I told you yesterday that it was raining and raining and raining. We have had Noah's help in completeing the project, and we have been obedient to the counsel of the Prophet to "be prepared" . Due to the current gas prices we went with a natural(green ) mode of travel. We do live in Vermont you know, home of the very 1st tree huggers, hippies and green people(some of them are quite old now you know)
After our exciting day on Sunday,(if you are out of the country and don't know- I gave a tour to Elder and Sister Dallin Oaks). We settled down to a normal week. Well, a week of rain, and visitors. I had 2 couples on Monday that came from Canada, Kingston,. They said they were not members, had visited with the missionaries several times, (nice boys) , decided not to accept the Book of Mormon because it was not Holy Writ. But decided to come here where it started and find out. So we did a tour, they asked a lot of questions, I tried to answer, 1 . How does the church deal with polygomy,"? 2. How are women treated? 3. why do we feel a need for the restoration? 4. how is the church set up"? 5. why did people hate Joseph , tarred and feather etc? more and more.
We visited for about 2 hours, they took a Book of Mormon to read. Watched the video we have on the Temples and when they left both ladies hugged me and they all said thank you. It was a very nice experience.
Then on Tuesday , I had 2 adults, bro and sis. He had studied for the Priesthood in the Catholic church for 6 years and they asked questions. However the spirit was not the same as the day before. When he wanted to move on in the tour, tired of what I had to say ...he would say "NEXT" and we would move forward. THe women couldn't figure out why we didn't just feel that the Catholic church had carried on after Christ. Why we didn't feel that was enough. I tried to explain, several different ways))(even tried standing on my head HA_) none of those things worked soooooo I finally said " If you don't accept that there was a need for an apostasy, then there is only one conclusion you can come to . It is either the Mormons or the Cathloics. All the others broke off from these two. ( shouldn't have said that , but I was at my wits end with them ) I told them I had no intentions of offending, they thanked me , I thanked them for coming and we went our separate ways (probably not to pass again_ )

Yesterday we went to Rutland to the Norman Rockwell museum (we went with the Jensens, another Missionary couple_) We had a good time the museum was very interesting. Then we went to the Vermont Marble Co. there must be all kinds of quarries here, granite and marble at least and a lot of slate. We bought a couple of things from the Marble factory, then on to a maple syrup sugar house.... interesting . Then we shopped for a minute, 15 to be exact at Wal-mart and 15 at Big Lots. (1st one I;ve seen here_) Then we raced home got ready and came to the JSM residence to have a 24th of July party with all the missionary couples. It was a fun day , but long.

We did finally get an appt for Dad to see the Dr. on Tuesday. 29th... pretty excited about that.

We really are well and enjoy where we are , we do love all of you tho.

This is the best mission on the planet. I know, I know everyone says that but it is true. The nicest people come here. We have had in the month of the July 10 tour buses. It is so busy when they come and with the other visitors. We come home so exhausted some nights that we don''t even play games(I know you can't believe it)

We have a new Sunday assignment now - we are to go straight to the Center after church. Help greet all the visitors then go home at a slower time and then come back till 5:30. So today we started that . I started with a group, then we had some that wanted the movie so my people also wanted to see it so they went in. THe movie lasts 70 minutes, I was about 1/2 thru the tour with my group. So while they were in the movie we went home to eat, came back and I finished my tour.

I was back in the office reading and visiting with the other missionaries when My turn came around again. A car drove in, (we watched the monitor) , saw the women get out and start up the walk. I got up and went to greet her . She was about to slip on the slate at the porch, she turned to the man and said "be careful it is slick". I walked up and was face to face with Elder Oaks and his wife.
MY first thought was:
1. this can't be --this man just looks like him
2. surely he has come for business and wants to see Elder McKinnon
3. He doesn't really want a tour--

But they certainly did want a tour. They indicated that they were on vacation in Maine and she wanted to see the Birthplace, so they came for a visit. I started the tour and still wondered if I was right in who this was. They were very kind, listening to what I had to say, acting interested in the stories. He looked at our book display case and said he was so glad to see that one of our resource books on the prophet was the relief society/priesthood manual.

While I was giving the tour, Sister Vorwaller came into the center to let her tour group out of the movie. When she saw who I had on the tour, she went back to the office to tell the other missionaries. Soon I saw Elder Slade drive off in the truck pretty quickly , but I didn't know he knew who was here(he had gone to get the camera) .

I asked Elder Oaks if he wanted to go into the directors home to view the other pictures they had in the collection. He declined. I knew the other missionaries would want to meet them, I was afraid they were going to leave without that happening. As we were standing on the porch, all the missionaries came pouring out of the office and came to the visitors center.

Elder Slade had gone for the camera. We struck a pose, but to our dismay the camera would not work.

The mission camera had not died a slow and agonizing death, but a quick (shocking) death. We were stunned. There will be a quiet , private service for it tomorrow, followed by the acquisition of a new camera to help us complete this mission.

Sister Oaks suggested that we come by his office for a picture when we were in SLC. Sister McKinnon,said theirs worked so as the Oaks were walking to their car she ran for the camera. FINALLY pictures.

I was so glad that Sister Vorwaller had gone back t o the office, and that they all came out to meet them as I wasn't sure how to let everyone know who was here without just yelling or fainting.

The Oaks were so kind and pleasant. What a church this is.

Our daughter Lynn was Tagged, and the deal was she was to tag 5 people at the end of her blog, soooo she tagged her sisters and Marie(who is like a Sister). Since by my count that is only 3 people (unless she had Sisters I don't know)(could be I am getting old) I thought I would fill in.

