Week 67 - Hegsted's Mission

  5-November-2023-Sunday

Another time losing daylight savings time.  Falling back is somewhat easier,  but I struggled this morning thinking I was missing my wake up time and so did not benefit as much as I should.  It was nice and light at 8:30 when we left and that is positive.  We had a wonderful Fast and Testimony Meeting.  Our new second counselor bore his testimony.  Not sure how many times he has done this since his mission.  It was sweet as he explained his desire to not be forced to serve, but his willingness to do what the Lord wants.  Primary was just fun.  I love it when Dede does the music.  We sang and sang and then sang some more.  The group was small but they were so good.

Had an interesting thought come to me during Testimony Meeting.  My Patriarchal Blessing states, I will be a missionary to the nations of the world.  Having gone to a mission to Germany and then Switzerland, I thought I had fulfilled this promise.  However, as I thought about it, I realized that with my job, I had missionary opportunities in Belgium and the Czech Republic.  With this mission call, we requested to stay in the states, so I thought I had completed my foreign experiences.  Then at the first of my mission, a lady gave me a book about the Independent Country of the Vermont Republic.  Thus I can say I have served in the Republic of VT, or the former Republic of VT.  More importantly as Dede pointed out to me, we receive many foreigners at the site, including Germany, Switzerland, Brazil, Canada, China, and many South American countries.  Did I mention Texas?

We arrived at the site at 1 pm to cover the full shift.  Sister Buswell had one walk through and then a group that could stay just a few minutes before the site opened.  We sat for about 90 minutes with no visitors but then had some great visits.  We had a father and son from Laramie Wyoming.  He was here for a conference on rural education.  We had a family with 5 children.  He teaches at BYU and is on Sabbatical and came to New England, his childhood home  He was very interested that Anna had a PhD in Biology from a credible university and that she is a female with a temple recommend.  I would guess these are attributes that are difficult to find.  The kids were so cute.  We then had a family with 4 children, 3 boys and a baby daughter.  Her grandparents were there for the baby blessing and they were all so wonderful.  It makes the mission fun.

Dede and I woke up and realized it was Fast Sunday.  That was fine and I do enjoy fasting, but I am ready for the great meal Dede is preparing for us.  

6-November-2023-Monday

First Monday of the month, so we had a slightly longer set of meetings to allow President Buswell to provide a thought to the entire group.  He did well.  Dede did the first training and I had the the group thought.  She did great and I hope our thoughts benefited someone.  Afterwards the women gathered to plan meals, both this Friday and the Thanksgiving meal. 

It was our second late shift without daylight savings time, i.e. with darkness at the end of our shift.  As expected it has slowed down.  Hoopes had 2 people and we had 9.  We had a family of 7 which included the Zollingers who serve an MLS mission in Lowell MA, at a small Spanish Branch.  They had children visiting and they can travel anywhere in the mission, so they brought them to the site.  They have been to the site several times and are lovely people.  The daughter-in-law appeared to be a fantastic mother and the kids were cute.   

We put up a few more lights.  By the time we started, it was cold.  I am positive all Christmas lights should be hung when the weather is warm.  Upon leaving we saw our favorite doe with her two fawns.  They disappeared from view about a month ago when the shooting began.

Tomorrow we work the morning shift and then visit Plymouth, MA, the home of Plymouth Rock and the first Thanksgiving feast.

7-November-2023-Tuesday

Disclaimer, I am writing on Thursday, 9-November, because of our trip.  It is amazing to me how much detail is lost when waiting to write in my journal/blog.

We had the early shift this morning and were blessed to have a father with his son come into the site.  He is a dentist in the military (10 years) and is planning to get out in a few years.  Thus he was visiting friends from the military to learn the ins and outs of setting up a private practice.  He brought his middle son age 6.  His son's attention span was probably on the low end of 6-year olds and dad was frustrated.  I was intrigued by this youth's ability to ask questions.  While doing the presentation on the monument, I made him wait and give me a chance before asking more questions.  He then said, please go back 5 slides and asked a very good question.  It would be fun to meet him in 25 years and see where this ability takes him.

I put up a few more strings of lights, adding to trees that I felt could be better covered.  I am a real snob when it comes to putting up lights, especially when I am not paying for them.

