20-November-2022-Sunday
Rather nondescript day. We made the drive to Rutland to attend church. After washing the car yesterday, I was dismayed to find it snowed from Bethel to Rutland and thus the roads were wet with salt water used to salt the roads. My black car is now white. I played the organ again, then taught Sunday school, while Dede taught in primary. After church we practiced a musical number for the lighting ceremony on Friday with two families from the Rutland Branch. They have wonderful voices and it will be good. It amazed me how much easier it is to play on a piano with weighted keys rather than a keyboard with organ like keys. As much as I play the organ I should be used to it, but it is just different with runs instead of chords that I play when I play hymns. Regardless, I would be ungrateful not to point out that God was answering my prayers that I would be able to play for the practice.
On the way home since we were not scheduled to work, we took VT-100 which we have not driven before. Then when we got to Bethel we drove up to the granite quarry. The granite from this quarry is called Bethel White and was used for the Bountiful Temple. We could not get to the quarry, but within 1/8th of a mile so we could see the tailings from the quarry. Would like to see if we could arrange a tour there. Probably not, but it would be interesting.
Spent a lovely afternoon with Dede. Put together a "Christmas Tree" of LED lights that we put outside the door along with a snowflake to add some color and lights to the three strings of light I had put up earlier.
21-November-2022-Monday
Today I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I do not know why but I just felt grumpy. Our morning meeting was focused on the upcoming week with Thanksgiving and the lighting ceremony on Friday. I really felt no desire to even think of either. Just grumpy!
After meeting we drove to Randolph to deliver the cards for Meals on Wheels to deliver this week. We then found a restaurant to have breakfast/lunch. Highly rated, but will probably not return. We ate early enough that we could then drive back past our home to Queeche to get the car washed. Our black car was nearly white from the salt we picked up going to Rutland on Sunday. I worry we will not have a car by the time we get home with all the salt they use and the potential for rust.
As we arrived at the site, they were trying to get the lights to work around the church. Since I put up many of these lights, I stopped and helped. Then when we got to the site I made sure other lights were working. Funny but as I began working with the lights my grumpiness vanished. Dede said she would be sure I always have lights to work with so I will not be so annoying!
We had five good visitors, in two groups. One young couple with a baby was especially delightful. They are from the Boise Valley and have been in North Carolina going to school and were up here to visit Dartmouth where he hopes to do a residency. As a result we got to see them. They were a great couple and what a bonus for Dede to have a cute 10 month old to play with while she gave the tour. Tender mercies were elevated for her today.
I turned on a large portion of lights to get some pictures so Dede could put them on FaceBook and I will add a few to the blog as I would not want to go two days without a picture. Sorry to get so carried away, but I love Christmas lights.
22-November-2022-Tuesday
Awoke to the most beautiful day. The sun was shining and winds were still. We had the early shift, but did not have visitors. So we spent time breaking up the ice in front of the visitors' center so people would have firm ground to stand on for the lighting ceremony.
After the shift, Dede wanted to go to Hobby Lobby. The nearest one is in Claremont NH about 40 minutes away. When we were nearly there, Dede realized we were near a fabric store she wanted to visit so we went there first and then Hobby Lobby. Got a short nap at the fabric store, but always enjoy looking around Hobby Lobby. We then went to three covered bridges in New Hampshire. The first two were railroad bridges crossing the Sugar River. One is quite long. Then we saw a car bridge called the Corbin bridge before heading back to Lebanon for dinner and then home. I will show pictures of the covered bridges below. We have not been to railway bridges. One used a laminated arch to support the heavy weight of a locomotive, while the longer bridge used a double lattice structure to support the heavy weight. It was also obvious that the bridge was higher to accommodate the smoke stack on the locomotive. Both railroad bridges were close together and connected on a a path that we would like to walk next year. The Corbin bridge was wonderful and even in the waning light we got some good pictures. At the first bridge Dede noticed that there were large fish swimming up the shallow current. I took a video to send to Jon, we could not see them at the other bridge, but it was getting later and we could really on see them in one direction due to the angle of the sunlight.
This bridge was very long. It had a double lattice to support it but not the laminated arch.
This is Corbin Covered bridge. Comes out neat with the light on in the bridge. The camera with a second shutter did a great job taking the picture on the side of the bridge.
