Lots of different activities!

Dearest Family,

    Happy 1st Anniversay to Lindsay & Connor!   next Sunday January 3!   Have a great day!

    It has been an interesting & fun week!   Lots of different activities!   On Monday, we were able to take Elders Hatch & Hunter, out to Big Horn National Recreation Area.  It was a little cold & windy, but there wasn’t a lot of time to hike anyway!   We were able to see wild horses & deer. 10 or so in one group.  Grandpa also called them back when they started leaving.   We looked & looked for sheep but were unable to find any – that was disappointing! We also enjoyed going to a musical play at the High School which Mila was in!  

    Tuesday Darece & I went to Billings – it was her day to work in the laundry at the Temple – so I helped her there. They had had a very busy day on Saturday with many young people there & also 4 families being sealed together for eternity.   They had had 12 children total being sealed to their parents.  It is something which most of us don’t think about, but when the Temple is busy, there is more beautiful white clothing to fold!  We folded & folded, for 2 hours!  No matter what one is doing in the Temple, it is special. We also  finished up some Christmas shopping! It was great to be together & visit!   While I was gone, Dad did Skype Training with a High Councilman in the Gillette Stake.  He said he also had lots of phone calls about FH related questions! He did some Christmas shopping too.  That evening we were in the Family History Center for our weekly FS app class!  A sister from Greybull FHC came up for that.

    ug-g-g-   Think I am getting a head cold!    This is not the time for one of these – or is it.   We do not have lots of planned training sessions coming up!    So on Wednesday we spent the day at home.   I quilted, baked bread and enjoyed a nice day! Rob stopped by in the evening & we enjoyed visiting with him, Michelle, we missed you!  They went on a trip for the holidays since all their family were other places!  Thursday was another at home day!  We spent Christmas Eve with the Grants!  Enjoyed a wonderful dinner, family home evening & Christmas carols!  Did any of you notice the beautiful full moon on Christmas Eve?  It only happens once every so years, next one happens in 2034 & the last one was in 1977.   Just a little trivia!

    Christmas Day was special also!  I actually slept in, we opened our gifts, then went to the Grants for a while, then home for the afternoon! Thanks to all of you for your thoughtful gifts!  We also enjoyed visiting with many of you!  On Saturday, we went to Worland and had a wonderful day with Allen, Amber & their family! It was great!  Then today was quiet also, Dad went to meetings – I didn’t want to pollute everyone so I stayed home. At 4:30 pm we did a FH training over Skype to a HCman and his family in Billings Stake. He has 7 children 11 yrs to 6 mo who were present. We shared all the new ways for families to do FH and they loved it. The 2 older boys and parents then practiced the FS hints/Descendancy process under our tutoring. The 1 1/2 hr session went by fast and they want to do more another time. It’s so important that leaders do this work first and have their hearts turned! !  Then they can teach others with testimony and words. This young HC man oversees 15 units and their HP Grp leaders. Today we added up how many wards and branches we can help in the seven stakes and it is 80, WOW.  We are so excited to see the Fike’s! They arrived this evening & will be here for several days!  We love it! 

    So love and appreciate all you good works and kind ways!  Our Love to all & CTR    Mother & Dad

The spirit of Elijah touches hearts –

Dearest Family,

    Happy Birthday Kenny & Happy 11th Birthday Melvin!   Hope you each have a very special day!

     We’ve had a wonderful week, The spirit of Elijah touches hearts – we have been blessed to witness that several times this week.  One experience shared with us by phone sums up our excitement for this work & out “Find – Take – Teach” blesses the lives of so many!

High Council man trains HP Grp Lder in Pickup Truck out on the range

Dec 2015

    In early December we trained a high councilman, 200 miles away, using Skype in 2 - 2hr sessions one week when he was off from his work in the coal mines. He was excited to learn his duties and to have help in learning Family Search so he could lead by example. We could tell he really felt the Spirit of Elijah those two days. He was able to find several new people and add them to his tree, all needing their temple ordinances done. We have had email contact with him several times since to assist him with questions and inform him of new updates to family search. Each time he has learned the new process so he is “walking the talk”. This morning by phone he shared the following experience with us. . .

(A week ago today Family Search Tree app had a major enhancement for Android mobile devices which we sent out along with screen captures to inform leaders of this new exciting update.) He received this info just before going to visit one of his HP Group leaders to do family history training. Even though he owns an Apple smart phone that has not yet been updated he knew this brother had an Android smart phone so while they were checking cows on the ranch, this HC man taught this HP Group leader how to download, use the app and its new features. This HP Group leader is from a long heritage of family being members of the Church and names have been very hard for him to find. He guided him thru the process, within 30 minutes this man had found several new names, added them to his tree (with their sources) and reserved them for temple ordinances. He plans to do these names soon in the Billings Temple. Remember this is in a pickup truck on the range checking cows by a man who didn't even know such an app was available an hour before. This HP Group leader can't wait to teach his family, his Bishop and HP brethren how to do the same!

We call this new process a family history miracle and it can work miracles for those who are taught how to use it! The new feature is called “Descendants with Tasks”. The Lord really wants His children to be able to Find an ancestor, Take that person to the temple and Teach someone else to do the same, beginning with our own family!