We left right on time as we wanted to hit Costco near the temple to pick up prescriptions and then make the 6 pm Endowment Session.  Despite normal Boston traffic we managed to do both and eat at Subway.  It felt strange to go to the Temple on a Tuesday night.  I knew nobody.  The session was small (3 men and 6 women).  When I attend on Wednesday morning, I know many of the workers and see many patrons I have seen before.  It has become my temple on Wednesday mornings but it was different on Tuesday night.  The building and furnishing did not change, but the intangible portion of the people surely did change.  I am grateful for the reminder.  It is so easy for me to attend the temple, especially with Dede, but it would be so hard for a single person to feel comfortable as I do without attending often.

We left immediately for the 75 minute drive to Plymouth the home of the pilgrims.  We stayed in the Blue Spruce Inn, a very nice mom and pop motel, which had the cheapest rates and good reviews and was less than 8 minutes from the Plimoth, (this was how Governor Bradford spelled the name) Museum and 13 minutes from the Mayflower ll.  

8-November-2023-Wednesday. PDAY

Warning:  What you are about to read is my interpretation of what I was taught in Plymouth.  It is analogous to writing a paper at the end of a section of a history course where the participant is supposed to show his comprehension of the material by writing a paper.  I will not be offended if you browse through the material quickly.  However, I have found this effort very rewarding to sort out the thoughts and mental pictures developed on Wednesday from our visit to Plymouth.

Dede wanted to go to the nearby White Horse beach on our way to Plymouth. The wind was howling and the waves were magnificent.  Hard to capture them in a photo, but I liked the two that I have here.  It was a great reminder that the wind blowing off the ocean is very cold this time of the year.  Easy to understand why the Indigenous People lived along the coast in the summer to take advantage of the fishing and farmland, but moved inland during the winter to avoid these frigid winds.

We arrived at the Plimoth Patuxet Museums.  Again the first word is meant to be Plymouth as spelled by      

Governor Bradford, while the second word is the Native name for the site of Plymouth before the Europeans arrived.  It is important to note, that this living museum is not the original location of the village.  The original location would be in the middle of populated Plymouth and thus archeological remains are buried under homes and businesses there.  What is shown is a faithful re-creation of the area, built on a similar hill using the best information available.  Like all historical data, this has changed over the years since the museum opened in ~1976.  Today the place was crowded with school children.  This is their 3rd and 5th grade history lessons and they want to bring the children around Thanksgiving to experience the first Thanksgiving.  Thus the museum was trying to show what it would have been like in 1621 when that first Harvest Feast would have happened.  At least the characters were preparing for the first Harvest Feast.

After the obligatory, but well done introduction film which gave background for the visitors we began our journey into the museums.  Notice the plural, they had a native section, a "on hands" section and the European village in separate areas.  This is true to the period.  The Natives did not live with the Europeans.  I would guess neither group wanted to be with the other.

We will start with pictures of the Native area (I am trying to avoid the word Indian) in my notes.  It is not easy to break years of habits.)

The first two pictures, show dugout canoes in different stages of creation.  The dugout would have been made of hardwood and hollowed out by using fire.  The weight of a hardwood log would help the dugout remain stable.  Fire was one of the most important tools the natives had.  Dugouts could have been small for one person or large to carry many people.  The one shown above could hold up to 20 people, but 40 person dugouts were created.  This allowed the Natives to fish on the ocean as well as in the rivers.  They  used fishnets created from hemp.  They used hook and line made from the same material.  They created traps and weirs to make the fishing easier.  Fish would have been important in their diets.  Interestingly enough the people we talked to, did not seem to think they cured the fish for long term use.  However written placards in the museum suggested they did.  (Part of the reason I love going to these sites is to realize how others interpret History.  This is important at the JSB site where we serve.  With the research I have been doing, I have come to realize, that interpretation is based upon the facts I choose to use and have available to me and that new data can change interpretation).  The third picture is a recreation of a Native winter lodge.  They were careful to note that this type of lodge would not have been built so close to the ocean but would be built miles inland to avoid the cold winter winds.  It had a wooden frame created from bendable saplings.  These were tied together with the hemp string.  The outside covering is bark.  The pieces of bark were about 2x4 feet in size.  These are smaller than the Natives would have had available.  In an old-growth forest, it would have been possible to get much larger pieces because there would have been 7 foot diameter trees.  I am amazed with bark.  It is easy to see the White Birch bark which tends to fall off naturally, but oak and maple bark could have been stripped fro the trees and flattened into very large pieces to form this outside covering.  Bark was commonly used in the East.  I am not aware of its usage in the West  A lodge would last for years with maintenance.

