The highlight of this week happened on Tuesday evening.

Dearest Family, 

    Happy 11th Anniversary to Allen & Amber!  My how time flies!

    We had a fun Monday evening celebrating Leanne’s birthday in Worland!  Then again on Saturday, they stopped on their way home from the temple.  Amber & I, Darece, Kaitlyn & Whitney enjoyed going to the Women’s Broadcast that night!

    The highlight of this week happened on Tuesday evening.  The parents of HeadStart students & some of the staff at HeadStart scheduled their monthly meeting in the FHC, learning about FH.  About half of the group were not members of the church & were very hesitant to even come there.  We had about 8 people – it was amazing – all were able to find success! One woman has immigrated to the US from the Philippines. She was sure that FS would only be for Americans, but much to her surprise, she found information about her family!  There was lots of excitement among the group & it was a wonderful evening!

    We have also been busy this week doing follow up after our Family History Fair.   We have been in 4-5 homes copying the files from our classes which we held.  There are those who for various reasons were unable to attend but still want to listen to the messages!  some want to review them again!

    Our Cowley morning was so very busy – we love that! There were 6 patrons, it kept us all busy!  It is just wonderful to witness the joy people experience when the feel the spirit of this great work!   One  day, I worked with a Sister Missionary who knows very little about her family & is unable to asks her parents.  She did know the names of grandparents who are all deceased which helped so very much.  She was totally amazed when we found a maiden name of a grandmother & the names of her parents.  Since our time together, I have found a picture of this same grandmother.......and there is quite a resemblance.  I hope to share this with her this week!  Dad worked with her comp and learned she is a cousin to Layne Bird. They worked on the new mobile FS apps and how to use the My Family Booklet for missionary contacting! We feel so blessed to be a tool in the miracles that happen as we seek for our families!

    Dad did a nature hike on Wed evening with 8, 11 yr old scouts and their 4 leaders. It was a fun time helping them learn about plants and animals in our area. This is a combined group from 3 wards and Ken seems to head it up. It has been a beautiful week and we were able to get some raking done & even a little fishing on a VERY windy day, up to 50 miles per hour. The worst of it was in the afternoon! We did a service project at  HS Bend while we fished by replacing 100 screws and washers on the main boat dock. Also tightened the other screws .. lots of them on this 150 ft long dock. We had the worst winds on Saturday ever at our house. . . blew over a fence in the corral and tore the tarps off Dad’s quail pens. It came from the south to start then ended up from the north west. It was also a challenge for several of the Grandkids who were at track meets, how very frustrating, the sky was brown with dirt/dust for several hours.

    Have a wonderful week, and a special Easter!   Will be wonderful to enjoy conference!     CTR & love you all.........Bro & Sis Croft

Saturday was our annual Family History Fair

Dearest Family,

    Happy 5th Birthday on Monday to Leanne!   Happy Birthday also to Kathy, we also hear you are recovering from foot surgery!  Hope you are better soon!   

    Boy, have the last two days been marathon’s!  Saturday was our annual Family History Fair with presentations from the Roots Tech Conference held in SLC in Feb.  It started at 8:00 a.m. & lasted until 4:00 p.m.   Fifteen classes were held all day, four going on at once, with a break for lunch.   Our youngest participant was 9 & the oldest was 84. We enjoyed the day so very much!  Next years is already scheduled!  Sunday’s are great days – Taught 4 classes today & next week will be workshops again!  Our evening in the center was very enjoyable, with several youth coming in & other patrons.   It has been a day of sharing the memories app & also teaching about the same part on Family Tree!  It is so wonderful the special things that can be added to create memories of each of us!

    On Monday, we attended the viewing of a special friend, we met him at the Public Library over a year ago. His wife had passed away & he was wanting to prepare to go to the temple.  Each Sunday, he sat with us in Sacrament Meeting in the 5th ward.  He then became interested in FH, Dad has recorded & typed his stories – then when audio became available they recorded more that way!  It has been a wonderful experience! We were blessed to have been his friend!

    Remember the young man I referred to who wanted to learn of his biological father’s family so he could do temple ordinances for them!  Saturday, his friend shared with me that he had become even more excited after that evening & that  he was in the temple doing baptisms for them, that very moment. 

