Beautiful Week in Dixie...and some visitors!!

Dear Friends and Family,

Another week has flown by and if they keep going as fast as the first 4+, it is like we are being twinkled from one week to the next. It has been more than a month since we left Mesa and started this journey, "May the Force continue to be with Us."  (Love a good Star Wars line)

Since it was the week of the 24th of July, we had an army of visitors through the Historical Sites.  Yesterday from 10 am to 2 pm we took 175 people through the Brigham Young home.  Its not a record, but pretty awesome.  Bruce had a young man who was baptized a member but had fallen away and had a lived a pretty hard life.  He was recently released from prison, is currently homeless and was very depressed to the point of taking his own life.  He told Bruce that he hit bottom and now is trying to make things right.  He was walking by the BY home and felt a desire to come take a tour.  He wanted a Book of Mormon to carry in his pack, and when he left he told Bruce the spirit have given him answers to what he needed to do next.  Bruce gave him the phone number to the transient Bishop and pointed him in the right direction.  We pray for this young man to be able to make changes so that he can find the happiness his Father has in store for him.

I gave a tour at Jacob Hamblin's home earlier in the week to a father and son who were Jewish.  They were from California and the father had been to the historical sites several times and wanted his son to hear about these Mormon Pioneers.  I began telling Jacob's story and Frank, the son, kept asking, how did Jacob know these things?  Part of Jacob's conversion is after hearing Lyman Stoddard preach the gospel, Jacob walks up to Bro. Stoddard and asks for the book that he was preaching from.  Bro. Stoddard handed Jacob a Bible and Jacob responds, "No not that book, the other book".  Bro. Stoddard then handed a Book of Mormon to Jacob.  After explaining this to Frank, he wanted a Book of Mormon.  He tried to pay me for it and I told him the only payment I could take was his promise to read the book.  His father kept saying these Mormons have more truth than other religions.  I offered him a Book of Mormon as well, but he already had one.  He then explained that he loved the Mormon's and more people should try and be like them, but he didn't believe in organized religion and most didn't have all the truth.  I promised him if he would read his copy of the Book of Mormon he would find all the truth that God had given man.  He thanked me for my sincerity, but I didn't get the feeling I had changed his mind.  "We'll see."

So as you can see from the pictures, we again had a wonderful surprise visit from Dave, Logan, Noah and the rest of Dave's Venture Scout Troop.  Dave secured a reservation at Zion's Canyon for the boys to hike three different trails.  One was Angels Landing, which I think is 9+ miles.  Oh to be young.  On the way back they stopped at the VC for a short tour.  It was our "P" day so Elder and Sister Watkins gave the tour.  Their son-in-law and grandson were also there.  They are in Dave and Kristi's ward.  What a great bunch of boys.  They were so respectful and listened to everything that was said, even though I'm sure they were ready for junk food and pop.  (Three days in the woods will do that to you)

My mom, sister, niece and her son also came to visit.  What a fun experience to give a tour to family members.  We were able to go to Tuacahn to watch the Wizard of OZ performance, which was very good and then we drove up to Duck Creek to "Duck Days".  I think Duck Dynasty was conceived here.  I have never seen so much camouflage and four wheeler's in my life.  They have a parade and decorate their 4 wheeler's with lights, banners, streamers etc.  (We didn't make the parade, our niece has a cabin here and described in detail)  Yes, I was out of place but whats new.  I still had my badge on and had just pulled jeans on with the same shirt I had worn earlier at work.  What a hoot!  People were looking at me like I was from another planet and no one asked me any questions.  Of course Bruce had taken his badge off---yup didn't notice that. The people were a "hootin and a hollerin" and having a great time.

Well, the Jacob Hamblin home awaits.  We are schedule this afternoon from 2 to 7.  We pray all is well with you and yours and will continue to keep you up to date with what's happening in Beautiful Dixie.

Love Bruce & Dawna

Elder and Sister

PS  Happy Birthday to our other beautiful, smart, charming daughter Becky. Please go to Tia Rosa's for me.  Haven't found a good Mexican restaurant yet.

Kid's Perspective 1st Edition

Of course it is our parents who are serving but we as a family are all benefiting and have little, tiny experiences from the mission. Again, our mother would not approve of this content but until she figures out how to blog, the kids are in charge. Our motto, while the cat's away the mice will play! 

Small things this week WHICH we started with the best and then it goes down hill... 

1. On the phone we heard about a tour (we can't remember which location) and the tourist kept telling my dad they wanted 'no Jesus'.  They wanted the historical components but all religious aspects were to be omitted.  Of course our thought...ugh, then why did you go on the tour?  BUT it lead to a great discussion among us and Becky said, "no Jesus? If you don't have Christ in your life, what do you have?" Sure that probably wasn't the best tour or maybe not a success, but for us it was great. It was really simple.  It allowed us to reflect the benefits in our life of knowing the Savior and having him part of our lives. 
2. Our dad and the phone.  We used to joke that if we had a Survivor like contest re: who knows how to use their phone, carries it, and answers calls or responds to text...although it is a close race between the Kristi and our dad, he would for sure be the first voted off the island. He was the worst!!! Benefit of the mission...he's figured out the phone.  We've gotten calls and text. It is awesome. He called Ryan this week just to check in.  Lilly (Becky's 7 year old) has also learned how to text and sent 29 in one day.  We'll see if it lasts but it is pretty great the grand kids and us too quite frankly get a quick call/text from him. 
3. My mom calls Kati in the middle of the day using a hushed tone.  The conversation goes like this: 

• Mom (almost in a whisper) "Kati, I'm on my shift and I need some help.  They've put me in charge of the St. George Visitor Center FB page"
• Kati " OK"  (In her mind, this cannot end well)
• Mom "I need your help to do some things" 
• Kati "OK, hold on, let me log into FB to see what your seeing..."  