Inside the lodge (pictures 4 and 5) would have been benches for sitting and sleeping covered with animal skins.  They were quite comfortable.  Down the middle would have been fires to warm the lodge with vents at the top of the ceiling to allow smoke to escape.  (We came away smelling of campfire.)  The Natives would have gathered in large family groups in the winter into such lodges.  Inside the walls would have been lined with mats made of rushes or cat tails.  Interestingly enough, the rushes and cattails are almost impossible find in the area as invasive species of reeds from Asia have replaced them in the past few decades.  

In the summer, when they moved down closer to the sea and river, they would have broken into smaller family groups and lived in smaller summer lodges.  These were more rounded instead of elongated and covered only with rush or cattail mats.  They had a frame to show visitors, but it lacked rushes and cattails mats.  Two reasons: one could see the frame easily and rushes and cattails are no longer available.

The last picture was to show a summer cooking area.   Docents were cooking a rabbit over the fire as well as making a tea.  I would guess they would do a stew also.  However, it was not clear to me what they would use for kettles and pots before Europeans brought them. 

Some background on why the European colony was built at Plymouth.  (And no, it was not because there was a rock there). I will also cover the composition of the group as this was a surprise to me.  Either I was not taught all of this or did not comprehend the importance of this fact.  

Many of the Plymouth colonists were Separatists from the Church of England.  They felt the Church of England was not going to be reformed, so they wanted to separate themselves from the State Church and form their own church.  The King of England, was no more tolerant of protestors than the Catholic Church.  Politics (i.e. power) and religion are hard to mix and often result in the loss of agency.  Regardless, remaining in England, resulted in loss of property for the Separatists and the ability to work due to government decree and persecution.  Going to Holland where religious tolerance existed was illegal and resulted in further losses of property.  Just as important, the complaint was with the Church of England and not with being English or the King of England.  These people were loyal to the country and King of England and moving to Holland meant their children were becoming Dutch.  As Englishmen, they were discriminated against by the Dutch and lost more of their worldly wealth there.  The available choices were not good.  However, capitalism had a different plan.  I.e. capitalists who were willing to have people go to the New World (America) promising them land (which they did not own in America, although the King had given them an award of land) after they paid the company back for the cost of setting up the settlement in America.  (The upfront capital, as well as supporting capital can not be understated.  These capitalists were taking a huge risk.  What if the boat sank on the way?  What if the people were killed by Natives?  Or by disease?  What if they could not make it?  I was amazed as the docents began explaining the number of failed colonies also supported by these capitalists).  Bottom line, leaders of the group work with a stock company to get funding and permission to take themselves to the New Land.  However, the stock company was not there to serve this new religion and non-believers (non-Separatists) would also be part of the group and more non-believers would come in the future.  Non-believers are probably just as religious, but want to work within the Church of England to reform it (think of the Puritans in Boston) and not separate themselves.  Others were happy with the Church of England.  Bottom line, this is not a homogeneous group of people with a prophet like Brigham Young whom all would be willing to follow.  There would have been diverse opinions and desires.

The journey was filled with issues.  They were driven off course landing in Cape Code far north of their planned landing on the Hudson River in NY.  In fact, they are outside of the territory where the company had rights to settle.  The captain of the Mayflower was not willing to take them south in the winter due to the treacherous waters and so they were stuck up north, where no one expected them to be.  In fact the Mayflower compact, is in part written to recogniz this fact and pledged the signees to stay together.  It, as well as the influence of Governor Bradford helps shape democracy as it is known in New England and America today.  Think however of the perils.  The Separatists planned to bring the smaller Speedwell with them to allow mobility and the ability to fish in the ocean allowing them to pay back their loans.  It would also have been an emergency life line back to England.  However the Speedwell did not make it due to leakage issues.  (The prevailing thought today, is the crew did not want to live in America and sabotaged the ship so it would not be able to make it).  If the Mayflower had not made it back to England, no-one would have known where these Pilgrims had landed and they would have been lost to history along with other settlements.

Before leaving the Natives, we need to mention they saved the colony.  First their Grand Chief signed a treaty with these Europeans that lasted 70 years.  This is amazing.  Other tribes were more hostile to the Europeans coming in and taking their land and resources.  (What a shock).  Furthermore, the wheat and barley the settlers planned to plant did not grow well in this area.  Thus, the Natives taught the Europeans to plant corn, beans and squash which were native to the area and had been grown successfully for years.  Just as importantly, they taught the Europeans how to grind the corn to be used as cornmeal and grits.  The native corn was like our field corn today.  The kernels are rock hard.  This is not sweet corn, but this corn is meant to be milled similar to wheat.  The Natives used hollowed stones to grind their corn.  Eventually the Europeans would create powered grist mills.  Corn is an American plant and was unknown to the Euopeans.