    The interest in the two Family Search mobile apps is increasing as the word gets around. If you have not put them on your devise do it, you will enjoy them. Just go to your app store, search for family search and upload Tree and Memories apps. Takes a minute each. We all have time every day to do some audio stories even speech to text stories if you desire, then add them to the tree. Having a lot of short 5 minutes ones is the best anyway.

  Our area was blessed with 2 inches of wet snow that helped the very dry soil right now. The mountain snow pack is normal so far this year. We do a little yard work here and there to get our spring cleaning done.

    We did also hear last evening that Aunt Betty is in the hospital & is not doing well,  We will try to keep you posted as we hear more.

We love you all & CTR 

 Bro & Sis Croft

Sunday – always a busy one!

Dearest Family!    Happy Birthday to Dak & Tchae, his 20th!  Have a great day!

    Sunday – always a busy one!   Most of our classes were workshops today although we did have questions & discussion before working on the computers!  All went well! This evening was our Family History Fireside!  Elder Neil Andersen, Nicolle Picas Pace & Al Fox Carraway!  We were spiritually fed.  A youth family history consultant conducted, A primary girl, almost 10 said the opening prayer & an elderly sister said the closing!  It seemed all who attended enjoyed it!  Indexing Challenge is progressing – over 230,000.

    Had an enjoyable week, different!  Spent a nice evening last Monday at a baby Shower for McKinzea!  Enjoyed watching the State Dance competition on TV, Kaitlyn & Whitney were involved in that & the Jazz team placed 1st & the HipHop team 3rd! I think Darece has sent links to all of you to see! We were also able to watch some of the Lovell Girls games on TV. We enjoyed having the Grants over Saturday night for the championship game!  Wednesday afternoon was a quilting day!  This is the first time I have been able to have ladies over to quilt since I started Kenny & Rosie’s quilt the middle of January & it is just about done, abt 2 feet left!  I think I am getting faster!  Darece & Whitney also quilted some on Saturday evening!

    It has been a quieter week for appointments!  Several were out of town, some were ill or had company! I did do indexing with several this week! It is so enjoyable & a way we can all be of service. We had an evening appt with a couple who are ward missionaries – they are excited to use Family History to activate ward members & also help people to feel the spirit! Time really flies, we got busy with them, stated at 6:30 & before we knew it, it was 9:30.  We also had fun helping a Consultant add video, he was adding a 1965 recording of his mother-in-law singing songs, songs which the family referred to as her “scary songs”.  They weren’t to scary though, because when she finished singing the children would want her to sing them again! What a treasure this is to her family!

    We so enjoyed the temple this week, were able to do a session with family names on Friday then I went to a quilt show in Billings for 1 1/2 hrs . Bro Croft isn’t able to handle all the unusual odors so he picked up some items we needed at the store and waited in the Rav4!  It was a nice sunny warm spring day! The temple is such a wonderful place!

    The weather has been so warm & nice – Dad has been able to get started on some spring yard work – & I even got out there to help him a time or two! 

We love you all, CTR  Bro & Sis Croft

This daylight saving time is really hard . . . . . .

Dearest Family,

   The clock says 9:40 p.m.  This daylight saving time is really hard on this lady – oh- my - gosh – I feel like it is much later, by yesterday’s time it is only 8:40 p.m.    but I shall try & get my thoughts together!   It really has been a wonderful day!  We taught 4 classes today. It is so perfect when one feels like that the spirit is there, witnessing to the truth of this great work!  It has been a wonderful day!  This evening in the center was great also, 4-6 youth working together, consultants helping & youth helping each other also. Some consultants were working, learning more by indexing & others researching!

    We have had some special appointments this week – One sister is working so hard at indexing, She has recently retired because of health problems, lives alone & wants to do something worthwhile!   It is amazing to watch as she overcomes her lack of computer skills & is progressing, doing a great job of indexing the obit’s.  Her patience learning computer skills is amazing & she has a sharp mind when it comes to learning the details of indexing!  I sure admire her!  It is a testimony to me of the Lord’s hand helping her!  It is really there!

    On Wednesday evening, we helped with a youth group, I was helping a young lady, 14, from a disfunctional family.   She stays with her Grandma on Wednesday & Sunday so she can attend church.  She was learning to index, had indexed several obituaries, & I had been unable to read how she felt!  About this time, she paused, & looked up from typing & said: “ I really like to do this, it is fun! “  The spirit bearing record of this work to her – Yes! Dad’s been doing outside work on the warmer days when he has a free minute. Supposed to be warm and dry for the next couple weeks so we can get more done outside.

