Hydroponic tomatoes in our greenhouse

Today has been wonderful,

Dearest Family,     

    Wow, Bro Croft’s plants are growing great in the greenhouse!  He has tomatoes blooming!  We have had a little more time this week for things at home!  Several people were sick! I had a lower back which was all messed up but several trips to the Chiropractor have helped it out!  We have also been able to trace a quilt pattern onto plastic, then onto the fabric for Ethan & Bekah’s quilt! I so appreciate lots of help with all of this from Bro Croft. All the tracing, marking & putting on the frames goes so much faster when there are two people!   I actually quilted on it a little on Saturday afternoon! Deer hunting is also starting & Bro Croft set up his blind up in Snell’s field between the canal and the corral.  He sat in it Saturday evening – with a big muley buck grazing 20 yds all around him.   I was in the Pickup watching deer move all around him.   I also had a skunk & the cows by me.  Fun evening.....an the coyotes howling..... the does came into the field tonight by the canal so they were to far away for shooting. We also went shore fishing at Crooked Creek parking lot Friday morning. Since my hips were still sore getting in & out of the boat did not sound fun. We were able to catch two nice cat fish . . . 2 and 5 lbers. Awesome fall colors and lots of birds to listen to and watch, no wind, just a great 3 hrs to be out!

 

    Today has been wonderful, so blessed to be able to attend Sacrament meeting & partake of the sacrament.   We had several great classes today!  When we came back to Lovell from Cowley this afternoon, it was open library for several of the wards – there was Kenny & Rosy – working on FH, they are visiting for the week. Rosy found all kinds of treasures in findagrave. Shortly after they left, Ryan & Rhonda came in & I had fun helping them.  They each added the other side of their families to their trees. Sure great to see all of them.  Also others of the Warnocks & Grants.  This evening was busy in the center with several youth there, a grandmother & the consultants all working together – learning & finding special family!

    Wednesday evening was a fun evening with a Young Women’s group in Cowley.  They each were doing different things, adding photos & stories, finding names for the temple, connecting their trees so they could get to the deceased ancestors!  It is so very special when that “spirit” touches them & they catch the vision of it all!

    Another young man found names for the temple last Sunday, he said it was his older sisters birthday this week & she wanted to go to the temple.  Well, Saturday,  just two of them went to Billings to do baptisms & had a wonderful time.  He testified of how very special it was! 

    CTR & our love & prayers to all of you,     Bro & Sis Croft

 

We always love General conference!

Subject: October 5, 2014

 

Dearest Family,

    What a wonderful day!!! We always love General conference!  It has been a great weekend! What a blessing it is to be able to watch & review conference so quickly!  Bro Croft & I went to Horseshoe Bend on Saturday & started listening to conference 20 minutes late!  When we arrived home we were able to watch what we had missed! We did catch one catfish & it was a calm, clear & warm fall day! The hornets thought it was nice, too. One stung me!   Technology is so great!  Already we have listened to several talks containing things we wanted to hear again & things we had missed! We enjoyed having Allen, Amber & family come this a.m. to watch, then dinner at Darece & Ken’s – was nice to see everyone there!  We then enjoyed the afternoon session at home! 

 

   The FHC was busy tonight, three youth, several consultants & several other patrons. All were busy, learning & accomplishing great things!  Bro Croft worked with one patron with whom he had had a special spiritual experience!  In his words; Early last week I received an email from Sister Linda NeVille asking if I knew how to scan and get the postage stamp size photos from an old pedigree chart useable in family search. I opened this email at 5 am that morning, read it and immediately received the inspiration on how to do the process. I quickly wrote myself some notes as the thoughts came into my mind then minutes later tried the process using two windows programs I had used for years but not in the way that I had just been instructed. The small photos came out larger and looked great! I emailed the sister in Byron with the results asking her how it looked to her. With in minutes I received an email back (this is 6am) thanking me for answering her prayer, thru tears she had written back to me expressing her gratitude. Sister Croft was up by then and I showed her the process and the emails. Later that day I called the sister to tell her that the Holy Ghost had given me the process early this morning  and I wrote it down and did it. I told her I was grateful to have been able to be the means for the Lord to answer her prayers.  I have come to know over my life that the words spoken by Pres Spencer W Kimball years ago are true, that the Lord often sends a faithful person to answer our prayers. I try to always be willing and “spiritually up” so the Lord can use me to help answer someone  prayer! Each day we receive a witness that the Work is hastening and we need to be prepared to move the work to the next level!

