Week 73 - Hegsted's Mission

 17-December-2023-Sunday

The calendar says December 17, but the weather says October.  It made for a nice day, and we arrived home before the rains started.  The branch presidency spoke in church, and we had a remarkable musical number.  Next Sunday, we will have a single hour since it is Christmas Eve. I think there will be musical numbers by different organizations and congregational singing. It should be very nice.

We arrived at the site with a slight mist, which continued for 2.5 hours before the rains came.  I think we will have over 2 inches in the next 24 hours.  With temperatures above freezing, our snow will be melted, and we will have a green Christmas.  Hard to know what will happen in a week, but snow is not predicted for 10 days.  Up to this point, this has been a mild winter similar to or exceeding last year.

We worked 2-5 and were blessed to have people visit us.  Two groups came an hour before dark (when the lights went on)and just hung out, asking questions. I do not think anyone was converted, but people were comfortable, and I was grateful to visit with them.  As we left, the rain started in earnest, but the cars were coming in a steady stream. Hopefully, the Hoopes will have a good evening.

Dede made pork chops and gravy.  I am so spoiled.  

18-December-2023-Monday

We awoke to rain, which would be the day's theme.  We started our meetings with Dede on the flute and Sister Buswell on the piano playing "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief" to honor Joseph's birthday this Saturday.  We are so blessed to celebrate a second December 23, Joseph's birthday, where he was born. We had thoughts and prayers that added to the meeting.  Aaron West, from the Church's Historic Department in SLC, joined us and favored us with a song, "Without Easter, there would be no Christmas."  We cannot find this song and believe it was written by him or his family.  Aaron is a baritone with an incredibly high range, and he rendered the music and it touched our souls.  A great way to start a day.

As we drove home, we noted that the river was higher than it had been 90 minutes before, and the rain continued.  Home we went.  Dede busily prepared for Christmas and our daily life's needs while I pounded through more edits and additions to the document.  

Another parable was provided to me; I call it the parable of microwaves.  When we arrived at our apartment, the microwave worked well, but it was evident food had caught fire within, and the top of the microwave room had a hole burned into it.  Needless to say, this made Dede nervous.  Admittedly, because I am taller, I forgot about it unless I was wiping out the microwave because I could not see the damage.  Dede asked for a new microwave, and a small one was located in the mission warehouse, and we began using it.  This tiny microwave worked well but had low wattage, and we quickly grew impatient with it.  The mission warehouse had another higher-wattage microwave we received two weeks ago.  It quit working as I heated my lunch today, blowing white electrical smoke at me. How I missed my tiny microwave that worked. Luckily, it is still in Buswell's garage, and we will get it on Tuesday.  More fortunate, the Lord provided another tender mercy.  My whining was unnecessary.  I was well enough off.  I will not whine about my tiny microwave again but rejoice that I have a microwave.  I felt like a fish out of water as I warmed my food using a pan on the stovetop.  How primitive to be without a microwave! Just one step above serving without a purse or script. NOT!

As we went up to the site at 2:45, we were amazed at the level of the river.  It was not flooding VT-14 but in the grass along the road.  It was approaching the level we saw in July when VT experienced significant flooding. Last July, we found River Road on the opposite bank of White River remained open, so we felt comfortable.  We sat for an hour at the site.  (I worked on my document.) The Buswells came in and sent us home.  They closed down the site.  The river peaked at midnight.  We could have gotten home had we stayed, but the locals are wise enough to stay home in such weather, and we would not have served anyone.  Even if someone drove up, they would not leave their cars to come inside. It is nice to know that our leaders are concerned about our welfare.  It did seem strange to be home on Monday night. For the second consecutive night, I played Cahoots with my wife!  Lucky me!

Dede is sewing a purse.  It is fun to watch. The instructor sounded like her friend Ok Jin and was delightful to hear.  Dede is also sewing herself a new jacket.  When she has a moment between visitors,  she is crotcheting hot pads. She has bought all the Christmas gifts, and they are wrapped upstairs. Her energy remains boundless, and her love for me is incredible. I am definitely the most spoiled missionary who has ever served!

Sunday night, we watched Emma play piano for her Christmas concert.  She did well.  Our view of her from the back was fun as we watched her little legs swing and lock together, not reaching the floor. We have talented grandchildren.

19-December-2023-Tuesday

We were blessed with partly cloudy skies and moderate temperatures. The ground is saturated. The granite along the roads will become ice-coated if the temperature drops and the water flowing from the granite freezes. We may not have a snow-white Christmas, but perhaps an Elsa-ice Christmas. We will have a white Christmas because we plan to attend the temple tomorrow, but not with snow.

