It started busy & it ended busy!

Dearest Family! 

     Happy Birthday, Aunt Gaye on Wednesday, August 31st!   Happy Birthday, Darece, next Sunday, September 4th! Hope you each have a wonderful day!

    It started busy & it ended busy!  Monday was a training day for us – a WebEx conference with SLC & other Area FH Advisors from the North American Central Area! We shared for 10 minutes with the others & were able to get ideas from others also!  Enjoyed Visiting Teaching on Tuesday morning. We were able to do training via Skype & in-home training with High Councilors over FH!  Wednesday was some in-home visits!   We love Thursday's because we go to the Living Center & do indexing!

    I worked on marking a tricot quilt!  Had a nice visit with Rob one afternoon & with Joy one morning! Wow, did we have a fun day on the lake on Friday morning - the best catching day we have had all year! Lots of action – bits – catching – kept 2 catfish & put some others back to grow up a little more!

    Saturday – a Stake Relief Society Women’s conference –9 to 2 – refreshing & uplifting!  There are always ideas to help me!  Now it is just changing habits too become better & more like my Savior! Dad worked on alot of projects at home including getting our greenhouse ready to put tomato cutting in for the winter. Put new branches on our hunting blind by the pond and checked the deer cam SD card to see what is coming in the orchard for apples! Our new raspberries are producing right now berries about quarter size. Our lone baby California quail chick has a nice little top feather now and is too big to get thru the wire. We learned our lesson on how they can escape as chicks and will cover the pen with 1" chicken wire before next spring. It's been an education process with these new birds since they are so different from the bobwhites. Our pigeons don't like being locked up but to save them from the hawk we had too.

    We traveled to Sheridan on Saturday night then on to Gillette on Sunday a.m. There were whitetail deer playing on the church lawn in Sheridan when we left yesterday! It is just across the street from where we stay. Met with two wards today!  Due to the loss of so many jobs in that area the wards are quite small now. A special thought shared: A young sister told about her joy in finding names but realized she had to many reserved & was unable to get them done!  It was hard to unreserve them but she did!   One of her sisters had never found her own name, never!  They worked together, & now her sister is SO excited! She is finding names & is loves it! 

    We returned home via Worland today & enjoyed dinner with Allen, Amber & family! It was all new country for us this weekend so much greener on the east side of the Bighorn mtns! 

                        Love to all of you,    Mom & Dad

Dearest Family! 

    Happy Birthday to Micah Vehrs!  We hope you have a great day on Friday, August 26!  Happy Birthday on Sunday, August 28, to Uncle Bill! 

    Well, tonight, Sunday evening, I am trying to get back into the routine of writing the letter!  It has been a wonderfully busy, wonderful week!   We have Skyped  6 times this week. I enjoyed helping with the other 4 times.  Dad did  2 couples Tuesday evening, while I was still working as an Election Judge!  I am so glad I am able to do this! It is great to see so many people & I have learned so very much about this great land we live in & how this amazing process works!  We are indeed blessed to live in this land!

    It is great to help people learn more about this great work – then they can share it with their friends & family!  Today we visited the same 4 wards in Sheridan! We appreciated so much being able to spend Saturday night in Sheridan, then just had the return drive today! This time we were doing hands on training.  The people we had skyped with helped us in the Sunday School Classes as we taught!  It was so special to see their excitement as they found a family name for the first time!

    We so enjoyed attending our own ward’s Harvest dinner this week – we do miss seeing our own Ward family since we are gone so much!

    Thursday was so nice, we were able to attend the temple in the morning.  In the afternoon we met with Bro Smith who had flown in from SLC to meet with us & the another couple who cover the rest of Montana.  We had a special time with him!   The day was rainy & a bit cloudy so it was a great traveling day – cooler for a change.  We were also able to spend a little time at the Montana State Fair.  the two Billings Stakes have a booth there about Family History. 

     On Friday we visited the people in the Living Center who index, They had questions for us.  That is where we usually go on Thursday.

    We send our love to all of you!   Have a great week! Do something fun & CTR!

Mom & Dad

Dearest Family!

