Parkersons Mission Experience

Work Week September 22 - 25, 2009

2009-09-27T18:48:00.003-04:00

O.K. This software stinks! It will never put things where I want them. So we'll do Friday first. Jonathan will get a chuckle out of this one. Yes that is me and this little one man hydraulic lift.
It will raise me up over 25 feet so I can change burned out HP Sodium lamps in the parking lot lights. I case you didn't recall that is about 21 feet higher than I would normally want to be!

On Tuesday night they had a commerative fireside with Elder Cook an area 70 general authority to remember the night that the Prophet Joseph Smith climbed the Hill Cumorah to retreive the gold plates. We had to set up around 500 chairs in the Pageant Study Shelter! Left to right, Elder Picanco, Parkerson, Brother Chase Hamlin, and Elder Huffaker.

Sisters Huffaker, Parkerson & Picanco.

Oh How Lovely Was The Morning! Wednesday morning on the driveway into work Sister Parkerson caught this beautiful picture of the sun's rays coming through the trees.

Our huge lettuce plant. Sister P. has potted it so we can bring it in when it gets too cold.

Sister P. picks corn from the 16' tall corn stalks.

Must be Texas corn in New York!

Sisters Parkerson & Huffaker geing ready to "pressure wash" the side of one of the apartment buildings where the missionaries live. Sister Semadeni made chocolate pumpkin brownies for our sisters.

Oh Beans!

2009-09-21T18:08:00.001-04:00

For anyone interested in machines as Elder Parkerson is this might be an interesting blog entry. On Monday morning upon
arriving at work we discovered that the "harvesters" had arrived from the canning company with their giant machines. These machines are primarily designed to harvest just string beans!
This picture shows the side discharge shoots.

This is a huge "dump cart". The beans are often offloaded from the hopper on the harvester into this cart drawn by a tractor back to a waiting open top 40' trailer.

I got to get up into one of these interesting machines to get a basic explanation of how they work. There is a 6" brush on the bottom front which "sweeps" the bean plants towards the opening. Just under the "deck" are rows of fingers which tear up the whole bean plant, leaves, pods and all. The beans mostly fall off the plant and the whole mess drops onto a conveyor belt which runs under very large fan. The air currents from the fan lift up the lighter bean leaves and plant, grind it up and discharge it out the side. The string beans then continue up the conveyor belt into the hopper on the back of the harvester.

Several of these 40' long open top tractor trailer's left the Hill Cumorah property destined for the big cannery in Geneva. They will be canned up there and marketed under most of the

common product labels with which we are all familiar. Saw all the same beans going into the truck but cannot tell you what the difference will be between the Libby's string beans and the Great Value string beans. I guess you'll have to taste the difference between the beans which all came from the same truck?

Harvesters out in the fields early in the morning. I have no idea how many acres are here just that the fields run for over a mile!

September 11 - 14

2009-09-21T16:30:00.000-04:00

We had a great weekend with Betty & Vern Knowlton from New Hampshire. We visited the Hill Cumorah and the statue of Moroni.
Got to tour the Grandin Print shop where the first copy of the Book of Mormon was printed, the Joseph Smith Farm and Sacred Grove and the Peter Whitmer Farm in Fayette.

We also visited the Palmyra Inn where there is a very interesting small museum containing artifacts from New York and Ohio. Many of them date back to Book of Mormon times and some artifacts appear to be Hebrew in origin.

Elder and Sister Parkerson in front of the statue of Moroni on the top of Hill Cumorah.

One of the other interesting activities we got to do with the Knowlton's and Kate & John was a
visit to the Bishops Storehouse which is close by. My friend, Elder Green, here is giving us a tour.
The organization of the Lord's Church is evident in everything in which we are involved. I think the church has recently made available to non-members the opportunity to come and purchase food for home storage at these Bishops Storehouse canneries.

Although we don't have much room for storage, Sister Parkerson has been storing up, canning, freezing and drying food for winter. Given our economy it may well be needed this winter.

Before leaving Kate & mom decided to compare heights. Mom is decidedly shorter. We enjoyed every one's visit so much. We enjoy sharing the history and sites of Western New York. Our love to you all.

Elder & Sister Parkerson

September 5 - 14, 2009

2009-09-18T19:18:00.003-04:00

It has been an interesting couple of weeks. Things have
slowed a little bit. Sister Parkerson and I had time to go on
a reconnaissance mission to look for fruit trees with fruit we can
pick and can for winter. It may be a long cold winter with higher food prices

It takes a little getting used to but
these 4 wheelers are a lot of fun
and can go many places.

( Yah I know this is missionary
work!)

Sisters Parkerson and Huffaker
spent some time raking around the
Joseph Smith Farm.

Elders Flynn and Boudreau also helped.
Today Elder Jensen from the 70 was here
to evaluate the Sacred Grove and determine
if it needed any work to be more safe.

The Joseph Smith Frame home in the background. This is the home that Joseph's brother "Alvin" was building when he died, leaving behind his family and fiancee.

Taking a break!

The old wagon in the lean to shed behind the threshing barn on the Joseph Smith Farm.

We had a great weekend last weekend! Our dear friends Betty & Vern Knowlton from Loudon, New Hampshire came for a visit. As a double bonus Katie & John came down from Vermont. We had a really good time visiting the sites. We visited the Peter Whitmer

Farm in Fayette where the church was organized. We also went to Sauders. If you come here for a visit you must go to Sauders. It is an old Mennonite Country Store with all kinds of canned goods made "down on the farm". It is unique to say the least. B&V got us a bushel of pears to can. We also visited the Hill Cumorah Visitor center. The weather was beautiful.

