Wednesday & on Thursday - Happy 17th Birthday to Mica!  Hope you each have a wonderful day!

    It was a great day, 3 wards this morning during Sunday School time doing lessons– It is great to see people learning, we pray to inspire them to continue to do the work after the class is done! Back to Lovell for the 1st ward with an open workshop week. This was fun since, Rob, Ethan & Bekah were in this group plus some other patrons.  Ethan & Bekah started indexing! Maybe tomorrow when they stop by we will be able to get their trees all connected! We were blessed to attend our home ward today, it was ward conference!  Also had youth in the the FHC tonight indexing!

    Ethan & Bekah arrived in Lovell on Friday! Saturday evening Michelle & Rob had a family dinner, then an open house!   We were there until about 7:30 p.m. then came home to get ready for Sunday!   They said they had quite a few people stop by for the open house.  It is so grand to see them & enjoy them for a few days! We gave them their temple quilt – they were very pleased! !

    Had an interesting experience at the Public Library on Monday! A young women, a member, came in. A non-member friend had contacted her, saying, “You are a Mormon, you can help me with find my family!   I had a dream the other night that a man & a woman were helping you do this!”   As the young women came into the library & saw us, (she did already know us), she was sort of chuckling to herself, realizing how her friends dream was being fulfilled.  We began working, I was wondering just what we would find, because we had very little info, & many of the people were still living!   My, how amazing the Lord works!  We did some Google searches, came up with a little more info, & then an obituary which was posted in Findagrave!  After she left, I found another one in a Newspaper which was different but about the same person.  Each of these told about his living family!   And there is still more – she will be back on Monday!

Our first Greenhouse tomato

    It has been a fun week & very busy week, with many other special experiences.  Our Thursday morning in Cowley was also busy with 4 patrons, (one man from Burlington too) & a ward consultant who helped us!   It was great!

    Friday afternoon we went to the FHC, the missionaries were serving hot chocolate & talking to people about FH out on Main street. They did have a few stop by, but no one had time to come to the center.   I had invited JQ, my usual Friday afternoon patron to come there. She brought her friend whom she is engaged to, with her.  He thought it would be boring, but as usual with the help of Bro Croft, now he is excited, will be coming again next week with some pictures to scan & more info to work on.

    Well there is much more, but this is enough for tonight!  CTR & have a great week    Our Love,   Bro & Sis Croft

Happy New Year to all of our wonderful family!

Dearest Family,   

    Happy Birthday, McKinzea!  Congratulations to  Connor & Lindsay, married Saturday, January 3! And a very Happy New Year to all of our wonderful family!  We so appreciate your great example to us & feel your prayers.

    Today was one of those WOW days, anyway it ended that way!  Started out cold, even cold in the church house – but our FHC is nice & warm, the only warm spot in the building, that is a blessing! It was a day of adjusting, all wards were meeting at a different time, that change is always good.  We attend Sacrament meeting in whatever ward meets at 8:00 a.m. It is fun to get to know the families better in that ward.  This year it is the Lovell 4th ward! We enjoyed classes in several wards & workshops in several others.  The excitement of the day was this evening in the FHC. During the course of three hours probably 30 youth plus other adults came!  Most of the youth were indexing!  We have 9 computers plus our two laptops, several brought computers.  They just came in groups, rotating thru out the evening!  If I understand the note they reported there numbers on they indexed about 2400 names tonight but that will all be totaled in their wards next week.  They have indexed about 45,000 names as of Dec 28. We think there were youth from 8 different wards! Several had only 1-2. I spent some time helping a young lady who deals with dyslexia & it is very hard for her to read on the computer – but she really wanted to do some & she did!!!!

    As for the rest of the week it was great also!  Spent Monday a.m. here at home with the Fikes, Symphony wanted to make some fudge & it was yummy!  They came & visited us at the Public Library for awhile, several did indexing, Kenya & Daeja watched a movie that they were showing there! Also had others who came in for help. In the evening, we had a FHE & shared memories of Grandpa Petersen.  We taped them & soon they will be on FamilySearch! Wednesday was a day at home, baked bread, had a planning meeting with the NeVilles via the phone, it was super cold that day minus 22 degrees and wind!    Finished the quilt, Ethan & Bekah’s, and several other projects that needed doing!

    Thursday afternoon, two elders serving here wanted to learn about using FH as a proselyting tool! We enjoyed working with them so very much!  We processed our last deer actually the largest and fatest one of the four. We really enjoy the wild meat! It’s been to nasty to do any ice fishing . . .maybe soon . . . we are fish hungry again!

    With more snow on Friday Dad needed to use the snow blower again. Only 5 inches of snow here for December, compared to the two feet in November. There is still 8 inches of packed snow in the shaded areas here at home. The tomatoes in the greenhouse a turning red and we will soon have fresh ones to eat!

Love you all!

CTR as always!    Bro & Sister Croft