Dearest Family

    It has been a wonderful week with beautiful fall weather!  We have had some nice days- we have worked on a juniper tree in the back yard & finished cutting it down. (It was 65 yrs old by the growth rings)  There were several by the back gate, by the garage, that had grown really tall & were covered with vines.  Dad has been working along, getting the vines off.  Finally it was ready to be cut down. We even have all the branches hauled to the burn pile. We have enjoyed seeing the Big Horns & the field behind the house again! Dad has also been watching/hunting for deer morning & evening!

    Wednesday was a busy day for me – back to working with Sister Burnham  & Judy Quarles!  Super day!   AndThursday was also a full day!  Cowley Chapel in the morning, Living Center in the afternoon & another sister doing photos/stories! Also had home teachers & a Skype appt in the evening!

    We picked grapes one day & then later in the week I make Grape Jelly!  Boy does that ever fill the house with an amazing aroma!  The juice was so sweet this year & oh-h-h so yummy & the jelly is even better, so different than what one can buy.

    Had a great day on Saturday!  Allen & Amber went to the temple & all the kids stayed here in Lovell, actually at Darece’s.  Dad picked up the boys at 8 a.m. Kaitlyn did hair & fingernails on Leanne & Camille.   Darece, Whitney & I  and Neil went to a super Saturday at the church!  They worked on projects and Neil & I visited & just enjoyed being there.  Dad and the boys cleaned up a few more branches, looked for deer, did some target shooting with a 22 rifle and ate lunch/talked for an hr at Minchow's food court!  In the afternoon the kids did more things at the Grants.  I had told several people that there were grapes here so Patty Despain & Jacob, his wife & children came over, picked grapes & did a little fishing.  Allen & Amber arrived home about 5:30 & all of  them had dinner here then picked grapes and apples  before they headed back to Worland.   Was a great day!!! Dad and I reviewed our talks some more this evening before bedtime.

    Today we were in the Greybull Ward, both of us spoke in Sacrament Meeting on the blessings and the how to process that allows all to do FH work, then headed for Worland to watch the Croft kids in their Primary program. It was so special to enjoy that with them! Went to Sunday school & Relief Society-Priesthood with them. At 2:00 p.m. we headed for home.   We had time to stop & visit with Leona, Lavon & grandson Colton who stays with them part of the time.  Had a super 1 1/2 hr visit!

    Arrived home just in time to eat & go to Lucy’s 1st birthday party! There are alot of cousins 1 to 2 yrs and babies in the Grant family right now! It was great to visit with so many and watch the children interact together. We were able to setup several appts for the next two months this evening. With all the extra activity such as Star Valley Temple dedication, Regional Conf, Stake conferences and 2 fast Sundays there are not many regular Sundays where we can speak. We will be focusing on the 3 stakes here in the valley for awhile now! The Worland stake has 2 new bishops and 1 new branch pres to trg now.

Love you all Mom & Dad

It is hard to believe that last Tuesday it snowed all day at our house.

Dearest Family   

    Happy 1st Birthday to Lucy on Thursday, October 20!  Also, Congrats to Kenny, Rosie & little Lucy – next April when a new little one will arrive & Lucy will be a big sister!!!! 

Today was a beautiful day!  It is hard to believe that last Tuesday it snowed all day at our house. Dolores & I went VT at 9 a.m. I just wore a lite jacket & when I got home at 10:00 it was just starting!  By evening we had at least 9 inches of snow! The trees were all weighed down, so beautiful & now it is all melted!  Then on Wednesday night it froze for the first time this fall, pretty amazing! I've had a head cold this week but getting better by weeks end, stayed close to home for several days, not wanting to share it!

    This was a skype week – we enjoyed working with 3 Family History Consultants from Gillette and Buffalo wards!  Also did our usual time in Cowley and with other appointments in our local area. Then on Saturday we headed for Sheridan.  The Big Horns had not received the snow that we got in town so it was a sunny dry trip.  There were hunters everywhere from the Causeway on over the mtn. Spent the afternoon with the Elsie & Terry Peters doing photos and general FH things.