I was shocked we had 2 people come to the site, followed by a single sister.  All members. We gave full tours, and my editing and writing time was severely limited.  Hard to believe I was forced to do my job as a missionary. The man from the first couple is from Pocatello and had met a Vermonter on a Mormon dating app and came out to see her.  I think he is way overmatched, but who am I? No one is more overmatched than I am with Dede.  Regardless, they were a great tour.  The sister, now a Vermonter from Idaho by way of Blackfoot, was also great.  I think Dede really bonded with her. We were ready to leave when a couple came in, and the Buswells had us start them.  One was a member and the other not, so we spent time at the restoration board. Sister Buswell took over, but they left shortly after to eat and return when the missionaries arrived.

Meanwhile, the Buswells were invited to be interviewed by the Vermont TV station.  They asked us to cover people while this happened, so we worked in the office until the TV reporter came. I think Buswells did well. The reporter interviewed an excellent guest.  It never hurts to get advertisements for the site and its lights.  Dede finished her purse today. It looks good.  I am proud of her.  Elder Buswell edited my paper, bloodying it with ink and providing great feedback. I am grateful for him. I inserted 10 quotes into the report from the last article I read.  Most are in the endnotes but give background to the main document.

On the way home, we filled the car with gas and drove to Hartford, looking at Christmas lights.  What a fun time of year. We should have good roads going to Boston tomorrow. The temple should be great. Now it is time for scriptures.

20-December-2023-Wednesday PDAY

Another miracle on the drive to the temple.  We hit a traffic stoppage where 89 joins 95, but otherwise, it was smooth sailing. We made up for it on the way home with an hour-long traffic jam from Boston to the NH line.  We stopped at Walmart, where I took a 45-minute nap while Dede shopped.  We then stopped at BJ's in NH for gas and groceries.  Unfortunately, they did not have sliced meat.

I learned a great phrase in a podcast: "Commute to commune." As we drive to the temple, we commute to a sacred place to commune with the Heavens.  It is much broader than that.  Our life is a commute.  We leave the God we love to come to earth to learn to commune with him in a higher and holier way. What we do on our commute is as essential as our communication.  

I was so grateful to be in the temple. On the way to the temple, one of the Podcasters talked about the faith we needed in the Savior to decide to come to earth.  Likewise, we required much faith in Adam and Eve to choose to fall.  What if they had not chosen to fall?  Watching the endowment presentation with this in mind made the experience unique.  We had set up an Initiatory session after our endowment session.  However, we stopped by to see if Brother and Sister Choppelas were there, and they were.  We had a wonderful short visit with them. We wished them a merry Christmas.  They will be there next Wednesday, and we have already set a sealing appointment for next week, so we will see them.  Dede is so inspired, and I am grateful she dragged me to the office to see if they were there.

On the way home, we stopped at Fort Independence.  This historic fort was built in the early 1600s along the deep channel to Boston Harbor.  It was an ideal location to protect the harbor and was rebuilt 6 times over the years.  At one time, it had over 300 cannons.  Unfortunately, it is only open on weekends during the summer, but we could walk around it and admire the granite rock work.  It is no longer an island as a causeway has been built to the fort, and another walking causeway connects the area in a circle, creating a safe pleasure lagoon for the locals.  In the summer, it must be jammed with cars and people.  Even on a chilly December day, many walked and ran the 2.2 miles of causeways around the lagoon. Along the main causeway is the Conlely container harbor.  Here, container vessels are loaded and unloaded almost daily. Containers were coming and going on trucks to complete the distribution for the New England area.  This is the only container facility in New England.  No ship was being unloaded, but they were moving containers to load onto trucks or to be loaded onto ships.  Sadly, there was a 10-foot fence blocking our view up close, but it was fascinating to watch. No one else seemed interested in the containers.  I am strange, and my lovely wife is very supportive.  

I took pictures and will supply explanations.

First row: History of the fort and one of the 5 bastions of the fort.

Top view drawing of the fort.  Cannons still line one wall of the fort.

Korean War. Memorial.  Distant view of the fort and of the cranes.

Closer view of the cranes.  Looking across the lagoon.  Walking the causeway.

21-December-2023-Thursday

I am writing on Friday morning.  We did not leave the site until 10:30 last night after spending three delightful hours with Moroni (Roni) Johnson of the S. Royalton Ward. His life is closely tied to the Birthplace site, and I interviewed him for the third time last night for the document. He will add color and background to my paper.  I hope to write a short biography on his life as it relates to the site as a separate piece to share with him for his kindness.

