We have so appreciated phone calls from each of you!

Dearest Family,

  Happy 4th Anniversary on December 14th, Ryan & Rhonda!   On Saturday, December 16th; Happy 1st Birthday to little Cozy & Happy 51st Anniversary To my Sweetheart!  It has been amazing!  Looking forward to the eternities together!  

We have so appreciated phone calls from each of you!  It has been mostly a stay at home week - just beginning to venture out!  Physical therapy began on Wednesday & Friday!  They were kind to me!  All the muscles in the leg are beginning to return to normal after being stretch & moved to put in the new hip, socket & ball!  Our bodies are very amazing and so is medical science!  Every day there is improvement!  On Saturday we even ventured out to the funeral for Grace Anne Robertson, one of our neighbors!  

Dad has kept busy helping me, he is a very kind nurse & I am probably not the best patient!  I am not good at asking & telling him what I need - I think many of you may understand - others are "Just supposed to know"  I so very much appreciate his sweet & kind ways!  Every night & every day gets easier.......

We continue to teach with several ZOOM trainings this week! And Dad is always busy setting up our schedule for January!   There has been plenty of winterizing to do here at the home place & he has been working on that a little!  There was also a deer to cut up & that has been accomplished!  My accomplishment was the completion of the binding on the Hero's Quilt for Dad & I!    It looks amazing!

Had a wonderful Sabbath day today - in our own ward - attending all of the meetings!   We enjoying being there!

Bob, Darece, Rena, JoAnn Walker, Clint Merritt PAC Cody hospital

From Dad

Thanks for your kind words Sweetheart! I'm grateful to have good health so I can be your personal nurse as well as all the other roles I enjoy being for you!  It's so wonderful to be together in the Lord! Yesterday we had the blessing of being together with our Bishop to declare our tithing status to the Common Judge in Israel for the 51st time. We had opportunity to bare our testimonies of paying a full tithe over our lives, both before and after marriage!  The Gospel is our life there is no Our life and the Lords style of life . . . only His Way for us!  Over the  years in day to day life I would be ask for my opinion on something . . . not what the Church said "My answer is still the same The Lord's answer and mine are the same, there can be no difference!"  We're so grateful to be in the Lord's service as the hastening of this work moves at an ever increasing pace.  It keeps us excited and engaged in doing our very best for Him!  We pray each day that all of you will remember who you are and the Lord's blessings in your lives. Grateful that you strive to be one with God!  Always, always remember the Lord's Atonement is for each of us, everyday to ease all burdens we only have to invite Him in! !  !  We know that His Atonement is real and it works miracles in our lives as we embrace it everyday.

Love you all Mom and Dad

Hope all is well with each of you!

Dearest Family!!

Happy 18th Birthday to Isaac on December 2 !!!!!

 It has been several weeks of not writing.  Hope all is well with each of you!  It has been so great to visit with many of you the past few days!  Thanks so much to my kids & others who are calling!   Things are going well with the hip replacement surgery. It was actually done on Wednesday at 3 PM, out of recovery & back in my room by 6 PM.It was a long night with lots of poking & prodding by wonderful nurses, even took my first walk that night - pretty amazing, huh?!?!   I'm getting around with a walker & each day there is less muscle pain.  Dad spent Wednesday night with some friends of ours in Cody then was back at the hospital 1st thing Thursday morning.  When it became evident that I wasn't going to get to come home that day, because of a bout with nausea, he returned to Lovell to present a FH lesson in our Stake to some Temple & Family History Consultants. Thanks you so much, Darece, for spending both nights with me in the hospital! We arrived home about 1:30pm on Friday!  All the muscles in that leg & hip have been really stretched & disturbed & it will take a little while to get them back to normal.

The week of November 19 was great!  We did a Stake Presidency Training & consultant training over in Burlington! And I visited a RS activity Meeting that was going on & talked about FH to several there. Also had a wonderful Thanksgiving day with Rob & Michelle - a gluten free one with 8-10 friends that they had invited!  Dad & Rob did some Fat-tire Biking out at Coon Creek on Friday Morning. I'm so glad they can do that together!    On Saturday afternoon we headed to Billings, spent the night with Bart & Lisa Grant. Then Sunday early on to Forsyth Montana Branch, (it is 100 miles east of Billings)   It is a small branch and we got to speak in sacrament mtg and train during the next two hours.  It's so awesome to be with the Saints! ! ! We love it! ! !  We were back home at 6pm for supper. Another 400 mile weekend.

