Mission Accomplished

Missions officially begin when the Stake President sets you apart and end when he releases you.  President Maurice Jones was in Utah when we got home, so we were released via Skype.  So ends our first mission.

As we reported to President Jones, we felt very blessed to serve in "the cradle of the Restoration," where we learned so much more about the gospel and history of the Church, were able to attend the Temple weekly, were taught by President Evans, were inspired by our fellow missionaries, young and old, and were able to serve the Lord and our fellow man. 

Back in the UP

We returned home to Marquette on Monday evening to be greeted by Angela and Beth little ones. 

Back Home in Indiana

We drove to my brother Harry's home in Fort Wayne, IN the first day and spent two nights with them.  The went all out to welcome us "Back Home Again in Indiana."  I knew that my brother Dick and his three boys would be there from Georgia but was surprised that my sister Janet, her husband Terry, and two daughters from Oregon and Arizona came also for an impromptu family reunion. 

There were 38 family members present and there was not room at Harry's house for supper, so we met at the church with the Single Adults.

 I gave a powerpoint presentation about the church history sites in the mission and Sister Jones gave testimony about our experience.

Leaving the office

We spent the last night in the transition apartment, then dropped by the mission office to leave the keys and some furnishings.  Here I am closing the door to my office the last time and Sister Jones turning off the lights. 

The Last Departure

Every 6 weeks, we helped with the departure meal for the missionaries going home.  This time we were part of it and shared it with great and noble missionaries whom we had gotten to know during our year of service.  In the front row in front of the mission home are Elders Earl and Peterson (we had our first and last meal in the mission with him) and Sisters Barrett and Holzer; middle row: Elders Page and Bell, Sisters Spencer and Jones, and Elder Jones; back row: Elders Pedersen, Spencer, President Evans, Elder Russell, Sister Evans, and Elder and Sister Roth.  

Office Farewell

Sisters Spencer and Jeffries put together a luncheon to bid us farewell and to welcome our replacements, the Roths.   Sister Spencer outdid herself and fixed ribs for this meal.

The wonderful Evans Family.  Elsie and Tyler are at home with the Evans.  Three older daughters are here for the summer or were visiting at this time.  We were blessed by the leadership of President and Sister Evans and love them and their family. 

In the foreground are our dear friends and fellow servants, the Spencers from Mesa, AZ and the Jefferies from Star, ID.  Our replacements to the left rear, the Roths are from Idaho Falls, ID.

Elder Marks was picked up by his parents a bit early and came by the office for a picture. 

  

With the Spencers and Roths.

A beautiful ending to our time at the John Young Farm.

 Our last Sunday, the weather was a pattern of cloudy, rain, sunshine.  About 4 pm, it was clear and I decided to take a walk along Cheese Factory Road. On my return in 30 minutes, the clouds had rolled back in and the rain came.  I thought as I was soaking, "I should at least get a rainbow out of this."  I was magnificently rewarded.  These pictures do not do justice to the brilliant colors of the rainbow.

The Spencers came out and joined us in admiring the beauty of His creation.
We spent two more nights at the farm, but this is our concluding memory.

Last time at Batavia Branch as Missionaries

We spoke our last Sunday in Batavia as missionaries. They designated the monthly post-church munch and mingle as a farewell to us.  We appreciated the kind words and thoughts. It was a privilege to serve in Batavia with so many dedicated Saints. 

The current Elders, Wilson and Mills. 

The amazing Grover kids who are exemplary young LDS youth.

President Weiler, Branch President

Aboard the Canandaigua Lady

With the end of  end of our mission fast approaching, we spent our last P (preparation) Day cleaning the farmhouse  and getting ready to move to a transition apartment on Saturday morning.  In the afternoon, we cruised on the Canandaigua Lady, a paddlewheel boat with the Spencers.  It was a very relaxing hour and a half.  

The Canandaigua Lady

Waiting on the leevee. 

According to the Captain, the west shore of Lake Canandaigua is the second most expensive shoreline property in the USA next to Lake Tahoe. 

With the Captain. 

Storage Site Clean Up

The mission rents 4 storage units for excess furniture.  With the openings and closings this spring, they were a bit disorganized.  Elder Jefferies got them organized by taking everything out, sorting it and inventorying them.  There was good support from the missionaries.  I'm glad we got this done before I went home. 

Elder Hallstrom takes a selfie with Elder Jefferies. 

Last District Visit to the Waters of Mormon

Our last group of missionaries from the Pittsford District visited the sites around the John Young Farm

Elders Marks, Gold, Clemens, Hallstrom, and Cummard at the Waters of Brigham. 

Elder Clemens takes the Walther Challenge while Elder Hallstrom pictures it. 

Sister Jones earned a backscratch from Sister Jefferies after making chicken salad sandwiches for the missionaries.  

Fathers Day Pot Luck

The Senior Missionaries had a Pot Luck Dinner on Fathers Day, but it was a sure bet.  We had a pleasant evening of conversation.

Batavia Fathers Day Pot Luck

I am sure I took some pictures, but can't locate them. The High Priests in Batavia were responsible for the monthly Pot Luck dinner.  They prepared the main course of Beef on weck which is a kaiser roll with caraway seeds and pretzel salt.   There was  good turnout and fellowship.

Tours, tours, tours

After Angela's family left, I was in tour guide mode. 

Three of the site couples, Elders and Sisters Thompson, Erickson (Utah branch), and Winans came for an evening tour.

On Thursday afternoon, 11 couples of Temple Missionaries came by.  It had rained hard in the morning in Pittsford and Palmyra, but less in Mendon, so there was not mud or puddles.  Within 15 minutes of them leaving, it rained hard on the farm.  It was sunny during the tour.  The Lord looks after those temple missionaries.

More evidence....  The Tomlinson Inn is owned by Saints in Utah who use it seasonally.  No one had ever been on the site when I had been there before.  However, with the Temple Missionaries touring, there was a man mowing the grass.  He introduced himself as the caretaker, Bother Clark, and invited us in.  We only entered the dining room, but heard his powerful testimony that the evens that happened there was not a chance meeting but divinely orchestrated.

Then we went on the the Tomlinson Cemetery where Meriam Young and Solomon Kimball are buried.  Well, you know how old Mormons are in a cemetery.

On Saturday we were visited by a couple, the Jensens from Barnwell, Alberta Canada.

He was a direct descendant of Heber Kimball and was not aware that Heber was baptized at this exact place where Brigham Young was baptized. We had a pleasant visit with the Jensens who were referred to us by site missionaries. 

A Grand Visit

The long anticipated visit from Angela and her kids finally came in June.

First they surprised me (Sister Jones was in on the plot) by arriving late in the afternoon instead of late at night. It was a joyful surprize.









 Life on the Farm, the John Young Farmhouse.  A farmer's breakfast with blueberry pancakes, parlor games, and sleeping in the upstairs bedroom.

The Grandin Building where the Book of Mormon was printed and bound. 

The Hill Cumorah Visitor Center and Statue of the angel, Moroni.

The Sacred Grove

 At the Smith Farm, the log home on the left and in the frame house with Sister Packard on the right.

The Palmyra Temple and the view from the Temple of the Sacred Grove.

At the Peter Whitmer Farmhouse Visitors Center on the site where the Church was organized in 1830. 

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At the site where Brigham Young was baptized in April of 1832 on the John Young farm.  Brigham's home and workshop were here with a mill pond. 

 Fun times at Rochester's Museum of Play

Awesome views of Niagara Falls from the shore and riding the Maid of the Mist.

Farewell, see you in Marquette.