  It was so special to watch the Fort Collins Temple Celebration Sat evening which Ky, Symphony & Kenya were a part of!  The blessing of technology is so wonderful!  We are excited for them – they were also able to attend the Temple Dedication today!  They will have some special memories to record.

    Today, we attended the Ranchester Branch!  it was so special to be there – taught the Ward council during SS & then everyone, youth & adults during the last hour, except the ones in Primary! It is a great branch!  When we had finished everything & were putting our things away a young man came up to me & said,  “You're taller than me ”   and I replied     “Yes I am! You're about 8 years old, aren't you.  Do you know what? – you could have an LDS account & record your own stories in your own voice!”   And he said,  “You mean I could tell how I shared my testimony at school?”     Yes!     As we were leaving, he came hurrying down the hall, waving something in his hand.  “See, here is my ticket to the temple dedication !“   Can you imagination how priceless his story of this would be if he told it for his children & grandchildren in Family Search Memories.

    Coming back over the mtn it was dry except for about 5 miles from Hunt Mtn divide to Porcipine where there was 2 inches of slush in spots on the road and temps of 33'. We were home by 3:30pm, had time to unwind a bit,  have supper then head to Powell wards (7th st chapel) to speak at a New converts/ Reactivated fireside at 7pm. There were 3 brethren and a sister who spoke of their conversion and reactivation process. Each story was unique, two came back after being taught the gospel as children. one in his 60’s & the other in his early 30’s, both with many addictions. The other two were converts, one joining after High School.  The other was married to an inactive member- it took about 7 years. It was finally his 7 year old son who actually got him started reading the Book of Mormon for the first time. We were the last speakers and did it standing together at the podium sharing the time. We told of our own love for the temple and our eternal family then shared with them how they can make FH a daily personal worship event so they can have a daily temple experience. Another wonderful weekend together serving the people and the Lord!

 

We send our love to all of you & CTR 

We pray that each one of you have had a great week!

Dearest Family!

    We pray that each one of you have had a great week!   Each day can be a very special day!  It is an opportunity for each of us to find the positive & good in the world around us! There is so much good! 

    This week we did the second Skype training with a ward council – again it was very successful we felt.  Each time we learn something to make it better!  It also helps us to know how to do this with other wards.  There were probably 10 people in this group, meeting in a RS room in the church.   We are so thankful for technology which makes this all possible!   We’re also thankful for the Lord’s blessing that we are able to learn & do it successfully!

    Visited an older single sister this week – parents deceased – but she has so much to share on Family Search.  It will be a fun trip helping her share the lives of her deceased parents thru pictures & stories!  She is excited & we are also excited! She had many stories already typed up & Dad has been able to add them to Family Search already.  Now we will help her link these to people in the tree so others can read them. We have also helped those we index with & several others, both in Cowley & here in town.

    Our weekend has been so very nice!  We traveled to Sheridan Saturday afternoon via Greybull & Shell Canyon. Did some shopping there, had our favorite Arby’s sandwiches, then spent the evening with Rod & Susan Workman, working with them on the apps.  We have so appreciated being able to stay with them during our trips to the Gillette Stake. They were both able to find some names for the temple! Had a very special experience with her.  She found the name of a lady, but the initiatory & endowment had been shared with the temple.  She immediately emailed the person & by 2:30 this afternoon she had gotten an email from the man & he had released it so now she can do  it!  She was so.o.o excited!  She has her own ancestor to do the temple ordinances for!!

    We traveled to Buffalo this morning, it is only 30 miles from Sheridan.  The Bishop is Cade Caturia & one of his counselors is Jake Hatch,  both Lovell area boys!  We taught the ward council at 9 a.m. & during Sunday School we did the hands on training.  It seemed that there were many that were very excited to learn more & realize that they could do it!!! There were also many that we had known from other places & times of our lives!    When we were greeting people before Sacrament meeting, one sister, abt 40, was asking what we were doing there & when I mentioned Family History she was so interested in coming to our SunSchool lesson time. She was totally enthralled by the App & all that could be done using it.  She found several names in that short time.  We continued to visit  after S School & finally she asked, “Do you know Joy Croft?”  Joy, it was Ardie Ruby, President Ruby’s wife & she was very excited to hear about you  and your family!   A Memory she had – Joy taught her how to seal the edge of a pie crust – the way she still does it today! I love it!   The little everyday things we do which create special memories among so many people!   It is just one example of all the good each of you do, without even thinking, as you go about your daily life, serving!

