Happy Memorial Day!

I know some of you may have seen this Memorial Day Post on Facebook, but for those who didn’t I’m going to share here.  Craig’s father (on the right) was a Master Sergeant in WWII.  My Dad was a career officer and served during three wars.  And I have a son in Australia and son-in-law in Germany serving in the Air Force.  I realized after posting on FB that I should have included Craig’s grandson who is in the AF Academy! Dang!  A few years ago while looking for ancestor tombstones with two of my sisters in Vermont, I found a Lyman ancestor (Amasa’s grandfather) whose tombstone said he had fought in the Revolutionary War!  No good person wants war, but as my sister always quotes, “Blood is the price we pay for freedom.”  How grateful we are to all who have fought and died to keep us free.  We hope this Memorial Day you will pause and consider what that means for you personally. 

Besides being grateful for our freedoms, we are grateful to have a repaired car!  One of the rocks on the many gravel roads we travel made a hole in the condenser and we have been without AC in our car for a month.  We’ve had only a few days in the 80s, but since we have no garage our car is toasty when we get in it, and would never cool off.  We had to wait for the dealership in Klamath Falls to get the part, and since we were there waiting for five hours we walked the two miles for a doctor appt for me.  We both remember the days before a car had AC, and realize we have just been spoiled by the conveniences we enjoy every day.  But it has been nice these last few days to arrive at appointments without being dusty, windblown and sweaty!

Because we are in the car so much we listen to podcasts or books as we travel.  We just finished listening to In the Hands of the Lord, the Life of Dallin H. Oaks.  What an amazing man.  After listening to all he’s accomplished in his life, and his constant dedication, we stand in even more awe and appreciation of him.  We highly recommend the book.  We are blessed to have such remarkable men lead us!

The sun sets farther north and our view isn't as good, but the sunsets are still amazing.

Tithing, Yard Work and Our Wildlife Reserve!

Last Sunday we attended Church in Cedarville, which we do every other week.  A High Councilor from Klamath Falls was the speaker.  He bore his testimony of tithing and shared that because of his chosen profession he had always been paid minimum wage, but has always been diligent in paying his tithing.  In addition to raising seven children on that minimum income he has been blessed in some obvious ways – one is that his truck has lasted him over a million miles.  Literally!  It has 1,158,000 miles!  He feels like that is a direct blessing from paying his tithing!  We both have strong testimonies of the blessings that come from paying tithing too, so we loved his example!

The young Missionaries who lived here before didn’t do anything in the yard for two years (our neighbors have frustratingly verified!)  So this week we spent a lot of time planting grass in front, which was just dirt and sticks, and cut the grass in the back, which had grass over 2 feet high!  The only equipment here is a weed eater, and it was not up to the job so we used a kitchen knife to cut the really long areas!  We’ve asked the mission office to see the rental agreement so we can know just what we’re responsible for, but they’re not super responsive.  I think it's easy for people to forget we’re here, so far away from everyone else.  And civilization as we know it!!!  But in the meantime we don’t want neighbors frustrated with Missionaries! 

Once a week we exercise on a road that surrounds a Wildlife Reserve, 5 miles away.  While we don’t get the most strenuous exercise (because we stop every few feet to watch a bird or some ducks) we enjoy the beauty and the break!  Here’s some of what we get to see!

Canadian Geese, Glossy-Eyed Ibis, Pond Turtle, Whooping Crane  

Some of the High School girls who come to lunch were in a play.  We went and took them flowers, but I look horrible in the picture so I'm not including it.  We try to support and be involved wherever we can!

For With God Nothing Shall Be Impossible

As we mentioned a couple weeks ago, we were able to FINALLY start an Addiction Recovery Program here in Alturas.  It was so uplifting studying and preparing for it.  Alcoholics Anonymous has done such a great job with their 12-step program, and have helped so many people.  The Church got permission from AA to use that 12-step program and add to it the amazing blessing of the Atonement of Jesus Christ to help overcome addictions. As with any challenge in life, not only is overcoming addiction easier with Christ, but relying wholly on Him is the only way to have real Peace.  We enjoyed our first meeting, though it was small, and look forward to learning with those brave souls who come! 

