This Thanksgiving we have MUCH to be grateful for!!

Being away from home on a mission has given us the unique opportunity of serving others on holidays when we have usually been with our family.  This is the first Thanksgiving we have ever spent away from all our children and grandchildren.  

This year, as has been done in previous years here at Martin's Cove, we missionaries went into Casper and helped serve Thanksgiving dinner to the homeless and downtrodden at the Hope Center run by the Salvation Army.  What a blessing that was!  It gave us a chance to show love and compassion to many whose lives are full of physical, mental, and emotional challenges for a variety of reasons.  Not only were we able to serve them a tasty and nutritious meal, we could also sit and visit with them and just listen to them for awhile.  It was an honor and a privilege to be there.

 Here's the serving crew just before they opened the doors.

We had the special little task of slicing the butter into serving size patties, and . . .

. . . we also got to be in charge of the drinks.  

Amazingly, the most popular choice by far was orange juice!

Then today we celebrated our own Thanksgiving at the Homestead with about 30 people including our 6 missionary couples and about 18 others - local ranchers and friends of Jeff and Trinity Seely, one of the ranchers here at Martin's Cove.  What a delight it was to get to know them and share an amazing meal.  They brought along 9 children, and their chatter and laughter was something we missionaries all enjoyed because it reminded us of our families.

Even though we are away from those most dear to us, we feel greatly blessed, and we are thankful to a loving Heavenly Father who watches over us and our families while we are gone.  We love Him and are honored to be able to serve Him at this time and in this unique way.

Jeff sliced up a delicious turkey Trinity baked.

Here are both of our master chefs at work.

The sisters got really creative with the food.  

Look at this work of art:  a turkey made from fruit!

And here's another one made of vegetables!

Wyatt Seely wasn't shy - he was first in line!

Thank you to many years of previous missionaries for all the lovely table decorations.

We had to bring in two extra tables to hold all the food.

Poor Boss - the ranch dog! 

Everyone he loved was on the other side of the open window eating a delicious meal. 

He could see it and smell it, but couldn't have any.

The Seely boys sat with the Martins and Hutchinsons

The Bushmans got to sit at the "teen table."

Jeff Seely, the Thomases, the Cherrys, and the Moenches sat together.  

Right after taking this picture I sat down to eat and spilled my entire glass of water right on Sister Cherry's lap!  

Well . . . somebody had to spill something!

Trinity Seely, the Gates family and the Barcus family

This lovely and tasty cherry pie was made by Elder Cherry!  

Look how cute he decorated the crust!

After dinner the men retired to their couches for football and naps, 

and the sisters played a mean game of Mexican Train dominoes.

Martin's Cove is featured in the November 2013 issue of The Friend. If you don't have it in your home, click on the link below to view it.

Martin's Cove Article in The Friend, November 2013

The family in this article are the Seelys, and their father, Jeff, helps to run the ranch here at Martin's Cove.  In the picture you can see his wife Trinity and their four children:  Kathryn, Wyatt, Tap, and baby Sam, wrapped in the blanket.

This wonderful man is very special to everyone at Mormon Handcart Historic Sites. President Lorimer was honored for his part in the "Second Rescue."

'Second Rescue' of the 1856 handcart pioneers

Foundation award recognizes role in history preservation

By Jerry Wellman,Church News staff writer

Published: Friday, Nov. 22, 2013

Martin’s Cove.     Rock Creek.   Rocky Ridge.    Sweetwater River. 

These sites hold special places in Church history, especially when speaking of the James G. Willie and the Edward Martin handcart companies that, in October 1856, were caught by winter storms on the plains of Wyoming. Members of these handcart companies, en route to Utah, became the subject of rescue efforts by Church members who left Salt Lake City for Wyoming with wagons and relief supplies at the behest of President Brigham Young.

In 1991, Robert Scott Lorimer, then president of the Riverton Wyoming Stake, felt inspired to lead his stake to accomplish what today is referred to as the “Second Rescue.” With the approval of the First Presidency the Second Rescue was to complete the temple work for these 1856 pioneers and their rescuers.

President Lorimer also negotiated the Church’s purchase of property in Wyoming at Rock Creek and the Sun Ranch, adjacent to Martin’s Cove. For his efforts, President Lorimer was honored by the Mormon Historic Sites Foundation with its Junius F. Wells Award at a dinner held in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building on Nov. 14.

