A Day in the Life of a Missionary!

     Well, here is our typical day.  I love to get up earlier--about 6:30 am--Steve likes to sleep in to the last minute that he can, about 7:15.  As soon as I am up, I slip on a pair of pants and a sweatshirt, my sandals, grab Old Glory and I have my moment with her.  Up the pole she goes, I say my little pledge of allegiance, and my day has started.  Morning is so beautiful.  The air is cool, the flowers are blooming all around us . . .I just sometimes wish it came a little later.
       I come back to our RV, kneel and say my prayers.  I have so much to be thankful for, health, strength, being here on this mission, my husband, family, being a member of this Church, and knowing Heavenly Father loves me.  This is my time to talk to Him, ask for forgiveness and ask for His blessings.  Before we start our day, Steve and I kneel together and have our couples prayer.
       Then there is breakfast, sharing our schedule for the day.  Mostly our schedule is the same, but sometimes a few new things pop us.  Then into our camp uniform . . green shirt or t-shirt with our logo, a pair of jeans, our missionary name tag, shoes, and our sun hats.  Don't forget to clip on our keys, grab the camp radio, jump on our ATV's and we are off to the Lake.

      Ist thing at the lake is our flag ceremony and our devotional. where each couple shares a spiritual thought and then we have a group prayer.  Into action we go, putting the lake into order to receive those anxious boaters.  Vests and paddles are put into place; life vests and rescue equipment into the pontoon boat and rubber raft; sand is blown out of the pavillion and tables and benches are washed; volley balls and horsehoes  and sand toys are put in place;  boat hooks placed on the dock and boats checked for water if there was rain during the night.  All the canoes are turned over and made ready, and the paddle boats need to be dumped and wiped dry.  (it is amazing how much water fills those boats in a rain storm).

The CD player, rescue radio, and binoculars are placed in the tower, and finally the sound system is in place .  With our whole team working together this process takes about 15 minutes (unless we have to dump water out of the boats).  Now we are ready.  Let them come.
      The young women and leaders or families arrive, eager and anxious to be out on the water. Vests are given to all the boaters.  We can vest anyone from an infant up to very large adults. As we stand with our arms loaded with vests we often joke it is like being in Mexico selling our wares.

An orientation and briefing is given and then they are loaded into their choice of paddle boat or canoe.  The launching is quite the event.  They are launched backwards into the lake so they have to paddle backwards and then turn around.  It seems like one jumbled mess for a few minutes until everyone is headed forward into the lake.


    
    











    


      
















     When the young women are here, after they are all launched we have a "2 minutes of silence" on the lake where everyone stops moving or talking and just quietly sit on the lake and listen and look and feel the love of their Savior and all the beauty that God has created.  When that ends, they all join in singing the 1st verse of our camp song, "I feel my Savior's Love".  This is a very special time.

      Then the fun and the crazies begin.  There is racing, games, splashing, paddling, and just the fun of being on the water.  Often there are deer along the sides of the lake, occasionally a moose, and always little families of ducks and geese.  Some days we will go all day without a tip over, other days there are many.  This puts the Sister in the tower, the missionaries on the rescue boats into action.  The wet boaters are pulled from the water by the pontoon boat, and the
canoe is rescued by the missionary in the rubber raft.



      The tip over is often a fun, embarrasing moment for those envolved.  Sometimes it is a scarry, cold, wet experience.  They are wrapped in towels and brought to shore or often they choose to go back into their now uprighted canoe and continue their lake adventure.
     Between sessions we take a few minutes to get the boats ready for the next session, grab a drink, rest, check our next assignment, and then there they come, the next bunch of boaters.  And then the routine is repeated--up to 6 times a day.  We launch between 100-150 boaters on each session.  We do have a lunch break and that is a welcome time.  We jump on our ATV's and head back to our RV's for a bite to eat and a chance to just relax.

    
     At the end of the day, all things we have put out to be ready, are now taken in and stored safe for the night.  The boaters have all gone and the lake front returns to serenity and quiet.  At home we do a huge variety of things;  dinner, take a ride up on the higher mountain on ATV's, visit with other missionaries, eat dinner with young women's groups when we are invited, attend a fireside, watch the plentiful animals, enjoy spectacular sunsets, catch up on our emails, watch a good movie on our TV, say our prayers, and then just drop into bed.