The week of November 26 started out with a bang!  Went to Cody early that day to have a last minute pre opt blood test done!  Then worked with a couple there until about noon!   Home, Had lunch, then in the rain we decided to run errands in town!  When we returned home there were 6-7 deer in the field & Dad still had one tag which he needed to fill.  He grabbed his orange hat, his gun & headed to the pigeon house - thats the best place to see that part of the field!  KER BANG!!!!!!  He filled that last tag an we have some delicious meat for winter!  We feel we were really blessed!!!

We have so appreciated friends bringing in goodies!   Today was great too!  Two of the Brethren brought the sacrament to us!   That was the climax of the day! The First Presidency Devotional this evening was great also!   

Love to all of you!   CTR  Mom & Dad

Dearest Family,

Another wonderful week!  Busy - but that is what it is all about!  

The deer is all cut up - such a good feeling to have that meat in the freezer.  Ken & Jason Croft stopped by, delivering a boat cover then visited for a few!

We had a very spiritual meeting in Cody with Temple & Family History Consultants & High Priest Group Leaders - all learning about using Consultant planner & how to help others have a one on one experience!  Had a great group!  Later in the week we had a great evening with the new Lovell Wyoming Stake Presidency reviewing the new FH processes and callings for FH!  We will be meeting with the 2 new stake presidencies in Billings in a month or so once they get their  organizations done. It's a BIG job to organize a HC and all the auxiliary leaderships at the stake level!  Dad had that to help with in 1900 with Pres Sessions and Peterson!

Thanks, Rob for stopping by & visiting with Dad on Friday Afternoon.    Darece & I departed Friday at 4:30 a.m. for Cody & our flight to Salt Lake City, the beginning of her Christmas Present of a Time Out For Women with her sisters!  Thanks for the invite to go along!   We had an amazing time,   Darece, Joy, Vicki & Me!!!!   thought I'd include a few one liners from the various speakers we enjoyed with a theme of "ARISE" We got back home by 2pm Sunday.

"Covenant Keepers are Miracle Makers!"

"Service turns on the light!"

"Seek the lite so that we can be the light!"

"Holy Habits! Righteous Routines!"

from the developers of a blog!     "Look UP more than We look DOWN!"

"Post with a purpose"

"Remember that everyone's ministry is different."

"Hard to have faith in something that is easy"

Speakers included: Sheri Dew, Tim Ballard, Brad Wilcox, Hillary Weeks, Elaine S Dalton, Cade & Carrian Cheney, & Emily Watts!

And the amazing music of Nathan Pacheco & the City of Enoch!

And most of all we just enjoyed being together! And we even enjoyed a special visit with Connor, Lindsay, Paisley & Brindle!!!!!!!!

Dad had a nice Sabbath day today getting ask on the spot to take 15 min  in SS Class to share whats new in FH with the group. We are  always ready for such times

since we prepare each day to stay on top of our calling. He concluded with having the group goto FS Tree app and do the Relatives Around Me where it scans those in the room and shows how you may be related. He had 21 relationships as did most of the others.  The BEST part of yesterday was to be TOGETHER with your Honey!

Love you all

Mom and Dad

Chalin was the featured speaker & told us all about his mission

Dearest Family,

     Happy 2nd Birthday, Lucy on Friday, October 20!

What an amazing way to start the Week!!!!  Monday Night - our family had a FHE together!  Rob, Michelle, at their home, Vicki, Bryan & Chris in SLC, Darece, Ken, Talon, Mattis, Kenny, Rosie, & girls, & Bob & I; all at Darece's, Allen & Family in Worland & the Fikes in Laramie!   Chalin was the featured speaker & told us all about his mission - even showed us slides!    It was wonderful - we did it over our computers using ZOOM!  We loved seeing all who were there!  Vicki did take a minute to report on Cozy & Kirena!  Both are doing great!   Kirena has reached 33 weeks in her pregancy which is great!

We would suggest doing a group Family council mtg once a month over Zoom for those who can make it. Maybe we could rotate which of the five of our kids would be in charge that night to provide the prayers and a thought to share then spend the remain of the time sharing whats going on in each family. Keep it to an hour. We would always be the presenter for the Zoom mtg. So nice too SEE & HEAR everyone this way! ! Whats your feelings?  Suggest a night for it too?

