We are Home!! The end of the treks for 2015.

We had our trek review with all the wards and Stakes on August 22 and left that next Tuesday August 25. We have been home almost a week and still trying to adjust.
It was great to see our ward for the trek review. They are so excited for next year.
In fact, Sunday was the combined meeting for the Relief Society and Priesthood. The whole hour was spent on talking about trek.  It's going to be a ward trek in July of next year.
we will head back the end of April and be there until the end of August.

 This is all the handcarts. We painted and repaired them before heading home.

 Brian and Mary Anne Bairett and Dustin and Danielle Orton. These wonderful people are from our ward and will be coming next year!  Brian and Mary Anne are the trek directors and Dustin is in the Bishopric and was here with Danielle to represent our ward.  so Excited to trek with our ward next year!

Sister Burnett

Thursday 8/20/2015

Was able to go to the Ogden Temple today with Brother and Sister Jensen and meet Sister Jen Burnett.
This is the woman that was on the second to the last trek that we had this year.
She is a nurse and was here in that capacity. She is a really neat woman and we became close friends.
She has been inactive for a long time, because she works in the NICU and works most Sundays
She has a different job now in the ER and so she is able to go to Church on Sundays.
She and her husband have been talking about going back to church and just experiencing the spiritual things on trek was the turning point for her. It is very satisfying to see the blessing of trek in so many lives.

Elder Summerhays

August 18, 2015
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Today was a very special day. We were interviewed by Elder Summerhays of the Quorum of the 70's. He is the General Authority that called us to this mission. It was a wonderful meeting with him and had us both in tears. It was a very spiritual, and sacred interview. He asked us if we would be willing to come back next year and we said of course. This mission has brought us such special blessings. He also told us some things that are too sacred to repeat here. But what a privilege to meet with this very spiritual man.
He also dedicated this ranch last year which I would like to put here.

Dedicatory Prayer for Deseret Land and Livestock_ April 27, 2014

Heavenly Father,
WE are grateful to gather here this Sabbath day to dedicate this Deseret Land and Livestock Property in its specific use as a pioneer trek site for the missionaries, youth and adults who come here to participate in this activity. We gather here in the name of Thy Son, and our Savior, Jesus Christ. We dedicate this property this day, by the power of the Melchizedek Priesthood and with sacred authority delegate by Thy living Apostles.

We acknowledge that this property has a central and sacred livestock enterprise that contributes to the building up of Thy kingdom. We express our gratitude for all those that manage and labor in this enterprise. We thank Thee for inspiring them with a spirit of unity with, and support for those involved with the trek activities on the site. We invoke a blessing upon them individually that, as thy labor with the right spirit, they and their families will grow and prosper through Thy grace. We also invoke a blessing upon the Livestock endeavor that through Thy grace and power the Livestock operation will prosper in greater measure because trekking is permitted and supported here than it would otherwise prosper if it was not permitted and supported.

We thank Thee for our present and future host stake and their leaders and invoke thy blessings upon them for their kindness, support and leadership.

We not dedicate this property in its use as a site for Pioneer Trek activities.

We invoke, upon all those who come here to participate in Pioneer Trek activities, specific opportunity to partake of powerful blessings of inspiration, protection, unity, harmony, happiness and love. We bless them with the opportunity to feel the spirit of sacrifice of faith-filled pioneers of the past, faith-filled pioneers of the present and gratitude and love for He who offered for them the greatest sacrifice. These opportunities will be realized in relation to participants preparation and righteous desires.

We invoke blessings upon all the missionaries who have, do now and those who will yet serve at this site. We bless them with the opportunity to receive abundant revelation and strong feelings of unity , love and harmony. We invoke blessings of strength beyond their own, We promise them that, if they are willing, thou wilt minister through them day by day to love, lift, strengthen, comfort, heal or bless individual trek participants. We bestow upon them, if they pray in faith for them,    special blessings beyond their own capacity to be Thy hands, Thy voice, Thy strength, or Thy love to someone or some ones each day of service. We also promise that their faith-filled service here will invoke heaven's blessings upon their family and posterity.

We conclude with our deep love and gratitude for Thee, Father, for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and for the glorious gifts of the Holy Ghost. We promise our very best devotion to Thee in the building of thy Kingdom and our full-hearted love for our fellow men and do so in the name of Jesus Christ- Amen

                          Elder Summerhays, What a spiritual giant, As you can see, I am trying not to cry.

 This is a painting he gave to the missionaries here to put in our trek center. It is such a beautiful depiction of the story of the pioneers and the sacrifice they gave for us.  Look how they are all looking toward the light, eternal life is my perspective.

Logan and Bear Lake Utah

8/16/15

We were able to go to Bear Lake via Logan and attend sacrament meeting there.
Troy Petersen is the Bishop there. Troy is Elder Petersen's deceased brother's son.
His name was Alan and they called him Smiley. it was a great time to spend with him and his family. Bear Lake is a beautiful place. Here are some pictures,

                                       Outside the Logan Temple.  Beautiful edifice.

