Last Week May 25 - 30

This was an interesting week. Lots to do as always. I had a unique experience for a short time helping Elder Young. He has a special project that involves "repairing" some of the logs in the Peter Whitmer Farm House where the church was first organized and where Joseph performed some of the translation of the Book of Mormon. Elder Young had a dream in which he received inspiration on how to "repair" logs that were rotting. It involves first removing the log from the cabin wall. Then he carves out the rotten part and fills it with concrete. I got to help him put one of them back in place. It weighs a ton!!! Yah - another scaffolding job!

Linda, Sister Huffaker, and Sherie from the FM office spent two days doing an inventory of everything in the Kraig Road chapel.

This is the Peter Whitmer farm house where the church was organized. You can't tell where the logs that have been "repaired" even are.

Elder Picanco and Elder Parkeson spent the whole day wheelbarrowing and spreading 3 yards of bark mulch around the Fayette Chapel. I now know that I am no longer 20!

We did a lot of other tasks this week also. Sister Parkerson & I wire brushed off the old paint on a well cover that needs to be repainted. We fixed outdoor lighting at the sisters apartment. We sprayed for ants at the sisters apartment..........

To get a better look at some of these neat historic sites where we are working visit the web site

www.hillcumorah.org It has lots & lots of information...

This is the special group of folks that we are blessed to be working with. Seated from the left is Sister Huffaker, Elder Huffaker, Brother Rick Reynolds, Elder Flynn, Brother Alan Warner, Our Boss, John Rutkowski, Brother Mark Chapman, Me, and Elder Boudreaux. Missing of course is Sister Parkerson, Brother Jeff Williams, Barbara & Sherie the office workers, Elder & Sister Picanco, Elder Murphy, Pam & Wendy custodians.

The Sacred Grove tour

A very Special Saturday. We had a rare opportunity to take a special guided tour with Mr. Robert "Bob" Parrot who works as the agent forrester for the church here in Palmyra. He only takes small groups (usually up to 6) senior missionaries on this tour. We spent 3 1/2 hours in the Sacred Grove. He started with map of the grove showing how it was originally and how is is now. He spoke of the "miracle" in as much as the property has changed hads 10X since the Smith family owned it and to date no one has laid an axe or chainsaw to the timber there. A miracle considering the value of the timber there.

Elder and Sister Huffaker were with us on the tour.

They are one of four couples currently serving as Facilities Management missionaries.
Elder & Sister Picanco are another couple who is serving with us as FM missionaries. They also live upstairs from us in the Martin Harris Homestead.

This is the "apostle" tree as Bob calls it. It is an ironwood tree estimated at over 300 years old. It would have been in the grove when the boy Joseph Smith Jr. went here to pray. Origionally it had 12 limbs which all reached upwards!

This is Sister Parkerson and Elder Parkerson. We are standing next to one of the only SIX remaining "witness Trees". There are only six trees left in the grove which are 200 years old or older. They would have been here when Joseph came to the grove to pray and receive the visit from God and His Son, Jesus Christ.

This is one of several "adversity Trees". Bob so named them due to the fact that they have endured major traumatic events and continue to live on. The one below had its whole trunk ripped off (probably from a storm) following which two limbs grew out and then reattached themselves, braced the remaining tree and continued to grow up. A rarity for sure.

It was an exceptional morning. A very Spiritual time. Bob, by the way is not a member of the church. he claims that you don't have to be a member to know that this is a special, sacred place. He knows that God and Jesus appeared to the boy Joseph. He has had many sacred experiences here himself. We took dozens of pictures but can only put up a few here.

What do you do?

What do we do? Everything....

Linda and Sister Huffaker spent most of the week painting

the Canandaigua Chapel hallways.

Of course Linda comes from a long line of painters and enjoys it.

Well this is Linda working in the garden at the Joseph Smith Log Cabin.

Elder Huffacker started most of the plants in Jan & Feb. Linda's favorite past time is gardening.
Of course Geoffrey has to get dirty too. Getting right into it. I love this kind of gardening! Instant gratification - instant garden! No looking at just dirt waiting for something to happen!

Linda gets around in style whether cleaning or gardening on the Joseph Smith farm "campus"

Yep thats me. I figured how to run this thing without destroying anything!