23-November-Wednesday-Pday
Dede signed up to make two pies for the Vermont Law School in S. Royalton. They apparently feed 300 people for Thanksgiving day, including students, but apparently extending beyond to the community. She made two apple crisp pies. To allow Sister Ewer to begin her preparations for Thanksgiving, I went in a worked the first shift with President Ewer. We had a family of 6 come in which I took on tour. There were three sons with their mom and dad and the wife of one son. The family was visiting their son in Vermont for Thanksgiving and decided to come to the site today. The mom offered a fervent testimony of her conversion to the gospel. Interestingly enough her older brother joined an LDS Boy Scout group and he told her she could attend primary which she started to do. Thus she said she was a convert due to the Boy Scout program along with a few people who helped along the way. When we got to the Joseph Smith accomplishment board, I had the three sons return the favor and bear testimony to the mom about something they really liked on the board. They then sat around with us a visited for 30 minutes before leaving to go back home. We had a local family of 5 come in to bring a donation for Sleep in Heavenly Peace which is part of the lighting ceremony. I was touched when President Ewer explained to me that they were doing this at a great sacrifice to their family.
I sat up a little Christmas tree that was in the apartment so we have some lights in the house to go along with the wreath we brought home from the site. I am struggling to wrap my head around the fact that tomorrow is Thanksgiving and that we are really deep into the holiday season. Perhaps when the lights go on Friday, it will feel more like Christmas. We also had a great time talking to Lyndee and Miles as she FaceTimed us. Miles has learned to say HO HO HO when he is asked what Santa says and that was sweet to hear.
I have been really impressed with the story of Jonah this week. My (Dan's) reading of Jonah may be different than many others. I do not see in the story of Jonah, the fear others say is the reason for Jonah heading for Tarshish instead of to his assignment in Nineveh. In fact he himself will later say that he knew when he was in Israel that as he had told God that if he went to Nineveh, the city would repent and God would forgive them which was not the desire of his heart. Thus it appears to me that Jonah was sure that if he went to the great city and preached that they would repent and thus not be destroyed and Jonah seems to want their destruction more than anything. It appears to me he gets on a long boat ride because God has said he would destroy Nineveh in 40 days and the ride to Tarshish would take much longer than that and thus God would be forced to destroy the city. Then he offers to be drowned during the great storm thinking to thwart God's love by eliminating himself from being a savior to Nineveh.
The entire story of Jonah seems to be a great exaggeration or hyperbole which is immediately obvious to the reader. Jonah as a preacher is wildly successful. Everyone on the boat is converted to Jehovah and offer sacrifices to Him, and the entire city of Nineveh is converted even though the writer of the text makes it appear that Jonah did not preach all day and all night to convert souls, but merely walks into the middle of the city and declares the city will be destroyed in 40 days before he leaves. I think that exaggeration, meets a purpose. I think the inspired writer and thus God is trying to teach me what great lengths God will go to save His faltering children. God prepares a great fish to swallow Jonah and turn him around to go on his mission (get back on the covenant path). I see in my life and the lives of others that God prepares great fish to swallow people up and turn them around. Sometimes these great fish from which the person speaks as if from the depths of hell are job losses, illness, loss of friends or spouses, etc., but they are still the personal great fish that we need in our lives to turn us around. Then when I, as is too often the case go, about filling the commandment of God in a half hearted sense (I think Jonah preaches like 5 words in Hebrew to the people) God magnifies my effort so that I have to admit that it is not I, but the Lord who is working through me to accomplish His work. If I do not let my stubbornness be swallowed up in that knowledge, He does not give up on me, he then prepares a gourd (unknown plant) to shelter me and then let's it die to get my attention and again allow me to change my heart and to return to the Covenant Path.
Bottom line, as President Nelson is trying to teach us, when we have entered the Covenant Path, God goes to extreme lengths to insure that we will stay focused on the Covenant Path, or if we have fallen off the Path he will go to extreme lengths to return us to the Covenant Path to allow us to have every possible chance to enjoy exaltation with Him in the life thereafter. Truly the Hesed (see President Nelson's October article in the Liahona) of God is something beyond my comprehension and with that charity or love or loving kindness, He will never give up on me or on anyone who has entered the Covenant Path. I may not like being in the belly of the great fish and being turned around, but He knows what I need. He knows what our wayward friends and family need and He will not stop at anything, not matter how ridiculous the effort may appear to a mere mortal, until He has done everything possible to save His children. Then as an added bonus we see that He also reaches out to those outside of the Covenant Path (think people of Nineveh) who do not know their right hand from their left hand (Jonah 4:11) and finds a Jonah with incomprehensible skills (which probably represents the full power of the entire church) to bring them into the Covenant Path also. Think temple and family history work which allows everyone, everywhere the chance to repent in sackcloth and ashes and enter into the Glory of our Gracious God. No wonder the Gospel is known and as Good News. Bottom line, Jonah may be based on a historical figure, but made into a "play" or piece of wisdom literature (like Job) for God to teach us about His Hesed for his children regardless of whether or not they are born into the covenant.