     We have some friends who used to live in Lovell & have now moved away – not members – an amazed that we are still their friends even tho they are not  interested in the church. Dad still visits with him probably on a monthly basis. While talking, he asked about Dad teaching him about Family History, whatever we were teaching everyone else.   In the background, his wife echoed the same interest. Dad has been teaching them, via phone, the past several weeks to fill in the Family Stories Book on line!  The other day while we were gone, he left a message,  Thanking Dad, & expressing how much fun & how easy it was!   They are both having a wonderful time!

     We had a trip to Cody on Friday a.m.,  It was time to get the plates transferred to the new Rave4 and finalize the sale of our old one.   We did some shopping at Wal Mart & stopped at Murray’s to pick up hamburger!  It has been enjoyable to watch BB tournament games of a lot of the youth we work with!  Our modern technology is wonderful for so many things! It was also nice to have dinner Saturday night with the Grants!  Bo & McKinzea, Kenny & Rosie were all here visiting.  We enjoyed all of them so very much!  The company was the greatest! Thanks also for the yummy food!

Love you all!

Bro & Sister Croft also known as Mom and Dad . . . . Gdma and Gdpa

Can’t believe it is March 1st, 2015!

Dearest Family!   

    Happy Birthday to Connor!  He’s the newest member of our family, as of January 3!

    Can’t believe it is March 1st, 2015!   March really came in as a very cold Lion this year . . . chilly chilly! This year is really flying by!  Busy week with some slack time that we filled up quickly.  Workshops & open library time today in classes.   Two of the workshops today were for the Lesson on Descendancy Research, our goal on this one is to have every student find temple names!  Most did!   What a blessing!  Tonight was a special night in the FHC- young man wanted to learn about his Biological father, not to meet him, but to research his ancestors & do their temple work!  The challenge here is to learn enough to get back to people born before 1905, then the temple ordinances can be preformed without permission from family.  That means we have to learn who the great grandparents are!  Miracles happened & we did it!  He’ll soon have names for the temple! He was brought in by a YW FH consultant from Byron

 

    Had a nice day last Monday at the public library, we each had several patrons to help.  We helped a sister scan a book, label & tag photos for FHE – Tuesday, planning meeting with the NeVilles, Indexing & the Living Center in the afternoon!  We have a new person to help there, a non-member fellow, whom wants to learn about his family & we hope tell & record stories!   What a legacy that is to leave your family!  And we can all do it!    This week the My Family Book has been on my mind, most especially my Grandma Jones, whom I never knew!  I knew I needed to write memories in the book!   It has been so very special to think about my parents & grandparents.  Mostly it is pondering what I have heard about grandparents because I only personally knew one of them, but I have heard some stories!  I am so very glad I am doing this – I have gone to FamilySearch & the My Family part of the program. There it goes person by person, filling in the vital info & then I added a picture & write a few memories of each one,  back to my great grandparents whom I know little about.  I am just getting started but am so I’m so glad that I am doing it!  I’m sure there will be more to tell as I complete the project! Tuesday even in the FHC another consultant was teaching a patron about Findagrave.com.  I enjoyed learning from her, it continues to be one of my favorite sites!

 

    Had cancelations on Wed a.m. & it was great to quilt, Kenny & Rosie’s quilt is progressing very nicely! While I quilted we  listened to RootsTech 2015 recorded classes, reviewing the material is wonderful!    We also had a wonderful time with 6 Activity Day Girls!  We love it & so do they!  This group had not got their own accounts set up, so we  consultants were challenged to find things on their deceased ancestors, amoung the group of us we were either related or knew of their families.   I worked with a young lady whose grandmother is Kathy Croft’s sister!  The pictures that Kathy has added of her family were very special for this young lady to see!!!  Bro Croft worked with a young lady that is a granddaughter of Joel and Robyn Smith (double cousins on our Sessions line) she loved to read all the stories and see the photos of the Sessions family. They even found a photo in FS that was partially tagged & together they identified many more of the people in the picture!

    The sugar factory finally got all the sugar beets processed that were spoiling – a blessing for the local farmers financially. This is the longest campaign we remember.     

    Well, it has been great!  CTR & we love you! 

        Bro & Sis Croft