We also have a "small engine shop" on the FM campus. I enjoy tinkering there. So far I have repaired a small Mantis roto-tiller and a couple of lawn mowers. There is still a Honda gas powered water pump and a Troy Built Horse roto-tiller to do.
I wonder what we will be doing next week. :-)

Almost Up to Date

The little group on the right is a group of "senior missionaries" that held a family home evening and welcome Parkersons dinner party last Monday evening. Mormons out here look for any excuse to have a party. There are 3 Senior couples serving with the FM group, 16 couples serving as "site" missionaries and another 15 serving on "temple" missions.

Well our first real week working has come to a close. It has been interesting, fun, work and an adjustment. Now you probably know that we are not naturally "morning" people but we are evolving. We usually go to be between 9:30 - 10:00 and arise between 5:45 and 6:00 AM. We are to be at work by 7:30 AM. Every morning starts with a brief scripture lesson followed by a prayer. We discuss the day's plans then go forth.

Sister Parkerson and Sister Huffaker have been painting a Chapel in Canandiagua and cleaning a chapel in Penn Yen. I have been all over the place. Repairs in a Stake Center, reinstalling a rain gutter 20 feet up, electrical repairs, repair a Mantis roto-tiller, working on the electrical of a man lift, repair of some concrete steps, electrical outlets in a campground, etc. Usually have lunch together noon - 1:00 then back to work till 4:00. Off for the rest of the day.

Its a great place to be out here. I feel bad for those who don't take the time to go on missions. There is such a great need for seniors. There are folks out here in their mid to late 70's. At least one I know of will be 82 this year. Some are on their 4th missions! God has blessed each one.

That's all for now. Love to you all. Elder & Sister Parkerson

The First Week

Not too mmuch to include. Wednesday - Friday was spent unpacking the car and trailer and getting organized and ready for work. Thursday morning we met with and had breakfast with our mision Preident and his wife. Very nice. Found some local shopping spots. Sunday we went to the Geneso ward where we have been assigned.

Arrived at last!

Ho rah we made it. 7 1/2 hours from Kate & John's. Included a stop for lunch, 2 gas stops and 2 pottie stops.

We met with Elder Weston, the site director and his wife. We had a wonderful dinner with he and his wife and John & Sandy Rutkowski. John Rutkowski is who we will be working for, for the next two years. Our apartment is beautiful. We'll have to get some pictures of it.

We enjoyed a brief tour of the vistor center and grounds. It is very nice here. I think we are really going to enjoy this mission experience.

Again our humble thanks to everyone who has made this experience possible.

In Vermont

Monday afternoon, May 4th. Arrived in Burlington airport. Kate came to pick us up and we went to her house in Brandon. Stayed overnight with she and John. They have adopted a little lamp who's mother dies. His name is Thomas. Kate stayed up very late and made us a special loaf of whole wheat bread in the shape of a bee. We had a very nice stay over and will miss them a lot.

Travel to the Field

We completed our training on Friday, May 01 and were given a ride up to Lindsay's home in Holiday (Salt Lake City) We had dinner at a "Natural Foods" restaurant

Saturday morning we all went to Home Depot where they had a children's workshop day.

Kaden & Grandpa made a little window birdhouse which he put in the library window.

Saturday afternoon we spent some more "fix-it" time doing repairs at Lindsay's and in the evening went to dinner at a "Golden Corral" buffet. What a feed. Sunday to church at Lindsay's Ward ( about two blocks from her house) and in the afternoon went for a drive up on the East side where there was a view of the whole valley.

Early to bed as we need to rise early (4:00 AM) at the airport by 6:00 AM and the flight leaves at 7:10AM - Off to Burlington and Kate & John's.....

At the Missionary Training Center at last

On Monday morning, April 27th about 10:30 am we arrived at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. What a day. What a week. I had come down with another bronchial infection - what a conincidence there were two doctors in our company. I got an Rx for antibiotic and moved forward. I don't recall ever spending such a time in my life when I have had so much spirituality. We had constant daily spiritual experiences. Story after story from those there sharing their experiences. There are no coincidences in the MTC or in the church or life for that matter. It was very moving to sit in a devotional on Tuesday night with 2000 young missionaries singing "True to the Faith that our parents have cherished". I know at least one senior missionary with tears running down his face.

As you learn to teach the Gospel by the Spirit you discover that it truly is the Spirit that teaches. When you feel inadequate or that you don't know what to say - the Spirit is right there putting ideas and words into your mind. I cannot imagine another setting wher you can get so close to so many other couples in such a short time. It was hard to say goodbye as we left for our separate calls - we had become good friends. It was very hard to leave. Back into the world!