Week 57 - Hegsted's Mission
27-August-2023-Sunday
Nice drive to Rutland, but we could only stay for Sacrament Meeting as we had a tour bus coming into the site and felt like we needed to be there by 12 noon to have everything ready for the bus. We arrived at 12:05 and Sister Buswell was giving a tour to a cute couple who were on their honeymoon. About 1 pm, a family of 10 showed up from Nova Scotia. They were planning to eat first, but I talked them into doing the tour first as we now thought we had until 2 pm before the bus arrived. It worked out well, they were walking around the monument at 1:50 and the bus pulled in at 2 pm. I wish I could have taken them down below, but it just did not work.
I thought we did great with the bus tour. Our two couples are experienced and we know what to say in our rooms or at the monument so we kept things moving. We folded two groups in with the tours that arrived at nearly the same time. Thus we had 2+10+6+4+2+49 people or 73 people which is a good Sunday. I walked down with members of the tour bus to see the foundations and then walked up. After all that talking and walking, and the humidity, I was very thirsty. We left around 4:30 as it had slowed down and the Buswells were scheduled for the late shift anyway. They had been able to slip into the residence and eat before the bus so, they will hopefully be fine.
Next Monday which is Labor Day, the Rutland Branch is coming to Camp Joseph to do a service project and have their annual BBQ. We asked to not have our morning meetings so we can join them in the service work party and eating. We attend church, but it is hard to feel like we know them and since they are coming to us, it would be nice to serve with them.
28-August-2023-Monday
We again had enjoyable meetings with the Buswells this morning and the Wilcoxes joined at 9:30 as the Knudesons are in Boston for an extended weekend. With the season changing there are more logistics to cover and so it is good to get together.
We traded shifts with Buswells so they could attend meetings with all the site leaders. From a discussion with President Ewer, there is often little pertaining to our site. The other sites with more people and activities tend to dominate the meeting. Still, I would assume it would be interesting for the Buswells to hear what is happening at other sites. So I am glad for them.
We started the morning with a family of 5, to whom I gave an abbreviated tour as they had reservations for Mt Washington's cogwheel train at 1 pm. We then had two different couples come in and they were both delightful and we managed to have them until 2:30. The first couple had their missionary son call them and spent 90 minutes on the phone with their missionary. What a treat.
The second couple came in and we gave them a complete tour and then I took them down to the foundations. They are the first couple I have sent to look at the cascades along the Old Sharon Road. They then hiked Patriarch Hill. They were in Vermont hiking and biking and so the hikes were nothing for them. She was from Hawaii and he from Oregon. He is a nurse in a small village (7k people) in Alaska out on the tundra, reachable only by plane. He works 7 days on and 7 off, so a week of PTO gives him a three week vacation. By working there, the government pays off his student loans. Good for them. They were just delightful people. Reminded me of Dede's nieces and nephews, very outdoors types and rugged people. They went to the see the BoM at Dartmouth and did a few other things. Funny enough we went to Camp Joseph to ask the Arbons a question and they showed up there having rented a cabin for the night. Nice we could recommend them to the Arbons.
The first couple finished their call and we gave them the full tour with a trip down below coming up at 2 pm and the first couple had just finished coming up the hill. So we gathered them together and suggested different things they might do in the area. Finally at 2:30 Sister Buswell came out to break up our party. BTW, this morning our discussion was on closing a tour. Elder Buswell let us know that an hour tour and a three hour close may not have been what the church had in mind when they wrote our handbook. Live and learn I guess, but what a lovely day.
Dede and I ran home, I ate my lunch as we did, changed and then came back to hike and make measurements down below at the site. Walked the Old Sharon Road beyond the tradition Daniel Mack foundations, taking pictures and getting GPS locations. We also made measurements along the road. All for the document. We then tried to find (in the rain) foundations for the barns at the Daniel Mack home. There is so much underbrush this was difficult. Finally we looked, in vain, for the old sugar shack the church had along Dairy Hill Road. I will return when it is dry and look again.
29-August-2023-Tuesday
Today we had the full 8-hour shift again. I am grateful that we have been busier than last time we had 8-hour shifts. I know I could work on my document or start putting up Christmas lights, so I will never be bored, but having people is always best.
I set up the second PC in the mission office after arriving for our shift. The second PC is always easier than the first. The only issue was getting codes sent to Sister Buswell's phone when I was going through church security. But it all worked out with the exception of the printer. I am getting the same error as we had on the other PC, but which Elder Buswell got to work, so I will leave it to him.
