Our Trek Mission is Over

Yes we are home but I wanted to make one last blog about out last few days and our trip home.  We stayed for the eclipse on August 21.  It was fun to share that amazing experience with the missionaries we have come to love and enjoy.  It was a 96% eclipse on the ranch and was exciting for all of us as we had one final barbecue together and shared eclipse glasses and welding helmet.  We had stayed in the addies the last two nights as our home on wheels had already moved to it's new home in Salt Lake.

The cows sending us off for the last time.

Opening and locking the gate for the last time

farewell DL&L

We left the ranch right after the eclipse and it was kind of sad opening and closing the gate to the ranch for the last time.  We were packed to the hilt so we had Elder and Sister McDowell take our handcart wheel home with them.  They also live in Mesa so we will get to see them.

AHHHH the eclipse

Elder and Sister Howard with his welding helmet

Back: McDowells, Howards, Bartons, Ekins, Andersons,
Front: Calls, Pearts

Our wheel on the McDowells' mission home.  They said it turned a lot of heads!

Now at its permanent home in Mesa Arizona

We drove to Blanding Utah that first night and stayed in an interesting motel that we had to change rooms after about 2 hours when water came pouring through the ceiling in our bathroom.  On Tuesday the 22 we headed out through the reservation on our way to Snowflake to help our daughter wire the home they are building.  A few miles east of Greasewood, Arizona, Bob needed to make a cowboy stop.  Mind you, this is in the middle of the reservation with nothing in sight.  As we pulled off the truck immediately sunk to the axles in mud and we were super stuck.  We called AAA to send a tow truck and it took forever for them to figure out where we were.  They said it would be 45 minutes but it turned out to be 2 hours.  It was hot but we were grateful we had cell service.  We made a few phone calls to family as we waited.  When the truck arrived he had us out in 5 minutes.  He was super nice.  We had had 4 or 5 Indians stop to help us but we were so stuck it took a tow truck to pull us out.

Cowboy stop near Greasewood AZ

Tow truck to the rescue

We got to Snowflake later than we had planned but did get the job started and then had a great night sleep in Snowflake followed by a full day on Wednesday to really get the job moving.  We were able to finish the house the next Monday as we were so ready to go home to Mesa on Wednesday night and sleep in our own bed.

Bob wiring Val and Daves' house in Snowflake

Bob, Dave, and Valerie at work!

So that brings to a close one of the best chapters of our lives.  We will always cherish the memories and friendships we mad while serving as missionaries at the Deseret Land and Livestock Trek mission.  The Lord has truly blessed us and our families as we have tried to serve Him and His children.

As we ride off into the sunset......truly Happy Trails!

Last Week, Logan Temple, and Trek Training

What a crazy but fun and busy week as we wind down our last week as missionaries at Deseret Land and Livestock Trek mission.  Our bodies are tired but our spirits are very sad to see this chapter of our lives come to a close.
Tuesday was busy putting more handcarts, port a jons, water buffalos, into storage.  With all the missionaries working together a lot gets done fast.  We had to take down the bridges we built because of the wet winter and so many water crossings on the trails.
Wednesday was a great day attending the Logan temple with the missionaries and then afterward having lunch at Maddox in Brigham City.  It is a nice stake house and has excellent food.  Logan was the second temple finished after the saints came to Utah.

At the Logan Temple.  The flowers were amazing.  Debra's Mom and Dad were sealed in this temple, it was the third temple in the church in the west.
Thursday we had a first run through of our parts for trek training.  Bob is doing Port a Johns and Debra is doing music.  We started packing in earnest and continued to put away mission stuff and set up the trek center for Trek Training.  Thursday night we went out to President Lesters ranch for a very nice barbeque of ribs, dutch oven potatoes, salads, and lots of yummy desserts.