    Happy 27th Anniversary to Ken & Darece on Thursday, August 18th!  Have a great day! Krysta & Josh have set the wedding date forNovember 12, 2016!

    This week has been a great one!   I think it was recovery & catch up after Big Sky!  Dad was busy with watering & yard work & I was busy in the house, putting away, etc.  I even spent some time sewing on several projects.  We are grateful to have super home & visiting teachers & enjoyed their visits this week! It does give us some contact with our ward, since we are unable to attend there very often.  We were able to do our regular visits on Wednesday & Thursday this week.  It is nice to get back in the routine! Our time at the Living Center is always enjoyable! There are three people there who index all the time & they are each so glad that they can do the amazing work & contribute something worthwhile to the kingdom to help others!

    On Saturday evening we traveled over the mountain to Sheridan! Neither of us had ever been there & it was beautiful.  We had been as far as Sybley Lake, but never down into Sheridan!  We spent the night with Rod & Susan Workman. We appreciate their hospitality so much!  Sunday was spent in the 3 wards & one YSA branch in Sheridan.  What an amazing day!  We appreciated the help our Ben Smith, high councilor over FH.  The first time we are in a building it is always interesting. This building is very busy with 4 wards & meeting places are at a premium!  Today we were teaching the doctrinal principles & next week will be hands on!  It is so great to be in these wards around the area & meet new people & renew friendships from college, & see people with ties to Lovell. There was one ward, where we had not met anyone, then a sister asked, “How are you related to Rob Croft?”  She had known Rob at NW College in Powell, after his mission!   It is a small world!  When we arrived home, we were able to set up Skype appointments with people so we have a little more help next week when we do “hands on” training.  It will be a busy week this Week!

    Don’t forget, EVERYONE!  Tuesday is the Primary Elections!  VOTE

 

Dearest Family!!!!

    Happy Birthday, August 13, Saturday to Camille – she will be four years old! Happy 2nd Anniversary to Kenny & Rosie on Sunday, August 14th!  Oh – There was an announcement on Facebook that Josh & Krysta are engaged!  Congrats!!!

    Well, it seems like ages since I have written a letter! “We have been busy making Family History” It has been a wonderful two weeks filled with so many special activities!

    Dad & I want to thank all of you for all the special activities! All of you just did so many thoughtful things!  We love & appreciate each of you!  Let’s see – there was Taco Dinner, Licorice, both brown & black, yum-m-m, ice cream with chocolate topping, our favorite candy bars, A Memory Book, a Memory Blanket, pictures & more pictures, a video, a special song, just to name a few!  We so appreciate all of you taking part Friday & during the week at Big Sky!  & yes, we do realize that sometimes it is impossible for everyone to do everything, all of the time!

    Let’s see – maybe we can get a Video in the cloud so all may access it!

    I’m sure for all of you, it great to go – but also great to be at home in your own bed!  We are enjoying that also! We are so blessed that everyone arrived home safely!  (We did see three wrecks, all on the other side of the interstate coming home between Livingston and Park City)

    Big Sky was filled with the usual excitement! and a little not so exciting!  Thanks Chris, for filling in for me  on Sunday when Dad went to Bozeman to meet with the Stake Presidency!  They had a great time visiting to/from as well as in the meeting! A flu bug got me the night before & for a few days after. The Big Sky week was filled with fishing, hiking to find huckleberries, spike ball, swimming, church, games, FHE, coloring quilt blocks, great food & more great food & lots of visiting!  This year we had four of our units over the water so the boys did all their fishing from one of the four balconies, catching fish of all sizes even one Mallard duck hen.(the duck got off on her own thank goodness) & (the best bait was ham scrapes) A black bear and cub were seen on Friday on the side hill next to the big ski lift. Amber also saw where a bear had dumped garbage on one of her morning jogs. Bighorn sheep were seen twice down the mtn near the main Big Sky village on the north side of the highway. It was an awesome 10 days for us!

We love and appreciate all of you!

Mom & Dad

Big Sky 2016

It has been a special week with a variety of activities!

Dearest Family!