We had a number of nonmembers today. Some nonmembers are so fun. My favorites wanted to spend 30 minutes, but stayed almost an hour between asking lots of questions and then wandering around again after we ended. They were kind in their questions and interested in my answers. Hopefully someday they will remember and pursue further. I had an older couple come in. They told me they had been here 6 times. In fact their first date (2nd marriage for both) was at the site. Surprising how little they knew. I think many local have been in the site many times, but really have not heard the history of the site. Too bad. Anyway I had them for 30 minutes and then Dede took them down to see the foundations. They reminded me a Stan and Louisa Bullock who are among the best saints of the modern days. Such kind and gentle people. I then had a guy walk up to me. He looked vaguely familiar and he thought I looked familiar. He currently does IT work for BYU-I, but had come to VT, to watch the international disc golf tournament. Unlike the lady last Saturday, he will not play. After we visited a few minutes, we realized that he had worked under me at AMIS, right after we bought the Belgium group. Small world. He has changed and so have I. He is still much more independent than I.
I had thought I would have time to work on the document or start on Christmas lights but between the PC set up and our guests, the day flew by and I had less than an hour to work on the document and to finish the blog before 6 pm. Life is good. God is better.
We will go home to a yummy meal and prepare ourselves for Boston tomorrow. Hard to believe, but we had an 8 hour shift without rain. It rained this morning and will tonight, but for 8 hours it was pleasant and even sunny at times. See my pictures of the monument.
30-August-2023-Wednesday PDAY
Traveled to Boston to attend endowment and sealing sessions. Wonder of wonders, I managed to stay awake! The last few times I caught myself drifting off, not for long, but I hate it when I miss part of the session because I am missing out on revelation. Our favorite sealer was back. Our session lasted 90 minutes and he was amazing in the number of sealing we got done in that time. Everyone had brought names, most brought too many, but he got through them. How fun!
We packed a lunch and took a different way back to Vermont so we could be near Brattleboro and visit covered bridges in this area, one of the last areas for us to visit. May I say, the bridges in this area of Vermont are awesome? I will show pictures of four. We finished the day eating again at Dari Joy. Another treat, they have very good fried chicken.
The Green River bridge is over the of Green River. (I am sure that is shocking!). It is easily accessible and has a park with a swimming hole formed by a dam made of wood timbers and which is on the national register of historical sites. The dam also had a fish ladder going around it. It was fun to photograph and to visit with people who had come to swim.
We visited the Creamery Bridge last Friday, but I wanted to get some photos of it. It is striking because the town has taken such good care in restoring it. They have also bypassed the bridge with the road, so it should last longer without heavy traffic demands. Also, the road is so busy, a single lane bridge would be impossible at the site.
The West Dummerston Bridge is the second longest in the state. (The Windsor-Cornish is longer than any Vermont bridge, but technically is in NH even though side one end is in VT. NH was always had the totality of the Connecticut River, the border is not in the center of the river but at the VT edge). There were good views of this bridge. However at 267 feet long, it was difficult to get a good photo.
The Scott Bridge is the longest bridge in VT at 277 feet. It is no longer used and can be approached in two different directions making it possible to walk 277 feet from side to side, but requiring a 20 minute drive going around to other bridges to get from one side to the other by automobile. This bridge was especially difficult to photograph because of the trees along the banks. According to the book we use, this bridge is technically three bridges. The builder built two smaller bridges using a king post design, but using metal roads and the the third longer section using a truss design. Very obvious when one looks inside. From the outside, it is not at all obvious. I should note, many covered bridges were not covered originally, so by putting on a roof that is uniform and planking on the walls that are uniform, the bridge looks the same from the outside, but different when one views the trusses inside.
And this sticker on the stop sign was just fun. Mycology is the study of fungi and so this is a "tip of the hat to Anna the biologist in the family" Last night was a blue moon and I got a picture, not great, but okay.
So hard to believe another month has flown by. We have now been out over a year having arrived on the fourth of August. With the beginning of September tomorrow, I will drive up and grab boxes of Christmas lights to begin decorating the visitors' center and residence along with the bush near the back door. I can do these while on shift. I will need to do the church during time off. Then we will see what else Bob wants me to do.