    We ate lunch in the Buffalo ward kitchen then headed for Worland 100 miles west to help with two training classes for FH consultants at 4 and 5 pm. We had a wonderful scenic drive over the mountain on dry roads with some snow in the trees. With all the moisture the dry looking areas are now green again. Our first meeting was with about 20 adult leaders and consultants who all enjoyed using the new technology! We have met with many of these folks before but they needed to get updated on changes to the app. The youth FHC meeting was full of excitement with 10 YM YW - FHC most of which were younger teens. They caught on quickly and were anxious to see the new changes and advanced features available with the app. It was great to have Allen in our adult meeting! Following the meeting we headed to Al & Ambers home to eat supper with their family and visit a bit. Time with family is always special!  We had a safe drive home with no animals on the road and only a few cars, it was 9pm when we arrived. Just 330 miles on the road this weekend. What an awesome weekend to be together with great people sharing the hastening of the Lord's Work! ! !
Our love to all,     Mom & Dad

We have had some special experiences this week

Dearest Family!

    Happy Belated Birthday to Josh, his special day as September 30! Hope it was a good one! 

I am  so thankful for the service of many sisters the past few weeks!  We have been able to complete the quilting on Josh & Krysta’s quilt! They have given so much of their time.  This week we were able to quilt on Monday & Wednesday, then the remainder of the week I worked to finish it on Friday! Now just the binding!

    Tuesday was a great day!  Darece & I went to the temple to work in the laundry, such a nice day.  We had a nice day also doing a little shopping, WalMart & Costco & lunch & supper together, thanks Darece!!!    Dad did a little fishing at Crooked Creek & projects here at home outside. We have had a beautiful long summer with no frost, but it is inevitable!  We are seeing lightening flashing in the distance tonight & the mountains are supposed to get snow the middle of this week.  We enjoyed going to a Rocky football game, & seeing Talon recognized in the Homecoming royalty!

    We have had some special experiences this week – reflecting the Lords hands in all things.   Had a Skype appt with a High councilman over FH, but things didn’t work out for that, but instead the next evening he was giving a presentation at a Stake High Priest Quorum Meeting.  We were able to visit with him about that & share some materials with him.  On another evening, we did training with Family History Consultants in our stake.  Was a special, spiritual evening where we felt guided & that they were open & intent on receiving the message! Great Evening! 

What a wonderful weekend watching General Conference!   We are so blessed to see it in the comforts of our own home & we love it! Another amazing advance of technology is that already, even tonight, we can down load all the talks to our devices, to learn from any time, any place.  We like to play them in the car, thru the radio, as we travel! Can you believe we used to wait 6 weeks to get our Ensign to study them & we thought that was a blessing, (& it was!)

      As I have reviewed a little tonight, this has to be a favorite from President Monson -We are blessed to have the truth. We have a mandate to share the truth. Let us live the truth that we might merit all that the Father has for us. He does nothing save it be for our benefit. He has told us, “This is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” [Moses 1:39]. 

It has been an amazing week – what a wonderful way to end it!   Allen, Amber & family were here this morning to watch conference with us & then Rob, Michelle; Ken, Darece, & family; Bob DeRocher & Ruth Murphy all came for Mexican haystacks!   Was great to see everyone!    Missed those who weren’t here – love you all

 Mom & Dad

Wow – what a week! We are so blessed & grateful . . . . .

Dearest Family,

    Happy 1st Birthday to Neil on Friday, September 30th! 

 

    Wow – what a week!   We are so blessed & grateful for the amazing experiences that happen in our lives!  We have skyped with several, had ‘one on ones’ with some, & phone call training,  just to names some of the training this past week. 