Week of September 04, 2009 Activity

2009-09-05T23:30:00.005-04:00

Its been another interesting week here in Palmyra.
We have a 30,000 gallon underground tank on the top of the Hill Cumorah. We have 2-50,000 gallon underground tanks in the yard of our offices. We have an acre +/- pond that is used primarily to fill the two tanks and they in turn have a pump the water to the top of the hill. Now you know that it never rains but what it pours so we have 1) a severe algae problem in the pond and 2) the primary pump in the pond quit! Here Mark and John get ready to swim in the swamp like pond to find and recover the pump.

Diving right in no one envied Mark today.

He was able to tie a rope onto the pump. We couldn't even budge it by hand. So we managed to get Elder Murphy and a 4X4 to hook onto the rope and pull it as far as the shore where we still couldn't move it.

I was elected to get the big backhoe so we could tie the rope onto the bucket and lift it out of the pond. Trick was not to let the backhoe enter the pond and to be careful enough to not kill Mark while getting a grip on the pump.

Once hooked on we were able to lift it free of the pond and swing it onto the lawn.

We discovered that it must weigh in excess of 250 lbs. It is a three stage, 10 horsepower pump with a capacity of 250 gallons per minute. Now all we have to do is figure a way to redesign a system to pump water back into the holding tanks cause there is no way we are going to get another pump this size back on the bottom of the pond. More later.....

Its a nasty job but some one's got to do it! Temple President's home has had a serious yellow jacket problem all summer. Several of us have been over to spray but the yellow jackets keep coming back. I got the work order this time and decided to investigate further. I wound up actually pulling the soffit down from the eves to disclose a huge yellow jacket nest. Sprayed it, dusted it, knocked it to the ground and bagged it. Done!! Only got stung in the head 6 times. not to bad considering the number of insects in the air. I don't think they'll be back.

Oh yeah. Its the 4th of September and the birthday girl celebrates another year. She got a little surprise as she had hinted at what she would like before we leave from our mission but you know me, I'd shot that down.

She's wanted this printed afghan that she saw very much.

She's just a little excited. So we had to take pictures, pictures, pictures.....

The End of August

2009-09-02T21:56:00.002-04:00

What a great week. We had lots of great adventures this week.

Linda was home on her P-day, August 20th and as usual, she ran out to greet the visitors to the site. This time she got a special surprise!

The visitors happened to be Sister Shirley Rook and her grand-daughters. Sister Rook is the great-great grand-daughter of none other than Martin Harris! They had a wonderful visit and Sister Parkerson was able to get some more first hand knowledge of Martin from his own family. They went for a tour of our apartment and her grand-daughters went into the field stone lined cellar, which would have been the original cellar of Martin Harris. It was a moving event for all.

Yes the berries are still coming. They are coming so fast we don't have time to heal up between pickings! You know who really enjoys berry picking!!!

As you can see here many of the berries are extra-large. Sister Parkerson has made some mighty fine seedless blackberry jam.

The bushes are loaded and sometimes you have to get down and crawl under the bushes to get inside the berry patch where the big ones are.

We showed Elder Murphy, our young friend where our secret patch is. I'm not worried as he goes home in October.....

O.K. This is not enhanced or trick photography! For anyone who knows me and cannot believe - YES that is me. I got this work order this week to replace the burned out floodlight that illuminates the gold dome of the historic Fayette Chapel. The chapel is located on the grounds of the Whitmer Farm where the cabin is that the Church was organized in, in 1830.

You can zoom in on it to see that it is me up there. I had to get on a ladder to the first level, walk up a second level of roof over the visitors center, pause for a prayer, then ascend up to the top of the chapel roof to change the lamp. Somehow I made it back down. Prayer answered.

This is Brother Chapman and his family. His wife June, and son John and daughter Stephanie. They invited us to a dinner with them at a ward camp out held at the Camp Zion here at the hill. It was miserable weather but a great evening was enjoyed with Mark and his family. Really nice people and Mark is an excellent "dutch oven" chef. We had baked chicken and stuffing, steamed vegetables and an apple dump cake.

Guests Are Gone - Back to Work - Sort of :-)

2009-08-25T21:19:00.003-04:00

Its berry picking time here in Western New York. We have a couple of great Blackberry patches. Our hands and arms make us look like a couple of drug users but the rewards are worth it.
We must have about 20 quarts by now and more are coming. Sister Parkerson has made 30 pints of seedless blackberry jam to date and has many quarts individually quick frozen.

This is my good friend Elder Huffaker giving me a little instruction on how to use the wood turning lathe. I would like to make a rolling pin. This particular piece had rot in the middle but at least gave me some experience in turning wood.

This little friend is a
three toed tree toad ( now say that real fast three times!) He joined us on a trip through the Sacred Grove. We left him there.

As part of our weight loss program we are supposed to get moooore exercise. So cheap me found that the local supermarket chain Wegman's offers a little book of walking tours that when you complete them you get a gift card for their store. So of we go. we started with a three mile trek in Savannah New York at the Audubon Society Conservation site. They have a little museum there and as you can see I can't get this stuffed bird to eat out of my hand. :-)

Sister Parkerson and Sister Huffaker have done a great job with the historical gardens at the Joseph Smith Farm.

Now this is my kind of light pole. Instead of having to climb a 20 foot ladder I just unbolt the base and it hinges down to replace the lamp. The only I gotcha is you got to watch for hornets in the base and the fixture!!!!

A certain someone got the big tractor stuck in the mud and another saved the day by pulling it out with the back hoe. However it got a broken hydraulic lone in the process. I hate working with the messy stuff but we successfully replaced the line and got her working again.

Of course I had to test it when we were done. Its a little bigger that it looks here.

We love and miss all of you and hope that catching upon our blog is interesting for you. Please either make a quick comment or drop us a quick e-mail at gaparkerson@gmail.com or if you really want a letter by snail mail.