There was another later colony near Weymouth MA. which was not as lucky as Plymouth.  Here the people were starving without outside support.  They would eventually steal so much from the Natives that one of the thieves is hung by the MA government to restore peace, resulting in the final failure of the colony.  One of its original members made his way down to Plymouth and wrote about both colonies.  We are so lucky to have this material.

The inclusion of the Natives influence and life-style is somewhat recent to the Museum.  I would suspect, more will be added in the future.  However, the Natives did not leave written records and so source material is not as easily obtained.  Luckily there are still two branches of the the local Native tribes remaining who have maintained oral histories.

Back to the Mayflower, which originally landed at Cape Cod.  Apparently Cape Cod was not considered inhabitable as there was a lack of water and tillable soil.  (The Mayflower passengers would not see the vision of creating a 20th century rich people's resort and thus did not claim the worthless land to be sold 10 generations later to the rich and famous.). They had maps of the area from Champlain some 10 years earlier and made their way into Plymouth Bay.  Note that Plymouth Bay is not really an adequate harbor.  The Mayflower anchored 1 to 1.25 miles offshore to be safe in the shallow waters, with a shallow harbor Plymouth never became a port city.. However, the area did have very good sources of water (springs and a nice stream) Town Brook flows right by the original colony site.  The land was already cleared, because the Natives had populated the area in the past.  However large numbers of the natives were killed by epidemics which reportedly started in Maine and swept down the coast killing thousands of Natives.  (More than a 50% reduction in people).  Thus the land was empty when the Europeans arrived.  Note however, this was their summer area, and the Europeans arrived in December, so the Natives would have vacated the area so it is not clear whether the Natives had planned to return to this area in the spring.   The death by disease among the Natives is well documented after the Europeans arrive.  Since there are no written records, such tragic epidemics are not documented before the arrival of the Europeans.  It is hard for me to believe there were not epidemics in the America's before they were introduced by foreigners.  They are mentioned as a sidenote in the BoM.  Epidemics are well documented for centuries in Europe and continued in America after the Europeans arrive.  In fact, at the JSB site we talk about a Typhous Fever Epidemic in 1812 which killed 6500 people in the Connecticut River Valley, a similar  area impacted by the epidemic coming down the coast from Maine to Boston killing Natives.

My last thoughts on Natives.  There was no homogenious group of Natives in America living peaceable with nature and among themselves.  There were different tribes and groups.  Even within the group that made a treaty with Gov. Bradford, there were 5 tribes and many communities.  Some believe the treaty with the Europeans served the self-interest of the Natives to protect them from the other local Native tribes as well as from other Europeans who would arrive in America and plunder the land and the Natives.  In other words, the area of Plymouth had been populated for thousands of years by Native peoples.  However like the peoples of Europe these Native Peoples were also warring with one another and taking and losing possession of lands and resources.  We greatly simplify history when we simply divide between the good and the bad groups.  Both sides are made up a small groups and individuals.  Both groups are making decisions based on the traditions and knowledge available to them.  When there are various groups, there will be conflict.  I do not like the conflict and loss.  I do not think God wants anyone to suffer.  There is agency on this earth which leads to conflict.  Per our Book of Mormon, God knew that the Europeans would come to America and establish the nation we have today as the place where the gospel could be restored.  Thus God took a tragic set of circumstances and turned it into something benefitting not only the people living today, but all the people whose lives will be changed on the other side of the veil by the restoration of the Gospel.

As we visited and as I have pondered our visit, I could not help but think of the many Natives in the Americas whose names are not recorded on earth anywhere and  whose work cannot be done in the temples today.  I am so glad that God knows their names and these names will be given to us in the proper time to do the work.