Pres and Sister, Platt, Lester and standing Smith

Yummy ribs, food and company

Bob launching over the creek on the rope swing

Bob in flight, ever a boy

Debra by the famous bowling ball launching canon.  The cows were in the pasture so we could not fire it this year 

Bob by the canon holding a bowling ball....don't shoot a cow!

 Friday was our "dress rehearsal"  our presentations were timed because we have to cover all our material in 5 minutes.  We made it just under the wire!  That evening all the 2nd year missionaries went into a little diner in Evanston called Mother Maes.  They are a very nice older couple that feed all the missionaaries for free.  That is very hard for senior missionaries so we left a good tip to help cover the cost for us and the other young missionaries.  Marvin has quite a story of healing and surgery and he gave us all a CD of the songs that have come to him in his dreams.  Dan Hoffman helped him to put the music and mixes together for him.  It is quite a nice CD and a very kind thought for us.

Second year missionaries at Mother Maes  Ekins, Barton, Peart, Howard, Call

Saturday was the day....Trek training!  This is where all the leaders for next years treks come for training and orientation.  We had about 250 people plus the missionaries that we taught and sang to and fed.  Some of them went on a mini trek just to see what it was like to pull a handcart.  Hunter East Stake where we used to live is coming next year.  We had a good visit with them and talked about people that we knew and are still there.  Lindon Utah Stake is also coming next year.  That is where Debra lived her first 5 years.  There are now 3 stakes in Lindon and many more in Pleasant Grove, Alpine, and Manilla.  All four of those cities were in one stake, Timpanogos Stake, when she was growing up.  At 1:30 we both flew into action as the Hubers were coming at 4:00 to get the trailer.  We finished packing and cleaned the trailer and moved our stuff into the addies where we are staying for the next couple of days.  It was sad to see them pull off with our home for the past two summers but at the same time it was a great blessing to be able to sell it so quickly.

Bob doing his comedy presentation on Port a Johns

Debra leading Come Come Ye  Saints at Trek Training

Trek Training August 19, 2017

Sisters, McDowell, Clark, Anderson, Ekins, Call, Barton, Moretti, and Howard working the lunch line at trek training

Debra and Bob playing harmonicas for last time at D&L.  Part of her music presentation

Elder Butch Moretti adding final weld to our new gate!

Aubrey and Travis Huber the new owners of our trailer home so dear.  A very cute and happy couple!

A very packed and loaded trek center, some of the things put away for the winter.  It was like a tightly put together puzzel!

Today, Sunday was our last time to go to church in Evanston.  We attended the Almy Ward and had a missionary homecoming talk.  Elder Martin reported on his mission to Seattle.  The people in Evanston are some of the nicest people I have ever known and it is hard to leave this beautiful, peaceful, quiet land.  I have never seen skies, and stars like they are here on the ranch.  Like Elder Howard said, "I won't be sad to leave, but I am glad I was here!"  It is true but I am kind of sad to leave this place but I will carry a bunch of amazing memories with me home and for the rest of my life!  True to our history on the ranch, the cows moved in to give us a noisy and messy send off. After we watch the Solar Eclipse Monday at noon, we will head home to Mesa by way of Snowflake where we will help David and Valerie wire the house they are building.  We will get home August 23, our 44th anniversary!

Finalizing "Flurry of Elbows"

Monday August 7, we had the great pleasure of having the Pay sisters for dinner and our fireside.  Doreen and Joann are the sisters of Margery Pay Hinckley and they have some great stories about Margery and Gord.  They are a hoot and were with us last year.  They sing a song that goes....I know just how ugly I are, my face ain't to bright shinning star, but I really don't mind it , because I'm behind it, it's you folks out front gets the jar!  They share the story of one of their ancestors who died in the Martin handcart company and how they came to have the grave marker in their possession.

Doreen and Joann Pay (sister)

Grave Marker for Edith Goble

We listed our trailer on KSL.com and had a buyer in 24 hours.  Definitely a blessing as we did not want to take it to Arizona.  A really nice couple from Salt Lake bought it and will pick it up on Aug 19.  It has been a wonderful home for us as we have served here at Deseret Land and Livestock Trek mission.

