Good Bye, Welcome...Change

 Dear Family and Friends,

Our new directors have survived their first week.  It's a little "doe in the headlights" look, but they are excited and great people.  As we all know change is hard, but good.  Elder Cleverly is an "IT" guy who wants to drag us all into the 21st century.  He had me make a Google Calendar and now wants me to instruct all the Sr. Missionaries how to access it. (now I just have to figure out a power point presentation.)  His plans are to have all relevant information, that we as Seniors share, on Google Doc's and Calendar.  I have my work cut out for me, since I know enough about this stuff to be really scary.  Its totally trial and error------lots of errors.  But I'm muddling through. The Calendar is up and shared with all and I even know how to access it.  ( yea---a round of applause please) 21st Century here we come, whether your ready for us or not.

As I mentioned in our last blog, "Meet The Mormons" has been playing at the Visitor Center since New Years Day.  It is unbelievable, we've turned into a Movie Theater.  We show it every hour on the hour starting at 3:00 pm and both theaters are full most days. We also show it prior to 3:00 pm, on demand, if we have a room.  It is so wonderful that so many are coming to the VC to see the movie, and also a problem that so many are coming to the VC to see the movie.  As I said, "we've turned into a movie theater, without the popcorn and red vines.  The purpose of the Visitor Center is to  invite all that visit to "Come Unto Christ."  If we show a movie or give a tour, it is with this purpose in mind.  The Sister's are to preset any tour or movie with the request that we think about someone we can invite to "Hear Christs Message", but as you can imagine with 100 people standing in line to get into a theater, all wanting great seats, their minds are not thinking about someone they can share the gospel with.  At the end of the tour or movie, again the Sisters ask if anyone has come to their minds to share the gospel with, but as soon as the credits start to roll, most of the guests jump up and head out the door.  We have a problem, but a good problem. We are currently working out the kinks and hope to be able to provide the atmosphere where the spirit can touch, those who come, to think of others who we can invite and share our message.  (Any Ideas are welcome) Come on, I know my peeps are brilliant and can solve this issue.  Looking forward to your ideas

We've had two P-days since my last post--time is flying by. Our p-day on the 19th was very uneventful.  I was exhausted and didn't get out of my PJ's 'til 3:00 pm.  I would have stayed in them all day except we had an appointment to teach.  (Good reason to get up and get dressed) But our p-day this last Monday, the 26th, was another road warrior adventure.  We took off for Coral Pink Sand Dunes.  We headed out through Hurricane, Colorado City and stopped at Pipe Springs.  We've passed Pipe Springs for years on our way to and from Utah and never stopped. Do not make this mistake.  It is fascinating.  It was a tithing ranch for the church for several years.  When members would pay their tithing in cattle they would be sent to Pipe Springs to graze and breed.  They had 10,000 head of cattle there and made 60 lbs of cheese and 40 lbs of butter a day.  They would take this butter and cheese into St. George twice a month for the Bishop's storehouse.  They would take cattle twice a month, as well, to be given to those men and women who were working on the Tabernacle and Temple.  These men and women were paid in "Mormon Script" and could purchase butter, cheese and cattle with this script.  Brigham Young put this system in place to support the pioneers who were here in St. George to be able to survive.  The more we learn about Brigham Young and his ability to solve serious issues, the more we realize he was the "Prophet" who was needed at this time.

After Pipe Springs, we went to Kanab and stopped at the Visitor Center to check out the "Wave" in Paria Canyon.  (Google it)  Since I have learned about this place, I have been dying to go. There is a lottery system which requires you to show up the day before to place your name in the lottery. They only allow 20 people a day into the park so the chance is very low, but soooooo worth it.  I will do this, but not sure I can work it out while we are still serving.  However, we did get information about two other hikes that are on my list of must go's.  We then headed up the road to Coral Pink Sand Dunes.  Again, we have passed this 100 times and never stopped. It is out of the way but if you want to feel like you have gone to the Arabian Dessert, head out there and see for yourselves.  the road actually goes back to Colorado City so we made a loop.  There are very specific conditions where these Sand Dunes can develop and this is one of the places. Another great P-day.  We made it back in time for our Sr. Supper.  We meet once a month to enjoy a night out and each other's company.  Sweeeeeet!

We continue to be keep busy and meet wonderful new friends.  We have decided that St. George is the center of the Universe.  Everyone comes to St. George.  My Sister and her husband Pete along with their daughter Jill and her husband Chris were here for MLK.  We had dinner with my Uncle Richard and his wife Mary and their dear friends.  Our friends, the Biggs, called us as they passed through St. George on their way to SLC.  Janet Hancey was visiting and we enjoyed a bike ride to see the Swans, Herons and Ducks plus great dinners.  This happens all the time.  So please if you come through, call us.  We love it.