August 5-6 with John & Kate, Gertrud & Charles

2009-08-15T20:22:00.002-04:00

John and Syrena tickle the Ivory's at our place at the Martin Harris house in Palmyra. What a great time we had with them.

I guess we tired them all out. even the dogs needed a break...

We had a nice cookout in our back yard with all of our visitors.

Elder Parkerson, Kate, John, with Syrena on the right and behind her are Gertrud and Charles Kraut. The Krauts are from Virginia. He has been my financial advisor for some time. He put me into precious metals for which I am grateful and have proven a good place to be. He has a financial service/advice website which I strongly recommend http://www.wcandp.com. Charles has been responsible for advancing what little Linda and I have. He also has an interesting vision of our country's financial future. Again if you have any investments I strongly recommend you contact him regarding those services he has to offer.

This is Syrena standing by a 200+ year old American Beech tree in the Sacred Grove. It is one of six trees left that would have been there when Joseph Smith received a witness that God and Jesus are real for they appeared to him there.

Syrena in the Tack shop at the old frame home barn on the Joseph Smith farm in Palmyra.

Brother Kraut and his wife Gertrud in the Joseph Smith log cabin .

Elder Parkerson, Sister Parkerson and Syrena in the Joseph Smith log cabin.

Kate and Charles in the Grandin print shop bindery seeing how the Book of Mormon would have been bound together.

Charles and Gertrud in our kitchen winding down from a busy day of visiting historic sights. We were bless to receive gifts from them of a can of real, fresh Virginia peanuts and a copy of Charles new book, "Moneywise", Your Guide to Keeping Ahead of Inflation, Taxes, and the Declining Dollar". It is an excellent text and although I also recommend it I am feeling that there may not be time for folks to read it and react before what is coming hits!

Sorry for the "advertising" here but our church strongly recommends and teaches personal and family preparedness. Financial Preparedness is an integral part of that preparation and I don't know anyone more qualified than Charles in that arena.

Our Visit to Letchworth State Park

2009-08-12T18:03:00.000-04:00

Letchworth State Park is known around these parts as the "Grand Canyon of the East". It is quite a site and a beautiful place to visit.

Here we are looking at the story board about how the park was formed. The park is about 18 miles long.

Well it took us this long to get here after the detour to the aircraft museum but it has been a most worthwell day thusfar.

Syrena getting a birds eye view of the canyon

Elder Parkerson standing on the overlook viewing the falls.

Syrena taking a break along the path that runs along much of the canyon.

John, Sister Parkerson, Syrena, and Kate pausing to view the middle falls. There are three main waterfalls along the park. Upper, lower and middle falls. They are all spectacular but the middle falls is probably more so.

Syrena by the brooklet that flows into the river that runs through the park.

The middle falls with a beautiful pair of rainbows cast by the mist from the falls. Unfortunatly the camera could only catch one of them.

Well Syrena had to teach the dog, Lilly, how to jump over the puddle. Lilly didn't want to get wet.

A somewhat rare picture of Elder & Sister Parkerson. Usually one of us is taking the picture. It was a beautiful day here at the park. The camer can not catch the beauty that the eye can see.

A quiet moment along the trail.

This is a unusual shot of Kate's John. We think he's trying to catch the rainbow to bring to Kate!

He was successful and she apppreciated the gift :-)

Kate, John and Syrena's Visit, August 2 - 6,2009

2009-08-06T10:26:00.001-04:00

A funny thing happened on the way to the park! As we were driving on to Letchworth State Park, Kate's John could sense prop-wash! Sure enough we found an old airfield operated by the 1941 Historic Aircraft Group (HAG). It is comprised of World War II era aircraft. Here at the left is Kate and Syrena in the nose gunners space of a B-17 WW-II bomber. Yes this is the actual aircraft that was in the movie "Memphis Belle". I had a nice opportunity to converse with the pilot who took her over to England, the location where the movie was shot. Even more rare was the privilege he allowed us to actually enter the plane and look around!

Syrena and John eyeing the belts of 0.50" ( 12.7mm) rounds that were fired from the guns.

Kate in the cockpit controls of the Memphis Belle. The size of this plane is hard to capture here in the hanger.

The story here that goes with the tail lettering on this plane

is that the fellows that operate the 1941 Historic Aircraft Group decided to have some mementos manufactured for their annual fest. They had printed some tee shirts and hats with "1941 HAG" lettering. They said although popular with the guys the women weren't buying hats that said "1941 HAG" I wonder why?

They also had a 1944 (I think) Willey's Military Jeep. In my humble but correct opinion this is the WW-II vehicle which

earned Jeep its reputation. Since Willey's stopped manufacturing them the Jeep has gone down hill and the name isn't even worth the metal its printed on.

This picture gives a little more perspective as to the size of this beast. (Although I am not that big)

This is Syrena standing next to another plane. I don't remember what it is. You'd have to ask John.

Likewise..... The Blog would be to large if I were to show all of the pictures we took.....

Our group from Vermont and New Hampshire has arrived. This was supposed to be the first picture but I am still not to adept with the "blog spot" software. I know, I know its free so not to complain. Kate and John have a really nice Airstream camping trailer. We enjoyed so very much their visit and hope they got to unwind a little from their frantic paced life....

Post Pageant Activities

2009-08-04T23:24:00.001-04:00

Our good friends Elder & Sister Huffaker got a surprise visit from their son, Mel Jr. and their grandson. They had a great couple of days roaming the Hill.

A call came in that the flagpole lights were not working on the flagpole at the Joseph Smith welcome center. So Elder Parkerson was called upon to troubleshoot and repair. You can see him here in his favorite working position. He he he.

