Hegsted Mission

  17-March-2024-Sunday Very strange to not drive to Rutland today. Instead, we slept in and prepared to watch stake conference at our kitchen table. I thoroughly enjoyed the meetings.  They had 3 youths speak, followed by a stake youth choir. After that, Sister Shelton from the Rutland Branch (and stake president's 2nd counslors's wife)  and the Primary President spoke. President Worthington asked three people to bear testimonies. First, the Young Women's President, who flew in this morning on a red-eye flight, and then our leaders, the Neilsons.  They all did well. President Worthington is a farmer and typical Vermonter who does all he can to survive. In the early 1800s everyone farmed even if they had a trade, and many today do the same. He told us stories of growing plants and bushes and tied them into helping youth and members around us grow in the gospel.  He teaches using parables.   We were 5 minutes late for our shift. We are used to going at 1:30 i...

   10-March-2024 Sunday It began snowing at 7 pm and apparently snowed all night. The ground was warm, so even though we reportedly received 13 inches of snow, there were about 5 inches of snow. It was very wet. When I moved it with the snow shovel, it became water. Sometime between 3 and 4 am, we lost power. We had the privilege of dressing in the dark without water so Dede could wash her hair. That was inconvenient.  When we lose power, we also lose signal on phones, so we were on SOS most of the morning until we left the apartment. We have not lost power since the first December we came here, so I cannot complain. After observing all the trees around the power lines, I find it amazing that we ever have power in Vermont. We learned that S. Royalton had canceled Church. I would imagine they were also without power. Weather permitting, we had already determined we would go to Rutland. Attending the Branch has become more than an assignment.  It is an opportunity to m...

  3-March-2024-Sunday We love the Sabbath Day. We love the drive to Rutland, meeting with the saints, and hearing their testimonies. It is a beautiful branch. The testimonies born get better and better, partly because we have grown to love those who gave their testimonies. Karie wanted to play for primary, so I attended Sunday School. That was new for me. Dede went to Primary. As we left Rutland, we drove in heavy fog for miles.  The mist was gone at the top of the hill, and we enjoyed mostly sunny skies all day.  The temperature got up to 55 degrees.  Looking ahead, we are supposed to get our next snowstorm on Sunday. The prediction is 10.5 inches of snow.  It will be warm, so the snow will be very wet. I wanted President Lao to know that we would probably not drive to church if we got that much snow in the morning.  We will attend the S. Royalton Ward if they do not cancel.  A week is a long time, and I assume the weather forecast will change before ...