17-September-2023-Sunday
Today helps me remember why I love my mission so much. It was stake conference for the Montpelier Stake. We watched the evening session last night and enjoyed it so much. The Buswells were on the stand at stake conference and I believe were set apart as site leaders last night by Elder Homer of the 70. We went in to the site at 10 am so we could watch the conference on zoom and be prepared for a bus tour around noon. I was getting the golf cart out when I saw a lady driving out. I waved to her and she came back around. She had come to church at the S. Royalton building and no one was there. She had come to NE to do a school reunion in Connecticut and visit a friend who now lives in Tunbridge. Although disappointed about no church, we were all put in the right place at the right moment for her to enjoy a tour. We were just finishing when 2 men came in not expecting anyone to be there, but also getting a tour. As the bus arrived around noon, three other groups arrived.
We ran down to the church to get out the sandwiches for the bus. The ward makes the sandwiches for the Mormon Heritage Tours. There were three this year and it becomes their fund raiser. Good for them. We had them gather at the monument for a picture and information at the monument. They then changed clothes and ate. This was a different tour. They were members of the Smith families. They had gone to Gilsum NH where the Nashua Stake has been working on the cemetery. Cleaned the area near the Mack plots. Fixed a broken headstone and installed a new headstone for Solomon Sr. and putting the old stone on the back so both are preserved. They also installed a sign at the entrance of the cemetery nearest the home where Lucy lived. Good for them. I am guessing the Smith family has the funds to do so.
The tour was fun. The people were friends and relatives so the leader had problems moving them along, but oh how pleasant they were to us. I walked down to the Solomon Mack foundations with them and talked with them. As we were coming up, a sister asked me "what is the best thing I have learned at the site." I told her I had learned much about Joseph and about details that were not important. But I have learned how God loves people and will move people and the missionaries to be in the right place and the right time saying the right things to touch people. I think I was as emotional in this tour as I ever get. I think it was the Spirit brought by these good people. They also mentioned Karl Anderson who was supposed to lead their group, but due to health reasons could not. The mention of his name caught me by surprise and I almost wept again as I thought about the dedication of the Joseph and Emma home in Kirkland about a month ago which occurred without Karl being there. I related my thoughts about that and almost cried. How I have learned to love that man.
Right before we left, we learned that the stake presidency was reorganized. The first counselor was released and the second moved to first while President Shelton (formerly the Rutland Branch President) was made the second counselor. Good for him, but sad that another Priesthood Leader is being pulled away from the branch. However, hopefully he will help the stake remember their plight
Tonight Dede is preparing a meal to feed the Buswells along with us. They have had an eventful weekend with their setting apart. We are so fortunate to know them and to love them. Because we knew them as mere missionaries, we are very comfortable inviting them to eat with us. I do not know if we would feel as comfortable with Leaders that we did not have this relationship. That is probably just wrong, but it is what it is.
We had such a pleasant evening. The Buswells had gotten up early to drive 80 minutes to conference and then rushed back to work at the site. I was so glad Dede was aware and invited them to eat as I do not think they had had time to eat much in the past 40 hours between work and conference. God bless them.
18-September-2023-Monday
In our Monday morning meeting, we discussed how to train the Hoopes who should arrive at the end of the week. Since we were the last new couple to arrive on the program (tour) side of the mission, this is all new to the Buswells. When they arrived, it was February and very slow so they had weeks to get ready to give tours. It was busier when we arrived in August and it will be even busier for the Hoopes for about 3 weeks before we hit our slack time. Such fun.
Worked on the document all morning. Another day of making some progress. I have a few more hikes to take before I can close three sections to the initial draft stage. I have been spot editing, but am now starting from the top to do a more thorough edit. When I get the drafts done and a first pass edit, I will download to Google Docs and use the grammerly app to do a check on grammar. With this done, I will feel more confident to hand it off to a few people to do a review.
We had just one couple come in all afternoon although the morning had been busy. They stayed only about 20 minutes, so I worked on the document again. It rained most of the day killing any desire to go out and hang Christmas lights.