    
      This is just a typical day, but each day has its own uniqueness, because we are dealing with people, and people are unique and special.  We fill so blessed to be spending this time here on the mountain, on this mission.  We are so thankful that we have been blessed with health and the financial means to be able to do this.

And . . .They Tip Over!

     When one works on a lake launching campers into paddle boats and canoes there is one thing that is for certain . . . a certain percentage will tip over . . .and they do!  We caution them in our orientation about tipping over.  We give them wonderful guidelines on how to canoe and to avoid tip overs.  But  . . .it just happens.  Over they go.  There is no one factor, but it usually follows a pattern.

                                                                           1. First, they splash.

                                                                                   2.  Then they tip.

                                                                           3.  Rescue comes next  for . . .
           
              Adults

              Girls

              The Canoe

    The evidence of a busy day on the lake is displayed with honor on our horse shoe pit fence.  There are the life vests of at least 9 tip overs.  That makes about 27 rescued and brought to shore.  It is one of the fun  and interesting parts of our assignment.  There are probably more adults that tip over than youth.  Our record # of tip overs in one day is 12 canoes.

 

And life goes on at Heber Valley Camp, and we love it!

What It's All About!

     What we have been waiting for . . . .the girls!!!  This was our first week to have our long awaited girls in camp.  And, come they did.  At 9:00 am, the buses and vehicles stretched down the mountain.. . 2500 girls and leaders for the week.

Getting the girls checked in took a whole crew of missionaries. . . but they did it!

 

 

We know you have all been waiting to see the place where we work at the camp.  Our assignment is Legacy Lake.  I think you will agree there could not be a more beautiful site.  This is a photo taken early in the morning before the groups head down for their time on the lake. 

 

 Each group is about 120+ girls, and we do about 5 groups a day.  Here are some shots of the girls in action!  Fun!

 

 



 
                                         Sometimes there are tip overs, so there goes Grandpa to the rescue!

 

Our first week is over.  Now we look forward to another week of girls!

Me and My Flag!

     Me and my flag?  Well, it really isn't my flag, but let me tell you about it.  Each area at the girls camp has its very own flagpole.  For a week or so when we first came up on the mountain, our flag pole in our missionary park  was empty and bare.  No flag.  That just wasn't right.  So . . . I went down to the maintenance building and asked for a flag.  They did not have one handy, but said they would find one.  That evening, up raced an ATV with a Sister on it, with a flag.  I was so excited!  All my life I have loved the flag and have always loved flag ceremonies and saying the pledge of allegiance.  Now I had my very own flag, to put up on the flag pole just in front of where we were camped.
     Now each morning the first thing I do is slip on some pants, a sweatshirt, some shoes, take the flag, and I walk in the early morning air to the flag pole and I put up the flag.  I love this time alone with "my flag". I love clipping the flag to the rope, careful to make sure the blue and the stars are at the top.   I enjoy raising it and seeing it unfold and furl out into the wind.  After it is up and snugged into place, I step back and  do my very own private pledge of allegiance,  just me and my flag. 

     During the day I always look up to see if it is there, waving in the air, and it is. In the evening, just at dusk, I once again go to the flag pole and take it down.  I then take it in and Steve and I fold it and place it where it will wait until it has the chance to fly from the top of the pole the next morning. 
      Heavenly Father helped create our country and government, and this flag just reminds me of His love for me and for all of us.   I am so thankful for this opportunity to love and show respect for "my flag", and  of this special time to be  just  "Me and My Flag!"

We Spoke in Church!

     The previous Sunday as we stood in line for the Sunday Potluck, one of our friends, Elder Betourney approached us with a big smile on his face. After a friendly "hello" he extended his hand in which he had a white piece of paper. I took it and opened it, and there was written, "You have been asked to speak next Sunday in Sacrament Meeting. Use the talk by Elder Hales "Stand Strong in Holy Places". I passed the paper on to Elder Brown, and then Elder Betourney sort of quickly disappeared into the throng of missionaries.
      We had escaped being asked to speak last year, so we knew this would probably happen, but I don't think one is ever prepared. So we started preparing. I found that my thoughts traveled more to the definition of "what a holy place is, and what the holy places in my life are." I actually enjoyed researching and finding what others had shared on this topic. It is the Youths' theme for this year, so alot has been spoken on this subject.
Here are a few of my thoughts that I shared: Sister Ann Dibbs stated, "A Holy Place is not confined to a geographical place or location. It can also include moments in time, moments when the Holy Ghost testifies to us. Moments when we feel Heavenly Father's love, or when we receive an asnwer to our prayer." She also said, "I believe anytime you have the courage to stand for what is right, especially in situations where no one else is willing to do so, you are creating a Holy Place.
      Holy Places are ofen found where least expected. A number of years ago I was blessed with the opportunity to travel to Istanbul, Turkey on a humanitarian mission with a group of LDS doctors and nurses. As part of our trip we had time to vbe tourists and vist some of the oldest and grandest religious structures in the city. They were ancient, decorated in
beautiful handmade tiles and gold. They were beautiful and very historical. On Studay morning our group went to churh. It was held in a very plain and simple building. We climbed a very narrow, plain stairway and entered a simple apartment that had been made into a small chapel. As we entered, a young man was playing familiar church hymns on a simple key board. My heart was touched and that room became a Holy Place.