    It has been a fun week, with some special experiences!  Brother Checkett’s at the NWC Institute in Powell has been teaching a Family History Class!  Tuesday & Thursday we were invited to teach the computer side of it.  It is a little difficult to have hands on experience for 30 + students but we exposed them to it!  Did the basics on Tues & a little about Descendency Research.  On Thurs we explained Puzzilla & Indexing!  They are starting an Indexing Challenge in their ward so that will be fun! It was so grand to meet & teach the college young people!

    Had our group of regulars, people we do every week!   We were able to shuffle them around, even with the trips to Powell & still get everyone in!  Some were adding photos, others indexing, some just cleaning up their trees.  It was also the week for the Family History consultant’s training meeting!  Answered questions which some had asked us about!  Had a nice morning in Cowley with several patrons.  Both are beginning to get results & find info. 

  

    Last week & next,  we are working with a YW’s group in Cowley, looking for temple names & I think this week maybe adding photos!  We finally caught up with Dak and Joy for a wonderful visit on the phone last evening, they are a very busy family with their new back to college life style.   A very hard freeze on Thursday evening has lots of leaves falling and much new snow on the mountains. . . . it’s fall for sure.

    It is a great work, we love it!    CTR & have a great week!   Love you all – Bro & Sis Croft

We taught several classes – the best was a youth group

Dearest Family!   

    It seems strange – no birthday or anniversary wishes – just our prayers for a safe & great week! 

    It was a great & wonderful Sabbath day!  We taught several classes – the best was a youth group, often they get too large & we feel we can’t help them one on one.  It was a small group & with several helpers we were able to help them individually!  Several of them were successful finding temple names using the Descendency feature of FS. They are were able to learn & then do it by themselves! 

    We have been taking our lunch to Cowley the past several weeks & today just before lunch Bro Croft was visiting with an Elder’s Quorum Presidency who were sharing the stage, our computer lab, for their lesson. He mentioned that sometime we would be happy to share some Family History with them. The counselor/teacher for today then said, “Oh today our lesson is Elder Cook’s talk, “Roots & Branches” You are welcome to come!”  We gobbled our sandwiches & went to their class. It was special to share how we are all blessed by the spirit of Elijah when doing this work, whether non member, inactive or active.  They had questions about indexing, & were amazed at how any aspect of FH affected so many people.  Then when the class was over, the teachers son, whom I had helped in the youth class came by to go home with his Dad & we were able to talk about Christina who lived to be 102 whom we had found in his tree. We both wanted to learn more about her!!!!!      Sunday evening in the FHC is always great. Tonight during the course of the evening there were 8 youth in!   On young lady reached her goal of indexing 1000 names.Two 2 others worked with their grandma, what a team they are!  We had our Sunday evening family who were searching & finding.......

    By the way, the Grandma stories are up to 13,312!   Have you shared your?    Another exciting announcement today – on the Family Search home page after you sign in, is the link for all members of the church to sign up for Ancestry.com, Findmypast.com, & MyHeritage.com.   This is a great blessing for all of us & gives us access to so much more information & people to share & communicate with.

    We were able to spent some extra time in the FHC this Wednesday, since Sis. NeVille was ill – it was great – with some patrons in.  We were also able to meet with our High Councilor over FH & help him learn about indexing & also work on his own FH.

    Home visits were great with spiritual times for all – finding new people, learning about adding pictures – just enjoying the spirit of it all.  was helping one sister harvest ordinances using the Descendancy view in Family Tree, when she said, “Look, this couple has no children”  She has found several families to add to Family Tree by following the Hints & doing some research! I helped JQ here at the house one evening, we have scanned a lot of pictures, & it takes some time to get them all linked. 

 

    Friday we had a great trip to Billings, time in the temple was so great!   We were able to do some initiatory!  Had lunch, & did a stop at WalMart.   Brother Croft & Bro Josh Tippetts did some computer upgrades at he FHC also that night! Saturday we did more of our pDay things plus put in the exhaust fan in the greenhouse and a few misc things to get it all going. The tomato cuttings are a ft tall now with some new blossoms also the radishes are growing well. Rob came by and had lunch with us plus he and Michelle came back later to see the green house hydroponic setup. Really nice to have time to visit with them!  I attended the women’s broadcast with the Grant girls in the evening, a wonderful spiritual meeting! Dad watched it at home too.

   It has been a wonderful week!  

 We love you all,   CTR      Bro & Sis Croft

 

We had a wonderful time meeting with our Family History Youth Consultants this evening,

Sept 21, 2014

Dearest Family,

       Congratulations to Lindsay & Connor on their engagement!   They will be married on January 3, 2015!