19-September-2023-Tuesday
Elder and Sister Hoopes should arrive by Friday, so this Tuesday should be our last 8 hour shift. We are ending this with a bang. We had 20 people today. That is so great. So many people wanted to know about Joseph Smith, members and nonmembers. I had a wonderful couple who were so interested and asked such good questions leaving with a BoM. I do not know if they will read, but their kindness and sincerity left an impression on me. Another single man asked questions outside, did not want to come into the VC, but also seemed to be stalling to have more time to feel the Spirit. A third couple were nice, but did not want to hear anything about a prophet as the Bible Cannon is closed in their minds.
Perhaps the funnest couple are serving a temple mission at Palmyra. I think they drove all the way here just to see our site and will hit the Priesthood Restoration Site tomorrow. They wanted to know everything and just hang out with us. The Palmyra temple is closed and so they have a few days off. They started their one year mission in August and are loving it. We had a group of three, sister, husband and bother, who also stayed a long time. They wanted everything and also just wanted to visit. We had others come in and they just stayed and listened again.
All in all we just had a great day. We had no one after 5 pm (surprise since Google says we are closed) so I spent the last hour putting up Christmas lights. The other missionaries got the covered bridge done today, while I did a large lilac tree in the back near the parking lot.
20-September-2023-Wednesday PDAY
We had a delightful PDAY. I returned to the doctor to have my toe checked on. We both agreed it was healing well. Not done, but healing well. The sore is very small, the infection is not obvious both in the lack of redness and the swelling of my toe. I do not feel the tightness in my ankle etc. I need to keep it bandaged until it totally heals and I need to watch the bottoms of my feet and catch open wounds quicker than I have in the past. A tender mercy. A week before noticing my toe, I had decided to cut out chocolate candy in my life. It had begun to dominate my life and I cannot have one candy and walk away, once I have one I have handfuls. The doctor had warned me that too much sugar would keep me from healing and so I credit the Spirit for leading me forward. Interestingly, I have taken a notch out of my belt. I wish I could say I feel like I could run and not be weary and walk and not faint, but I can say I am doing better. Also, when I eat a dessert now, I can feel the rush of sugar in my head. (Cannot explain what that means, but it is real). When I was eating so candy I could not feel that. Who would have thought, that taking care of your body (i.e. WoW) would actually work????
Dede started on the desserts for Thursday night. She (I will be present, but she will do the work) will feed the Wilcoxes a final meal Thursday (they leave next Tuesday and want to pack Monday night) and then we will have all the missionaries over for their favorite two desserts. Dede is so cool. She was finished with the first two layers of dessert when I returned and we took off north.
Our first stop was the American Headquarters of the American Society of Dowsers in Danville, VT. We were met by a lady who is the only paid employee. It appears they finally gave up and hired a person to work weekdays as the volunteers were worn out. Being local, her introduction to dowsing was a demonstration in their town common as a young girl. She then forgot it until she applied for and received the job. Thus she does not profess to be a dowser. She could however pick up dowsing rods and show us who one could get a yes and no answer from them. She assured us, one cannot use them for gain. I.e. when she tried to use them to win the lottery, she did not win although she felt like she was getting an answer. We visited for 30 minutes and she sent me home with two sets of dowsing rods, a spinner bob and reading material which includes a course on how to become a dowser. I am guessing that my audience is asking, why would I (as a missionary for the church) would stop and ask questions. First I have have always been intrigued by dowsing. But especially since Oliver Cowdrey was a dowser. This has become clearer from the Joseph Smith Papers project which shows a revelation originally saying Oliver had the power of the twig (dowsing rod) which was later changed to a rod like Aarons's rod.
So what will I do with the information and tools? Not sure. I have enough to keep me busy on my mission right now and do not need a new project. Furthermore, it frankly brings me concern. I think the power to dowse could be a gift of God, but like all gifts it needs to be used for the glory of God and I do not need one more temptation in my life to "show off" a gift and take credit for that gift, not chance using the gift incorrectly which is the tendency of the natural man. I am not saying people should not be dowsers. I am saying, I am not sure I should seek after this gift. 