I should feel as if I accomplished a lot the morning as we had the late shift. However, I first finished the blog, the pictures were finally downloaded and I added some information to my private section. I did ride the stationary bike three times for 30 min total. Try not to go too long and get sweaty. I worked on the schedule for September and October for the visitors' center. Elder Buswell requested a number of changes including information of tours and dinners and that took over 90 minutes. Also we will have a new couple at the end of the month. Normally the Buswell's would move to Thursdays for P-Days, but they have kids coming who thought P-Days were Tuesday, so they will shift back and forth with the new couples, the Hoopes for the three weeks they have children in town. The Hoopes will be thrown almost immediately into the frying pan. We had a month before having a tour when we came, they will not be so lucky. Anyway when I finally got to what I wanted to do, work on my document, I was down to 1 hour. Bah humbug.We had a lot of people at the site, but only gave one full tour and that was at the end. Dede had a mother and daughter come in for that tour. I had gone below and managed to get the golf cart high centered on a tree stump. Duh! Ended up using a jack to lift it off. Such fun. Important to note, that Dede suggested the jack. I thought we would lift the wheels and put rocks under them, but when I lifted one side, the cart rolled off.
We had a large family of 15 come and Dede gave them a 30 minute tour. Many small kids and they were so afraid the kids would be out of control. Meanwhile I had a lovely group of three who had come to VT for a funeral of a sister. They have another sister in SLC who is a member, but could not come out, so they came to get pictures for her. I visited with them for a short period of time and thoroughly enjoyed it. For 30 minutes the parking lot was packed as we had 36 missionaries stop by for pictures and flirting after their dual zone meeting. Personally I think any flirting practice they might get is good.
1-September-2023-Friday
Oh what a glorious day. We got home late, so I am writing this Saturday morning. This may be longer because I have so much to share. Luckily with a few pictures. So hold on to your hats.
We had the early shift, but as we have progressively seen, the number of visitors is reducing quickly with school starting. We did however have 6 wonderful people waiting for us to open the site when we arrived. The men had been in a YSA Bishopric together and are still in the same home ward and all remain great friends. What a joy to give a tour. They were headed for Fort Ticonderoga for the afternoon, but wanted to make sure they got everything possible from the tour. One cannot ask for anything better. After eating our packed lunch we had another wonderful couple come in for a full tour. Eight people total and all members.
Since it is officially September I started hanging Christmas lights on the visitors' center. I was told not to use as many lights as last year, which I will do, but I switched to the bright white so the impact will be the same. I really struggled. I felt as if I was going to faint, so I would put up a string and sit down and then repeat. Luckily I was able to sleep on our way to Brattleboro and felt better for the most interesting part of the day. [It will take some time, but I will realize by Sunday, that my toe is infected and giving me grief.]
Dave McDowell [local CES director] agreed to take us to other church history sites in the area and so we met Dave and his wife Stacey in Brattleboro before heading for Marlboro VT, the birthplace of the two Newells in early church history, Newell Kimball Whitney (NKW) and Newell Knight (NK) born in 1795 and 1800 respectively. Below are three pictures from Marlboro Vermont. The first is the Whetstone Inn, built in 1786 would have been a place where the families would have met in town meetings. In such a small communities, the Whitneys and Knights would have at least been acquittances if not friends.). The second is the current town meeting house built in 1822. It was however built using wood that remained after the Marlboro church that the two families would have visited before it was destroyed by fire. The third is the current church which looks very much like the Kirkland Temple, however it was built after the families left Marlboro so it is not clear, the design had any influence on the Kirkland Temple design. The fourth and fifth pictures are signs outside of the first and third pictures. While the last is a monument to a man named David Whitney Elliott. I found the middle (Whitney) name of interest, so took the picture.
So what did we learn while standing near the birth place of these two early church stalwarts.
NK Whitney. He signed his name NK, but I will use NKW but never wanted to forget his mother's name of Kimball and so added it into many of the children's names. Yes, NKW's and Heber C Kimball's line crossed three generations before. Newell is an unusual name and so to have two from the same town suggests Newell Knight's name was influenced by NKW. The two Newell's were born 5 years apart, but would both leave Marlboro at age 8.
NK Whitney (NKW) would become an astute businessman. His wife Elizabeth Ann would acknowledge that everything seemed to go well for her husband in business. NKW would move into the Lake Champlain area and trade with the native Americans, eventually moving to Buffalo NY. He had an experience among the Indians where he refused to sell more liquor to a drunk Indian as he felt it would just harm him. The Indian tried to kill NKW, but he was saved by an Indian woman who grabbed the enraged Indian and held him long enough for NKW to escape. He would later name a daughter after this kind woman.