We have done Zoom FH trg meetings with people in Moorcroft, Cody, Belgrade & Sheridan!  We live in an age of amazing technology -  being used for both good & bad!

Saturday aft we traveled to Sheridan, over the mountain, it was a beautiful fall day!  Spent the night there at Workman's then early this a.m.  went to Gillette.  Spoke in two wards there & also met with the Stake President! Several shared some special FH experiences after meetings which they had had!  What a blessing it is for each of us to find a loved one, get to know them & perform the sacred ordinances for them!

We encourage all to process some hints, index or add a memory each day since FH should be personal worship just like our daily prayers and scripture study!

Dads been scouting for deer since the season is open here until Dec 1st. Not alot around but some nice ones coming into the orchard and field. We enjoy eating the venison!  We have a deer mice infestation in the shop now and have trapped 16 last week. Sure nice to have warmer drier harvesting weather for the farmers. 

Love you all & CTR    Mom & Dad

What an amazing week! A busy one but oh so nice!

Dearest Family,

What an amazing week!   A busy one but oh so nice!  

     Dad & Darece cut plants in the pond one day,  then he has been very busy winterizing, cleaning up, blowing out water lines, final fall mowing of lawns & oh so many other thngs, & I am not any help!  Our little garden, 4 tomato plants & 4 g peppers, yielded oh so many beautiful tomatoes, he picked abt 5 gallons which will ripen in the next few weeks. An the grapes are super sweet, I've done a batch for jelly, Michelle & Rob picked on Saturday & Darece plans to pick next week!

     Darece & I had a special day in the temple on Tuesday - We enjoy helping in the laundry so much, doing a little shopping before & after!  Dad & I were there again on Thursday, did an endowment session then I attended a meeting with Donald L Hallstrom. He was there prior to coming to our Stake conference this weekend. He met in individual meetings all afternoon with various groups, I was invited to the one for volunteers (laundry, office, housekeeping, etc)

Had some great times on Zoom web trg mtg with 6-8 people, kept us hopping!

Our Stake Conference was amazing!  President Tom Newman, Counselors Willie Bridges (1) & Michael Jones (2) - what a great team this will be for the Lord! So grateful for all the service given by the past presidency! ! ! !  We know what is required to serve there.

Elder Hallstrom talked of Reverence defining it as Reverencing & a profound love for Deity! How we speak, what we hear & do and how we relate to others. He talked about how we learn reverence thru three different  form of worship.

1.  Public Worship- that would be everything we do at church on the sabbath day.  2. Family Worship - If we are to busy doing good things to do the essential, FHE, Scripture Study, family prayer then we need to evaluate our life. Home is where the spiritual base is planted for our families. 3. Personal Worship - we need to feel the spirit daily in our lives! 

 It gave me much to think about!

CTR & have a great week  Love to all!

It has been an amazing few weeks!

Dearest Family

It has been an amazing few weeks!  Lets see - there have been a few Birthday's:  Happy Birthday to Krysta & Josh on Sept 20th & September 30th!  Happy 2nd Birthday to Neil also on September 30th, Saturday. Happy Birthday, Choc, on September 23!  Hope you all had a wonderful day!!!

September 22, Friday, we traveled to Sheridan!  Spent the night there & enjoyed time with 4 TFHConsultants. Had a great time with them.  On Saturday, we traveled to Gillette - got to spend time with the Fike's. All of them were there except Symphony who was playing volleyball in Casper!  Ky was playing in the State Tennis Tournament!  He & his partner, Ben Graeff are the state #1 Doubles Champs !!!! Congratulations! 

On Sunday, September 24, we were in the Gillette 1st & 2nd wards.  In the afternoon at 3:00 - 5 p.m. we did another training with TFHConsultants!  then traveled back to Sheridan to spend the night!  Had a wonderful weekend, returning home on Monday!   The whole weekend was rainy & snowy in the mountains. We appreciate the Turnbull and Workman families for bunking us! 

Last week & this one have been great with lots of  ZOOM trainings!  Darece & I did go to Billings on the 19th to help in the Temple!  Nice day!  I did visit Dr Bart Grant who xrayed by hip - the one which I have had a catch in for the past several months!  Also talked to Dr. Fike.  The consensus is  - there is no cartilage left in it! - no wonder it acts up!