Previous award recipients include President Gordon B. Hinckley (2005), Elder M. Russell Ballard (2007) and, most recently, Elder Marlin K. Jensen in 2012. The award honors individuals who have given extraordinary service in the preservation of Mormon history.

President Robert Scott Lorimer, recipient of the 2013 Junius F. Wells Award from the Mormon Historic Sites Foundation

Glenn Rawson, a noted filmmaker, writer and television producer, served as master of ceremonies at the event. The award was presented to President Lorimer by Richard N. W. Lambert, the foundation’s vice chairman. President Lorimer’s wife, Desiree Lorimer, and their seven children and spouses were also in attendance. Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Kathy Andersen, also attended along with several current and emeritus members of the Seventy.

In a video presentation detailing events of the Riverton stake members’ efforts, President Lorimer related inspiration he received when he unexpectedly announced “the Willie project” at the end of a stake conference in 1988. Following that announcement, Kim W. McKinnon, then second counselor in the stake presidency, felt the need for the stake to acquire computer equipment — not understanding then a purpose for the equipment.

President Robert Scott Lorimer, right, former president of the Riverton Wyoming Stake, is presented the 2013 Junius F. Wells Award by Richard Lambert of the Mormon Historic Sites Foundation.
Photo by Kenneth Mays

From left, Elder Neil L. Andersen, Sister Kathy Andersen, Sister Desiree Lorimer, Robert Scott Lorimer. Junius F. Wells award dinner, Nov. 14, 2013, Joseph Smith Memorial Building, the Mormon Historic Sites Foundation.
 Photo by Kenneth Mays

During a subsequent visit to a small branch within the stake, President McKinnon reviewed with President Lorimer the need for the equipment and, in a moment of inspiration, President Lorimer said, “I know why. It is the Willie people. … Their temple work is not done.” Upon their return to Riverton, they checked some of the names from the these handcart companies and confirmed that the temple work had not been done.

Martin's Cove area as seen from the Veil Crossing Bridge over the Sweetwater River.
 Photo by Jerry Wellman

Area around the Martin's Cove Visitors' Center (Wyoming) is a popular historic site
 Photo by Jerry Wellman

As detailed in the video, the stake was energized by President Lorimer to complete the temple work beginning with a special stake meeting on July 21, 1991. John L. Kitchen, then first counselor in the stake presidency, described the excitement felt in the stake as more than 4,000 temple ordinances were completed for members of the Willie and Martin handcart companies.

Monument at the Veil Crossing Bridge noting the Second Rescue.
 Photo by Jerry Wellman

In 1992 President Lorimer was instrumental in the Church purchase of property at Rock Creek and in 1995-96, the purchase of the Sun Ranch, adjacent to Martin’s Cove, where the Martin’s Cove Visitors’ Center is now located. Members of the stake also assisted with development and construction of bridges, trails, handcarts and improvements at both locations. One such structure the stake built is located near Martin’s Cove. Constructed at the request of President Hinckley, the bridge over the Sweetwater River is known today as the Veil Crossing Bridge.
jw@deseretnews.com

Rock Creek Hollow.
Photo by Jerry Wellman

Rock Creek Hollow.
Photo by Jerry Wellman

Remember Monument in Rock Creek Hollow (Wyoming) honors the members of the Riverton Wyoming Stake and the "Second Rescue" -- the temple work done for members of the Willie and Martin Handcart Company.
Photo by Jerry Wellman

Rocky Ridge
Photo by Jerry Wellman

Martin's Cove Visitors' Center (Wyoming) 
Photo by Jerry Wellman

Martin's Cove area
Photo by Jerry Wellman

Winter in Wyoming!

Well, winter has arrived!  We've had winds of up to 40 mph and this morning I had to take a picture of our little weather station to show how cold it is here.

Check out the temperature . . . and the wind chill factor!

Thank goodness the wind wasn't blowing at 40 mph like it usually does.

 Look carefully around the edges of the pioneer handcart cutout - those are ice crystals outlining the sign!

The Homestead is an "ice crystal wonderland," sparkling in the sun.

 

For some crazy reason we all decided to go outside - without coats - and stand by a handcart to have our pictures taken.  

What were we thinking???  The snow was so cold that it crunched under our feet.
We actually ran right back inside and had hot chocolate to warm us up.

