Hegsted Mission - Week 87
24-March-2024-Sunday
In preparation for Passion Week, Dede and I discussed Palm Sunday and what we will do to celebrate Passion Week this week. I awoke this morning with this in mind. I pondered about Jesus and His triumphal entry. He went straight to the temple to cleanse it. Many wanted Him to cleanse the fortress of their physical enemies and not the temple and their "spiritual" vices. Today, that seemed so important to me. In the scriptures, we are called temples. Do I shout Hosanna that the Savior has come to cleanse me or resent that He comes to me, a "temple" to cleanse me? Am I upset as he drives out those vices I have allowed to enter and reside in my temple? Or do I lead Him to even my favorite vice, which I have honored for years, and plead that He also remove this vice, just as He removed the lenders and sellers from His House? This week prepares us to celebrate the Resurrection and the Power of His Atonement. Am I willing to prepare myself to celebrate this Holy Day by allowing Him to cleanse my temple?
LDS Churches in our area were closed due to snow. With all the snow and the cold night, Dede and I drove up the White River and the First Branch to see the ice and snow along and on the rivers. It was so beautiful. Dede wanted to see this early before the sun warmed the River, removing the ice and snow.
We went to the site with our Palm Fronds to march around the monument and shout Hosanah today for our Palm Sunday worship. The snow on the stairway was not cleared, and it slid off the roofs onto the sidewalks. The Neilsons were busy with 21 visitors during the 4-hour shift, so we shoveled the sidewalks so people could get in and out and then a path partway up the monument so people could take a nice photo and we could stand and do our Palm Sunday ceremony. This week starts spring break, and we hope we get more people.
25-March-2024-Monday
As I type, I am aware of the arm muscles that have been exercised. We had our morning meetings with two major points: one to be kind when discussing the purchase of the Kirtland Temple and other properties and another to be risk-averse. The first will be so easy. Dede and I were treated so kindly by the Community of Christ members who took us through their sites. However, many felt differently. I fear that many in our Church feel offended that the Community of Christ does not recognize our Church as the only true church. Thus, if presented with something good from their Church, the members feel offended and feel they were given a poor tour. I do not know; I was not there, but I have seen our members treat their tour guides poorly.
We shoveled out Jody. The plow had been up, but the road was so rutted that we walked part-way in. The snow was deep, and we needed to shovel 25 feet before the ramp. The snow was still light but nearly two feet deep. Needless to say, it took a while to clear the snow. Jody came out to talk to us, which made us feel better. Dede spoke to her, and I continued shoveling, returning to the first path I cut and making it more expansive than a single shovel width. Without this, getting her out in an emergency would be difficult.
Jody's cell phone is not working again. She has not left her house in three weeks, although Bonnie Kenyon visited her 10 days ago. Dede got a list of groceries she needed to make a stew, and we drove to S. Royalton and bought groceries. She told Dede that she did not think she could stay for another winter. We both agree, but where would she go? I am unsure about her finances and how much she would get for her house, but hopefully, she can make a plan and move to a place where she can be safe and have people around her.
Back home, we ate, and I washed the car. It was covered in salt. Later, we picked up dirt from the wet spots in the road, but it was worth it.
At the site, we talked with Bob and watched as he spoke with contractors who had come to fix the main window at the VC. A cute couple came in. They were apparently friends from Lebanon, probably Dartmouth. She was a member, and he brought her to the site. They were cute and obviously liked each other. We gave them a 20-minute tour and felt good about it. I hope the two are careful and things work out as they should.
We were able to walk, and I was able to work on the name list. I am slowly making progress. At the end of our shift, we talked with the Nielsons. Yesterday, her sister had a sudden heart attack. Her husband immediately began CPR and called 911. The doctors said she was 3 out of 100 who survived this type of heart attack. The doctors have stabilized her and already installed a difibulator. They were so grateful. What a blessing for our new leaders. God is good.
26-March-2025-Tuesday
There is not much to write about. The morning shift lacked visitors. I walked 2.5 miles and spent some time on my project. We had a fun discussion with the Neilsons. They are kind and very long-suffering with me and all my opinions.
Dede and I discussed whether it would be possible for her to experience the total eclipse of the sun. She has always regretted missing the one in Idaho. She must travel an hour north to see the total eclipse during our shift. We will need to see what can be worked out.