24-November-2022-Thursday
A glorious Thanksgiving day! I helped peel apples for pie and then took a walk before we gathered up all the good food Dede had made and headed over to the Ewers for Thanksgiving Dinner. There were ten of us and it was a great meal with great company. Was very glad that Dede made dressing (gluten free) as I love her dressing. Did I mention she made 4 pies?
Right before eating, a couple showed up and were taking pictures of the monument. I went out and visited with them. They are nonmembers from California who have bought a vacation home in Vermont. They were visiting their home today and decided to stop by the site. I spent a little bit of time with them while everyone else started their meal. I was glad for the opportunity and surprised when he wanted a Book of Mormon. I will never know if something I say at the site may influence someone, but I was glad that I took the opportunity to go out and visit with them. Note, there was still plenty of food left for me to eat. 😀. I think I will always remember a Thanksgiving where I had a chance to share my testimony of the gospel.
25-November-2022-Friday
Interesting, but rather long day today. We had the early shift, but knew we would work most of the day. Starting today we move to 5 hour shifts as we are open until 8 pm with the lights. We had 3 groups of people come into the sight, which was delightful. All were visiting and took the opportunity while in the area to come to the site. Thus Thanksgiving was a plus for us today. I thought the discussion were great and the people brought a great spirit with them. We had a delightful couple who moved from California to NYC and had a 6 week old baby. They were visiting an Aunt for Thanksgiving. They enjoyed the tour and spent quite a while talking while they fed the baby to get her to stop fussing. They love NYC and are grateful to be right downtown Manhattan.
We went home at 3:30 and got a bite to eat and I took a nap. We then headed back to the site. The lighting ceremony was at 7 pm. I played the piano (keyboard) which was tough because it was so cold outside while Dede sang and led music. We had a surprisingly large crowd show up. Dede counted 250 people. With that kind of turnout we should keep up this effort. We had a gentleman from Sleep in Heavenly Peace speak for a few minutes. They are an organization which started in Twin Falls Idaho and which has now spread across the country. Their goal is that no child should sleep on the floor so they provide beds and bedding. The stake had collected bedding and pillows for the organization as part of the lighting ceremony. I would guess that is part of the reason so many came. We were told that the bottom of the trailer was covered up to two feet of bedding supplied by the stake. Way to go VT and NH.
The countdown was fun and then all the lights turned on at once. Even though we have already seen them, it is still a wonder to view them and to watch other watching them. Hard to believe, I did not take any new pictures today.
26-November-2022-Saturday
Another week draws to a close. We decided to take a hike before heading into W. Lebanon to shop. We went to a place called Gile Trail which leads up about a mile to an old fire watch tower. The tower sits on the top of the hill and the it allows the observer to see well above the trees and have a view of hills and forests that last for miles. We could see Pico and Killington Peaks to the West (near Rutland where we go to church) and Mt. Washington (highest peak in New England) in NH. The trail was icy, but the day was warm and thus the trail had many hikers. In fact when we returned the parking lot was totally full. It was good fun.
The trail up
Looking up from the bottom of the tower
From the top of the tower.
We worked the 3 to 8 shift, so we got to see what it would be like with people coming to see the lights. When we arrived at 3 pm we immediately had visitors. By 5 pm cars were streaming by at a steady pace. I was surprised at the number of people who stopped and wandered around the site. However it was a warm evening (about 40F) which encouraged people to walk. A fairly large number came in and we were able to visit with some of them, while others just passed through. I spent time just walking outside and saying hi to people as they walked around. The lights are obviously a tradition for many people in the area and so it was fun to be part of it. I would expect Saturday and Sunday nights to be the busiest, but we will see.
We went down to the church. Last night they had over 220 people, while tonight it was about 120 people. These are good numbers for them. One just hopes that the local people will at least sense that we, members of the church, are just normal people with a conviction for the Lord, but not a desire to hunt them down and convert them against their own wills. Hard to know how many seeds get planted by the efforts at the site and at the church during lighting season.
Check out the lattice with the laminated arch to support the bridge.
Comments
Post a Comment