Here's to the coming weeks.  It's always an adventure.  Please stay safe and know you are in our prayers.

Bruce and Dawna

Elder and Sister

PS  Happy Birthday to our youngest grandchild, "Ben".  He is going to be two and we love him to death.  We were worried he wouldn't remember us, but when we skype he won't let anyone else talk.  He just keeps saying, Papa, NeMa, Papa, NeMa over and over.  Love It!!  

Half Way Done

Dear Friends and Family,

It is January 9th, 2015 and we are over the half way mark of our mission.  It's crazy.  It seems like we just got here.  Time is flying by way to fast.  It seems like we start out on Monday and then I blink and its Sunday.

There really is a thing called "The Mission Bubble".  If you live within the "Mission Bubble" you don't hear how bad things are in the world, you don't hear how many murders have happened, how many new wars have begun, how bad or good the economy is, how much a barrel of oil is, or who is running for what office.  In fact you don't hear any politics at all.  (not a bad thing, I've decided) Our schedules are packed each day and we just don't have time to watch TV or listen to the radio.  I just realized that we haven't seen "Unbroken".  In the real world we would have been there opening day.  But what we do see and hear is pretty amazing.  

I'm not sure if I told everyone that George Durrant and Susan Easton Black Durrant are serving a mission with us. Their collateral assignment is to present a lecture in the Tabernacle every Saturday.  For those of you who don't know who they are, both were religion teachers at BYU.  She was the first woman religion professor at BYU and is the "Church History Guru" of all Guru's.  She has written over 140 books.  One you may recognize is "The Lion of The Lord".   He was a permanent fixture at Education Week for years, plus has written several books as well.  They are wonderful new friends and fountains of knowledge that we get to drink from.

Last Monday night for family night Sister Durrant did a lesson on the Masonic connection with Joseph Smith.  It was so fascinating.  She maintains that if any one is questioning Joseph Smith and his prophetic calling, doesn't know enough about Joseph Smith.  How fortunate we are to be able to sit at her feet and be taught.  Her Saturday lectures have covered Joseph Smith & Brigham Young.  This week is John Taylor and next week is Wilford Woodruff.  During the two weeks before Christmas, she taught on the life of Jesus Christ.  We don't always get to attend the Saturday lectures because we are on shift at one of the sites, but when we can we don't miss.  I asked her if she had a syllabus or notes she would share, but she does not use one note.  Apparently she has a photographic memory so she just stands up and teaches from memory.  AAAAAAAAmazing Maybe in the next life I'll be able to remember my password at Costco that I set up yesterday.

P-day, wow what a day.  Elder and Sister Watkins, our directors, are leaving this week so as a final adventure we took our jeep and drove to Toroweep. (Google it, you won't believe it)  This is a road that is 123 miles of mud, ruts, rocks, hills and just pretty nasty.  Really, only the last 5-8 miles are really tough.  They warn you that if you get stuck out there, it is $2000 to rescue you and its not guaranteed they will come.  It cost Bruce $25.00 to get the mud off the jeep before he could take it to Fabulous Freddy's car wash.  But you literally drive up to the edge of the Grand Canyon.  You look over the edge and can see the Colorado River, with rapids and all.  Sister Watkins is fearless.  She got on her belly and crawled out on the edge to look over.  She is a tiny thing and the wind was blowing, her husband, Elder Watkins, thought a good gust would blow her over.  God's creations never cease to dazzle me.  I could sit out there and enjoy it for days.

We stopped in Colorado City for breakfast and in Hurricane for dinner.  We will miss the Watkins but what an example of Mission service.  This is their 3rd Mission.  They served in Argentina for a year and was called to go to Guadalajara as Mission President, then returned home and was called as the Directors of the VC.  They have been away from home for 6 years.  I won't be complaining about 12 months any time soon.

We had our BYE party for the Dabbs and the Watkins on Thursday night.  Very bitter sweet.  The Dabbs have been another example of service beyond the call of duty.  Elder Dabb has had cancer and had to go home every 6 months for a procedure.  But they served faithfully for 23 months.  They were our first trainers and did a great job.  We will miss them greatly.  Elder Dabb was the authority of great meal deals.  "Free Cherry Pie on Tuesdays at Village Inn."

This week will be very interesting.  Our new directors arrive next Thursday and I'm sure they are as anxious as we are.  Change is good, but always scary.  We know they are wonderful people and we will love them as much as we do the Watkins.