Many of you may have heard the talk of Bro Waddell on Sunday afternoon where he talked about Hyrum Smith Shumway. Dad & I would like to share our experiences with Bro Smith Shumway, as we knew him. Our experiences were at the University of Wyoming & include Rob, Vicki, & Darece.   Our first experience was when he was serving as a Bishop in Cheyenne & we were serving on the Stake Sun School board & visited his ward.  Dad served as an AV specialist & I encouraged people to use the Instructor, a church publication. Rob was a baby. Our second experience was also in Laramie when Dad was serving in a Bishopric. In those days, we attended Sun School in the a.m & in the afternoon Sacrament Meeting.  It was the practice, when a member of the High Council visited the ward from out of town, whoever was conducting that day invited him to their home for lunch.  Bro Shumway visited out home several times for lunch.  While I was finishing lunch preparations or cleaning up, he entertained Rob, Vicki & Darece who were abt 3, 4 & 5 years old.  He entertained them by doing magic tricks & helping them write their names in braille. Do any of you remember that?

This weekend has been wonderful!  We are so blessed to watch General Conference right here in our own home! Next weekend will be our stake conference and a change in the stake presidency. Elder Hallstrom of the 70 and Elder Hintze, an area 70 will be here.. Rob and Ken both HC man will get to be interviewed by these two brethren on Sat morning as they search for the Lord's choice as Stake President. I've had this experience a few times and its a wonderful spiritual experience! I came away knowing the Lord was in charge of this work! We're excited to sustain the new presidency!   

Thought I send you a touch of Fall - Love to all of you!!!     Mom & Dad

Sept 17, 2017
Happy Birthday to Rhonda Croft, today September 17, & to Krystina on Wednesday, September 20!    Have a great day girls!Happy Belated Birthday, Darece on September 4, & a Happy 5th Anniversary to Micah & Kirena on September 8th

As I have reviewed my notes I can't believe that the last letter I wrote was on August 27th!   There has been so much going on - but most of it all of you know about!  Congratulations  to Nathan & Bri, they were married September 2 in the Oakland temple  and to Whitney & Choc who were married September 15 in the Sta!r Valley Temple!   It has been a busy time in the Grant home!    Then yesterday, September 16, their reception was held here.  We all had a wonderful time!    

Dad & I had a great time on Saturday with some great visitors,   Allen, Amber & their family and Chalin spent the day with us.  Also Cheyenne & Tchae had dinner with us before going to the reception. So very wonderful to see Chalin!  He had an eventful trip home traveling around Hurricane Irma.   Nathan & Bri also had an interesting return home from their honey moon because of Irma!

Over the past three weeks we have visited the Sundance & Wright Branches!  We love these little branches & the wonderful Saints that do so very much!   We also were able to attend a Cross Country running event in Sheridan and watch Melvin & Ira run!  They are troopers - those 2 mile races look like torture to me!  

We have done alot of Zoom FH trg mtgs over these weeks and that gives us more opportunities to help leaders and families learn the new FH processes!  Zoom works so well for this!  We discussed with Chalin how we could do an all family - FHE soon with him via Zoom into each of our homes. We will keep you posted. Will a Monday evening be best??

Dad and I have been able to do more boat fishing this fall and some good catching too. We had three catfish on two poles  one morning and that was a task to get them all landed. Each time we go its so beautiful to be out together!  We enjoy eating the fish of different kinds.

Love you all Mom and Dad

We have had a great week - an at home week & weekend!

September 3, 2017

Dearest Family,

 Happy Birthday, Darece, on Monday, September 4!  Happy 5th Anniversary to Micah & Kirena!   Congratulations to Nathan & Bri who were married on Saturday, September 2!  Here's a link to a video of them leaving the temple!  Hope it works!

 https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=ken%20grant%20posts

We have had a great week - an at home week & weekend!  Today we actually went to our own ward!  It was great!  Then an afternoon spent at home - sure was strange - we hardly knew what to do!   Climbed around in the tree's of a Bishop & his wife in preparation for training we will do in the coming weeks!  

We have had several trainings this week!  they are always nice!  I have spent every day quilting with wonderful ladies who come & help!  I appreciate them all so much!  I hope to finish the quilting on Monday!  then the binding will be all that is left!  It is a great feeling!