I came home and worked on my project. It is slow, but every time I feel I am coming to an end, the Spirit seems to open a door for me. I do not know who, if anyone, will benefit from this labor, but the Spirit continues to drive me, and the support from the other side gives me hope that it will make some difference, somewhere on one side of the veil or the other.
We found names to take to the temple tomorrow. I am also preparing to play Peter for the Primary Easter event. I did this last year but did not write anything down from that year.
27-March-2024-Wednesday. PDAY
We left at 7 a.m. and drove to the temple. There were a myriad of traffic issues. There was no snow or reasons for so many delays, but they were present. On the last trip, we arrived at 9:13, and today, at 9:37. Upon leaving home, we got directions from the GPS. It predicted we would arrive at 9:18 and slowly lengthened itself out as the traffic issue developed. This does not matter, but I still get nervous as we become 5 then 10 minutes later, even though we still have time. How dumb that I worry when it shows I have time!
We were uplifted after two good sessions, although I might have fallen asleep briefly. However, I'd like to ask: "Dear reader, if one sleeps during creation, does that mean creation is ex nihilo instead of the creation taught in our Church?" I know that is way too deep for someone sleeping through a session. We had a chance to visit with Sister LaPierre and tell her how well she did speaking at the stake conference. I then found President LaPierre and shared the same with him. I love these people.
We stopped at a restaurant and drove three hours to Rutland to participate in the primary activity. The children colored a bag to collect Easter Eggs and were split into two groups. Five adults acted as if we were Peter, Thomas, 3rd Nephi, Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Mary Magdalene. Dede helped with crowd management. The YW hid the Easter Eggs. I played the part of Peter. I did much better than last year. Because I am in Primary every week, I know the kids, and they know me. With the youngest class, I knelt by them as they sat on the floor, which helped. Regardless, my prayers were answered, and I could keep their attention for five minutes.
We enjoyed ourselves immensely. We ate French Fries and hot fudge sundaes from McDonald's along with our lunch and got home at about 9 p.m. We would have been a few minutes earlier, but the fog was thick in places, so I slowed down. Dede was so appreciative. She is so easy to please.
28-March-2024-Thursday
After 5 hours of driving and everything else we did yesterday, I did not want to get out of bed. Whine, whine. I wanted to know how the Larsens were doing. When I went to bed, they were still at the airport, having been delayed in their last flight by 3-4 hours. They arrived late, slept in, and got to SeaWorld at noon. They stay open until 10 p.m. tonight, so they should see everything.
Poor Hailey. She went on a choir tour and thought she twisted her ankle. When she got home, it was swollen, black, and blue. Danielle took her to the clinic and found she had a broken bone. They put her in a boot and bought her a scooter, and she bravely left with her family for vacation.
I spent the morning working on the monument workers' document. When we got to the site, the Hoopes reported 11 visitors in 4 groups. We spent time with 6 of them. Two women who work for FamilySearch came in. They were in the area doing research for the Joseph Smith Biography. They showed me how to search deeds and wills using a new tool. These handwritten documents can now be searched. When you pull up a document, it also transcribes it for you. This is amazing. I looked up deeds, I already know. Apparently, the Church has not gained all the records in the Town Clerks' offices.
I look forward to using this tool while working on Family History. I can no longer drop in the clerks' offices at home. I tried it out on some known examples but I look forward to using it more often.
The evening was spent at the Neilsons, who invited everyone to come and play games. I love to hear people talk and play, but I spent the evening working on the blog and Family History. Yes, I am a stick in the mud, but I love to hear people talking and laughing.
30-March-2024-Friday
Today is Good Friday. Such an interesting name for a day filled with sorrow as Jesus becomes the Man of Sorrows, and His disciples are filled with sorrow and grief, first from his torture and then at His death. It is only by looking backward that we can call this day of horrors indeed the Good Day in the world. What would we have felt if we had participated as Spirit Children? Did we feel the pain of each lash on His back? Did we feel the pain of the nails piercing His flesh? At the same time, did we anticipate His resurrection and cheer for Him as He dutifully fulfilled the will of His Father? If we felt those feelings then, do we take the time to feel them now? I am so grateful to the general authorities and people of knowledge who provided insight into this last week. We have followed the Church's suggestions for each day of the week. We have listened to a new Apostle bear witness of Him as the week progressed. We have read scriptures and been uplifted. Now, can I carry this wonderful Spirit forward into the coming weeks?