    Happy 27th Anniversary to Bryan & Vicki on Sunday, July 31!   In August, It is Happy Birthday to Ethan on Monday, August 1st & to Bekah on Wednesday, August 3rd!  Uncle Frank has a birthday on August 5th!  Hope your days are special!  Don’t know what that first week of August will bring so am doing two weeks of Birthday wishes this week!

    It has been a special week with a variety of activities!   I have had some mornings at home which is nice!   Dad went to Horseshoe Bend one day with Ken – every so often they go out & Ken climbs the ladder to the Web cam & Dad supervises!  Ken cleans the cover on it so it is clear, not foggy!  sure looks better now!

    Had a nice morning fishing on Tuesday- the lake was like glass but a very warm one!  Caught a couple of small catfish and a 5 lb carp!  Later that afternoon, boy, did we have a wind storm!  Lots of little whirlwinds up & down the driveway & the trees by the canal were just swirling every which way! This summer the wind seem to be full of these micro bursts that cause wind damage. Several evenings it was interesting to watch the Republican Natl Convention!  I also worked with several ladies one on one!     Also had phone training with several this week! 

 

    Thursday we had a wonderful time in the Temple!  Did some shopping, visited the Mission home in Billings, The mission president & his wife, & also went to see Leanne Winterholler in the Billings Hospital, didn’t get to see her but Talked with her Dad.  She is improving slowly and will be for the next several months at home. So glad we made connections with some of them.  In the evening we did a mobile app class for 2 hrs with a Relief Society group in a Billings Ward with 30 attending.   We enjoy those, there is a little more time than at our Sunday Activities.

    Phil & Emma Lynn are here at their home thru the field!  Several of their children & families are here also helping do lots of fix up jobs!    We have had some great visits & they want to learn the apps tonight during a FHE here at our house!  Sure will be fun!  There are thought of them moving back!   We sure hope so!

    Dad had a one-on-one on the phone with a Branch President that was very special!  Since he didn't know how to Skype Dad taught him the FS Tree app over the phone while he used his iPad. The process was explained to him and he would push the buttons to select a person with birthday around 1820, then go to Descendants with Tasks wait for the list to develop then look for green temples. They also did the blue hints and right off using a census found a boy missing in a family that needed all his temple work. He reserved the name and then printed it from his iPad on his new wireless printer. He wanted to do the baptism first since he had never found his own name and printed it before. This took about an hour! Today he bore strong testimony to his branch members about his success and told them they could all do the same. He kept practicing so today he was one of the teachers  to his flock! Today was great!  We were in the Hardin Branch, probably had about 20 people for both Sunday School & Relief  Society/Priesthood!  These small branches so special to visit!  Will Croft is in the Branch Prescy & it was great to see he & his wife Keisha & 3 yr old son Henry!  We just always wish we had more time for one on one! 

     Arrived home in time for Dad to ordain Rob to the office of High Priest then be set apart as a member of the LW Stake High Council.  Allen & family also came up for the occasion!  Had a fast & easy to prepare “taco supper” Krysta & Josh also came!

Love Mom and Dad

 

Started out with a cooler day on Monday! We even heard about a little snow & frost in the mountains.

Dearest Family,

    Happy 2nd Anniversary to Ethan & Bekah on Tues, July 19! Happy Birthday Vicki, on the Thursday, the 21st, and to Talon on Friday, July 22!  We love you all!

    Started out with a cooler day on Monday!  We even heard about a little snow & frost in the mountains. It was a nice day to pick a few more raspberries!  Monday evening we had a wonderful evening with a family, 5 children ages 3 to 13. The 3 year old was exhausted after a night of asthma & a trip to Cody, but all the rest had a wonderful time & so did we!  Even the ten year old was so excited to find a name for baptism & talked to her older sisters about doing the baptism for her, since she isn’t old enough!  The 7 year old has had some amazing experiences telling stories in the Memories App.  The older girls were fascinated by it all, they recorded a story or two, found names for the temple & were fascinated by the original documents which they were able to see.  It truly is the day for the youth! 