Places like this intrigue me. To think that people lived here and are now gone. That so much work, toil, sweat, love, tears etc. happened in this place. I am glad people remember such places with parks and descriptions. More importantly, I am glad God remembers them and that each and every name of each and every person who lived here and in other places we have visited will be called out during temple ordinances. Thus these people will not be forgotten and will have right and privilege to salvation and exaltation. We have a merciful God.
The stone work here is amazing. The first three pictures are from the mill foundations, which spanned the brook which powered it.
There were three large homes from the owner and his children and the stone work is magnificent. As well as an old school house, the grist mill and a saw mill. These were connected by trails and they had a nice brochure to read.
Next task, looking for waterfalls. The first was the dam and former falls at Joe' pond. Note Joes Brook runs out of Joe's Pond and is the Brook that supplied power for GreenHollow Woolen Mill. This falls has been altered by a dam, but the sign was great and there was a little walking covered bridge, so I provide pictures.
We then headed slightly north to really nice falls called Goslants Falls. Not only were these falls worth the effort to see from the road, but if one was willing to bush whack into them, the foundations for the mills and mill runs that were there were excellent. Again this is on Joe's Brook but above the ponds. I am amazed at the stone work that was done at this falls to create mills that ran for years. I am also amazed that the Yankee ingenuity that was shown as the New Englanders harnessed the water power, was somehow later lost as the technology moved to steam and electrical plants and the Vermonters did not follow. A few saw it coming and converted their mills to power plants and then were able to innovate with the new equipment, but for the most part, they just fell behind and then either closed of followed the cheaper labor down south leaving so much of this area without employment possibilities.
Again the falls and rock work were magnificent.
Not far away we made a 0.7 mile hike to see Cheever Falls. This was by far, the most magnificent of the three falls we visited. It is like three falls in one. A large upper falls and then two lower parallel falls. Again, we saw the foundations of such magnificent workmanship. The hike in would have been easy, had not everything been so wet. Apparently that area had had heavy rain within the last 12 hours and the trail was often nearly impassible. It would be difficult to take others to this set of falls, but so worth it. Upper falls first, and then both sets of falls finally a shot of the foundation walls. It is so hard to show the foundation walls. There are usually three or more sets of walls used to channel the water. To think of so much moving water and the rock foundations standing without mortar is amazing.
Dede really likes the Fisher Train Covered bridge so we drove over to it. Much easier walk up to it without 2 feet of snow that we had last year when we visited. We were shocked to see the flood damage in the LaMoille area. One car bridge was twisted in half. At the Fisher bridge, one could see tree limbs all the way to the top of the bridge pylon. The old road bed was washed out in three places in about 250 yards. The parking lot had been flooded and that was the reason for the major washout of the road.
We went into Lebanon to eat dinner and shop. We decided to follow up on a sign about the Packard Covered Bridge in Lebanon NH. We got there rather late, but were glad to add it to our list of covered bridges.
We ended the day by washing the car. I was too tired to work on the blog and did not finish it until Thursday evening.
21-September-2023-Thursday
Tonight is the 200th anniversary of the visit of Moroni to Joseph Smith Jr. to begin the restoration of the gospel in this the later days. Tomorrow, I will write more as I am supposed to speak for 10 minutes about this great event at our dinner tomorrow night.
Dede was cooking and baking this morning. I started on the blog, but our internet slowed to a crawl so I went to the site to explore and map and area I am lacking for the document. Amazing how few steps I get in bush whacking, but how tired I get. Anyway, I have the data for another section of the document, just need time to work on it. By the time I returned, Dede had a meal ready for me and was nearly ready for our dinner tonight. We will feed Elder and Sister Wilcox a final meal and then have all the missionaries over for dessert afterwards.
Our day at the site was busy. It appears people are pouring in early for leaf peeping season. I never had a moment when I was not giving a tour, often to two groups at once. Dede was equally busy and we were always working separately. What a great time. However at 6 pm, I was finishing the last tour inside and had to say, we need to close the site so we can get home and feed some missionaries who are going home and we left.
Dede had prepared a lovely meal of country pork ribs, potatoes, salad and great desserts. I was glad we could do something just for the Wilcoxes. Yes we have a dinner tomorrow also with all the missionaries, buthey have served for 23 months and made a difference here.