Our Branch is going to have a Family History Fair next month.  I was asked to help, and one thing I did was prepare my display early so people could see it and get ideas of what NOT to do!  😉  If you’re looking at this on a phone, sorry everything is so small!

(This is a tri-fold board - looks funny flat like this!  And the edges aren't raggedy in person!)

A few random pictures:

Helping our friend Ron learn how to make bread!

We thought all our deer were female - Apparently not!

This was posted on Cedarville's website asking for owner!
(Have we mentioned we're rural???) 

Please pray that we can find people to teach!  We really are trying...

Happy Mother's Day (since we didn't mention it below!)

One of the ongoing blessings from our Interfaith Easter Choir is the close friendships we made with fellow Christians from other Churches.  This week we were asked by two members from other congregations to pray for them and their VERY serious health issues.  We are blessed by their faith, and have not only prayed for them but have put their names on the prayer roll in the Temple, and have had the opportunity to explain to them that blessing.  Such dear people!

As we continue to beat the bushes for people to teach, we also do what we can to serve while endeavoring to help the relations between some members of the community and our Church.  A few examples: On Monday we helped clean the local museum.  It has amazing historical items – I should have taken the picture when Craig was dusting off old phonograph machines or the iron lung!  On Saturday I accepted the invitation to go with my next-door neighbor to her Church for a painting class that she teaches.

They were sure grateful for such a tall volunteer!!!

Don't judge the hair - I had just sat through 2 hours of wind and
hail in 37 degree weather as Craig umpired Little League!

I had to make the map below of the area we are responsible for covering and decided to share it with you, since we always talk about these different places.  The white boxes show the mileage one way from our house.  (Betsy lives north between Davis Creek and Fairport, and is moving south by McArthur.  The other fellow we teach at least once a week lives in Eagleville.)  These are little 2-lane highways, a lot of them mountainous and some dirt roads.  The drives can be tedious, but they are so worth it when we can testify of Jesus Christ and help people come closer to Him.

I should have marked Alturas better!  It's in the middle between the "41" mile signs.
Not pictured - Klamath Falls, where we are required to go every few weeks
is NW, 90 miles.  And Lakeview, where we have been visiting a member twice
a week, is 53 miles.  Sad note - the lakes shown are TOTALLY dry. 

We have SO many nature pictures to choose from this week, but this one wins.  We were driving home from Betsy’s and I saw this view in a canyon off to the left so I and whipped around and went into the canyon and got this!

Let the Lord Prevail!

As I’m sure you all know, like most of the West we live in an area of extreme drought.  Our Stakes have fasted and prayed for precipitation, and we have gotten it!  It SNOWED a lot this week!  Our drive to Zone Conference in Medford was so green and beautiful.  (Since I was the driver, we have no pictures, unfortunately!)  This area still needs a lot more (hopefully RAIN at this point) to water crops and limit fire hazards.

We were FINALLY able to go to the Temple, which shares a parking
lot with the Stake Center where we have Zone Conferences.

And from the front, in the evening!
SO WONDERFUL to go again!

Speaking of weather, we are so grateful that my daughter, Sara, and her family were safe during the tornado that ripped through their small city of Andover, KS this week.  Blessings Blessings.

Taken from Sara's window as she got kids to their shelter.

We finally got permission to do an Addiction Recovery program here!  We will start week after next.  We have a few friends who need it and have committed to coming – in the past they were supposed to go to Klamath Falls, or do meetings over zoom.  We’re excited to be part of this solution and help others understand how the Atonement of Jesus Christ can change their lives.

Our cute Betsy is totally planning to get baptized, but wants to finish her move first.  When you have 100 animals and no truck (her 1975 Ford has been pronounced dead) and need to move 45 miles away, it’s a slow process.  We are trying to convince her it’s not good to wait for circumstances to be perfect before following Christ, or we may miss the opportunity to do what is right!  We were so grateful to be able to participate via zoom in Hyrum's baptism, since we haven't had one here!  So proud of him!