Dad has had some fun fishing days this week - Wednesday, Friday & Saturday! As he tells it:   Wednesday to pond 5 to try for Lg Mouth bass and hybrid sun fish. I used grasshoppers on a #8 Abereen hook set under a bobber 2' down. The fish were only 12 ft from shore in 2 ft of warm water. I started with two poles but soon did only one so I could keep up with the catching. I kept a dozen of the nice ones, they are great to eat!!  Friday Shane Roberts and I went back to pond 5 and were intending to use the flatboat but too much wind so we shore fished. The hybrids were just in the nibble off the grasshopper mode today so we only caught one but lots of fun trying. Sat Mom and I went to HSbend by the rock hump near the 57 mile marker. There were hundreds of fish on the sonar and we started catching as usual around 10am. We caught 5 cats and 2 carp. Mom and I had fish on the same time so she helped me land mine with one hand then she reeled in hers but it was a double, 2 catfish, one on each hook. It was a fun 1 1/2 hrs of catching in 25 ft of water with the fish on the bottom. Shane and I will be going again soon. He had to retire early due to some new health issues . . . . so it helps him deal with this new challenge! 

It was fun to go to Melvin & Ira's Cross Country Meet on Thursday afternoon at the Foster Gulch golf course. Wow there was a big group this year!  They both seemed to enjoy it!  Amber and the other children came too. Al was away on a work assignment in western Wyoming.

Vicki reported Thursday,

 Hello family. This pic is of cozy last night. We are juggling today- mr micah had some hip surgery scheduled for today. Since they were in the valley,  they took cozy to her neurologist cuz shes not keeping much down. Her MRI showed more fluid where the brain collapse is. She'll have surgery this morning to drain the fluid and micahs surgery will be around noon. Poor kirena.

From kirena-- Thursday evening, 

Cozy looks so good :) awake- in zero pain, stats are great. She found her hands and is content ;) Dr said surgery went really good- they took off 120 cc's! Imaging tomorrow, then a follow-up in four weeks.  

Vicki reported Saturday evening that all was going well in the Vehr's Family.  Kirena, Micah, & Cozy had return to Logan.  Emerson would be staying with her for a few days! 

We love you all, hope you are having a great holiday weekend!      Mom & Dad

Boy - what a busy, crazy week - a good kind of crazy!

Dearest Family,

Happy Birthday, Uncle Bill on Monday & Aunt Gaye on Thursday!  

Boy - what a busy, crazy week - a good kind of crazy!   Ryan arrived abt 7:30 a.m., fishing in the pond, fishing for one of the big ones!  He &Grandpa had fun!  Then 10:30 Gaye & Frank arrived for the day!  They had come to pick up the sheep, & also to work on Family History!  their internet is slow at their house & their Family Tree apps needed updating!  We had lunch together & a fun time working on FH. One of their devices is too old to take the new FS Tree app update so they will be getting a new one! They took the sheep home today . . . . it's been great to have the sheep clean up all our weed mess this year . . . hard to believe they ate all that dry Tansy mustard and Cheat grass.  

Then is was also Eclipse Day Aug 21  - at 11:30am  Rob, Michelle, & Ryan came out also!  We all enjoyed it together!  So very fascinating & interesting!  We were all amazed had how the temperature changed - several of us put a jacket on!  And the interesting shadows! Photo enclosed!  

Had a special time in Billings on Tuesday with Whitney at the temple! Our family was most of the small session! A nice time to practice what we preach!  And then on Wednesday the quilting began here at the house!   Had lots of special helpers this week! Next will also be a busy week!  Dad will take our RAV to get serviced for it's 42,000 mile one . . . can you believe it. So many wonderful miles in serving the people and the Lord! ! !  We love it!

We have helped several in their homes, using Zoom web trainings on the internet, visited at the Grants one evening & guess how the evening ended, helping Nathan & Bre do FH on their smart phones!  They got two names to do ordinances for next week.   Even spent one morning at the lake, a beautiful calm sunny one, with a couple of catfish to boot!

And had an amazing weekend, in Sundance Wyoming, a small branch, about 50 people in all!  These little branches are so fun!  They are amazed that we will come to them & we love it!   The spirit there was so wonderful.  Quote of the day, a young father abt 35, " I've had many people talk to me & tell be I should do FH, but  this is the first time, they actually taught me how to do it!"

This whole group including some white haired ones did really well today, all of our extra tablets were used as folks tried the apps!

Since we were so close to Devils Tower we went home that way. These Blackhills are some beautiful and unreal. The ponderosa pines and oak trees with grass every where is something else. We thought in a month when the oaks trees chg color it would be spectacular! It was fairly busy at the Park but not packed. We even made a new selfe that seemed to work better. Such an unusual rock formation with all the columns. The north side is much better looking not so much erosion from the sun and other elements. We stopped in Sheridan this evening for supper at Arby's. We saw several animals coming over the mtn, plus more smoke as we dropped in to the valley, and home by 8:30pm.