Kati tried to help and left her with some steps she needed to do.  After hanging up, Kati laughed for easily 10 minutes. Her mom, Dawna Borchert, was in charge of the FB page?  Her mom who,  sure she can log on and post, but the ins and outs...we're not so sure about that. AND the fact that my dad hasn't gone on some rant about it...he thinks social media is a total time waster. Of course later Kati tells the story to Becky & Ryan who laugh about it all over again. We aren't sure if she was just in charge for her shift, if it was a one time thing, a single post or if its on-going...Kati was laughing too hard to get the details straight AND my mom might deny the whole thing, BUT don't fret,  we've added a link on the blog so you can go directly to the FB page.  (YUP...that was an awesome run on sentence. We write like we speak...back off).  We have started to follow just in case something fantastic appears.   

Our parents are definitely in the missionary moment and we are grateful for their awesome example! We really, really love that they are serving. It hasn't been very long, but we are already seeing the blessing that come from dedicating yourself to the Lord.   As kids we definitely need refining, so we are glad they are willing to make sacrifices to keep us on the straight and narrow.  We need all the help we can get!   

We Made it !!!

We made it!!!!  Ten days of straight training and now we are experts in St. George History.  (Ha Ha)

It brought back memories of cramming for finals and knowing, if you're lucky you will get a "C".  But both Bruce and I have a new found admiration for these pioneers who were sent to the Cotton Mission.  In one account Whilimena (Willie) Cannon writes, "We entered the "Lifeless Valley of the Virgin" with not one tree, bush, or bloom.  My heart sank."  And believe me looking at the early pictures there was not one tree, bush or bloom.  What these saints sacrificed is unfathomable.  Their food supply was meager, at best and they did not have cold clear water until 1904 when a pipe was installed running from Pine Valley to St. George.  More than 50 years of harsh conditions-I couldn't have done it.  (I know, I'm HIGH MAINTENANCE)

Bruce and I drove up to Pine Valley and took a tour of the Pine Valley Ward.  There are 80 permanent members but on any given Sunday they can have upwards of 600-700 members attending.  It is the oldest continually running chapel in the church.  It holds a special place in Elder Hollands heart as his Grandmother lived there and he spent many days visiting as a boy. Elder Holland rededicated this building after an extensive remodel in 2005.  It's amazing and if you visit, be sure to attend services.  You may be sitting on the lawn or down in the basement but if you're lucky you will be upstairs. (Not me----sooooooo claustrophobic)

Well, everyone we talk too asks "How Are You Doing?"  We are great!  Bruce had the most fun in the Visitor Center on Friday.  He had a family of Baptists come through who he gave almost all the "Preach My Gospel" lessons.  (they took a Book of Mormon-yea that was his first)  The Sr. Elders hang out in what is called the "Annex" or "Man Cave."  The Sr. Sisters work in the front of the Visitor Center.  All the young sisters rotate between the front of the VC, the back of the VC then the Sr Elders in the Annex.  This is so we can meet all the visitors who enter the temple grounds.  Now this may sound like over kill, however, you cannot imagine the number of visitors who come through.  We had a bus of Slovenian tourists on Friday who were wonderful.  There were 20 of them and they just kept saying, "What is this feeling we have here?"  The sisters could not hand out Book of Mormons and referral cards fast enough (BTW the books were in Slovenian).  They were so excited (both the visitors and the sisters).  After the bus left the sisters were shouting "we love being a Visitor Center missionary."  It was like watching a Slovenian fire drill. (TA HEE HEE)  I have to admit, the excitement is catching. 

I have to give a shout out to all the Sister Missionaries at the VC.  They are fantastic, darling, spiritual and enthusiastic.  They run around like little bunnies, so anxious to share the message of the gospel, but you would be so impressed with their knowledge and testimonies.  We have 24 sisters and only 9 are from the states.  The rest from as far away as South Africa, Australia, Tahiti, South America, Germany and Canada.  I have pictures of a few, I tried to gather them all together to snap one picture but gave up.  They never sit still, so willing to work.  Here are a few pics of our cuties.

     

I'm starving, its time to close and get something to eat, plus get to bed.  We have about a 12 hour day tomorrow.  Sundays are challenging.  We need to get to church, plus we have a 7 hour shift at the BY home, but so glad I don't have time to think about being away from all of you.  You are missed more than you can know.  We love you,

Bruce and Dawna

(Elder and Sister, still not used to this)

PS  Happy Birthday to our wonderful, beautiful, talented, smart daughter, Kristi.  Sure wish we could be together to share a piece of cake.