                              This is the Logan Tabernacle. Suich a beautiful building

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                                    This is a picture of Bishop Troy Peterrsen and Elder Petersen,

                                  This is Carmen. Smiley's first wife and mother of Troy; Great to see her!

Jaxtin's Baptism

August 8, 2015

Jaxtin was baptized in the Icicle River in Leavenworth, Washington today. It was cold! He was excited and and knew all the Articles of Faith. He understood alot of it also. So proud of this precious boy.
After the baptism, I looked down the river and there was a big black bear just sitting in the river trying to catch Salmon.  I have never been that close to a bear in the wild before. He would have had to be just in the bushes watching us during the baptism. It was a great day in this beautiful little Bavarian Town.

 This is Leavenworth. Such a beautiful Place. We are listening to an accordian player.

                                 Justin, Christie, Matalee, K'Leanne, Jaxtin, Lily'Rei and Islanie

 Trying to get warm right after. As Jaxtin was walking in the water all he could say is  "it's cold", It's Cold, It's Cold!  He's never going to forget he was baptized in a River !

                                                                         Sweet Boy!

                                                            Beautiful Place!!

So thankful we could be there to witness this. That is the Bishop and Elder Petersen was the other witness. Elder Petersen spoke on Baptism before this took place. Really gave a wonderful, inspiring talk.  Now back to the mission field for another two weeks and we will be finished for this year.

First and Last day of Trek number 9- Our last trek!

July 31, 2015

Well today is the first day and our last day of Trek number 9!  It was fun and this was one of my favorite treks. The leaders are amazing. They are from Riverton, Utah.  It was a very special day.
We are leaving tomorrow for Leavenworth, Washington. We raised our kids there and we have a grandson, Jaxtin who is being baptized on Saturday morning, He has asked his Grampa Petersen to speak. So we are traveling there and staying the weekend.  Anyway, here are some pictures of this trek!

 This is Elder Petersen spraying the kids when they come in from the trail. He likes to spray them and then hide. Look at that face!!!!  That is one mischievous missionary right there!

                                          Look at that!  He is having so much fun!!!

                                       That is so typical of Elder Petersen.

 This girl is wondering why she keeps getting rained on. Elder Petersen is just laughing his head off!

                                                              So funny!!!

                                      Coming in at the end of a long hot day!

 This is Elder and Sister Cowan. They are the trek directors and are the ones that recruited us. They were our shift coordinators at the Temple and the rest is history!

 This is the Stake President (President Aryans) and Bishop Gust. They were the priesthood leaders for this group.  They are both so fun!

                                           Elder Petersen on our last day.  :(

End of Trek number 8

August 1, 2015

Today was the last day of this trek. It was quite an adventure!  From hearing from the Stake President before they left this morning (very inspirational) and seeing a Cougar skull and a bear hide that Elder Kennedy brought to show them down the trail a bit.  The kids had five miles to hike out today and they took their time doing it. Had one young man that needed to find the medical vehicle down at staging, so I took him and one of the nurses and boogied on down. Trying to find my way back is another story. I still do not have the trails in my mind so I know where I'm going. But I found them and boy was I happy!  The ranch is so massive and we trek on about 20,000 acres . There are five different trails and I can't keep them straight for the life of me. Maybe next year!  here are some pictures from today.

 This is my view from the back. I love to go along the handcarts and spray everyone with water. They love it and call me the best Missionary ever!  I have loved meeting all of these special kids.

 This is Jen and Sandy. They were the nurses for this group and walked with them the whole way. Very special woman. Jen (on the left) told me that she has been inactive. She works every other Sunday at the Hospital Nicu . She said that she had not felt the spirit this strong in a long time and she decided watching Elder Petersen and I that she wanted to have that when she is older. To be able to go on a mission and have valiant children. We both cried. I gave her a handcart necklace. We find someone on each trek that we connect with and she was that person for me. Someone also told me that she had lost 150 pounds. She is a very happy, beautiful woman and an inspiration to me.

 Sandy on the right was the nurse that had the wild ride with me trying to find the group. Got to know her well and she has quite a story. She started back to school to become a nurse at the age of 43. She was divorced and raising 4 children. She has now remarried and is very happy. This is the part of the mission that I love. Each group has such diverse and unique people and most of them take time off from work to come with these kids. So admirable and inspiring,

 This is Brother and Sister Glade. They are the Pa and Ma to this group and by him is Austin. This boy had a alot of fun and they really sacrificed to have him in their family.  At one point he just sat down and they couldn't get him up. They finally lifted him up and pulled his feet down and walked him to where I was in the Ranger.  We rode down to where the Support Vehicles were so we could find his dad. He spent some time with his dad and was ready to go again. He walked most of the trek.  So neat,.  I gave them a handcart necklace for sister Glade and a handcart tie tac for Brother Glade. They were very special people.

                  ,Last view of this group before they arrived in staging and rode out. Loved this group!