Let's proceed to the European Village.  The village is displayed to look like 1627 or 7 years after the landing of the Mayflower.  (The actors were displaying 1621).  From documents we know the Europeans began building shelters on 25-December 1620 soon after their arrival.  Looking at the current village and  landscape, one would assume each person immediately built his own home.  However, while building, they were still living on the Mayflower which was at least a mile away necessitating daily rowing to and from the ship. They landed in knee to waist deep water in the freezing December/January weather.  I suspect they first built a communal survival unit on land to move into and then began building individual homes.  If they build a communal block house 60x25 feet long, they would have more space than they had on the Mayflower.  They could build fires for warmth (plenty of trees around) and stop making the trip to and from the ship.  Many men never fully recovered from the chilling from wading onto shore each morning. The death rate in the colony was about 50% that first year.   On very cold days they would have been covered in ice to start the day's work.  No wonder so many died in that first year.  Furthermore, the captain of the Mayflower would want them off the ship so he could return to home and again make profits. He made no money sitting in Plymouth Harbor.   He had probably planned to have goods to take back with him, but the people had no time to collect anything to send back to pay their debts.  They were in survival mode.  And they did not land where they could collect goods from other colonists.

In the pictures below, an overview of the 1627 colony.  Views inside homes as well as the thatched roofs used on the majority of the homes.  (One had shingles).  Notice the bright colors.  These were not  a somber people wearing only browns and blacks.  Each many would have had armor and many would have had a musket.  Whether any had military or hunting experience is not documented.

For the over 1000 school children who came to the museum on Wednesday, the character actors were acting as if the year was 1621 and they were preparing for the first Harvest Fesast (i.e. Thanksgiving).  The children were there for about 2-3 hours.  Some seemed very well prepared while other were just running.  Some listened to the characters describing foods that would have been eaten, clothes that would have been worn, a "soldier" awaiting the arrival of the great Indian Chief and perhaps 90 Natives, a trader waiting to trade for goods with the Natives etc.  Others merely ran from place to place.  This is just like the JSB site and what we experience daily. In fairness, there were third and fifth graders and the fifth graders seemed better prepared.

Had we not had the opportunity to to talk to Dan, the Docent, for over an hour, who was very knowledgable and seemed to be a leader of the docents, we would have missed so much.  I could write for hours on what he told us, but I will refrain.  But a few bullet points might be good:

• We were viewing at a recreation of 1627, but characters  were portraying 1621.  Thus the background village was incorrect for the time being taught to the children.
• The Europeans were told to bring large quantities of nails to build with them from Europe.  Three sets of clothes and shoes.  The richer would have brought some furniture and personal items.  There would not be industry in the colonies for many years so such items would need to be resupplied from England.
• The outside wooden slats of the homes were connected by nails.
• The outside was made of wood, with mud inside.  Similar to a Tudor type home, but the clay or mud was not water resistance and require the wood outside to protect it from the rain.  
• The clothing was linen underclothing and wool outer clothing.  The characters were wearing many layers of clothes as it was cold.
• The shoes were tied with strings.  It was made clear to us that they did not have buckles on their shoes as is commonly seen in drawing of the pilgrims.
• The people would have worn colorful clothing.  Black would have been used for a portrait so that changes our picture of them.  Again a stereotype for pilgrims.
• Each family was also instructred to bring pounds of lead for bullets.
• The feast would have been held in September or early October at the completion of the harvest, but we were experiencing November cold weather as we think of a November Thanksgiving today.
• Harvest Celebrations in Europe were often days of fasting and not feasting.
• Each character was trained to be a specific person and tried to have the accent of that person and remain in character while speaking.
• Each home was tied to a specific family, however after trial and error, they no longer tell the visitor who lived where.  Apparently confused visitors.
• Dan pointed out Bradford's home
• There would have been one Main Street, but provision of an orthogonal street at the center of town.
• At the top of the hill was a stockade (fort) for protection.  In 1627 this would have been almost brand new.  It was a two story affair with cannons at the top.  
• I would imagine there was something there originally for protection before the fort was completed.
• I could be wrong, but protection in a strange land from Natives and other Europeans would seem a priority.
• Some of the characters were very good at explaining the fears of not having the Mayflower makie it back to England so they could be resupplied.  Since their position would be unknown to the stock company.  The fear of not having new shoes brought from England along with other necessities was mentioned. 
• The "soldier" character warned us not to be converted in the village by the religious zealots there.  He personally liked the Church of England.  
• Beams could have been sawn in a saw pit.  There were tools for splitting clapboard siding and shingles.
• Most of the roofs were made of reeds like the thatched roofs in Europe.  Plymouth would pass the first laws in the Americas prohibiting reed roofs due to the fire potential.  Nothing like sparks from a chimney landing on nice dry reeds to encourage fire.  
• There is not remnant of the Separatist Church in America today, which was favored by the majority of these people.  If anything it has been assimilated into the Congregationalist Church.  
• Dan and other docents were not above ridiculing the naive Separatists for believing God was blessing them to allow them to receive divine help and survive.  Since we had put on layers of coats, our badges were buried.  Wonder what we would have heard different if our badges were openly displayed?  I was grateful to hear his normal thoughts about religion allowing me to judge other comments he made.
• The people were religious but some of their thoughts would surprise us today.  For example, since the Bible did not teach that people must be married by "a Priest" they would probably have been married civily.  In other words, they were willing to live in a secular society with civil laws and leaders.
• At least Gov. Bradford followed the 11th Article of Faith allowing all to worship how and what they may.  They demanded the same privilege.
• They had a quarrel with the Church of England, but they state in the Mayflower Compact that they are loyal to the King of England even if he does not reform the church as it should be reformed in their eyes.