On a quiet Saturday after Pageant was over I got to start work on a bowl. Elder Young got me started with how to do it before he left to go home. I am now going to count on Elder Huffaker ( who taught wood-shop for over 20 years) to help me create something from this block of wood. It has to be below 10% moisture before it can be turned without risk of cracking.

We got a call from a member who works for Cornell University. They had put in an experimental crop of peas. We along with a couple of wards got invited to go and pick peas! We filled two plus 5 gallon pails with peas.

And of course its raspberry time around here and the church properties abound with wild raspberry bushes. Sister Parkerson and I picked, cleaned and froze about 6 quarts of the berries. They will taste good next winter.

I discovered that the church field across from the Hill Cumorah Visitors Center had been planted in Rye. One day I was watching as this giant machine was delivered on a big truck and went out into the field. Well you know me, I just had to investigate as I have never seen anything quite like this. As I wandered out into the field to inquire as to how it does what it does, the farmer running the thing invited me in for a ride. That's me inside with the farmer.

The pictures really can't do it justice. It is huge and is called a "combine" and it has a cutterbar on the front that cuts the grain, some blowers tht blows any grain falling as it is cut into the auger, there are fingers on a big rotating arm that gather the cut grain into the auger. The auger then separates the grain from the stems. The grain gets blown into a big bin in the back of the combine and the stems are gathered and fed out the back to be bailed later for animal bedding. This machine with the "cutting head" for grain and another for corn costs over $250,000.00...

As sometimes things get delivered Elder Parkerson gets to run the fork-lift. It runs on propane and steers from the rear. This one can reach over 20' high and can shift the forks left and right. I did spend a few minutes in the yard getting used to it before actually tring to work with it. Being as heavy as it is you could do some serious damage if you are not careful.

We had a specail visit from our friends Jim and Sandy davis from Colebrook, New Hampshire. Sandy wasn't feeling well so I took Jim on a tour of the Grove. Here we are looking at one of the "adversity trees". There are many trees in the Grove that tell a story. This one has suffered much. Something struck the lower side seriously damaging the bark. Later two limbs started to grow outward from the main trunk. Then in a terrible storm the main trunk of the tree was snapped completely off. Eventaully in a rare circumstance the two limbs that had grown out sacraficed their individual growth and re-joined to form one new trunk further up. Although seriously damaged the tree lives and grows on.

Jim and Sandy davis from Colebrook, New Hampshire at the Joseph Smith Farm in Palmyra. We had a wonderful opportunity to host them overnight when they travelled through Palmyra to pick up some livestock in southwestern New York.

Hill Cumorah Pageant II

2009-08-02T13:50:00.003-04:00

July 10, 11 and 12. We were so happy that Jon and Sheilla, Sheylina, Drake, and their friends the Shoretell family got to come to Palmyra for Pageant. They arrived on Friday, we met and went to the Joseph Smith Farm for a picnic lunch.

The weather was beautiful and we had a wonderful opportunity to walk the historic sites touring the Log Home and frame home where Joseph grew up. Here we have Grandpa (Elder Parkerson) and son, Jon, with grandchildren Sheylina and Drake.

After touring the buildings we had a special walk in the Sacred Grove where we could see the "witness trees" and this is us in front of the "Apostle tree" it is a 300 + year old iron wood tree. Brigham Young was said to have requested that all the axles for the wagons and hand carts be made from this kind of wood. This 300 year old tree would have been in the grove when Joseph went there to pray. it is said to have regionally had 12 limbs all growing upward! There are only 6 witness trees ( 200 + year old American Beech) left in the grove. They would be old enough to have been standing when Joseph went to pray and received his vision of the Lord and His son, Jesus Christ.

This is Jon & Sheilla, Sheylina and Drake on a bench just outside the Sacred Grove. The Church has placed over 50 of these benches in the now over 30 acres that comprise the Grove. There are over 9000 feet of trails in the Grove. Room enough for many people to visit, sit and feel the special Spirit that does exist in the Sacred Grove.

These are the Shoretell family who are good friends of Jon & Sheilla's. They are Dan and Jouvett, and Daniella and Andrea.
Jouvett is from Venezuela. Dan is a return missionary. They were a lot of fun to have visit.

All of our group in front of the memorial on the top of the Hill Cumorah.

The Parkerson's and the Shoretel'ls all shared a camper that they rented in New Hampshire. It was tight but all had a good time. They stayed at the "Cheerful Valley Campground" about 25 minutes from the sites.

On Sunday before everyone left we got a chance to go to church at the Fayette Chapel located on the Peter Whitmer Farm in Fayette. Jon and Sheilla at the side of the cabin where the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was organized

Elder Parkerson, Jon Parkerson and Dan Shoretell in front of the Peter Whitmer log cabin home.

The Hill Cumorah Pageant

2009-08-01T21:09:00.000-04:00

Pageant season begins on a Monday when about 20 young men age 19 - 26 show up with several adult leaders to begin set up.

By Friday they have set up hundreds of square feet of a 10 level stage, professional lighting on 12 - 30 to 50 foot towers, a ton of professional sound system and Hollywood style special effects.

The Facilities Management people lend whatever support is needed to the setting up of the visitors sites to support Pageant visitors. Elder Parkerson helped with the tents

This is a before picture of Elders Huffacker and Parkerson before mowing about 20 acres of field/parking lots. Its a lot of fun for about an hour. After 7.5 hours we didn't dare show you the "after" pictures. The dirt and grass clipping made the people unrecognizable, not to mention the inability to stand up straight for awhile.....

