Last Week Events

         Our three sons, Marshall, Weston, and Shane, came to visit us over Labor Day weekend.  We took them to most of the historic sites in the area.  Here we are at our first stop, Far West, where the temple site was dedicated years ago, but never able to erect the building because of mobs and persecution.  It is kept up now by the church and the grounds are beautiful.  Someday a temple will be on this very site.

        This is the same site, only the South East Cornerstone, where our 5th great grandfather (Levi Hancock) stood with his brother and sang the Song of Freedom which he wrote for the dedication and the 4th of July event here in Far West.  It was right after this event, that the Prophet Joseph Smith was arrested and taken to Independence Jail, Richmond Jail, and ended up in Liberty Jail.  We also visited the 80 acres just outside of Far West where Levi and his father owned land back in 1838.

        Here is the inside of Historic Liberty Jail where Joseph & Hyrum Smith, Lyman Wight, Caleb Baldwin, and Brother McCrea, spent the winter of 1838 in the dungeon below.  It was cold, dark, miserable, yet several sections of the Doctrine & Covenants were written here.  Joseph grew stronger through these trials and continued to become the polished stone he was chosen to become.  We owe him so much for his faithfulness and strength.  No matter the trail, the work will progress, and we can be refined in the process if we continue in faith.

        Of course, we had to eat!  Here we are eating at one of the 13th most desirable places to eat in the world, Oklahoma Joe's Bar B Q.  We only waited in line for an hour and a half.  But, it was Saturday night and it was worth it.

        After the boys left, we had a big week of Arriving Missionaries and Departing Missionaries.  The top picture is the Arrivals.  They came in on Wednesday, September 3, and spent the night at the President's home.  Here they are: 11 Elders and 2 Sisters.  Most are from Utah, except one Elder from Washington, and the Sisters from California and Virginia.  They were taken the next morning to the Stake Center where they met their new companions and began their work.

        Then, on Friday, we took the departing missionaries to the temple and then the airport.  This is the KC Temple with: Elders Javeloza, Goodale, Rudd, Ingram, Larson, and White.  In front are: Sister Medel, two members, Sister Wood, Sister & President Vest.  This group of missionaries were all going different places. (only a couple to Utah)  We also had our last two Visa Waiting Missionaries receive their Visas and go on to their assigned country, both to Brazil, but different missions.  They also flew out this week on Tuesday.  The missionary force is awesome all over the world!

   
        I almost forgot, another thing we took our sons to; the missionary's apartment.  They helped their father, Elder Atwood, move an apartment of missionaries.  It was three stories high, so Elder Atwood needed some strong young men to help.  He had two missionaries and his sons.  They were done in half the time.  Service is an important part of the gospel and it is important to help our missionaries doing even the daily chores to keep them taken care of.  This is Elder Atwood's calling and responsibility here in our mission.