I would recommend everyone visit this place.  Yes, it was not correct for 1621, but it represents these people after establishing themselves in the land in 1627, after these people survived the first cruel years.  They would eventually become part of the larger Boston/Massachusetts area.  However the Mayflower compact and the system of government they developed influenced America and American thought.  Without these, the church could not have been established.  

By using both period-dressed and -acting characters as well as current day docents, they do a wonderful job of bringing characters to life while still being able to give you a 21st century view.  I think both are powerful tools in helping one understand the individual.  When it is all said and done, it is not "the pilgrims" or the natives under discussion.  Rather it is John Howland, and Elizabeth Tilley, and Mr Carver, and Governor Bradford who were real people with hopes and fears and a desire for a better life that create our human family and make Family History such a great thing to do.  Likewise there were individual Native persons.

We enjoyed a Thanksgiving feast at the museum cafeteria.  We had pondered going there to eat on Thanksgiving day with the multitudes, but I think this was better and we can celebrate with our fellow missionaries on Thanksgiving day at the site.

They were throwing pottery and had information about the apothecary.  I found these to be interesting because they readily discussed the fact pottery was not made in the early years of the colony.  The woman would have grown their own herbs etc. as part of their cooking to improve health and not been able to get anything local but there was no formal apothecary in the colony.

Next visit,  the Mayflower ll.  This is a recreation of the Mayflower.  There were no original plans to recreate this ship, but there were similar ships from which to model the Mayflower that would have sailed in 1620.  Originally built in 1976, it was restored again and brought back for 2020.  The Mayflower ll was built in England and sailed across to Plymouth and even experienced storms.  They were not experienced sailors, but made it to port.  They built a dock very close to Plymouth Rock and so it is very accessible.  One does not need to go out one mile in the bay to climb aboard.  (It is also nearly empty, so it sits higher in the water.)

In the pictures above.  1-2 are models of the Mayflower.  Picture 3, is the most critical picture.  It shows the middle deck where 102 passengers would have lived while sailing on the Mayflower.  More about that later.  In picture 4, one is looking down into the hull of the boat where supplies would have been kept.  Pictures 5 and 7 are standing on the deck.  Picture 6 is the small boat which was stored (in pieces) on the deck where the passengers were living.  In picture 7 one sees the tiller whip.  Steering wheels for ships would not be invented for another 100 years so this tiller was used.  Picture 8 is back on deck while pictures 9 and 10 show the boat from outside and the final picture is Plymouth Rock.  This is a smallish stone.  Has a fun history, but not sure why it has become a landmark.  In the past people chipped off pieces as souvenirs so now it is well protected.  Regardless I expected a large stone and was surprised by its size.

I want to focus on the ship for a few minutes.  This is not a passenger ship, as they did not exist.  This is a cargo ship used for transporting goods, which might include people.  Most of the gear needed once they landed would be in the bottom hull (picture 4).  The 102 passengers would have lived on the middle deck, picture 3, in an area  between 50x25 to 60x24 depending upon whose estimate one uses.  Not all of that space would have been available to the passengers as items such as the dissembled boat in picture 6 were stored there along with other goods.  At the front of the boat stored chickens and other small animals brought over for food.  Perhaps there was a canvas separating this from the people.  Either here or above would have been "the head" for bathroom privileges.  There would not be running water, in fact drinking water would be carefully rationed.  Thus baths would not be allowed and even washing your hands and face difficult.  During storms, the passengers would be kept down here for safety, both from being washed overboard as was John Howland who is miraculously saved and just to allow the sailors to keep the boat upright and floating.  I assume passengers were allowed up in small groups during calmer weather, but I am sure that was limited and monitored.  Since they sailed late, storms would have been common. 