    Monday  Dad called in to WebEx support to see if they could help with the problems we have been having with that program, after several hours, they were finally able to correct the  problems!?!   Another day, I went to the FHC at the church & we experimented with it!  WebEx just takes a lot more band width than we have here at home. Finally it worked! 

    Had a wonderful group of quilters here & we are definitely making progress!  Dad & I were able to go to Billings on Wednesday to the temple afterwards did some training with a couple who are FH consultants.  it just happened that they were working with a youth group that very night! 

    Our Skype Trainings where so special this week,  Two Youth consultants! So excited! They helped us today with a ward we were in!  We also worked with a brother on Skype & his wife on the phone later in the week!  She has been very hesitant to do anything plus works & has 4 children, so very busy! I think she was much more comfortable after we worked on the phone & her computer. It is so special to see the Holy Ghost work in the lives of people!!!! The wife was in our sessions to today also!

    Had a special time with Marlene & Gaye on Friday!  So great to do more FH with them!  I got a new hair cut on Thursday sure feels good!  Visiting with Jane in Denmark via Skype was wonderful as always. . . . technology is the best.

 

    It has been very wet week, over 2 inches of rain here at the house and lots of snow across all the mtns. Due to the snow on the Big Horn Mtns we drove to Sheridan via Billings another 120 miles, giving us our longest wkend training of over 600 miles. round trip. We had rain on Sat but dry sunny travel on Sunday, the Lord blessed us so it didn't seem as long as it was. We're grateful for the blessings that allow us to serve Him and others! We enjoyed the sacrament meeting in the Gillette 4th ward as the Bishopric was reorganized . . . .  . brought back lots of memories to us. Our class time was shorter but worth it, the Stake Pres came to our class as well as the Ward Council folks. We will do some extra training via Skype to finish the class. Really as I told the group we watched FH happen the past hour, a wonderful spirit filled day!

    We also had a couple from the Wright Ward, still farther from us, visit with us. They were wondering when we would be coming there? They attended one of the group classes & we were able to visit about other training options! It was just a wonderful contact for us to help that little ward in  central Wyo!

    The greeter at the door of the Sacrament mtg which we attended was a full time missionary! I asked him about Family History & he shared his excitement for it.  He had found it a wonderful way to visit with people, open doors & share the gospel!

     We see miracles & the tender mercies of the Lord every day! 

                   Our Love,   Mom & Dad

We have Skyped with 6 people . . . .

Dearest Family,   

    Happy Birthday on September 20, Tuesday, to Krysta!   Have a great day!   

    We have so enjoyed this week – there have been many opportunities to share this great work!   We have Skyped with 6 people, an Area Mgr in Ohio who trains others like us, a Primary president in Gillette, she will help us next week with her Ward council, & 2 Youth Family history Consultants in another Gillette ward.   The sister printed out a name while we were working!!!!! The youth were all so amazed at what can be done using their smartphone .  It was a first time experience for them, neither had any experience with actually doing FH & they were very excited.  It was also a busy week for follow-up phone calls!!!!

    Had a fun week quilting – Wednesday & Friday afternoons ladies came & helped!   We are really making progress!  I so appreciate them sharing their time & talents, serving in this way!

    Also had over a half inch of rain that was greatly appreciated since its been so dry!  The harvest is well underway with dry beans, alfalfa seed and sugar beets. They were cooler days which was nice.

    Stake Conference was wonderful!  Dad went to Sat 4pm leadership meeting for himself and to take notes for Rob since he was on HC assignment with the Area Single Adult Conf in Billings. It was great – Elder LeGrand Curtis, a member of the 1st Quorum of the Seventy was our visitor. We were taught about the things we need to do to draw near to the Lord on Saturday evening & then on Sunday  we were taught about Passing the Gospel on to the next generation!  So much insight & wisdom!  And a good review & reminder of the things we already know!  He is very gifted at using personal stories to teach the principles! The music was amazing & also touched my heart! It was so nice to enjoy dinner together & spend time with the Grants this afternoon. 
Bob & I had a nice morning on the lake on Friday morning, the catching was great then on Saturday attended the funeral of Jay Partridge 93, who served as Bishop in Powell 2 times plus Dad worked with him at the Univ of Wyo experiment station in Powell as a boy as well as Northwest Analytical Lab.