In the war of 1812, NKW became a sutler or a hauler of freight for the army. He would prosper greatly from this pursuit. However since armies often tried to destroy the sutler's goods of the enemies and their supplies and since the war ended, this was somewhat short term. Four related stories. Solomon Mack was a sutler in the revolutionary war and he lost everything. We do not know why, but it is possible, the British destroyed everything he had and he was left destitute. In the Utah war, the Utahans slow down Johnson's army by destroying the goods of the sutlers following the army. Stephen Mack was probably a sutler in the war of 1812. He was in Detroit at the time and the British invade his home to destroy him financially and would have succeeded had his house keeper not hid his money from them. And finally Solomon took the Sutler business to the seas and became a privateer around the time of the war of 1812. He had a ship and was selling goods which the British were trying to block.
With the war of 1812 ended, NKW began seeking stability. He would go to several areas and would end up in Painsville, OH working with A. Sidney Gilbert who would teach NKW about business. Interestingly enough NKW would become the more successful of the two. NWK opens a store near the Morley farm outside of Kirkland and almost next door to Elizabeth Ann his future wife. She is near her aunt Sarah who disliked the Smiths after the Whitney's give the Smiths the spare bedroom where Aunt Sarah loved to stay. Note Sarah had her own home. NKW dates Elizabeth Ann for three years, but they do not marry until he gains water rights in Kirkland and builds the ashery, which assures his future. He then builds the Whitney Store in Kirkland. Aunt Sarah spends a great deal of time with the Whitneys and when she is kicked out of the guest bedroom for Joesph and Emma she comes to hate "the Mormons" and the Smiths. It appears she was like a mother to Elizabeth Ann.
NKW was smart in business. He could see how the Erie Canal would change Kirkland. Shipping costs for wheat dropped from $3.20 to $0.80 thus allowing him to prosper with the area due to the canal. With the store and the ashery, NKW becomes by default the local bank. People bought in their ashes and NKW gave them credit which was redeemable in his store for goods. Money would have been scarce and so he would have had a corner on the market. Meanwhile right before the Canal opens, NKW goes to NY to order the goods for his store. His goods would have been one of the first shipments on the canal and surely the first to land at Fairpoint on the lake. This man had such great vision and yet was so humble.
The Whitney's join Sidney Rigdon's congregation. Sidney claims the right to baptize, but not to bestow the Holy Ghost. (Sydney feels this is a logical conclusion from the New Testament). This bothers the Whitneys. On the day an article appears in the local papers about some man finding gold plates, they pray in their home and have a vision and are told the truth is coming soon to them.
When Joseph and Emma arrive in Kirkland, Joseph will bound up the stairs to the store approach NKW and say "Newell Whitney, Thou art the Man." This sounds biblical, but in Alma 8:20 we read "And the man (Amulek) said unto him (Alma): I am a Nephite, and I know that thou art a holy prophet of God for thou art the man whom an angel said in a vision: Thou shat receive. Therefore, go with me into my house and I will impart unto thee of my food...."
Was Joseph quoting Alma 8:20? Had NKW read the same? Regardless NKW becomes the Amulek to Joseph Smith Jr. What a wonderful thought.
D&C 72 describes NKW's job as Bishop. How daunting. This man was very rich we he joined the church. The tax records show his worth diminishing over the years in Kirkland as he gives away so much for the poor in Zion and the building up of Zion. They lived the law of consecration to the fullest. Tax records show his worth dropping from $2500 to $1000 before leaving Kirkland with the saints. Regardless, read D&C 72 and realize what a load was given NKW as the first bishop. Then in D&C 73, with NKW, a financial person leading the finances of the church, Joseph is freed from financial issues and commanded to return to the JST work of the Bible. Had the church followed what NKW was told to do. (And NKW was doing everything he could in this regard) we might have had Zion in MO the first time we went there. Unfortunately they and we are human and do not live up to all of God's commands.
When NKW told Joseph he could not see a bishop in himself, Joseph said pray and God will give you a witness. NKW does so and is told "Thy strength is in Me."
NKW would come to SLC and be a Bishop in the 13th ward. How lucky was that ward? He dies a fairly young man, apparently exhausting himself in the service of the Lord. What a wonderful leader.
