LABOR DAY WEEK

The big news this weekend is that we could finally announce the name of our new Director and his wife.  They are:

 ELDER BLAINE AND SISTER MARGENE BUSHMAN!

No one could be better qualified or prepared!

They are beloved by all and will be wonderful in this new calling!

Sister Bushman is already taking her new responsibility very seriously . . .

. . . and Elder Bushman is too . . .

. . . although occasionally he has been known to have 

a little bit of an identity crisis.

The summer may be almost over, but we are far from finished with things.

So . . . what could be more fun on a Sunday afternoon than having a tour bus full of people from all over stop here to use the cleanest restrooms in the world and come to visit us??

TWO TOUR BUSES!!

The first bus (the red one) was full of Asian tourists speaking mostly Mandarin, Chinese, and simplified Chinese.  The white bus was full of Germans and Russians.  We gave them our last two Russian Books of Mormon.

Many of them have no knowledge of the Savior, Jesus Christ, and we were happy to tell them about Him, to tell them about the Restoration of the Gospel, and to give them some literature in their own languages.

We had Books of Mormon and other Church literature on hand as well as God's Plan For the Family playing in the theater room in Chinese.

They were fascinated with the stories of the handcart pioneers.

They enjoyed seeing the displays inside the Visitors' Center 

and the beautiful grounds and views outside.

On Labor Day we had a real treat - Alyssa and Bud Larson and Chris and Emily Snow came to visit us with their darling children:  Jessica, James, Jack and Kate Larson, and Will, Katherine, Jane, and Anthony Snow.

After taking a tour of the Visitors' Center and pulling some handcarts around . . .

. . . they decided to get serious about trekking.  They helped Bud get into a rickshaw (and let Alyssa pull him, of course!) . . .

. . . and then they headed out on the trail.  We took a rover (I still cannot walk very far on my healing ankle) and met them at the Statues.

 They then took a quick trip to Independence Rock, 
and then off they went back to SLC!

We were also blessed to see many former missionaries from previous years.  
Here we are with the Childs, the Glasses, and the Mattisons.

We also got a nice little visit with the Grahams.

The Baileys and the Wards from Sixth Crossing came too, but they slipped away before I could snap a picture.  What fun it was to see them all!

Then it was time for the beginning of all the formal goodbyes.  We had a farewell dinner in the Barn for the three winter missionary couples who have served here for the past 18 months:  the Bushmans, who will return in January to serve as the new directors, and the Cherrys and the Thomases.

There was a game called Truth . . . or Not!  and each couple got called up to explain some of Elder Taylor, Jr.'s misconceptions about them.

Then Elder Miller, our local Sheriff, arrived in his official vehicle . . .

 . . . complete with siren, badge, and multiple citations to issue!

 Elder Petersen played Goin' Home on his harmonica which brought tears to our eyes, and then each couple had the opportunity to speak.

They were given a print of one of our favorite handcart pioneers, 
Elizabeth Horrocks Jackson. 
The original painting hangs in the Trek Center where we hold Sacrament Meeting, and after looking at her for 18 months, she has become a dear and inspiring pioneer friend to all of us.

 The four couples who stayed the winter made one last trip together to Martin's Cove where we remembered the good times . . .

 

 . . . and they were ALL good times!  We have truly grown to love each other, 
and we will miss that wonderful, close association.

Farewell . . . until we meet again!