So here goes-- list 3 joys, 3 goals, 3 fears, 3 obsessions, 3 random facts and send to 5 persons.

3 Joys
My own family, LeGrand
Jason, Tasha, Tricia,Matthew,Marie,Travis,Scott,Brittany,Lynn, Jake
Devon, Cayden, Avery, Jocilyn, McKenna, Hunter, Gwennie, Ty, Annabelle 3 that are on their way to us.
My Parents and Sisters extended family
The Joy the Gospel Brings( sounds like a song) guess it is in my heart

3 Fears
Afraid to climb to the top of the 50 ft silo at the farm(interesting I am not afraid of Para - sailing)
Having to live in a very isolated place, without friends close by
dying and not being ready to face my Maker or floating the river and falling into the rapids and drowning

3 Goals

Finally figure out how to manage our budget, I have only been working on it for 37 years, the part on paper seems to work but in actuality it never does.

conquering my sleepiness



3 obsessions

cleaning my house, I put the things(jars etc) away before the family is through with them.
Laundry --- I love to do laundry, especially folding when it is hot (towels) (does that remind anyone of a movie?)
Love of driving fast ( it makes me want to jump out of my skin if things go toooo slow) Lead footed Grandma (that's me) Don't everyone run away at once.

3 Random Facts

I love to play games-- I have even gone so far as to make Elder Slade play Rummy Kube with me on a foam board on the bed so we could get good enough to beat our friends.

I love people---don't do well by my self for long

I love water aerobics, swimming, snorkleing and water slides, however I wish my eyes were better so I could see better in the water
OK -- I tagged, SladeMomma, Nolene, Nancy, Pam and Karla

We went for a walk up Patriarch Hill today. I left the house with Dad and wound up walking with Paul Bunyon...

Paul Bunyon is on a mission!!!!!

We went for a walk , Grandpa (Paul_) took his axe and saw to accomplish his task for the day.


Paul Bunyan is a larger-than-life folk hero who embodies frontier vitality. He is a symbol of might, the willingness to work hard,(typical of Elder Slade) and the resolve to overcome all obstacles(nothing stops him ). Paul Bunyan is part of the western tall tale literature, which often populates the landscape with beings of gigantic proportions. Paul Bunyan and his boon companion(guess that is me) Babe the Blue Ox take mosquitos of tremendous proportions, rainstorms that last for months, and natural obstructions like mountains ranges in their stride.

In preparation for his journey to Patriarch Hill, Paul(Grandpa) struggled out of his huge red long johns and took a bath in Lake McIntosh. Then he washed the long johns and strung them up to dry on the flagpole. When they flapped in the breeze, it scared the migrating birds so much they turned around and went back South.

This is on Patriarch hill trail, where an 80 ft. ash tree had fallen across the trail. No one had had the time to go up and tend to it so it is "Paul" to the rescue.

The Log was very long

Slowly we go

PAUL IS FEELING PROGRESS

OF COURSE BABE HAD TO HELP !!

We went on tues, which was our Prep. day, to St. Gaudens National Park. I had no idea who he was or the things he had done. There are so many things one recognizes , that he did you wonder why you missed his name before.




This is the Porch off of one of his work shops. It is beautiful.




Augustus Saint-Gaudens was an Irish-born American sculptor who work embodied the ideals of the "American Renaissance."In addition to his famous works such as the Robert Gould Shaw Memorial on Boston Common and the outstanding grand equestrian monuments to Civil War , and William Tecumseh Sherman, at the corner of New York's Central Park, He also designed the twenty-dollar "double eagle" gold piece, for the US Mint in 1905-7, still considered the most beautiful American coin ever issued^[1] as well as the $10 "Indian Head" gold eagle, both of which were minted from 1907 until 1933.



We really enjoyed our little excursion. There Home was beautiful, but very dark. The walls looked alot like sisel that they put on some walls in the church lately. It was actually some kind of a japanese mat.


We have had tour bus after tour bus the last 3 days. It is so fun to have all the people come but 6 in one day was a bit overwhelming. Today should be slower. Tomorrow will be another one again.

We love you all and hope to hear from each of you soon.

We went to the concert on the commons July 3rd. The band played many patriotic songs. (Not all) One that was fun to listen to, was called "The Bugler's Day Off" . We had pizza and fresca , enjoyed ourselves. I felt like I should be Pollyanna's sister. Just put me in a cute new dress and a new parisal and I would be set. A lot of the towns here do their fireworks on the night of the 3rd. We missed them.

On the 4th, we worked all day.. Part way thru the day a man called and asked if he could bring his tour bus through at 4PM for 1 hour.................argh!!!!!!!!!! We had only 2 couples working , were suppose to be having a get together at 6. and besides I was very tired already.

Our Director suggested (in jest) that I should have said , "come earlier , we are having a party" , Actually it was not bad and I got to lead one of the groups. Usually each of the Priesthood Elders leads the tour. This time I had one of my own. It was nice and I (and Dad) had several that thanked us for our tour and the information we gave. We also had a Tiawanese family come yesterday. They were unaware of who Joseph Smith was, so I was trying to explain. When the man said after looking at the time line...."I know he is a Jehovah's witness" . the time line talks about Jehovah on it. So he thought he had it. I tried to explain more, but the language barrier was way too great.




We have had birds outside of our window. these are the 1st pictures we have taken. the squarrel finally learned to jump(fly) onto the feeder.