Love you all Mom and Dad

We drove to Sundance on Saturday,

Dearest Family

Happy Birthday to Micah Vehrs on August 26th!  A belated Birthday to Cheyenne Fike on August 16!  

About those anniversaries I mentioned - Bryan & Vicki celebrated 28 years on July 31 & Ken & Darece celebrated 28 years on August 18th.   Kenny & Rosie celebrated 3 years on August 14th. We enjoyed Grandma Darece & Lucy visiting that day.  She was tending while Kenny & Rosie celebrated in Billings!

We have had a wonderful week!  So great to see Ryan, Rhonda & Quinn, sure enjoyed dinner with them at Rob & Michelle's on Monday evening. Josh & Krysta were also there & it was great!   Rob, Michelle & Quinn stopped by on Thursday Morning, just to visit & play!  Then on Friday Quinn caught his first ever fish - Where?   In Grandpa's pond!  He loved it & caught quite a few of our bluegills, even several of the big guys, the ones that are bigger than Grandpa's hand!  He & Ryan had a wonderful time! Also the proud grandparents (Rob & Michelle)  & proud great grandparents!

Dad & I enjoyed the sun on Big Horn Lake one morning! Just fishing, no catching! Guess we will do our fishing at Grandpa's pond where the catching is better!

Hurray, Nathan & Bri's quilt is finished & Whitney & Choc's is on the frames & the stiching has begun!

We drove to Sundance on Saturday, lots of smoke the whole way! Other than that it was a nice drive and opportunity to do training with Pres Valdon and wife who live in Sundance but he is Pres of the Moorcroft branch. We had done our homework which TFHConsultants are supposed to do now. It makes it so your patron has quick success in getting a name for temple work.  Both were able to print out a white card for temple ordinances. We stayed the night with the Turnbulls in Gillette and will for the next few weekends.

Today was a special day in Moorcroft, Wyoming! As we were checking out the internet in the building this morning we were greated by a brother,  "Oh, you are Joy's parents!"  He was Dak's Uncle Chuck & we also visited with his Uncle Rod. 

 

The spirit was great & the people are excited about the work!  But like many of the other wards & branches just a few people are involved & the Lord wants each member to be involved!  It will come!

We've included one of the video's which we showed at Big Sky!

Love you all!

My Oh My Time does fly! So much has happened in the past weeks!

My Oh My Time  does fly!   So much has happened in the past weeks! 

July 17, 2017    Conner Keith Grant joined our family,  weighing in at 7 lbx 2 ozs, he is a wonderful little guy!

Aniversary's Celebrated!!! Ethan & Bekah's 3rd Anniversary July 19,,  Bryan & Vicki's 28th Anniversary, & this week, Kenny & Rosie's 3rd Anniv & Ken & Darece's 28th!

Birthday's Celebrated!!!!   Vicki's Bd July 21, Talons 16th Bd on July 22; Ethan's Bd August 1 & Bekah's Aug 3.  Uncle Frank on August 5th,  & Joy on August 8.& today is Camille's 5th Birthday!

The most exciting activity of the past month was our Family Reunion at Big Sky Montana!  It was so great to be with all who came! Allen's Family,all 7 of them.  Joy's family, Joy & the three girls,  Darece's Family; Ken, Whitney, Kaitlyn, Talon, Rosie, Lucy & Lexie; Bo, McKenzea, Athena & 3 week old Conner;  Vicki, Bryan, Chris;  Micah, Kirena, Emerson & Cozy!   We so enjoyed having all of your there,  We know the rest of you would have liked to be there too but understand you all have schedules to meet as life moves on. Big Sky next year is Aug 4 - 11  2018

During the past month we have been many places, 2 wards in Cody, a Bozeman YSA ward, the Gardiner & Ennis branches in Montana,  While we were on each of these trips we also did other training!   A special experience from the YSA ward; after viewing the Promised Blessings of Family History video, a young man responded, "I want all of them & to think they are available right here using this" & he held up his smart phone.  Ennis & Gardiner are small branches, Gardiner has a beautiful little chapel up on the hill above town, with only a handful of members, the rest of those attending 20-30 were tourists traveling thru the area!