     For our 49th anniversary we served others and then cooked our own steak dinner that evening! It was a wonderful day and evening for us!!!  What a joyous & wonderful time of the year this is when our hearts are turned to the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ! Thursday evening we attended our ward Christmas dinner and program centered on the Savior. Being with family, holding our little granddaughters and visiting made it a nice time! It has been a wonderful day with many special things – partaking of the sacrament – the spoken word about Him & our Stake Christmas Choir Concert with beautiful music worshiping Him. We attended the Basin and Greybull wards today, seeing lots of folks we have known over the years. Sharing the new FS Tree app with many was exciting for them and us! On our way home we stopped to visit the Twins in Greybull having a nice time and eating some soup and goodies with them! They are both doing good for their age and challenges!

We have indeed feasted today!  And now the goal for me is to remember Him each day – most especially to pattern my life after His in service & love for others.

We especially like this quote from Ezra Taft Benson,

 “I know the Lord lives. I know that He loves us. I know that apart from Him no one can succeed, but as a partner with Him no one can fail. I know that God can make a lot more out of our lives than we can.    May we all have the moral courage from this moment forward to more fully strive each day to think on Christ, learn of Him, walk in His steps, and do what He would have us do.”

We love you all & have a wonderful Christmas Day!   We are looking forward to having the Fike’s arrive on Sunday Dec 27, for a few days!   

Love you  all, & CTR   Mom & Dad

Another wonderful week!

Dearest Family,   

    Happy 2nd Anniversary to Ryan & Rhonda!    And Happy Anniversary to my wonderful Sweetheart! He is the “Apple of my Eye” A very special guy whom I love more each day! Our trip has lasted 49 amazing years & we look forward to many more!

     Another wonderful week! We have had our normal activities plus others.  Tuesday was a quiet day at home, with some planning & prep time,   also study time!  Wednesday was our marathon day!   Started at 9:00 a.m. with a High priest Group leader & his wife here at our home.   We then went to Burlington, to train several ward Consultants, from there to some friends home, to help both of them.   At 6:30 p.m. one ward there had their ward Christmas Party we ate roast beef and all the goodies with them.   At 7:00 p.m. we were in the home of another High Priest Group leader & his wife!   It is so great to help & see their excitement!   It was 10:30 p.m. when we arrived home!  The work goes on & as the leaders feel the spirit of this work,  they can testify to those they serve!  It’s so important that the leaders do it first!!!

    Friday we had a wonderful day in Billings!  The temple was wonderful – we love being there!  After a quick lunch, we visited with the Family History Center Directors of the bi-stake center there, a young father of 7 children who is a High Councilor over FH in the Billings stake, the assistant mgr for the Montana FM group, sharing with her the need for good wifi as well as hardwired internet in the buildings (we taught her how to use the FS app hints process as a way for her to see why wifi is so needed) & several others!  We got home around 7 pm. Saturday was a nice day at home with laundry, bread making, some Christmas decorating, doing more outside work now the snow had melted with the 60’ temps the past two days.

    And Sunday was a day here in our own stake!   We visited the Lovell 5th ward today, then helped teach a YW Mia Maid group in Cowley 2nd ward & their leaders how to use the FS Tree mobile app to find temple names!  We have enjoyed an evening here at home. It was also nice to touch base with several by phone!  A new feature was added this week to the FS Tree app for finding names called “Descendants with Tasks”.  It shows hints and temple work needed in a list for the descendants of the person selected for 3 generations. It’s ready for the android now with the apple one coming soon. Another enhancement that makes the process even easier!!!

 

    We have had some amazing experiences this week & are so blessed for the guidance we receive!  Each day we thank the Lord for this opportunity to serve him by serving others!

     Our Love,    Mom & Dad

This morning we visited the Byron Ward!

Dearest Family,

    Well, it has been a wonderful day & week!  This morning we visited the Byron Ward!  We were also able to attend their FH class, visit with the HP group leader, & help a little in the class! Seemed a little slower this a.m. because we left home at 8:45 rather than 7 a.m. Had both lunch & supper at home today, a first for quite a while.  Even had a little rest time prior to going to the Lovell 3rd ward at 3:00 p.m.  Kenny & Rosie blessed Lucy Elisabeth today!  It was super to be there!!!!

    We left immediately after the blessing & went to Greybull to a FH Consultant meeting! The Basin & Greybull wards are just trying to get going with the new things! That was great, but with the First Presidency Broadcast tonight, we were unable to stay longer & actually help them one on one!  That will come later! We really felt that it went well.  Also had one HP group leader there & the High Councilor over FH there also (17 people total we knew several of them too)!

    In the evening we Skyped with Bryan, Vicki, Mica & Isaac!  Was super!  They are learning to find names using the new mobile app Family Search Tree doing the descendancy/hints process!  Bryan found his first name & printed it!

    This has been a great week for Skyping!    We did training four different times with 1 High councilmen in Gillette (2x). a HpGrp lder in Otto & a FH Center director and youth FH consultant daughter!  It is working great!  Technology is great!  One of Grandma Croft’s cousin’s passed away, Helen White, & we attended her viewing on Monday!   On Saturday we attended the funeral for Dean Wolvington who died of some rare disease.

    We did have Wednesday free from all appointments, several canceled, but it was a great prep day.  We were able to get in some study time & get some indexing done!  Then on Friday, the afternoon ended up free, so I invited several sisters to quilt!  It is progressing, & will be done before to long.  The unquilted part is about 2 feet wide, but the temple is always slow for me to do!  It is fun to do that part!

    Saturday, Allen, Melvin, & Kona (bird dog)came to do some pheasant hunting!  No birds, but we sure enjoyed the time we were able to spend with them!  While Dad & Allen were doing things on a tablet like FH, how to Skype and using Roku box to watch BYU TV,   Melvin & I played several games!  A great family time!

    We love you all! Love Mom and Dad