The Hoopes arrived today and so could come over for desserts and meet everyone. We also had the Arbons from Camp Joseph. It was just nice. A busy day and a busy evening, but this is what is real in life.
We also had Kirk and Debbie Jackson come in this evening. They were members of our ward for years and so it was so fun to see them. I did their tour as Dede was with others. Apparently he has been called to serve on the High Council. He will do so much good because he is such a good man. We are so grateful when people come to visit us at the site. We truly love the Jacksons.
22-September-2023-Friday
Another busy day. I strung almost a half of string of lights before guests starting arriving and we stayed busy the rest of the morning. Again, rarely being together. I had the opportunity to visit with a young man from Georgia. I do not think he had any idea why he really stopped at the Joseph Smith Brith place, but we visited for over an hour. He had such great questions. He had read some anti-church literature and so his questions were shaped by this, but he was open and willing to learn. He left with a BoM and my greatest respect. His questions were open and kind.
I seem compelled to come back to this young man again. How does a young man from Georgia make his way to an out of the way place in Vermont to learn about Joseph Smith? How has he been prepared for this experience? What did he take away from our discussion? Was I properly prepared for the encounter to teach with the Spirit? Did I inform him of those things that will lead to further discovery and joy in the gospel. Although his status as a nonmember makes him stand out in my mind and I probably took more time with him alone than I might others, do I have the same hope for the "typical Utah" saint who comes into the center? Do I care about them and give them same amount of energy and prayer that what I say might enhance their experience and faith in not only the prophet, but more importantly Jesus Christ? It probably comes down to one word. Do I teach all and react to all with charity, the pure love of Christ?
We had other visitors who just wanted to soak in everything Joseph Smith. I never felt panic, but gratitude. Poor Dede was catching everyone while I talked too much and she was a little more panicky, with good reason. But we made it through. We also had the Hoopes come through and listen and then the Buswells took them. They have that "deer in the headlights" look that I must have had the first day. You are already tired and it seems so overwhelming. Monday, they will have their first shift alone.
We had a dinner tonight at Camp Joseph. A second goodbye to Wicoxes and Arbons. Brother Arbon is making cowboy surprise. I think it is like chili. We ate so late, I am worried about having room. I will also speak for 10 minutes on the significance of Moroni's visit to the boy Joseph and his trip to the Hill Cummorah exactly 100 years ago. I have appreciated things I have learned about this experience in the last few years. Yes Joseph received knowledge about the plates of gold upon which a sacred record was written. Yes if read, a person can know that Joseph was a prophet. But also, everything that I hold so dear is the restoration and the BoM is the keystone and starting point of that restoration and to our religion. I am grateful to a Father In Heaven who prepared Joseph for this experience with the first vision. With his use of seer stones. With religious revival meetings that caused him to search and ponder the meaning of salvation. With four years of tutoring personally from a prophet who came back from the dead as a resurrected being. And who apparently did not just visit with him once a year, but during other periods. And also I am grateful that God led the young prophet to Emma. I feel that the day he married Emma, he became a complete prophet and was ready to face the world, because she was the perfect companion for him and he for her. From day one, this glorious pair has revealed to the world how an eternal marriage is to be developed. I am grateful for them both. Oh, did I mention, that God told Joseph he had to bring Emma to the hill on the 22nd of September? Naming her in a revelation as the person to bring? Praise to the couple who brought forth the BoM and the restoration.
23-September-2023-Saturday
Busy morning, ironing and cleaning up my messes, because Jon, Shirlee and Kal come tonight! I was able to work on my document, putting in some of the work from my hike Thursday morning.
It was weird. We had the 2nd shift and for 1.5 hours no one came in and then we were swamped the final two hours. It was fun, but strange. I would guess this will be one of our busier weeks of the year without missionaries and busses. We had great people coming through, but were so busy that it is hard for me to remember specific people. Also we worked separately and often split groups so I spent a great deal of time taking people below and that makes it harder to know them. One family was particularly fun. They had a 2 year boy who was just darling. There was also a couple, not yet married, who I thoroughly enjoyed.
God is good to us and we have visitors tonight through next Thursday. Buswells and Knutson's also have visitors this week. It will be so crazy.
Comments
Post a Comment