The year's shortest day is behind us, and we can look forward to longer days and more sunshine as the year progresses.  I love celebrating Christmas at this time of the year as light returns to this part of the world, and we ponder the genuine Light of the World while celebrating His birth. A rare sunny day in Vermont that never warmed up. Dede enjoyed the sunshine as she shopped in Lebanon.  I missed most of its glory trapped at the keyboard. 

When we arrived at the site, the wind had picked up, and the clear sky made the temperatures fall. Regardless, we were blessed with visitors.  Many merely drove around, fearing to brave the cold, but a good number came in, and we visited with them. It was delightful.  The Church provides a beautiful opportunity for the locals of New England.  A free venue to witness Christmas lights and receive hot cider and cookies on weekends.  We have seen many young families who need a complimentary touch of the Christmas Spirit.  Ditto for the elderly.  I am always delighted to see grandparents, with or without the parents, bring in their grandchildren to experience the magic they experienced as children.  For some, it is a yearly destination.  Surprisingly, some within 20 miles have lived nearby for years without knowing about our Christmas display and are first-time visitors. Every guest is different. Many enter to get warm, fearing the missionaries will accost them.  Others are comfortable and come in year after year to photograph the Christmas tree and enjoy the Spirit. What a joyous time for Dede and me.  Yes, we are away from our families at this time of year. But we are testifying of Joseph Smith at the place of his birth (in just 2 days) and of the Lord and Savior, represented by our Christmas lights who called His prophet in these latter days.

Roni (Moroni Johnson from the S. Royalton Ward) was a joy to interview.  We talked on the phone for 90 minutes and spent another 90 minutes with the Buswells and him at their office.  I did not get through my lengthy list of questions, and he graciously agreed to return and sit for another interview.  He has seen so many changes at the site.  He has been involved in many of these changes and interacted with general authorities who came in the past.  He is the epitome of a Vermonter.  He owns his own business, which does a little of everything.  He logs, builds, plows snow, is a trained arborist, and does construction.  In his spare time, he serves as a game warden.

Most importantly, he has interfaced with general authorities as part of his connection to the site.  He has had spiritual experiences that he shared with us.  Thus, our lengthy interview last night.  I hope he was touched by remembering as much as we were impressed by his storytelling ability. He came at 7:30 and did not depart until 10:30.

Dinner last night was a bowl of oatmeal and toast.  A wonderful late-night meal.  It is now time for our Friday morning shift.  Hopefully, we will practice with Sister Buswell for the concert tomorrow night at the Church.  They are traveling with their daughter, so it will depend upon their availability. 

22-Decenber-2023-Friday

We hit bed around midnight and slept until 8 am.  Still tired.  I am old and hope we do not stay up for New Year's Eve as a group.

We did not have visitors to the site today.  However, we enjoyed visiting with Bob Arnold, the FM manager, for an hour as he worked on our back door.  He is a great man. Dede also watered the poinsettias. Shockingly, I worked on the document. So many edits I am making now force me to search the document to find and fix similar issues.  Plus, I added much from our conversation with Moroni Johnson last night.  Much of this went into endnotes, but it enhanced the paper and kept me from editing.

We drove for an hour after our shift, enjoying the clear skies and the ice forming in the brooks and the granite walls along the roads. For dinner, we had spaghetti.  May I mention my wife's incredible cooking skills again?

23-December-2023-Saturday

Happy 218th birthday to Joseph Smith.  What an opportunity to celebrate his birthday here at the birthplace site.  We practiced 90 minutes this morning for a concert in the evening.  Dede was on the flute, Sister Buswell was on the piano or organ, and I played the organ occasionally to provide three instruments.  While waiting for Sister Buswell to arrive, I explored the area near the meeting house, looking for remnants of the apple orchard Moroni Johnson described the ward using for their fundraiser.  There are three trees in the grassy area of the camp, and I think I found two more among the trees.  Unfortunately, if nonapple tree trees are not removed annually, they will quickly overwhelm the apple trees.  

After our practice, we ate at Roma's. Such good food and is relatively close to us.  We drove the backroads home and saw an old towrope used for skiing and an excellent foundation example of foundations for an old mill.  See the pictures below. Tow ropes should have snow to look authentic.

  

Dede went into Lebanon to shop while I worked on the document. We had a busy shift.  Even though we closed down from 5:45 to 7 pm before reopening until 8 pm, we still had over 200 people enter the VC;  the cars were an endless stream. The weather was pleasant, and the people enjoyed the lights and walked around.  We had members come to celebrate Joseph's birthday, and between interested nonmembers and the members, we gave many tours.  Dede and Sister Buswell were excellent at the concert. The audience sang as they performed, and all felt the Spirit of Christmas.  

Such a great way to celebrate the Prophet's 218th birthday and end another week.