On Friday, July 3, this year 730 strangers show up as Pageant performers, collect scripts, identification and instructions. On the following Saturday morning they all go to the "bowl" ( a large field below the pageant stage where the audience sits and get chosen for their parts. Seven professional "scene" directors choose the actors for their scene and then rehearsals begin. By Monday they are begin to rehearse on stage and by Wednesday they are prepared for a full run through. On Thursday night is a full dress rehearsal and Friday begin the annual pageant season.

It is referred to by many as 'God's" pageant. over 800 people coming together and putting this thing together in less than a week is truly a miracle!

If you would like to know a little more then visit

www.hillcumorah.org/pageant/

there you can see the opening scene and get a lot of information. We had over 51,000 visitors to the historic sites during pageant. I cleaned more toilets this week than I have in my entire life!

Its been a lot of hard work but a lot of fun too.

I had an interesting experience while heading towards one of our anti-Mormon visitors who was yelling insults to the pageant visitors. I was intercepted by an "usher" who "insisted" I not "visit" with the protester. In a conversation with him I discovered he was not really an usher but a security guard, retained by the Church to "protect" the protesters from the members who they were insulting! It is a move by the Church to prevent law suits as the protesters are on church property yelling insults at the members of the church and if they were to have an "accident" at the hands of some members the church could be sued in court. Oh well you got to love America for the freedom to stand on someone else's property, violate them and be protected by law. Also found out the "Mike" shows up every

year, they know him by name, and he is from Rochester. He is paid money by some anti organization to come down here every night and yell and protest. The others were mostly locals dressed in hobo attire.

The only justice is that once an opening prayer is given the pageant is then deemed a "religious" meeting and if the protesters make any sounds they will be arrested by the sheriffs that are standing by and hauled off to jail for disturbing a religious meeting. They did one last year and it didn't happen again this year.

Other than that it was a beautiful pageant season. It did get rained out the first Saturday night. Actually they will perform in the rain but the intense lightning and thunder with over 700 people on a steel stage was too much of a risk so they ended Saturday night at the death of Abinidi scene.

Our love to all of you who are following, praying and supporting us in our Mission Adventure.

A Night At The Museum

2009-07-15T20:14:00.001-04:00

Early July brings about the annual Hill Cumorah Pageant. The Hill Cumorah Pageant brings about a whole lot of extra work.

We call this post " a Night at the Museum" because it details a bit of our work (outside of the bathrooms that we needed to clean) One thing that is kind of neat is the ability to clean and get behind the "barriers" where the regular visitors can't get. Here Sister Parkerson is standing in the "bindery" where the Book of Mormon was most probably bound together.

Here is a copy of the original printers manuscript which the Book of Mormon was set in type by.

Elder Parkerson was standing next to the printing press that was exactly the same type of standing press that the Book of Mormon was printed on. It would have been the latest invention and was the most advanced printing press in the country. It was shipped on the Erie Canal which has just recently been completed.

Geoff is standing next to a display case which holds one of the original 5000 copies of the "Book of Mormon". A volume like this one sold at an antique book auction in New Hampshire a few years ago for over $40,000. While the antique books are of great value the words which they contain are priceless!

Elder Parkerson at E. B. Grandin's old desk. This is the room that Joseph Smith the Prophet of the Restoration, Martin Harris, and E. B. Grandin would have been sitting in when they signed that contract, Martin putting up 150 acres of his farm where we are living, to cover the cost of printing the first 5,000 copies of the Book of Mormon.

Sister Parkerson behind the counter of the bookstore section of Mr. Grandin's printing establishment. Behind are replicas of old paper back/bound books which were the most common of the day. Paper back books were far more afforable. The Book of Mormon was to be bound in pigskin leather. It would sell for $1.25 or about 3 days wages of that day. It was a book of great worth. It is today.

There was and is a special "Spirit" in that building as one works and cleans there. Although E.B was not converted by the book, one of the workers in the bindery was. As one learns of the history that took place and the miracles of the creation of the Book of Mormon from its translation to the completion of the first edition, its coming forth was truly miraculous.

Late June - Early July

2009-07-08T17:41:00.001-04:00

Still catching up. Sister Parkerson ( I strongly Suspect) had something major to do with a marathon effort to have me receive 60 birthday cards for my 60th birthday. It was almost a complete success.. I actually got 58 birthday cards. Oh how I wouldn't mind being 58 again or better still 48! I have told some that I feel like a 30 year old mind trapped in a 60 year old body. I feel like a healthy strong construction worker in an old house that is starting to fall down around me.....

Well we have this assignment for the rest of the summer to keep the lawns mowed at the old farm house which the church owns adjacent to the HCVC. I am getting a little proficient at running one of these zero turn lawnmowers. So like Tom Sawyer I figured its time to share the fun. I had a bit of a job convincing her to get on it. Actually I had the wisdom and foresight to actually have her drive it around for a little bit before showing her how to activate
the mower deck...........

She now loves to drive it and I almost have to fight her to get my turn....

Sister Parkerson and Sister Huffacker were going to have a 2,500psi squirt gun fight but decided it would be more fun to pressure wash the outside of the Palmyra Temple.

They really enjoy working together. They really are like a couple of sisters.

They spent the whole day washing just one side of the temple.

They both took turns holding this stool down!

We both ( of course she's the one taking the pictures as usual) had an assignment to install lawn edging around the flower beds in front to the Hill Cumorah Visitors Center ( HCVC) so that the dirt wouldn't run all over the sidewalk.

After a good workout the zero turn mowers need to have the blades sharpened. We have this really neat mineature lift that can be used to put heavy stuff up over your head for working on it.

Sisters Huffacker and Parkerson enjoy gardening, planting, watering and tending the beautiful gardens around the Smith Farm, the Yellow Mills Farm house, and our garden behind the Harris House. They also work on some plantings around the Harris House, the Temple, and other areas.