Last summer Elder Williams cut out some darling little wooden pioneer figures for the children here to play with and Sister Mattison and others painted them beautifully. Sunday in Primary the lesson was on the pioneers, so Wyatt and Tap Seely and their little friend Sage Lusk were the first to use them.

Wyatt and Tap used the little wooden people and wagons 

to show how the pioneers came to Utah in 1847.

Their friend Sage built a little village for her pioneer people.

Next Sunday their lesson talks about the rescue of the Willie and the Martin Handcart Companies, 

and there are four little wooden handcarts to add to these.

How To Move A Log Cabin: a problem most missionaries never have to deal with!

We were asked to remove this log building from the area of Footbridge in order to create a more authentic looking view of the valley close to Martin's Cove.  It was originally intended to shelter missionary couples who were "posted" here and spent the day inside it, protected from the wind or rain or heat as they waited in the shade for visitors and trek groups to come along the trail.  They would tell pioneer stories about the river crossing area.  Now we have at least one missionary couple walk the trails with each trek group, and they tell the stories as they go along, so the little "post" is no longer needed here.

After several hours of consideration and some clever engineering, the elders cut the building off of its foundation, jacked it up onto pallets, and drove the flatbed right underneath it . . .

. . . and off they went.

They drove it along the front trail . . .

 . . . over Veil Crossing Bridge . . .

. . . past the Trek Center . . .

 . . . until it came to a stop, because it didn't quite fit through the opening in the fence.  

Elder Moench supervised while Elder Martin trimmed off the tops of the fence posts . . .

 . . . on both sides, and with inches to spare . . .

 . . .  they were happily on their way again.

This log building is about 15' x 15' and very well built and sturdy.  For now it is awaiting a new foundation close to the Staging area where it will most likely become a resting place for those who become overheated on the trails and need a nice, shady place to cool down until they can rejoin their trek group.

Crossing the Sweetwater River

On November 4, 1856, the surviving members of the Martin Handcart Company were taken up into a little cove where they could be more protected from the raging storms that had plagued them since October 19.  In order to get there they had to cross the Sweetwater River, which was about 30 - 40 feet wide, about 2 - 3 feet deep, and was full of ice that was 3 - 4 inches thick.  It was snowing and blowing that day and the temperature sank to -11 degrees at night.

When they had crossed the North Platte River two weeks earlier 14 people died, and many of them could not face another river crossing like that.  By then rescuers from the Salt Lake Valley had found them and were doing all they could to help the starving, freezing, exhausted saints.  Some of the "Valley Boys" spent the day in that icy river carrying the pioneers across, an act of tremendous sacrifice and charity.

Each year here at Martin's Cove we reenact that river crossing on November 4.  Yesterday about 30 people, many wearing period clothing, pulled handcarts out along the original trail to an area that was probably close to where they crossed in 1856.  It was 17 degrees and the wind was blowing hard.  Large pieces of ice floated down the river, and the river banks had up to 2 feet of ice forming on them.  All of us crossed the river and then came back through it. 

To say it was cold is an understatement!

Even though the river was nowhere near as deep as it was in 1856, the biting cold froze our feet the instant we went into the water, yet we were all determined to complete our journey and hopefully feel a little of what those amazing pioneers did 157 years ago.

 Here we are pulling our handcarts along the trail.  

The lead cart belongs to Elder and Sister Bushman, 

one of our winter missionary couples from Midland, Texas.  

It is carrying an American flag from the year 1856.

 Many single women were in the Martin Handcart Company 

and had to pull a handcart all alone.

 Even though the river was much deeper in 1856, 

this water was ice cold!!

 Walking into this river was the coldest thing we have ever done in our lives!!

 The current was strong, and chunks of ice constantly floated down the river.

 Look closely and you can see a large, rectangular chunk of clear ice floating down the river.

 It was actually colder to come out of the water than to go into it.
 

The bottom of my dress froze solid and stood straight out all around me.

 

 Several young men from the Salt Lake area carried women

 across the river like the "Valley Boys" did in 1856.

Jolene Allphin, author of Tell My Story, Too and co-author of Follow Me to Zion, 
brought two of her high school friends to cross the river.

These are the brave (or crazy) people who crossed the Sweetwater with us.

One couple, Kent and Jaelynne Hathaway, have been doing this for 16 years.

 Martin's Cove is in the background.