We hope your new year is going well and you haven't given up on your goals quite yet.  We are working on a few things, so hopefully we will be able to stick to our guns.  But you know me, I'm not very sticky.  

We love you, be safe and make "2015" the best year yet.

Bruce and Dawna

Elder and Sister 

Best Christmas Ever

Dear Family and Friends,

I hate that I haven't written on the blog since December 11th.  So much has happened in the last 3 weeks that this post maybe a novel.  But I will try and only hit the highlights.  Its been a whirlwind or maybe a hurricane, no----a tsunami is the right description.

But first, I must thank everyone who sent us a Christmas Card.  Thank you for taking the time to think about and remember us.  Bruce was the first to the mail box every day and we enjoyed each and every note and picture.  I must have looked at them at least daily and loved remembering moments with each of you.  Thank You!

Along with our regular shifts at the sites and VC, we had events at the Tabernacle every night starting December 1st.  We couldn't make all of them, but were expected to attend at least 3-4 a week.  They ranged from High School Choirs, too individuals who played, violin, flute, guitar or other instruments and professional musicians from around the country.  Most of them were fabulous.  We enjoyed the music and couldn't believe, that for such a small town, what marvelous talent is here.  One of my favorite things about Christmas is the beautiful music and the spirit it brings.  For me, it makes Christmas.  Just ask Bruce, I start playing Christmas music before Thanksgiving, which drives him crazy.  Can't help it, its a trait passed down from our mom.  Mom loves beautiful music and filled our house with tunes all the time, but at Christmas, it was constant.  I love the memories and the traditions it brings.

The Saturday before Christmas, December 19th, all our kids arrived.  We couldn't have asked for a better gift.  They came late Saturday night and we didn't get to see them, but arriving at Church Sunday morning there they were in all their glory, saving a seat for us.  I have to admit it brought tears to see all our kids and grand kids together at Church.  We had to leave right after the sacrament to go and open Jacob Hamblin's home, but after Church they all came to for a tour.  

Then Sunday night, December 21st, we had our Missionary Musical Fireside.  Again, there they were out in the audience.  The Fireside was wonderful.  There were 72 missionaries who participated.  We had three practices, and to be frank, I was worried that it wasn't going to be very good.  But the music director, Kris Barber, pulled a rabbit out of her hat.  Even my kids were impressed.  They are our worst critics.  Bruce gave the story of "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day," and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who wrote the words of the song, first in a poem in 1864.  The choir sounded fantastic and the Instrumental numbers were beautiful. Just ask Kati about the bassoon.  They even compared President Center to Carlos Santana on the guitar.  Pretty good for a mission president.  It was so much fun to be a part of this event and will be one of the highlights of our mission.

Monday I was able to take the kids on a couple of hikes, actually one, but I had them go on the Temple Quarry hike and then took them up the Anasazi trail.  We put Ben in the stroller and pushed, pulled and carried him over the bumps, rocks, ruts and mud.  The kids had a wonderful time crawling all over the rocks finding the petroglyphs.  Becky felt the spirit of the Anasazi and practiced her yoga along with Rubie on the rocks.  It was a very very good day.  

                           

That night we worked at the VC and the Kids came down for family night.  They looked at the nativities from around the world, watched Mr. Kruger's Christmas, He is the Gift and other Mormon Ads.  We then went back to their Condo to visit.  On Tuesday, Bruce and I opened BY's again and worked until 2:00 pm.  Then we really started the party.  Because of our limited cooking facilities we decided to have a Mexican Fiesta instead of our traditional Prime Rib Dinner.  But what a fiesta it was.  We invited the Watkins over and held our dinner at the Club House at our Condo.  The food was wonderful and the kids were flying high waiting to open their gifts.  Buttttttt...we had another event at the Tabernacle.  So after dinner we packed everyone up and headed to the Tabernacle for the Community Sing-a-Long.  Bruce was asked to give the Christmas Message and you would think that would be the highlight of the night, but nooooooooo. 

