Trek: Mormon Handcart Historic Sites in Wyoming

Norm: What better way to celebrate Pioneer Days than have the family enjoy the spirit of Martins Cove and Sixth Crossing. Both sites of the rescue of the Martin Handcart Company and the Willie Handcart Company.
Both companies where caught on the great plains of Wyoming in an early October snow storm in 1856.
Five of our grandchildren where able to participate with their respective Stakes. Pictured here is the Ricks family. Our daughter Corena with husband Kevin and our grandaughters Cassandra and Hailey.

Handcarts are lined up and ready to go. The Fort at Devils Gate can be seen in the background. The Reconstruction of the fort was our assignment with 3 other senior couples for our Mission to Martins Cove in 2002.

350 Young men and women attended from our Thayne Wyoming Stake. Grandaughter Alanna Deyholas (red skirt) set out with her assigned family for their Trek Adventure. A few days later, grandaughter Natashia Rollingson enjoyed her Trek with the Castle Rock Colorado Stake.

Grandson Taylor Deyholas gets in the swing of things with a prairre square dance.

Some 80,000 youth attend Treks each summer to Martins Cove.  Many saints died during the 1856 storm, yet their Legacy of  Hope lives on in the hearts of these young people. Pictured here, the youth reverently file through the Cove where the Martin Company sought shelter. Martins Cove is considered by many a sacred place........ Wyoming's Temple.
Heather: The purpose of the Treks is to help the youth and their leaders feel the Spirit that motivated the early pioneers to sacrifice everything they had for their testimony of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Every person who went on the Trek walked for one of those pioneers in the Martin or Willy Handcart company. They read the journals they wrote and they learned their stories. They re-enacted the crossing of the Sweet Water River where the rescuers carried the suffering Saints across the water. They  walked silently through Martins Cove where many of those early pioneers died and were laid to rest in the snow. On their return, our family described the profound feelings of love and respect they gained for the strength and determination of those men, women, and children who loved the Gospel more than their lives. They testified that they felt that Spirit powerfully and that they are determined to "Keep the Faith!"   

Fun with the Family!

Heather: We are having fun with our family here in Star Valley! Our great grandsons Wyatt and Deizel think our fountain is their personal water toy. Just the place to cool off on a hot Sunday afternoon. 

Grandson Auston is playing king of the castle at Grandpa and Grandma Egan's home. Just after I took this picture he jumped down from those rocks which were taller than he is! Auston is 4 and moves a mile a minuet.

Today we visited the Ririe Ward to hear Tawnya and Natascha play a duet in Church. It was Natascha's first time playing in a Sacrament Meeting. She played "Come, Come Ye Saints" solo for the first few bars on her violin then Tawnya came in on her alto flute. Aunt Mary Ann accompanied them on the piano. Their performance was so well done and beautiful it brought tears to Grandpa and Grandma's eyes! After Church we were treated to a delicious family dinner in the back yard of Steve and Deon's home. Tawnya's brother , Erick and his family were also there. We had a delightful time exchanging stories and visiting after dinner.  

We could not take a picture of Tawnya and Nattie playing in Church but here they are making beautiful music in the shade of Grandpa Egan's garden! 

An Evening with the Bar J Wranglers.

Norm: We had the opportunity to spend some time with the Haslems. Karen and Bruce were fellow senior missionaries that we served with in Hungary. They were spending some time in Jackson Wyoming and we just could not pass on the chance to renew our acquaintance and have some fun together.  

                             
Our evening started with a visit to Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum. The Haslems daughter Emily joined us.

Then on to the Chuckwagon supper and show with the Bar J Wranglers. The Bar J boys were there usual great entertainment selves and were most enjoyable with some great laughs. But here is the surprise of the evening. Who should be seated across from us at the same table but the aunt, uncle and cousin of our Elder Murray who is serving in the Hungary Budapest Mission. Bret, Tammy and Joshua Stucki say hi Elder Murray.

God Bless America

Happy Birthday America and Happy Anniversary to us. It's pretty hard to forget an anniversary when you have fireworks to remind you. This anniversary marked 49 great years together. What an adventure it has been.

And what an excuse for a family Bar-B-Q. Steaks on the grille and a plethora of salads. What a chance it was to get re-aquainted with the grandchildren and share their latest quests and accomplishments and a chance too , to get out the video of our friends back in Hungary. Hey we miss you guys!!!

Son in law Kevin started the celebration with the dramatic story of the events of the battle at Fort Henry as told by Francis Scott Keys that led to the writing of our National Anthem,The Star Spangled Banner. And our flag was still there.

 The weather was great, the little ones were kept busy with the fireworks and us older folks sat around remminising, taking pictures and eating too much.

♬♪ The Star-Spangled Banner - Mormon Tabernacle Choir ♫♭

Meanwhile...back at the Ranch

Norm: With a heavy snow winter and a wet spring, everything is very green. The mountain behind our house is covered with Arrowleaf Balsamroot (yellow flowers). The town down in the valley is Etna Wyoming where we go to church. The steeple of the LDS chapel can be seen on close inspection.

Reclaiming the trails of debre is a regular job each spring. Living on a mountain at the edge of a forest has its benefits and its drawbacks. Mountain lion scat on your doorstep, squirells that chew holes in your siding, porquepine droppings in the flowerbeds and the inside of the house that smells like a skunk. Then there is the thumping of animal feet on your deck during the night. Yup... all is normal here in Wyoming.

View to the west. The hills in the foreground and the distant mountains are in Idaho.

You'd think the Stake put on a Ho-down just for us to celebrate our return. In actuallity it was an annual High Priest and their wives event with foot stompin live cowboy music.  

Interview with President Allred

We are no longer missionaries, a rather sad thought. Here we are with our Stake President after getting released. We will be presenting our homecoming address and Hungary Budapest Mission report during Sacrament Meeting on Sunday July 10th, 9:00 A.M. at the Etna Ward Chapel.