He served an honorable mission to Alabama, and was released the day his stake left to come here to trek again this year. His family drove him all the way up here from Clearfield to meet with his stake president (on the right) and Elder Moench took them all up into Martin's Cove where the stake president released him as a missionary in that sacred place. Then he joined his stake on their trek.
It was a tender moment for everyone there, but that's not the end of the story . . .
. . . because there's a connection.
He saw Elder Moench's nametag and asked him if he was a printer. He said no, but his cousin Darrell was. Then Elder Black said that he had lived for a few months in the basement of Jeanine Moench Hansen (Darrell's daughter) in Alabama. Elder Moench got in touch with Jill Moench and she called Jeanine who phoned us at Martin's Cove to tell us what a wonderful missionary Elder Black had been - one of their very favorites. She got teary as she told how she still had little notes and things he had written to their family hanging on her refrigerator and what a great influence he had been on her own son, helping him make the decision to serve a mission.
A coincidence? No! There really are NO coincidences!
After being strangely absent for most of the summer, Oscar, the famous Great Pyrennes dog, finally joined us for the last two weeks of trekking. He is getting older and we have been a little concerned about him, but he likes me and sleeps on our front porch when he's at the Homestead. We don't know how many more years of trekking he has, but he is somewhat of a legend here, as he picks and chooses which treks to accompany, frequently those with children or handicapped trekkers.
Martin's Cove has turned from green to tan as the tall grasses have gone to seed and the trekking season comes to a close.
It is still beautiful to me in every season!
The handcarts are empty now and are lined up down by the Trek Center so they can be stored there after our upcoming three weekends of Trek Leader Training in September.
The handcarts at Sixth Crossing are also ready to put away.
This beautiful painting of Christ that Julie Rogers so kindly donated to us a few weeks ago . . .
. . . was framed in Salt Lake and then brought here by the Limbergs and the Taylors, missionaries who served here last summer . . .
. . . and we hung it at the front of the Trek Center where we hold our church meetings during the summer months. Now we have a picture of Christ, the ultimate rescuer, to look at in addition to the many other pictures Julie has painted of handcart pioneers and rescuers.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014, we took a P-Day and drove to Salt Lake so we could join our family at the Salt Lake Temple where little Jacob Thomas Raybould was sealed to his family. What a sweet and tender experience it was to be in the temple with nearly everyone in our family as well as many dear friends!
Jacob and James complete this wonderful family!
Jacob is such a sweetie, and we look forward to getting better acquainted with him when we return from our mission. Just look at his happy little face!
We love our beautiful daughters . . . 
. . . and our favorite daughter-in-law! (Sadly, Doug had to be out of town.) 
This giant full moon shines down on us through the trees, and on all of you as well - no matter where you are.
Come and see us at Martin's Cove!
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