A week on the Trails dodging sheep (Baaaaaaaaaaad)

Each missionary gets to build a handcart and so Bob and I took our turn.  The wheels aren't on yet.  We will send that picture next week.

We finished fixing the walkway into the depot and it looks so much better.  We sprayed weeds in the depot lawn that was beautifully yellow from the numerous dandelions and thistle.  Hopefully we got them because Bob just cannot put up with a weedy lawn, and I am not about to pull all of them.  We have peen sprucing up the place as we have Elder Summerhayes, and Elder Durham of the 70 coming to visit on Thursday.  Deseret Land and Livestock Trek mission is under their authority.
Trek Reviews have started this week and we did three of them.  This is where the leaders of those who are coming on trek this year come out with the missionary who will be leading their trek (us) and reviewing the route and support roads their group will be on.  Each review takes 3-4 hours to complete and we are learning more than they are.  We are looking forward to meeting all our groups.  We have two more trek reviews scheduled this week.  This is a map of one of the six routes we are learning for our treks.

This is a 27.8 mile trek

We also drove a couple of the trails in the 4 wheeler's  and came back covered with so much dust, I think we clogged the septic with mud after our 5 gallon showers.  We look like bandits with our neckerchiefs over our noses.  I don't know how the dust gets in, but it does.  We did have beautiful weather this week for all of the things we needed to do, but the rain has returned today and it is cold again.  It continues to freeze just about every night.  But we are grateful we can come in out of the weather to sleep.

An elk shed we found on one of our trails

 The sheep have moved in in force.  They have two big white dogs and three black and white dogs along with the sheepherders that keep track of the sheep.  The big ones will sit right in the middle of the road to stop you and protect their sheep.  It reminds me of the Good Shepherd that does all He can to protect us if we allow Him into our lives.

Two big white sheep dogs bigger than the sheep

They really let us know they are here.  The little lambs are so cute and there seems to be 2-3 with each mother.

 

 This week we learned the Virginia Reel and the Heel Toe Polka.  We learned to call them so we can teach them on the trails. 

We had a great morningside with Jolene Allphin.  She has researched the stories of the people in the Willie and Martin Handcart companies and the Hodgett and Hunt wagon companies that were with the handcart companies. She has written the book, Tell My Story, Too.  It also has the stories of those who were in the rescue parties.  It is an amazing book and the stories are so touching.  We use a different story each morning in our preparation meetings, and will be using  many of them on our treks.

Jolene Allphin with Elder and Sister Barton

We are well and loving the work!  We do sleep really well at night and are getting used to the low oxygen levels at this 7,000 foot elevation!