    I so enjoyed having VT’s this week & also enjoyed going!  We have great Home Teachers who visited us! We appreciate them coming so very much! Did some boat fishing on Tuesday but no fish big enough to keep and dad went out to shore fish in Crooked ck while I got a perm. His fish were too small to keep as well. My perm and cut are feeling great! Our pair of California quail in the field hatched 7 chicks on Tuesday  and they are growing fast. . . so tiny out of the egg. 

    It was a slower week for Skyping, did a Bishops family and a FHConsultant in two different wards in the Billings East stake. Looks like almost every evening is busy for next week! Dad went to the mtn on Sat morning to walk and saw where the semi had rolled over and lost a load of paper for GP wall board plant, the driver wasn't hurt. We attended the funeral for Eva Beddes (Frank was her husband) at the funeral chapel on Sat morning too. So nice to visit with Randy and sister Margo, they both have large families of their own. He gave a very stirring talk to the group, mostly extended family of his Mom and bore strong testimony encouraging them to live the gospel better.

    Today we traveled to Forsyth Montana, almost 400 miles round trip!  It is a small branch, has  an amazing little new phase one Chapel! We taught in Sunday School & Priesthood/Relief Society about 30 folks in class. Nice to have a longer training time and they were all so excited to learn the new process! Today they were missing their YM/YW.  Didn’t think to asked how many they had.  It was a very special day! We setup Skype with two families for next week to get them some FS Tree app advanced training so they can teach the others

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

The 4th of July was great! In this wonderful land in which we live,

Dearest Family!

    Happy Birthday Ky!!!  On Friday, July 15, he will be 17 years old!!!!

    The 4th of July was great!   In this wonderful land in which we live, some times it is just great to stay at home & just enjoy it!   Dad & I did just that!!!! Relaxed – did a few things which we needed done & enjoyed the day!  One project was to clean out the greenhouse – no tomatoes now until the ones in the garden are ripe. Then on we Tuesday went to Horseshoe Bend, to windy to go out in the boat but fished from the fishing dock, no catching tho!

    Wednesday Dad did the nature hike with four of the 11 year old scouts!  They were out in the back yard, headed toward the driveway, when Dad looked over & saw three small raccoons just strolling down the driveway! They turned to get away & went right into a roll of wire which was there.  One of the leaders asked if they were our pets & he had set it up! No! They finally found their way out of the roll of wire  and went down into the canal.  Thursday’s we still go to the Cowley church in the morning then in the afternoon to the Living Center & help several people index! 

  

    We have had several very nice Skype sessions this week training bishops & ward leaders!  Friday we went to the lake, fished a little, & caught four catfish, one will make a yummy supper! In the afternoon, we went to Cody for the Ribbon cutting of the remodel of the Cody Murals Visitor Center where they have the paintings on the domed ceiling.  Had an enjoyable time visiting with folks we know including Elder James Evanson and wife from Canada. We did some other errands; getting two photos from the Park Co Archives, one of Dick and Dad, the other of our oxen, which we put on FS.  Also checked out an Artist who makes jewelry from elk teeth to get some ideas. We had supper in Cody then headed home.  Saturday a.m. Dad went to the Mtn for his walk a 2 1/2 hour trip & I enjoyed working on a quilt!  Allen & Amber & family had dinner with us also. they were on their way home after going to the temple.

    Sunday morning we left early for the Billings East Stake center to do our second FH training with the Alkali CK, Hilltop and Lake Hills wards. All three are really fired up about the new process. We were able to visit with the Stake Pres and HC man over FH too, both are busy teaching others to use the FS Tree app. We had the HC man's wife help us teach in her own ward and he helped us in another ward. The two wards with younger Ward Councils had little trouble finding names where as, the other one with older WC members needed more help just to use their mobile device, so their success was limited. We did our usual foyer class to teach those just hanging out how to use the FS Tree app.

    Today, after our first class, we headed across the cultural hall, I went one way to the kitchen & Dad went the other way to go to the media center to get copies made. I got our lunch out, no Dad came, I ate my sandwich, then headed to the Media Center to see if I could help him. Found him there, helping the librarian, with her FH.

    Well, we love you all, have a great week & CTR     Our love Mom & Dad

50th Wedding Anniversary cards are now send out!