    It is one of those unwind evenings, & I am having a difficult time getting settled into writing a letter.   Today is still a blur - It has been so very special & busy! Gave two lessons, had several open library time, but there were people to help & successes! That is the great part!  We had a wonderful time meeting with our Family History Youth Consultants this evening, we now have 15 of them! We took some goodies to eat and then just spent 45 minutes visiting together about how they see FH going in our stake. As usual they came up with some profound insights on how to excite the stake youth and adults. We went back to help in the FHCenter while they put together a possible indexing challenge for the youth in our stake to present to the stake prescy. In about 30 minutes they ask us to read it and ask questions....it was good! Now for the next step.

    Then from 7-9 p.m. we had 8-10 people in the FHC! I helped Grandma (my age) & grand-daughter, a fired up young lady!  We were doing research on a family – and it is beginning to fall into place!  I also helped another young lady trying to understand a family!  It was a big family, two died young, 4-5 died between the ages of 17 & 22.  Why?   We are still seeking an answer!  We are unable to see the original death certificates, just the indexed version, so no cause of death is known.  The births & deaths are happening between 1911-1935. This will be a special experience doing the temple work for this family! Learning the joys & sorrows, it seems the sorrows out weigh the joys, of this family is hard to imagine! I’ll try to remember to let you all know the results of this search!

    It was our week to cover the FHC on Wednesday – again this was a busy day for us.    I’ve been helping Debbie for some time with a family of her’s! It’s another puzzle we are are trying to put together! We worked a little on it today also & maybe found some more pieces!   Sometimes we solve some very interesting mysteries!

    Each day we were blessed to have 3-4 appointments -  brothers & sisters doing FH by adding photos, indexing, finding names of family they didn’t know before & sharing stories! Here is a link to the newest activity!   It is called “Memories of Gramma” https://familysearch.org/campaign/meetmygrandma/?cid=hp-gma-1930       I challenge each of you to go to the site, watch the video, & add a memory of one of your grandmothers! That would be a great FHE for tonight!  Yours will be one of 10,000 memories posted during the next 10 days!

    Besides FH activities, we have also enjoyed the Lovell HS Homecoming Pep rally & football game, Whitney and Drake Welch were Homecoming Queen and King. We helped Krysta celebrate her 20th birthday, & spent Saturday morning fishing! Dad caught two nice saugers!  I did find a few moments to quilt, but it was very few!  maybe this week! We got our old hydroponic unit going again in the greenhouse so we can have some fresh produce this winter. With the new water supply it was easy to make it work. Dad took some cutting from our garden tomatoes that are already blooming. Also have radishes, spinach, etc growing! What a sweetheart he is to do this!

    We are so grateful for the protection of Joy & Chalin today! An accident happened right behind them & they were returning from visiting Vicki’s family this week end! They were very blessed!

    Just wanted to share this thought which was given in a talk today!  And I quote:  A THOUGHT IS A PROMPTING UNLESS PROVEN OTHERWISE! Speaker was unsure of the source.

    And to all the Sisters in our family, ages 8 & up, remember to attend the Broadcast this Saturday Evening!

Love to all & CTR     Bro & Sis Croft

Now lets see – where do I start!

Sept 14, 2014

Dearest Family,   

    Happy Birthday to Krysta & Rhonda!!!!    Hope you have a great day!

Now lets see – where do I start!   It has been quite a week! I am not sure where to start!  It was service days Mon & Wed 6:30-10:00 a.m. at the blood draw, I do data entry there. It is great to see people – people I don’t usually see except there.   It is also a reminder for Bro Croft & I to get our blood work done!  I

    Our Sunday was a busy one!    It seems like several wards are starting all over!   Several have new High Priest Group Leaders, several new consultants, 5-6 new youth consultants!  There is lots of training going on but it is wonderful, but sometimes overwhelming also!   We had several open library times in wards today, several classes & tonight in the FHC 5 youth consultants came in, new ones that we were helping get started plus other patrons!  It so very special to help them find names when they are finding new people who are not in the tree!  One young lady came in this afternoon & we just kept running into walls then this evening she came in again & we were able to find a family – there are supposed to be three children & we have only found 2. There are other places to look – more inspiration also! A young man was helping his sister with a family & we found a second husband & more children!  Bro Croft also had success with a young man who just wanted to search his direct line, but discovered searching for cousins is great & yields a rich harvest! 