Tomato plants at the Yellow Mills Farm where the Huffackers live.

This is the farm garden near the Joseph Smith Log Home on the Smith Farm property. We all worked on planting it with plants that the Huffackers started in February. Almost every visitor stop and admires these gardens.

Every missionary that you can talk to will tell you that theirs is the best mission in the whole church. Well they are all wrong. Sister Parkerson and I have the best mission in the whole church.

Cabin Restoration

2009-06-30T20:34:00.001-04:00

A special week and a half of training for Elder Parkerson.

It was discovered last year that several of the logs in the walls of the Whitmer Farm log cabin have rotted and were in serious condition. Elder Young was serving in the Palmyra NY FMG at the time. Being a master carpenter of sorts he was called in to figure out what to do. He had a dream one night of how to repair the logs and has been working hard on them tis spring. It was learned that he would not be able to complete the task before his mission was finished so they invited me to learn how to do it. Here's me in my favorite position about a story up!

First you have to loosen up a log that needs major repair. You have to jack hammer out all the mortar and chinking that surrounds the log.

Then you remove bad log from the building. Not necessarily an easy feat as even rotten logs are heavy. In many cases though you don't have to take the log out of the building and can effectivly repair it in place.

After removing the log you bring it down where you can work on it. You have to remove any and all rotten material. Sometimes the log is so bad that you have to make a form to hold the pieces in place while you prepare to fill it with concrete. The log is then prepared with an epoxy based sealer to lessen further rotting and to protect the log from any chemical action by the concrete.

The prepared log is now hoisted back up on the scaffolding in preparation for filling with concrete.

Concrete is mixed on the ground, passed up in buckets and tamped into the waiting log. It is leveled and shaped and allowed to harden.

Now we are ready to slide the cement filled log back into teh building. And I thought it was heavey before the concrete was added!

The repaired log is now set into place where the notches hold it in place and mortar mix is used to fill in between the logs. After that hardens a good caot of "chinking" is applied between the logs. After that hardens you wouldn't even know that the log was worked on. It may sound easy but with the drying times for the epoys, glues and concrete and mortar it takes almost a week to do one log. It was fun and interesting. Now the Peter Whitmer farm house where the Church was organized will stand well for another 50 years...

Best wishes to all.

June 14 - 22, 2009

2009-06-21T19:28:00.001-04:00

Well Pagent and the aftermath is over for this year and I guess its time to get this Blog caught up. I am weeks behind with Sister Parkerson's hundreds of pictures to identify and a Blog layout and program that I absouletely hate. It is the most user unfriendly thing I've ever had the mispleasure of using but its free so I can't complaint too much. I don't know if there is anyone even following this anymore.

Elders Parkerson & Murphy woring on rebuiding a Kawasaki engine that runs a 6 person transporter cart that the Pagent people use to bring disabled folks in from the parking lots. We got it done and running before Pagent!

We have a really nice shop with a car lift, welding equipment and a full compliment of mechanics tools.

We got to go strawberry picking on a Saturday off. The weather was warm and wonderful and the berries plentiful. The farmer would take you out into his field on a wagon pulled by his tractor and drop you off to pick. It was a lot of fun. We are looking forward to returning as they also grow cherries, rasperries, corn and peas.

Sunday, Fathers Day Sheri from the FM office managed to organize a surprise 60th Birthday party for Elder Parkerson. It was quite a surprise as I never expected it. I think Sister Parkerson also played a roll in it. We had a really nice afternoon and evening. All of the Senior couples we work with were there.

From the left is Elder Huffacker ( Sister Huffacker is taking the picture) Elder & Sister Parkerson, Sister Sheri and her husband Peter Baxendale (our hostess and office manager), behind Sister Sheri is Elder Murphy, Elder & Sister Picanco, and Elder and Sister Young

For anyone who isn't aware of it yet our e-mail address is

gaparkerson@gmail.com. So if you ccan't find a way to leave a message here don't hesitate to send off an e-mail. Also as our home is 2095 Maple Avenue, Palmyra all our mail should be sent to Elder or Sister Parkerson, 653 State Route 21, Palmyra, New York, 14522. Our apartment telephone number is 315- 597- 1567 and we now have an answering machine. Our love to all of you.

June 8 - 13, 2009

2009-06-14T22:10:00.002-04:00

Another great week in the best mission there is! Among the highlights were the mid-week FM Group safety meeting. Sister Parkerson & Huffaker made a sumptuous Mexican luncheon for the meeting. They also spent much time in working the historical gardens at the Smith Farm. Elder Parkerson spent time loading the dump truck with the big CAT backhoe-loader and grading off a washed out area of path at the Pagent Stud Shelter. He also took the "zero turn" mower and mowed an acre of lawn at the "old farmhouse". On Thursday & Friday Elder Parkerson installed an outdoor outlet in an inconspicuous pace outside the Peter Whitmer Farm house and commenced training on " old log restoration". Elder Young will not be able to finish it all before he goes and they have designated me to finish restoring some of the rotting logs.

The Weekend

2009-06-14T19:14:00.004-04:00

A weekend with nothing to do? NOT We went strawberry picking, shopped for some stuff we needed and while Elder Parkerson got a wood turning lesson from Elder Young, Sister Parkerson got a wood working lession on working with a scroll saw from Sister Young. After the strawberry picking they all had to be hulled and frozen. Of course given our family we had to watch the fire truck across the street from our house doing a training exercise. In the evening we enjoyed a beautiful sunset over the Harris Farm.

A Family Weekend June 5 & 6, 2009

2009-06-07T17:38:00.000-04:00

On John and Kate's first time visit we started our walk in the Joseph Smith Sacred Grove and learned about 30 different types of trees and Joseph's vision of Heavenly Father and our Savior. We showed them some of the witness trees that would have been there in Joseph's lifetime.