Then on Saturday, we headed to the eastern side of the area we serve in, to Newcastle, Wyoming, staying with Ron Moody, a Lovell native. Since it was only 60 miles more to Mt Rushmore we decided to visit there also!   So very amazing! We live in the most wonderful country, I'm so very grateful for it! I have included a few pictures, I loved the flags leading up to the viewing area - believe it or not, we did take a selfie.  As you can see it was rainy for 10-15 minutes, but then let up & was sunny!  

A 600 mile plus wkend our longest so far! We had a wonderful time with the, Newcastle ward with a new Bishop. We spoke in Sacrament mtg then presented the Gatherers in the Kingdom ppt trg materials second hr then did hands on trg using the FS Tree app 3rd hr. There were about 50 people including teens these two hrs of trg. A wonderful spirit and excitement was felt in all the meetings!  They have a TFHConsultant that is actually using the apps, she was trained by the HC man we trained last fall.

We have had weekly fishing trips to the lake - and even caught a few fish! The lake is right at full level and more free of trash now. The fishing will get better now the level is stable and the water is clearing.  Each day is filled with new & exciting things.  It is wonderful to serve & help people!

Love to all of you!

July 4 We're thankful for this land of America!

Dearest Family

     Happy 18th Birthday, Ky!!!  Have a great one!  and Happy Birthday last week to the amazing land in which we live!  We celebrated by hearing fireworks around our neighborhood almost every night last week!  Also went to a community picnic on July 4th in Cowley!  Dave & Jenny Rael have a pulled pork & hotdogs for whoever!  Every brings a salad or desert & it is a wonderful evening, ending with fireworks!  This year he invited a special guest, Aaron Tippens, a patriotic, western singer! We surely enjoyed his music!

     We have fished, did Zoom trainings, even one with Chris, went to the mtn, both of us on Tuesday a.m. & Dad on Friday!   There is a beautiful quilt in the living room, & I find moments to quilt on it!  We have been busy, so have not had a time to invite anyone to help yet! 

     Last Saturday we traveled to Livingston again & in the evening met with two TFHConsultants for several hours. Was such a special opportunity to get to know them & share with them the great principle of helping someone have a "one on one" experience where they help some one find a name in 30-40 minutes! Now connected to the Family Tree App is a feature called "Are we Related" We did this with them & all four of us were related!

       We have found some very well organized wards, who have older genealogist in their ward find the names for all in the ward to take to the temple!  Well, it may work, but it just isn't what the Lord wants at this time! He has spoken thru his modern day Apostles, that we are each to find our family members, and go to the temple with them!  It is just the best choice which we are trying to teach! 

 

     The Three Forks Ward was so enjoyable & the members of the ward council were all so excited about it! It was also interesting that 3/4 of this group had been at our Saturday evening  presentation which we did at the Bozeman Stake conference in February,  That is the most which we have had in the wards we have visited so far.

      A thought from one of our many TFH consultants which is so true & applys to all of us in so many aspects of our lives.  "I knew it in my head, but now I know it in my heart"   It applys to any principle of the gospel in our lives!

Love Mom anf Dad

ZOOM training with 3 couples!

July 2, 2017

Dearest Family,

     Happy Birthday, Chris, on Monday!  Happy Birthday, Aunt Marlene on Thursday!   Happy Birthday, Amber, on Saturday!   We hope you each have a wonderful day!

        Each week goes by so quickly!  ZOOM training with 3 couples!  A trip to the lake with the boat - weather was great - lake was calm - started to pull away from the dock & the steering was all locked up - could not turn it any direction - came home!  Dad, the great repairman, went into action & soon had it fixed!  He did learn after doing some research that there are several parts of the steering mechanism which needs to be greased & cleaned every year!  So. . . now we will try on Monday!

     Thursday morning, after a month of them scheduling & canceling, we were finally able to have a conference call with the Development team of the FamilySearch Tree & Memories Apps! There were probably 6 people on the call & it was a choice opportunity to visit with them!  

       Thursday evening was another very spiritual & wonderful evening with the TFH Consultants of our stake.  We were sharing with them one of the "Gatherers of the Kingdom" presentations which is just for consultants!  Their comments were so inspired and they were able to see & understand the vision of this work! They were seeing that 1 on 1 is the way to teach. These new presentations are so inspired & we are excited to share them!