    The very special part of our mission is the guidance which we receive – it comes so quietly & in such natural ways, many times I have to back away & take a second look to realize how much help I’ve received.  Last week an elderly Sister, age 94, “MB” called. Her granddaughter had called & wondered if she could do some names  which MB had reserved.   MB didn’t remember reserving them, & didn’t know her password or how to do the process!   While we visited, the inspiration came to accomplish the process- oh-so quickly!  I felt very blessed!

    Public Library Day was great! JQ & I were able to link 30 + pictures to her tree, she does great & we love working together!   Bro Croft had three ladies all wanting help about the same time!  They are all excited about learning more & having some problems solved.  After one of the blood draw days, I went to help a sister whom I didn’t know had called & canceled. She decided to work anyway, since I was there & the spirit helped us solve some tough questions.  

    Another highlight of the week was a meeting with all the Bishoprics of the Stake. We were able to share info about the Youth Temple Challenge & the power Family History has to lift all members of their wards. What a wonderful experience to share our testimonies with this group of very special brethren!

    Weather has been colder & Bro Croft has been doing some winterizing & fall work out side. It froze things on Thursday and Friday nights getting to 28’. Many of the beans and sunflowers of the local farmers are gone  now, a big financial loss for them. Finally, Friday I was able to get some cleaning, etc done in the house plus laundry & baking.  We spent a great day in Worland on Saturday.  It was great to help Allen & Amber get his elk cut up!

    When we got home Sat night we found our driveway flooded and after some checking learned why. A neighbor who doesn’t use much common sense turned the head gate full open which gave 3 times more water than the ditch can carry so it ran across our old garden, the quail pens & down to the driveway into the meat room and old barn building. Had it gone longer it could have got to the house via the lower green house. The time it all took place was determined from the other neighbor. About noon the water was turned on and began to flood, around 4pm the ditch rider was going by the main canal south of us and noticed the canal coming our way was too full so she reduced the flow which in turn stopped the over flow at our house a mile north. We got home at 5:30pm to find the mess but the ditch was no longer flooding. We called the ditch rider couple who came to put a tag on the head gate and set it at the proper level to prevent more flooding overnight or later. They were not aware of the flooding until we called them to come see the situation. We were very blessed to have the water turned off when it was, our ditch rider was an angel of mercy.

 

We love you all – CTR & have a great week!          Bro & Sis Croft

It has been a wonderful week,

September 7, 2014

 

Dearest Family!   

    Happy 2nd Anniversary to Micah & Kirena! 

    It has been a wonderful week, beginning with a holiday,   Labor Day!  We were busy at home that day – learned that Phil & Emma, sons; Adam & Ira were at their home thru the field  putting a new roof on the house. Baked a batch of cinnamon rolls & headed over there.  It was so great to see them! They are such wonderful people & we enjoyed having them for neighbors!

Also had a great Family Home Evening with one of the Bishop’s & his family!

    Each day we had appointments, helping with Family History or indexing!  It was a little bit of everything, including helping several with their internet connections. Bro Croft is getting better & better at handling these problems.   Wednesday evening we thought we would visit with people at two different ward harvest dinners!   We were really looking forward to it!  Got to the Lovell 4th ward Dinner & boy did the wind come up – and then the temperature dropped!  Had to hold on to your plate with one hand & eat with the other & still sometimes the food blow away! It was just plan miserable – finally just came home – without going to the 2nd ward party!  Enjoyed a birthday dinner at Darece’s, her traditional stuffed tomatoes!   Was so nice to be with her, Whitney, Kaitlyn, Talon, Bo & McKinzea!   We enjoyed it so much!

    Had a beautiful morning at the Lake on Friday, calm, sunshiny & the catching was great!   We were on the lake from 9:30 to 11:30 & caught 3 saugers & lost a really big one just as were were netting it! Dad also caught 5 catfish, but all were just a little small for keepers! Mom caught the biggest sauger at 4 1/2 lbs and 25 inches. We came home, Dad cleaned the saugers & I spent the afternoon quilting with 4 great ladies!   The quilt is getting very close to being done! Dad also got the meat cooler room ready for Al’s bull elk.

    Congrats to Allen on the successful archery bull elk hunt!  The elk was killed in the Bighorn mtns above Tensleep.  He brought it to our house to hang in the meat cooler room on Saturday A.M.  We enjoyed having Allen & the three oldest ones here for lunch! We ate fresh elk “philly sandwiches” too. . .very tasty!

 

Love you all & CTR

Bro & Sister Croft