      Anywhere you are where the Spirit is present can be a Holy Place.

       Holy places can be different for each of us. Some of my Holy Places are: 1) the foot of the bed where Elder Brown and I kneel in morning and evening prayer. 2) My garden . . .as I dig, plant and care for my garden, I feel in touch with the Spirit of the Lord. 3) As I walk hand in hand in the temple with my sweet companion. 4) The Neonatal Unit at the University of Utah. I felt as though I was the hands of God caring for these new, tiny spirits.

5) This one might seem strange, but my computer at times becomes a Holy Place as I search and find ancestors. I often feel my fingers are guided and directed to the right websites where the information is stored.
 6) Anytime I am in nature and take the time o stop and observe the beauty and wonders of his creations I am so filled with love for my Heavenly Father.

     Our challenge is to find and recognize these Holy Places in our lives, and then to stand strong and be not moved, for it is when we are in these Holy Places that we become holy.

      1) We need to recognize the spirit in our lives. We need to TAKE TIME, SLOW DOWN, TURN OFF, and OPEN UP. We need to be willing to quiet our lives. Turn off the constant barrage from the media, and open up and read the scriptures and words from our general authorities.
       2) Return often to our Holy Places.
       3) Stand strong together. The huge redwood trees are able to stand strong and tall because they interlock their roots with all the trees around them.

 It is in the Holy Places in our lives that we will be safe and protected.

      Steve had been sick all week with a viral chest infection. He coughed constantly, was weak, and felt so exhausted. But with faith and prayer he was able to give his talk and bear such a strong testimony of how he puts Christ #1 in his life. Not once during his talk or while the meeting was being conducted did he cough. Afterwards the symptoms returned and he was back to bed. The Lord really does hear our prayers.

IT'S MAY 19TH AND IT IS SNOWING!

What a surprise to wake up early on Sunday morning, put up the window shades and the world outside is white, and the snow is falling!  It was beautiful, but so discouraging to see our cold weather go on and on. 

Even our bird houses had a few inches of snow on top.  I had to clean the snow off the hummingbird feeders so they could get their food.

 

The miracle about the snow . . .just the day before this world of white was the Spring Open House, where Young Women leaders, and families that have reservations for this year can come and visit the camp.  It was cold and raining and blowing, prior to the time the Open House would start.  All of us said a prayer that the weather would be tempered.  So much work had been done to make the camp in perfect order for these guests.  Not even 20 minutes after the prayers were said, a circle of blue sky and sunshine appeared over the camp. 

 

But the question remained, will they come with the weather having been so bad.  Steve and I were assigned to the Smith Pavillion to help answer questions as the guests would come.  Just before the start time of 1:00pm I looked out the pavillion window.  I couldn't believe it . . .cars were lined up clear down the road approaching the Welcome Center. 

 

 

How could we have ever doubted it!  There were over 400 cars that entered into the camp that day, filled with eager, future campers.  This is truely the Lord's camp.  It has been built, and they will come, and they did.

 

The snow of the next morning was almost a miracle.  There could have been snow for the Open House, but no, He held it off until that special day was past, and then sent us a blanket of white to give us the moisture we so badly need.

 



HE FLIES THROUGH THE AIR WITH THE GREATEST OF EASE!

As part of our training, we had the special opportunity to try out the Challenge Courses.  Challenge Course #5 is the one that has "the big swing".  This is very different than the other high courses.  You get into a harness and then are pulled high into the air and then released to fly through the air.  Steve was very brave!  He was pulled to the top and then he did fly. 

 

 

 

Go Grandpa!