         Saturday we traveled to Livingston, Montana & in the evening did 1 on 1 presentations with the Bishop & his wife, then Mom & Dad did with their two children, who are old enough to attend the temple.  How amazing it is when this is done & each person is able to print out an ordinance card for a special family member. All four of them had a card in hand which for someone they had found!

          Sunday we attended this ward & were welcomed  by the member of the bishopric who was conducting. During SS time we taught the ward council the "Gatherers of the Kingdom" presentation just for them - also in attendance was a member of the Temple Presidency & his wife, Pres & Sis Melin, whom we invited to attend went we saw them in the ward. In these presentations we talk about the spiritual & doctrinal side of T&FH & the many blessing which we each receive when we each prepare and take our own name to the temple.

           During the second hour, RS/Priesthood time we did hands on, like we usually do.  Pres. Melin offered inspired council about the Stake boxes which are at the Billings Temple & how they are actually a spirit prison for the names in them, some have been there as long as 9 years!  Comments were shared by all which continued to add to the spiritual atmosphere of the meeting. Bishop ended with an emotional testimony of his experience Saturday evening when he was looking at the draft registration cards for a great grandfather who had filled out cards for both WW1 & WW2. On one of them it told his occupation & that he was missing one of his hands! He testified of how important it was to get to know each of the individual that we do the ordinances for.

        As Dad was getting things picked up a young man with his wife & baby, came up to him & introduced himself as Ryan, a member of the Development team of the FamilySearch Tree & Memories Apps. (They were visiting friends in Livingston). He had been on the conference call with us on Thursday!!!!!!  We an amazing visit with him  & so enjoyed meeting him!  As we have looked back over the events of this day, we can see the Lord's hand in accomplishing this work!  

       We feel so blessed to be a part of this great work - his sacred Plan of Happiness!

We love you all   Have a great week! Mom & Dad

These past past two weeks have been great!

Dearest Family,

     Happy 3rd Birthday today to Emerson!!!     Then next Saturday, July 1, is Ryan's Birthday & on Tues, July 3 it is Chris's Birthday! Hope each one of you have a very special day!   Love you all!

      Well, it is time to get back in the grove.   I was just reviewing my past letters & am not sure when the last one was but I thought it saw 2 weeks ago!  

     These past past two weeks have been great!  Each Saturday we leave at abt 1 p.m. for Bozeman!  On Sunday Morning we have traveled to Belgrade & done training there for their Ward Councils. We love meeting the people!  Saturday nites have been spent at a kind Bishop's home. We so appreciate their hospitality! We have also met with his HPriest Group leader & several consultants. In these two wards there have been less connections to the BHBasin!  One brother was raised in Fromberg tho, left 39 years ago & moves to Bozeman.  They found the gospel there!  Today we also met a couple, she is from the Philipines & he from Sicily! Not to many records from those two countries are available for doing Family History.

    The weeks are flying by!  We have been doing lots of training  using a program called Zoom - it is amazing & works much better than Skype!  It has a lot more ability to share screens & show videos than others.Last week Dad was experimenting & had 4 people on, all taking an active part. Thanks to those of you who have helped   We really appreciate it!

      Dad's latest Chromebook arrived last Wednesday & it seems to be working correctly!  He is really impressed with the speed that it works at!  

     One afternoon we helped in our Lovell FHC - Reviewing with Temple & Family History Consultants how to climb around in someone's tree, using the App & then help them find a name in 30-40 minutes!  this can be an amazing spiritual experience for people but is most successful is done "one on one"

      We have enjoyed having some of you stop in,   Allen & family last Saturday a.m, (Amber was at an Auxriliary Training Mtg, we missed you)  Darece has been by with Athena & Lucy! And Rob has stopped by!

     Here is the latest from Vicki about Cozy & also a picture:   "Hello dear family. Cozy has been home for several days. She is doing well. Kirena managed to catch her smile Kirena tries not to think about the brain collapse too much, but it is worrisome for her.  It sounds awful, and it could be...but so far cozy seems fine. Her ventricles are like big water balloons in her head with brain matter on the outside. When they drained it allowed space for a part of the brain to fold over on itself. We are hopeful as her ventricles fill up to normal her brain will also go to it's correct spot. There is a chance the fluid will fill up around the fold, or hemorage, or brain bleed...but it's a 'wait and see how cozy acts' type of a thing. They won't do anything to prevent it. Just fix it if necessary."

     I am also attaching a picture taken today of Lexie! She was blessed today!

Love Dad and Mom