Here we are relaxing on the beautiful lush green grass in our yard. I can't remember if this is Curtis or Lilly in the picture too. Katie and John are looking happy to finally be here, too.

At the Joseph Smith Farm we got to see how their bees would have been kept in 1830. Katie also got to help me water the garden.
We also got to visit Lake Ontario. It looks like an ocean. The rocks to build Martin Harris house came from here and are all over the beach. We also got to look at the lighthouse and this giant Weeping Willow Tree. I wonder what stories it holds.

2009-06-05T21:50:00.000-04:00

Well we decided to pick up a new vehicle. We are called to change the toilet paper & towels. Fix the lights. Wash the buidings and clean the dryer vents. We cut the downed logs, mow the lawns, fix the broken stuff. We empty the trash, paint the walls, kill the ants. We fabricate what needs fabricating. We drive the carts, zero turns, tractors, backhoe, the dump truck and the "Dooley" So when something needs doing - who ya gona call -
The F M Missionaries.............................

When a way to get people up to the parking lot lights to fix them while waiting to get the man lift fixed Elder Parkerson was commissioned to build an attachment for the fork-lift. This was the result. >>>>>>>>>>

The well cover at the Peter Whitmer Farm historic site needed to be scraped down and re-painted. Elder Parkerson is right on it.

Sisters Huffaker and Parkerson had a mega squirt gun fight! Not really they got to pressure wash one of the missionary apartments. That day it was in the 50's. Would have been more fun I am sure on a hot summer day.

Also tasks this week were to clean out a dryer vent in the apartment building. Must have been 10 pounds of lint - vent was almost completely blocked off. Elder Parkerson loves to shop tools. He found a great one at Lowe's for connecting the cordless drill to a rotary brush that can reach all the way through the dryer vent. A shop Vac hooks to the other end. It comes with several attachments for various applications. Sister's Parkerson & Huffaker worked diligently on the Historic Gardens at the Smith Farm.

May 30 weekend

2009-06-02T21:16:00.000-04:00

It was a beautiful Sunday. We rode down to our assigned Ward with the Picanco's and hosted a picnic lunch with the young Missionary Elders assigned to Geneseo Ward. We ate at the Letchworth State Park Dam Site. Its their "Grand Canyon".

Last Week May 25 - 30

2009-05-31T00:00:00.000-04:00

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

2009-05-23T22:14:00.000-04:00

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?

2009-05-22T21:17:00.000-04:00

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

2009-05-17T18:56:00.001-04:00

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

2009-05-10T15:40:00.000-04:00

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!

2009-05-07T15:08:00.000-04:00

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

2009-05-05T14:49:00.000-04:00

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

2009-05-04T14:28:00.000-04:00

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

2009-05-01T21:30:00.000-04:00

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!

Nineth Post on the Road.

2009-04-27T10:00:00.000-04:00

Lindsay drove us over to Maxine's on Saturday evening. She lives just a few miles from Lindsay. We had a wonderful time getting re-acquainted with the family. She and her husband came to Concord about 13 years ago to serve a mission there. We have been in love with them ever since. Don passed away a couple of years ago but Maxine is doing well. Her son, Steve and daughter, Lynette live with her in Holiday. Maxine and Steve drove us to the MTC on Monday morning. So long for now our good friends...

Eighth Stop on the road..

2009-04-25T19:00:00.000-04:00

Stirlings drove us to Lindsay's on Friday morning. We had a wonderful time there. As you might have guessed I found lots of little electrical projects around Lindsay's apartment. Friday night went to a "Natural Foods restaurant" for dinner. Saturday morning off to Home Depot to a community preparedness fair. A few more fix it projects in the afternoon then we left to go to Maxine Anderson's home for the rest of the weekend.

Seventh Leg in the adventure

2009-04-23T23:05:00.000-04:00

Tuesday, April 21 to Friday, April 24,2009.

The Stirlings picked us up at the airport. Seemed like a long time in the air. We had a wonderful visit with them. We explored Porcupine canyon & reservoir. It was georgous. Ate out at the 'Golden Corral" overwhelming might describe it. It you could eat just one teaspoon of each item offered you still couldn't try everything! They have a beautiful home and just a very short drive to church and temple! They drove us down to Lindsay's on Friday morning. We shall miss them dearly for teh next two years.

Sixth Leg of the Journey

2009-04-21T14:56:00.000-04:00

04/18 to 04/21, 2009

Arrived at Kate & John's Saturday afternoon. Had a nice visit with them. They are nursing a little lamb named "Thomas" and his mom who is quite ill. We went out to eat dinner at the Wagon Wheel a very good local restaurant. Linda & ventured off to Church in Rutland on Sunday morning and visited the airport where Kate works in the afternoon. Took a walk to an old local cemetery. Kate prepared a special dinner and we ate in their newly renovated dining room! Kate also baked a special loaf of bread in the shape of a bee. Had a nice visit and we all drove to the Burlington airport for a farewell as we headed off to Utah. We'll miss them a lot too.

2009-04-18T14:50:00.000-04:00

Fifth Leg of our trip April 16 to April 18, 2009

Off to Jonathan's house in Jaffrey, NH. We drove on up to Jon & Sheilla's in Jaffrey to visit with them and grandchildren Sheylina and Drake and Sheila's dad, Alberto. We had a nice visit with them. Sheilla cooked a special dinner for us on Thursday evening. On Friday we visited a local park where the children played. Then we went to Sheylina's Karate class which was very special. We went to a local special ice cream place for dessert. Saturday morning we all arose and travelled to President Cook's home where Linda and I were set apart as full time missionaries. Jon and the Tinkers were there. It was a very Spiritual time as the blessings we got were very meaningful. Another sad goodbye and offfff...