We had the early shift and were blessed with 15 guests in three groups. The first two groups came in almost together, so we combined them into one group. All were members, two groups from Utah and one from Maryland. The two families in the first group were great. After the tour, I visited with one family, while Dede took the second family for the things we had missed and visited with them. They, alone, would have made a sufficient day. However, we had another family of 6 come in. Parents and four daughters starting their tour of Church sites at the JSB. They were prepared spiritually to hear our stories and testimonies and to share theirs with us. What a wonderful experience. We are leaving the slow season of the year. Sometimes, it feels as if we are wasting our time. Then we have a family like this and realize they alone would be sufficient for two years of labor. But God is kind and has given us many such opportunities.
We were so busy with a visit from Sister Neilson—bless her kind soul. And for the remainder of the shift with our tours. We had no time to eat, walk, or work on anything else. Time passes so quickly on busy days.
After our shift, we ate, and Dede went shopping in Lebanon. I napped and worked on my monument workers project. Again, I felt the Spirit leading me. Some names have been easy. I find the name and birthdate, so they are easily found in Family Search. Lovejoy's book "History of Royalton, Vermont" has been crucial as many lived in Royalton. But others are hard. I had a Mrs. Griffiths. This is a married name. As I researched the Dewey lines, I searched for a Dewey who married a Griffiths and found her. Google Search has helped with names not related to Royalton and without first names (often just initials) for other people. I located information about Charles Marr and Alexander Gordon, who owned the quarry where the first four pieces of the monument were found. Slight hints were available, and then Family Search was helpful. Unlike the men who bought their quarry, these two men were not well known, and information was scarce. Dede and I have hiked "Lookout Trail" several times. Along the trail is a sign about the Marr and Gordon quarry with some information about these two men. What a blessing that I took pictures of it. I can add these pictures to their memories and the portion of the Proceeds Document that speaks of them.
I am pressured to complete this work before we leave our mission. It should happen, but I need to remain focused. With this thought in mind and with all we have been learning and relearning about death as we study the resurrection of Jesus Christ, I realize that ending a mission is much like death. Dede and I will pack up on Tuesday morning, do a final bus tour, and drive away. We will never return to these blessings. We might come back, but not as missionaries or with those we have come to love. Will we be ready? Will we have accomplished everything we were sent to accomplish? Like death, the answer is fascinating and final. We will be excited to return to loved ones at home. We will be saddened to leave loved ones here. We will surely realize that without the Grace of our Savior, we would have failed at accomplishing what we were sent to do on our mission, but with His Grace, we will be successful. That is the same with life. I am grateful for our Heavenly Father's merciful plan and His Son's Infinite Atonement.
30 March-2024-Saturday
It is interesting to ponder the Savior in the Spirit world on this day. I cannot imagine the anguish His earthly followers were suffering. As it says in John, they just did not understand the resurrection. What a shock since I do not comprehend it today. While those on Earth were mourning, the Spirit World people rejoiced.
We had a great day at the site. The Hoopes had 22 people, and we had 20. By far our busiest day in 2024. We had a fun couple who were waiting for us as we arrived. A married couple, he a nonmember. They just wanted to talk. While they were there, I had a family of 6 to whom I gave the short tour. The grandma was probably a member, but not the daughter and her children. Still, it was a good tour. I started the next family on a long tour, and they were joined by another family. Both were great, and it was so fun to have families viewing the restoration board again.
Our final tour was to a 16-year-old exchange student from Mozambique. She cannot be baptized as an exchange student, and the missionaries are at a loss for how to teach her, i.e., what their goal should be. She looked older than 16, and I think the missionaries forgot how much she was learning and how vital repetition was. But then, it is not my calling to teach her. She was fun to take on a tour.
We closed down the site and went to Lui-Luis as missionaries to eat. We sat by Bob and Jane Arnold. One of the sisters who found and taught them is a friend of Dede's. They had lost touch, so Dede took a picture, sent it to her, and then asked her boss, Aaron Moore, if we could get her number. By the time we went to bed, the Arnolds and the former missionary were reunited by technology. The gospel is a small world. God blessed Dede and Jane to sit by each other to share this experience.
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