We're Still Here!

Been a long time since the last post. I've had a couple of chastisements (sp?) for being so lax but needless to say, we have been busy, active, and working. =o)

In the interim we have had missionaries return home, a huge creche (nativity) display which brought thousands here to the site, and now we are getting ready for another exhibit called Reflections of Christ. It is a series of photographs of the life of Jesus Christ. They are beautiful.

The time is passing so quickly now that we are nearing the end of our mission. I am beginning to wonder if our weeks have turned in to 5 days instead of 7 days. Needless to say, this has been a wonderful experience and blessing for us.

A Visit by the Prophet

This past weekend, President Monsen came to visit. We didn't find out until 8:30 the night before so that it would not get out to anybody visiting. Security was very strong and when we went to the center about the time that he was to come, there were a couple of women visiting who got an inkling of something going on so they decided to hang around. One was bound and determined to get a first picture (like "Just try and stop me from getting that picture"!)and so the Sr. Elders all stood on the bridge going up to the Whitney Store where he was in the School of the Prophets. Five "guards" kept the women from going up. It was kind of funny. He came into the theater where we were assembled and spoke to us for a short time, shook our hands and then he was gone. He was here with his daughter and granddaughter and they were on their way to Connecticut.


Also, this past week we started our volunteering in the Kindergarten Art class and had a great time! Like being surrounded with our grandkids again. =o)


We also had a dinner at an Amish family's home on Tuesday and it was so fun. They don't like to have their pictures taken but the grandma gave me permission to take pictures of the kids as I am the designated historian for the Kirtland Visitor's Site. They were so cute and so excited to see themselves on the camera after I snapped the picture. I became "attached" to Sarah who is 10 and she gave me her address so I told her I was going to give it to two granddaughters about her age so they could maybe write. Nickelle and Paige should have fun with a new pen pal !

Family Reunion

We had the privilege to take a group of family members through the sites that had gathered together for a family reunion. Six couples, including Mom and Dad and their five adult children and their spouses. They wanted everything we could show and tell them of the history of Kirtland. Talking to the dad, he said that he and his wife had planned and saved for thirty years to have this experience with their family. All of the grandchildren were at home and this was their time to be together. They were a very congenial group who asked lots of questions and Elder B could give them lots of answers.

Wouldn't that be a wonderful reunion? This summer we are going to have a Buckwalter reunion with the extended families. FAMILIES ARE WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT! We need to pull together so when the times get rough we have each other.

Newest Trick!

We went down to Warther's Carving Museum several days ago and while we were there we bought a carving knife and a block of wood. This became a new challenge and I just had to see if I could do it....after all, the DVD with the instructions on how to carve a pair of pliers said it was easy....."nothing to it." This particular pair of pliers is made in 10 cuts. Of course, just learning, it took me a few more cuts to get it but this is a picture of the first pair of pliers I got to really work! I am so excited!


The pliers really do only take 10 cuts.....my fingers took the rest. =o)

Sunset on Lake Erie

Last week we finished up at the Morley Farm and the Workmans picked us up and we went to Perry to see the sunset on Lake Erie. It was spectacular! The sky was clear and we just sat there and enjoyed the beauty that was before us. How can anyone deny that there is a God in Heaven when there are beauties like this that we can experience. Hope you enjoy the pictures.

Mission Thought

We, as missionaries have the opportunity and privilege to stand and bear testimony to those who come to the sites, to help them build and strengthen their testimonies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to be an example to those not of our faith.

In Mosiah 18:9 we read...
Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn, yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places that ye may be in , even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life.

Romans 1:16
Paul said: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth "

A couple of illustrations that I have been thinking about lately are of two young men in separate towns of the mid-west. The first one is our teenage grandson who lives in Indiana. He is strong in the gospel, he has always tried to be obedient to what he has been taught and he is not afraid to let his friends and colleagues know what his standards and beliefs are. When he is with a group of his friends at school, they know his values and they are very protective of him. Many times they have fore warned him of certain situations. They will not let anyone offer him alcohol or tobacco or anything like that.

Another illustration looks at a young man who came through the sites a while back. He is in Jr. High and while I was talking to him about school, I asked him if there were many LDS kids in his school he said there was maybe one or two besides him. I asked, “how do your classmates treat you?” and he said he was treated alright but then he added that he has never let anybody know that he is a Mormon.

I have thought much about those two situations and then thought about our position as missionaries out here in Ohio. We wear our badges whenever and wherever we go. Many who see us know we are missionaries and are respectful. Some have even asked for blessings for us as we have parted. It is a privilege to be serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints here at Kirtland and to be willing to stand as witnesses of God.

Chagrin River

The other day some senior couples got up early and went walking up the Chagrin River to where it had been dammed, mainly for a grist mill that was in operation at the time but where the Saints had done some baptisms. The river now, is so low that we only got wet half way up our legs. Lots of slate slabs made it fairly easy to walk but we did need a walking stick for balance.




We only had to go about a half mile to find where the dam had been. Not much left now because many years ago, a lady who owned the property where the grist mill had been, got tired of seeing people go skinny dipping in the water so she took some dynamite and blew the dam up.

One of the stories in history tells us that Willard Richards wanted to have his baptism be a memorable occasion. He wanted to be baptized on December 31st so that he could enter the new year clean and pure. December 31st came along and by then the river had frozen over. They had to take an ice saw and cut through the thick ice so that he could be baptized. (I'm sure it was memorable!)



We had fun finding very flat rocks of chips of slate to skip in the river. Not sure if you can see the bounces but Doyle won the prize hands down! Some of his throws just went on and on. This is such a beautiful place to be. History every where you look! We are blessed to be here