Let's discuss how crowded this area would be.  Taking a conservative estimate of the size, leaves about 1400 square feet for 102 passengers.  If all 1400 sq ft are available each passenger would have an area of 5 feet x 2.5 feet to live during day and at night for sleeping.  You would be cheek-to-cheek with 102 "friends" all the time.  (Note the deck was only 5 feet high, so I would be crouching all the time.  The deck on the Mayflower ll was over 6 foot to allow tourists more comfort.  The caption's quarters and the steering compartment are also on this deck and the crew and officers were at opposite ends of the deck.  Thus there would have of necessity been a path through the deck for the sailors.  Also there would be items stored on this deck.  If you take 15% if the area for paths and stored goods (like the boat) one is down to 5x2.3 ft for each passenger.  

Add to the cramped (and may I suggest putrid smelling) quarters with all of these people, the fact that it would have been dark down there, especially during storms.  The ship would be rocking in good weather and pitching in the storms.  It would sound like the ship was going to come apart.  There would be noise from people snoring, talking, moving about as they manned the sails and ran the ship.  The journey lasted 60 plus days.  They then sat in the bay while they built shelters so they could unload the ship and have a place to live. I cannot imagine the misery.

I have seen pictures of the slaving ships where the slaves were chained down in minimal spaces and this voluntary passage left little more room per passenger than provided slaves in the slaving ships.  I am surprised that more people did not go entirely insane and need to be restrained for their own safety and that of others.  Also amazing only two people died during the trip.  Had there been a serious contagious illness in those cramped quarters it could have killed everyone.

I do not think conditions were much improved when the early saints came across to join the US saints in the 1800's.  The Joseph Smith Birthplace of 22x24 square feet plus a loft seems very spacious after thinking about the Mayflower.  We are so spoiled in the USA with our large homes and private rooms for each individual in the family.  Historically this was not the case.   Even today in Europe and especially in Asia, there is homes are smaller.  I am so guilty of wanting a seat with no one near me in the temple.  I am very spoiled.

When I think about all that could go wrong with funding and founding a colony, I am  amazed that the people in Plymouth and other places in the USA were successfully colonized.  I can see the hand of God in these events.  I can however also understand why others would see the suffering that occurred here and in other colonies and have their faith in God shaken.  I do however think there is an interesting natural selection occurring.  It takes a certain attitude to be willing to risk not only your own life, but the lives of families members to move to a new land.  Interacting with people of different nationalities, religions and cultures requires interesting skill.  I am so impressed with the early American people and what they created here.  And the impact it has left on America.  I think this helped create our land of promise.

The final part of the museum experience was the Gristmill on the brook near the original settlement and thus not far from the Mayflower ll.  I will include three pictures below explaining them as I give some history of the Plymouth Gristmill and perhaps a little on the technology of the same.

The first picture is a model from the museum of the current gristmill, followed by pictures I took yesterday. The last picture had to be included because it looks like Christmas lights and it is the season.  

Brief History:  Corn continued to be a staple grain for the colony, but there was a quick recognition that a mill was needed to mill the corn to cornmeal and or grits.  (Same corn, just how it is separated after grinding).  The relationship of how the original mill looked and the current mill is not clear.  The site is the same.  The current mill has grinding stones about 5 feet in diameter, made from stone imported from France.  The original probably used local granite stones less than 3 feet in diameter.  The water in the current mill hits the water wheel about half way up.  The original mill's water probably flowed under the wheel.  This is less efficient, but for a grist mill probably not critical.

The original mill was built in 1636 by a man named Jenny.  I heard he was granted rights to build it or in another version,  Gov. Bradshaw requested he do this.  Jenny died and left the mill to his widow who ran it for years.  One fun story, at one point the miller was taking more than the customary 1/16 of the grain as his portion and was approached by Gov. Bradshaw with a proposal.  Stop taking more and forget it happened or spend time in the stocks.  He decided on the former.  Apparently over the years other methods of cheating people occurred.  After some years, the mill changed hands to a person with other mills in New England before it burned down in the 1800's.  It was restored using parts from a mill from Pennsylvania and became part of the museum.  

They discussed the River Cod which used to run up the rivers each spring.  With mills on the streams including Town Brook, this run of Cod was almost eliminated.  Now however they have removed many of the mills with their mill ponds and they have a fish ladder going around the grist mill and the Cod runs are returning.