(Poor quality, so has to be small!)

In addition to umpiring (which Craig did again today) and singing at other Churches (which I do every week) we support all local events and fund raisers that we can.  Tonight we had AMAZING Indian Tacos (Modoc is an Indian name, so I guess they don't do "Navajo" Tacos here!) for a 4H fundraiser.  Such nice, humble, hard-working folks with good kids!

The storms create such amazing sunsets!

Opening Day, Opening Mission Call, and Easter Recap

To our delight, Alturas is a town that loves and plays baseball!  Opening Day was today, and there were six fields with games constantly going from 10 – 6!  In a town of 2500!  There was one particularly adorable (if not now-very-sore) umpire!

The game was 2.5 hours long! It's not like it's been 50 years since he's done this!!!! 💓
What we won't do to serve and meet new people and interact with them!!!

This week we joined a zoom call for Craig’s grandson to open his mission call to Lubbock, TX.  Craig is 6/6 for grandchildren going on missions!  So blessed.

So taking a photo of the screen wasn't the best idea...
Two missionaries out - 2 with calls - 2 RMs not pictured!

In an attempt to create new ways to serve and maybe even have teaching opportunities I invited a High School girl who had sung in our Interfaith Choir to bring some friends for lunch.  We live 3 doors from the school, so why not?  The girls were just adorable and gracious.  And definitely loved the monkey bread!  I will do that again soon!

I should never try to do selfies!  Thank heaven for the ability to crop!

I love participating with other religions in their worship services – I am so sad that every Church in Alturas has their Sunday meetings the same time ours meets. But the Baptist Church had a 6:00 Easter morning sunrise service around a fire pit, so I went and loved it!

Notice the moon above the trees?  Pretty morning, but 25 degrees!

In addition to our dear Betsy, we invited a lovely lady from the Branch to join our Easter dinner.  Unfortunately, none of the food was really great, but the company was delightful!

When will I learn not to do selfies?  

HAPPY EASTER!

As with General Conference weekend, there’s really nothing we can say to add to this very special day.  And we certainly don’t want to detract from it.  We have spent the week visiting with, and TRYING to visit with, the less active people in our Branches. Those who have let us in, we have shown the Church’s 2020 Because of Him Easter video, and born our testimonies of Christ’s Resurrection, and what that means to us.  I loved the thought from the First Presidency Christmas devotional of a few years ago:  I don’t remember who said it, but he talked about how Christmas would mean nothing if the Atonement and Resurrection hadn’t happened.  We have shared that thought.  Two of Craig’s favorite people in the world, Bruce and Marie Hafen, were the guests this week on the Follow Him podcast that we listen to weekly as part of our Come Follow Me study.  Elder Hafen said, “BECAUSE OF JESUS CHRIST WE CAN LEARN FROM OUR EXPERIENCES WITHOUT BEING CONDEMNED BY THEM.”  What an amazing way to look at the Atonement.  We are both so grateful for the role the Atonement of Jesus Christ has played in our lives, and are grateful we are in a position to share our testimonies of it on a daily basis.

No need for us to color eggs!
Betsy gives us eggs from her chickens, pre-colored!

A little update on the mission front:  We are still teaching Betsy, and she has a testimony of nearly every principle and commandment we have taught her.  She is in the process of rebuilding a torn-up mobile home to move into, and just does not have the time to buckle down and commit to baptism.  But we’re working towards that!  We also teach a fellow named Craig who lives 50 miles away.  He attends the Cedarville Branch (and was the only person from there to come to our Easter Program.)  He is a well-read student of religions, and we had a great discussion this week about his need to pray to know if Joseph Smith was indeed a Prophet and translated the Book of Mormon.  He’s a great guy – we pray diligently that both of these good people will take that first important step on the covenant path.  And we constantly pray to find more people to teach!!!  We know we have a message that could benefit everybody, but finding those willing to hear it has been a challenge.

But at least we can nourish the deer with a selenium-infused salt lick in our yard!

Remember when we came in January and it was balmy? 
NOW we're having winter - this week was freezing and snowy!