It was almost the last number when a man walked up the stairs of the balcony and went right to the front.  He sat down and then started putting up pamphlets all along the balcony railing.  I was watching him and I looked at Bruce, who was on the stand, and his eyes were glued to the guy.  At the same time, I have Becky in back of me asking me "what is the dude doing?"  I didn't know, but it looked like he was barricading himself in.  I then told our son-in-law, Dave, to go up in the balcony and keep an eye on him.  Becky was watching Bruce and starting to freak out, because Bruce was zeroed in on the dude.  She got up and ushered her kids out.  We are now at the closing prayer.  During the prayer, the dude put ear plugs in and Dave immediately started heading towards him.  Amen, was said and Bruce started up the stairs to the balcony.  He was ready to take him down.  By this time one of our security guards at the Temple came up to me to see if I recognized him.  I stood up and walked a little closer and in fact I did know who he was.  He had been in the VC a couple of times before Christmas wanting our Pass-along-cards.  As it turned out, this poor soul was off his medication and had been down at the Temple wandering around and gathering up all our information that we give to guests.  He was going to baptize 1000 people.  Love his enthusiasm, but he pretty much cleaned us out of cards at the Tabernacle, then Elder Watkins caught him, (BTW, Elder Watkins is X-FBI) and made him empty his back pack.  No bomb or gun but lots of excitement and pass-along-cards.  We pray someone helps get him back of his meds.

After the sing-a-long we headed back to the Club House.  We dressed the kids in the nativity costumes and read the Christmas Story.  What a beautiful message of peace, hope and love that story brings.  We especially love that our teenage grand kids are willing to participate.  We loved Logan as our donkey and Noah as our lamb.  What good boys----you make me proud.  Now its finally time for opening gifts.  They were so pumped up, it was mayhem with ten grand kids opening presents from Papa and Nema.  We hope they enjoyed what they received, but how do you go wrong with marshmallow bow and arrows.  We had marshmallows flying everywhere.  Great Christmas Eve.

Christmas morning, we joined the kids at their condo and opened presents with therm until 8:30. Then we headed down to the VC to have breakfast with the Sister missionaries and Sr. missionaries.  I had my girls make 400 crepes, and Sister Sutherland, another Sr. missionary, brought a chocolate fountain.  Sugar high, but what a fun breakfast.  We had gathered scarves for the Sisters and ties for the Elders.  They loved picking out their favorite, in fact we had such a good response from the wards in donating scarves and ties, that each Sister got two or three scarves and the Elders that many ties.  People are so kind, "just ask and it shall be given."  We then had a White Elephant exchange.  If laughter is the best medicine, we cured everything that morning.  After breakfast we brought Sister Nicholls (from England) and Sister Lipke (from Germany) back with us to spend the afternoon with our family.  We were so excited that these two sweeties, were able to SKYPE their families at our Condo.  I cried the whole time they were talking.  There was laughter, singing and prayers.  After their calls, they both laid down in front of the fire and fell asleep.  I think the anticipation exhausted them.  We had a wonderful Christmas buffet and then played reverse charades.  They had to be back to the center by 3:00 pm for a get together with their Zone, but we loved having them with us.  We hope it helped a little with the home sickness they must feel during the Holidays.

The next two days were spent with the kids, playing tennis, bowling, golfing, hot tubing and movie watching, eating and more eating while Bruce and I kept on working.  Then, Saturday the 28th came too soon.  But the last gift was given when all the kids, again, came to Jacob's in their St. George Mission t-shirts for a final picture with us.  They even kept their t-shirts on when we went to Chuck-a-Rama and the movie, Into the Woods.  They kept telling me I had hit the tri-fecta.  Family picture, buffet and a movie all with matching t-shirts.  Not something my family does or will probably ever do again.  What a treat for us.  After dinner back to the club house for more games with my sister and her husband Ken and their son and daughter-in-law, Brett, Sue and family.  A perfect ending to a perfect week.  Thanks to our kids and grand kids for giving us a Christmas to remember.  They dubbed it their "Mission Christmas".  We pray the grand kids will remember how they felt as they get older and begin their mission journeys.

 

Well, its now New Years Eve and I am sitting here with wonderful memories of the past 3 weeks of our mission.  We loved the church's new video "He is the Gift".  We used it at the Center and at the sites to invite people to share this gift or to discover the gift and apply it in their lives.  We had over 40,000 visitors at the VC in the month of December.  It was amazing to see how this 3 minute video affected people.  They felt the love the Savior has for them and so many wanted to share it with friends and family.  Today we received the movie "Meet The Mormons".  We haven't advertised we have it, and yet this afternoon our theaters were full.  We are hoping this brings the same results as He Is The Gift.

I want to end with another big thank you to our kids for coming and making Christmas wonderful.  Another big thank you to all of you who sent cards and messages and remembered us.  And one last thank you to our Savior for his love and sacrifice for all of us and for the message of peace and hope that this season brings.  We send our wishes for a Happy New Year to all.

With All Our Love,

Bruce and Dawna

(Elder and Sister Borchert)