Fourth Leg of the Trip

2009-04-16T13:59:00.000-04:00

April 15 to April 16, 2009

Well the four and a half leg of our journey. We left Kasia and Adam's on a beautiful Tuesday morn and drove back to KC where we flew back to Manchester and were met by Brother Tinker.

Due to the hour we once again imposed upon them and stayed the night. Wednesday morning drove down to Boston to visit with Matthew, Lena and Liliya

We spent a very nice day with them, worked on their P/C as it was unbearably noisy. Only after I had taken it apart and was trying to get it to work did Matt tell me what Lena would do to me if anything happens to the pictures on the hard drive. After a little adventure we did get it working and much quieter. Gotta get ready to go. Will miss seeing that little girl grow and take her first steps but hopefully they will keep in touch and send pictures. Missing them already...

The Third Leg of Travel

2009-04-14T13:37:00.000-04:00

March 11 to March 14, 2009

We bid farewell to Kristen and Jared and flew up to Kansas City, MO. We met Kasia's Adam and drove up to Liberty Jail where the Prophet Joseph spent an awful winter in a "dungeon". We then travelled to their home in Topeka, Kansas. Arriving just in time for a great Easter Egg hunt in the back yard. Kasia and Adam helped Spencer and Lea find the eggs the bunny had hidden. We had a great time Sunday attending a regional Stake Conference broadcast from Salt Lake City. The speakers were wonderful. On Monday we went to a museum and observed a presentation of "Brown Vs The School Board". It was the first legal challenge to racial integration in the schools in the country. It was very interesting. We walked to a beautiful city park near their home with the grandchildren. It was a short stay after such a long absence from one-another. Adam will finish law school this Summer and then we'll find out where they will be moving, living and working. Again the hello's are exhilarating but the goodbye's are movingly sad. So long for now...

The Second Leg

2009-04-10T12:39:00.000-04:00

March 03 - March 11, 2009

March 03 off to Kristen & Jared's in Leander, Texas. An awful day of travel. Left Brian's about 8:30 AM at the airport 9:00 Am through security a breeze and at the terminal by 9:30AM.

Ohh our 11:20Am departure was pushed to 1:30 PM. We didn't know that we had to go to Texas Via Chicago! Got into Chicago late, left late and missed our Houston to Austin connection by 20 minutes. Flew standby on the 8:30PM flight which left at 9:30PM and arrived in Austin about 11:00 PM travelled to K&J's. Got to bed by about 1:00 AM and arose at 6:00AM to go to the Bishop's Storehouse for an assignment there. Had a great day there - it always makes you feel good doing something for someone else less fortunate. We watched Conference on the internet, Jared & I went to the Priesthood sesion and watched the Sunday sessions on the internet. Had a wonderful week fixing broken stuff and electrical projects around the house, cutting cordwood, and helped them plant their garden. Got to know Moo the new dog. We are going to miss them bunches...

The First Leg

2009-04-03T12:16:00.000-04:00

March 31 to April 3, 2009

The first leg of our journey took us to son Brian, Kris, Allisyn and Isabella's home in Pasadend, Maryland. We enjoyed our visit very much but weren't able to do too much as we were totally exhausted from all the preparations.

Brian, who is in the US Coast Guard, is being transfered in June to the Chicago office. They are buying a new home in the "burbs" and are looking forward to moving into their first house. We didn't get a lot of good pictures either but were able to enjoy the love and hospitality offered there. Top left - Allisyn showing the home where they live now. Top-right Isabella and Kris at the bus stop. Lower-left Brian, Bella, Alli, and me playing Wii on the tv. We'll miss them.....

The Journey Begins

2009-03-30T12:08:00.000-04:00

We were blessedwith a travel voucher from South West Airlines when our flight home from Kristen's was over-booked. We decided since we wouldn't see the children for two years that we would make a last visit to each before we went on the mission.

We travelled from mom Shirl's to Jonathan's to unload the van and some "stuff" then back to Contoocook to stay with the Tinkers who graciously hosted us and transported us to Manchester Airport on Tuesday, March 31st.

Final Preparations

2009-03-29T20:09:00.000-04:00

January - February - March 2009

Days of anxiety and stresssss. We had to finish working on our apartments on Madison Avenue in Berlin where with the help of Mike & Roland we completely renovated three bathrooms put down new kitchen floors and painted almost all of the three apartments. In mid February we received our mission call to Palmyra, NY. We needed to complete the work on the apartments, pack up 18 years of accumulated "stuff", give away and store everything we were not able to take, finish the electrical work I had committed to, close the business, and find someone to manage the Beehive Apartments. We are so very thankful that our son Mike Couch offered to take on the job of Apartment Maintenance for us.

With extremely grateful hearts we were blessed with many helping hands from family and church friends. Mike & Kate helped immensely by transporting furniture and "stuff" to Jay's in New London and Kate & John's in Vermont for storage. Linda's mom came by with food and to help pack. The Skousen's ( Dan, Brenda, Ivy and Asa) came all the way down from Colebrook down for three days to help sort and pack. The Latham's came down from Colebrook, the Millis's ( Dan & Vern, Avery, Stephen), the Coloismo's ( Jim & Laura), the Hall's ( Pam & Corky)

Finally completed preparations for departure on Saturday night about 10:00 PM! Stayed over at Linda's mom's for the night. Then on to say goodbye to Mom Shirley in Groveton before heading south to the Tinkers...

The Colosimo's graciously volunteered to come over after we were gone to give the apartment a good cleaning top-to-bottom.

May God bless each and everyone that made out departure smooth and possible.

More to follow