The internal workings of the mill were intriguing.  The water wheel and the gears turning the wheels are all made of wood and the teeth can be easily changed.  The number of gears do not match up, to evenly distribute the wear between the teeth.  The mill runs each Saturday producing 250 to 450 pounds of corn mill.  They do both normal and organic corn mill.  The grinding stones were separated during your visit as they need to be kept clean which they do by lifting off the top stone for cleaning.  They are inspected by the FDA and so they have hygiene standards.  While fascinating, there is nothing to describe the original mill's internal workings. This was probably never documented.

Dede purchased several different corn mills.  As much for the recipes on the back as for the different varieties.  Cornmeal is something she can eat.  

The milled corn is sold in the store as well as to nearby restaurants.  I would assume although it was not stated that the parts for the original gristmill would have come from Britain.  But sill would have taken ingenuity to put the whole thing together.  

We stopped at Texas Roadhouse in Manchester on the way home and were back home by 9:45.  It was a long but wonderful day.  I am glad to get some of the details written down.  Much of this information will have fled my tiny brain by tomorrow.  This morning I was awakened by the though that I needed to record the information and process it so I could utilize it to make me a better missionary at the site and help me understand better the interpretation of history.

9-November-2023-Thursday

We awoke this morning to snow on the ground.  According to my weather App, we got over 3 inches, but if so, most of it melted before I got out of bed.  This could be the highlight of the day.  It was good to see that the snow slid on the copper they installed on the site buildings so hopefully it is easier to maintain this year.  Time will tell.

I spent most of the morning writing in my blog.  It was long, but it helped me.  I hope the reader survived.

The site has almost died as far as activity is concerned.  We had a single man come in.  He is a descenendent of John Taylor.  His mother was sealed to a young man who died early and she was not allowed to be sealed again.  Thus she left the church and married a nonmember.  Interesting.  Today it might be different, but I can imagine the concern of this young man's family having a temple sealing annulled and him in heaven not  sealed.  I am convinced God would take care of this but.....

10-November-2023-Friday

A much warmer day and a busier day at the site.  We had 13 people come into the site in three groups.  Since two were 2 each, it helped our numbers to have a big family.  One twosome,  included a lady from Dartmouth College with a BYU Religion Professor.  She must have a number of member friends as she stated she had many BoMs.  He was very good not to tell us who he was until near the end of the tour, but Dede drew it out of him.  She wanted to know everything we could share and I am sure the professor shared more with her later.  The family of 9 were great.  Grandparents visiting their kids who have moved from California to NH.  The final couple were the best.  They are currently living in Soda Springs, ID and developing property in Lava.  He is related to Brian Bladd in Pocatello.  She is the sister of Allen Smith.  We know both of these people and their families and were grateful to give this wonderful couple a tour and think about how kind the Lord is in giving tender mercies.  If either reads the blog, a shoutout to them is warranted.

After our shift, we drove to VINS and hiked for 90 minutes.  They are putting up Chrstmas lights so I visited with them about lights.  (They use a shorter light, than we use at the site and that I use at home.  Sometimes shorter lights are directional, but these were not.  They were so much easier to use as the cords did not tangle with the lights). We hung two flyers about the site's Christmas lights before returning home so we could go to our biweekly Friday evening dinner with the missionaries.  Another wonderful day.

11-November-2023-Saturday

We went out to hang flyers about the Christmas lights in our assigned villages.  Went well and then we realized that the Hoopes had done most of our area.  Good for them, but sad for us to drive and take our time when we did not need to do so.  Oh well.  When I got home I brainstormed with Danielle about my document and purchased Microsoft Word to allow me to use Gramarly to check my work and the be able to easily post in a format that can be shared.

Had a good day at the site, with a nice steady stream of people.  I especially like one group a brother, his sister and their nephew.  The brother and sister joined the church in El Salvador.  He is now a Bishop in St Albums VT.  She had such a sweet testimony.  He was so proud of her.  He told me he wrote an article about her in the March 2017 Ensign called Blessed by my Faithful Sister.  It is a powerful article and his sister shared a powerful testimony with us.  What a blessing they are to the church.  What a blessing they were to Dede and I as missionaries.

We stayed late to download Word on the Mac and then we turned on the Christmas lights to look at them.  I need to fix a few places, but they will be spectacular again this year.  We are so excited.