Our home for the past 2 Summers

Kitchen and Bathroom

dinette and sofa

Wednesday brother Ryan Richens, a seminary teacher from Evanston and a great church history buff, took us on an all day tour along the trail and Echo canyon.  We visited Big Mountain, Hennifer, Mormon Flats, Heart Break Hill, the Battlements, and Coleville.  It was a long and informative day.  We ran across a Diamondback rattlesnake as we climbed up to the battlements in Echo canyon.  They were built to stop Johnston army from running the saints out of Utah.  Nothing ever came of it because they discovered that the Mormons were not doing anything wrong.

Thursday Elder Raymond Cutler, our general authority over our mission, visited with us for our final interview before finishing our mission.  He gave both Bob and me beautiful blessings.  He is such an amazing, kind man.  We have enjoyed getting to know him.

Elder Raymond Cutler with 2017 DL&L Trek Missionaries

Friday we worked on our presentations for Trek Training next week and also did some packing.  Justin, Heather, Joshua, Liliana, Abigail, and Elizabeth Barton joined us for dinner at the R and R restaurant.  It is one of our favorite places to eat in Evanston.  They had been in Provo most of the day touring the MTC and Provo Temple.  They came to join us for family trek.
We met them at the gate Saturday morning and started trekking at 9:00.  It was a mini trek of about 2 miles but it was so fun to have them here with us.

At Bear River Park,  Antlers courtesy of Josh

Justins family with Elder and Sister Cutler

Family Trek with Justins family Liz, Josh, Abi, Bob Justin, Heather, Lili, Debra

Lili, Liz and Abi pulling and pushing handcart

Justin and Josh helping Elder and Sister Cutler pull their handcart

After we drove them around the ranch and gave them a taste of what we have been doing the last 2 summers.  We climbed up to the arches by the Dairy Bowl, and had a great time watching the prairie dogs, and antelopes.  We took out one of the rangers and a truck as there were 8 of us and we all could not fit in the side by side.  We took them to Squaw, and up a few womens pulls, Kristies kid killer, trail 14, trail 23.  They found it quite interesting and enjoyable.  They also had fun playing pickle ball, and trying to walk on stilts.

Justins family in the side by side ready to hit the DUSTY trail

Justins family at the arch August 12, 2017

Bartons playing pickle ball in the trek center

Antelope herd on McFarland road

They joined us for church in Randolph where we sang "To Those Who Came Before Me".  Our last time to sing as a group in Sacrament Meeting.  Kind of sad but good at the same time.  After church Geo Peart, a distant relative of our directors, fed all the missionaries brisket, salad, and home made raspberry ice cream.  We even got to hand crank it.  His place is filled with antiques.  The people here treat the missionaries so nice, and they are so helpful.
Tonight, Monday, we fed the cowboys and their families dinner.   We had a barbecue but had to move it inside the Trek Center because of wind and rain.  They had about 35 including lots of little kids and 2 brand new babies about 1 month old.

Cowboy dinner, the kids were outside playing on the port a jons...Moms said it was cleaner than the corals?

Bob and I walked up to the well this morning because we had not done that in two years.  Just checking of "things we want to do before we leave this beautiful land."

Bob up at the well looking back down to the trek center

The sage brush is taller than Debra!

Barn and corals from the well road

Our Last Trek at Deseret Land and Livestock, Cows!

We got good news on Monday that our sweet Betsy was going home!

Betsy celebrating the good news she gets to go home!

The Richens family came and did our Family Home Evening on the Second Rescue that they were involved with in the Riverton Stake.  It was very interesting how the Lord works to get His work done.
Tuesday was another "port a john" Tuesday but this time we were putting into winter storage all those that will no longer be used.  It was a longer day of work moving johns and handcarts, so at the end of the day the missionaries decided to go to Taggert's for dinner to celebrate the three missionary birthdays this month.  Bob, Elder Ekins and Sister McDowell are our August birthdays.  It is also our sweet granddaughters birthday.  Alea turned 17 on the first.  Taggert's have the best macaroons, and carrot cake and I have to admit we did indulge.  They have beautiful grounds with peacocks walking around.