Newell Knight (NK) was not a businessman like NKW, but a successful farmer and a man of firsts. His father Joseph Knight hires Joseph Smith Jr. and loves him. The two young men share a bedroom and NK learns to love JS jr. He will give Joseph $50 he needed to start his livelihood. NK will be the practical (Hyrum served for 3 weeks before) first leader of the Colesville Branch. He will lead that branch though all of the trials of the early church. They go to Kirkland, but there is not land for them as Copley took his land back. On to Independence MO, where they are driven out to Clay Co MO, then Far West, Nauvoo and he will die in Nebraska near Winter Quarters as the saints are heading to SLC. NK will have a vision of the Savior after meeting with the church in Fayette when the church was organized. Imagine having a Branch President who has seen the Savior. Like several early members who saw Jesus, he does not become an Apostle. His is the first recorded testimony of the restoration of the gospel in the latter days written on 31-Dec-1830. He and his branch are not baptized on 6-April-1830 although he and many were there because they wanted to read the BoM first, not just see miracles. JS Jr lists the first miracle of the church revolving around NK. In D&C 23:6, Joseph Knight is told to pray vocally. As a good Calvinist, he thought this improper and so goes to the woods to pray. NK seemed to also be shy about vocal prayer. NK comes back from private prayer in the woods and is possessed of the Devil and is elevated to the ceiling when the prophet comes upon request of the family and casts the devil out of NK. NK is then again elevated to the ceiling, but this time in light as good confirms the blessing. While the Colesville Branch is in Independence MO, JS jr, will seal up the entire branch to exaltation and eternal life. No wonder that branch stays faithful throughout church history.
We next drove to Whitingham VT, the birthplace of Brigham Young (BY). The first three pictures are taken at the place where the birthplace marker has been placed. No actual sources for it authenticity. Dave McDowell our guide said he asked his wife to have the phrase "and superb equipment" added to his headstone, but she had said no. A very wise choice.
The following three pictures are the monument in their park. It is called the Brigham Young Park and is lovely with a ball field and playground equipment as well as monuments to Whitingham's veterans of wars.
A few fun things about BY and that list is endless. While in Mendon NY, BY built a mill and house over the brook. His wife Miriam was so sick he would make breakfast and warm the home, carry her to the table for breakfast, then by the fire to stay warm. He then worked in his shop close by to aid as needed. At lunch he cooked, took her to the table to eat and then back to the fire. Supper the same thing. He was a caring man. Although later a polygamist, his children spoke highly of him. You can know a man by what he is in his family. What a leader he was. Being born a farm boy and losing his mother early and then being raised to believe dancing and music were evil, BY becomes a liberal progressive leader for his time. Much like the richer gentry folks like the Alcotts, Emersons, etc. He wants education, he builds an opera house and makes the chandelier himself, he wants women to be educated and have equal opportunities with men. He encourages women suffrage. He surrounds himself with powerful women (many by marriage) and gives them opportunities to lead. What a great man.
2-September-2023-Saturday
It is somewhat painful to see the numbers of people visiting the center dropping off with summer ending. Still we had several groups today, but today many were nonmembers. One particularly caught my attention although Dede talked to them. The declared themselves friends of the church and told Dede if they go to a church it is the LDS ward in Ascutuny. They were friendly and Dede had a a great time visiting with them. She felt sad that they were only getting a small portion of what the gospel could bring despite the fact they are obviously drawn to the Spirit at the site and in the meetings. We also had a young family from Ohio. They had a 4 year old daughter and twin 2 year-olds all with the energy expected of the age. They looked tired but happy to be parents. Dede played with the children and I tried to teach a little to whichever parent was free. They enjoyed the golf cart ride. Hats off to the parents. They were practicing with the kids to say the name of Joseph Smith and the word: prophet. They got pictures so the kids could see what they experienced even if they do not remember. What a joy to see consecrated parents in Zion.
I was able to spend some more time putting up Christmas lights. It is going slower than I would like, but it is going. Does everything I do go slower than I would like?
At the end of our shift, we ate with the Buswells and then hiked Patriarch Hill. They had been up on a gator, but had not hiked the trail. They both have leg issues and so they hiked with dual hiking sticks. We went slowly up and down and it gave me opportunity to share all that I grown to love about the trail. We would have stayed longer at the top, but I knew from experience it would be pitch black coming back, which it was. Darkness in a thick forest is different than darkness in Idaho's forests. Luckily we had our phones for light and Sister Buswell could lean on Dede to protect her knees that struggle going down hill. Brother Buswell struggles more to go uphill and was fine going down if I just kept my light back in front of him. I cannot describe how fun it was to spend this time with these wonderful friends we have made on our mission. God bless them.
I am struggling with an ingrown toenail. I ignored it too long and am now soaking it. The toe actually does not hurt much, but the swelling makes my ankle hurt, so I need to take care. Would be a tragedy to visit a doctor. [By Sunday, I will realize, this is not an infected toe. I have an infection but it is not obvious why, and so a doctor's visit will be required.]
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