Love you all  Mom & Dad

Let’s see – now where to start

Dearest Family, 

    Happy Birthday Rhonda on Saturday, September 17!!!   Have a great day!

    Let’s see – now where to start, maybe with Monday September 5, Labor day! We had planned on just being at home!  I spent time putting together a new set of slides to teach from.  It seems there are just little changes in the program & eventually we just have to redo our slides so that they are accurate when we teach! I am so thankful for the help I receive when I do this!  It seemed that on that day I was guided to names that would show all the different examples which we needed to show! We then visited at Rob & Michelle’s to see how the hydroponic gardens were doing, then Rob came out here, did some Family History, had lunch, looked at Dad’s hydroponic gardens!   Went to the Grants to visit, they had been gone for the weekend. Whitney & Nathan had visitors there who had went to the Big Horns with them for the weekend.

    Received word this week, that a cousin, Bob Jones passed away at age 85. He is the only son of Uncle Haskin Jones, who was a brother to Grandma Petersen. We also attended funeral services for Norald Emmett.

    This week was a busy week for Skype Training, always fun,  when it works, & also fun & interesting when it doesn’t!?!?!

We also had some first!   A High Priest group leader set up an evening activity for members of the Ward Council in his ward.  The week we were in that ward, we ended up with only 15 minutes of class time, just not adequate for teaching hands on.   He & Dad spent one morning getting the bugs worked out of it – the group was going to be at the church in Sheridan & he hadn’t used Skype very much.  Then on Thursday evening, 7 people came. We felt it was very successful – and also learned some things to make it better next time!  That’s what life is all about isn’t it?  Doing our best, learning, & discovering what will make things go better next time!

    We also had some very successful times with a High Councilor over FH & the Stake Presidency member over FH, both in the same stake.  We pray the future finds them working together, teaching others in their stake!  That is the perfect way to have it happen!

    I found some time to do some hand quilting – I am beginning to find it quite relaxing & Dad has been working on his greenhouse & other outdoor projects.  It seems like lately there are t-o-o-o-o- many wasps & he is always headed somewhere to spray another nest of them.  Friday was finally a prep day.

    Saturday, 7 a.m. found us heading to Sheridan – Ky was playing tennis there & we enjoyed watching his doubles match at 10am!  He & Miles did great & won again.  We need to see more of these so that we know more about this sport!  Also had some time to visit with him.    Saturday afternoon we visited with Terry & Elsie Peters, friends of ours who moved to Sheridan a few years ago.  We had been helping them with FH via the phone & it was great to do it in person for four hours.  Went to Arby’s for supper, shopped a little in Walmart.  Visited with a few people from Lovell while we were there!  Also had a nice visit in the evening via phone with Tchae, Joy, Daeja, & Kenya!

    Then Sunday, left Sheridan at 7 a.m. for Gillette where we visited Gillette 3 & 4 wards. Two brothers at the Bishops.  The internet in those Gillette buildings is very up/down too making for some frustrations for them and us. The visits went well even with the challenges we had today! In two weeks we’ll go back & do the hands on training.  They and us have stake conferences next weekend. We had traveled 300 miles by the time we arrived home tonight at 5:30pm. (400 miles for the weekend trip) There were vehicle harvested animals eg: mule and wt deer, rabbits, coons, porcupines, skunks and antelope on the road this morning, We have wondered for years why some nights so many animal get killed on the highways?? At 7:30 we visited with Pres James Boulter and family of the Ranchester branch via Skype about the FS apps. They have a branch social for 3 hrs this Wed evening where they eat together and do indexing or FS. We will officially visit their branch next month. We have been close friends with his parents since college days. They now live in Casper and we see them serving in the temple. Love you all Mom and Dad