Bob by one of the water buffalo  One of the groups taped a picture of a buffalo to the tank.  Cute

Wednesday we welcomed the 210 trekkers from the Kearns Central Stake to go with us and Elder and Sister Peart on trail 28 which is about 23 miles in length.  They had trekkers from 12-72 years old!

Sister Jan and Elder Dennis Peart.  They are also the directors at DL&L so fun to finally trek with them!

Kearns came in buses and chose their families in staging.  They also had lunch before leaving at 1:30. That is quite late to get out and it was pretty hot.  Each trek is so different, challenging, and inspirational.  We have learned over the past 17 treks, it is what it is, blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape.  These guys moved pretty slow and were quite spread out with their 12 carts.  They had large families, but the main issue was their stake president had invited any adults who wanted to come and just walk to do so.  We had 50 walkers not assigned to families and many of them really struggled.  We made it!  It was Bob's birthday and they all sang to him.  It was sweet. The missionaries also sang to him early in the morning and Sister Call decorated our trailer.

Bob by his birthday trailer

Kearns Central Stake singing Happy Birthday to one touched missionary

Our first camp was in McFarland and it was full of cows.  Bob was known last year as the cow magnet so I guess it was appropriate for our last trek.  There were thousands of cows and they actually were running between our spread out carts.  They were lulled to sleep by the "mooing" of the cows!

A small heard of antelope with their young ones.

Thursday the 3rd, was the womens pull.  I don't love this trail because you have to trek about 3 miles to get to the pull.  It started at about 12:30 so it was quite warm but we did have a nice breeze.  We got into camp 3 at Sutton, no cows!  They had a lot of pioneer activities.  While they were playing, Sister Peart and I helped to cook the potatoes, onions, and bacon.  It was a hot job but we got to get acquainted with the kitchen help.  One of the games they were playing got a bit out of hand and knocked over one of our large containers of cooked potatoes.  OH!  We just kept cooking.  One of their kitchen help had connections and about half of their food was donated.  Some was good and some was.........not so good.

Debra the 'Hot happy' cook

good action shot of the stick pull

Bob did his last pony express and did a great job.  It was a tough crowd but he did get them laughing.

BOB with Brother Larsen the trail boss.  His last pony express with his trusty thoroughboard Sliver!

Friday  we left the key to the side by side in the support truck so I walked at the back and told the kids they had to walk because otherwise I would have to carry them.  Surprise, they all made into the port-a-john stop in Francis and I did not have to carry anyone.  It was quite windy and when we got to camp they had a fun time of putting up their tarps in the wind.  We had some good hills to pull, Francis and the power line.  The kids always love the steep down hills.  We stayed in Shearing Hollow camp where there is still a stream running through the camp from the wet winter.  The kids could not stay away and loved catching the frogs.  We had a hoe down that night and Bob and I got to dance because they had a paid caller come in.  The groups always love the dancing and it is amazing to see their energy go up as they dance.

heading down the last hill along the power line. trail 28

a nice shot of trekkers just starting down Todd's Hollow

Saturday we walked out.  Overall this was a good group, but they did have a lot of needy kids, both real and perceived. We had lots of passengers in the side by side and slow going handcarts.  Our trail bosses Brother and Sister Larsen were great to work with.

Crashed weary trekkers waiting for their buses..Anywhere you can find shade.

This trekker wore his seat cushion on him

We got things put away, the trucks and side by sides washed, the water buffalo vacuumed and cleaned and then we crashed.  I don't know if knowing this was our last trek was the cause or if we are just tuckered out, but we had a good long sleep last night.

An amazing sunrise at the start of another beautiful trekking day!