Final Post and mission # 2, is wrapped up

What I will and Won't miss about 

Heber Valley Camp

So I started a tradition with our last mission, of listing the things I will and won't miss about the mission we are serving, so here goes. 

Things I won't miss

1. 1 Ply Toilet Paper  -  Because of the sensitive sewer system, we can only use 1-ply T P, boy have I missed 2-ply 

Things I will miss

1. This beautiful mountain. There is a special spirit here, it is holy, even the animals feel it. 
2. Gods Creatures  -  I love the rides we have gone on, my favorite part is when we see the Deer, Elk, Moose, Beavers, Skunks, Pot-guts, Badgers, Bears, cougars, all the animals. I love them, they are so beautiful and are not afraid of us, they will just stand there and look at you, as if they are saying, I understand. 
3. The beautiful, bright Young Women and their leaders  -  For 10 weeks we have the incredible blessing of serving all the Young Women and their leaders that come to this camp. They bring with them such a special spirit, it arrives the first day those buses pull into camp and leaves when the last bus pulls out 10 weeks later. They are amazing, I wish the Young Women knew just how amazing they are. 
4. The families that come to the mountain on the weekends.  Every weekend we get to serve families and groups ( Youth conferences, reunions, retreats, etc, ) They come, hoping to feel the special spirit on this mountain, many hoping the spirit here will help a wayward child, brother, parent, sister, etc. They are so much fun and such a special experience. 
5. The sweet. good missionaries we get to serve with. Even though I got frustrated sometimes, I also felt very blessed to be among so many really amazing people. They set a wonderful example for me. I learned a lot about what I want to become, from watching the really good missionaries I had the blessing of serving with. 
6.  Being a Missionary.  I love being a missionary. This mission was so different from our first mission, this mission was more physically demanding, and we came home so tired every night, but it was a good tired, knowing I had spent the day working hard and serving the Lord's children that came to this mountain. 

          You know being on a mission is one of the hardest things I have every done. Each day brings new challenges, each day brings new lessons to learn, each day brings an opportunity to do whatever my Father in Heaven needs me to do that day. 

       It never ceases to amaze me how well the Lord knows me and knows the things I need to experience, so I can learn and grow. Many of those experiences have been hard lessons, no one likes to see their weaknesses, but if we learn from the mistakes we make, they  are not really mistakes, they are learning experiences and if they help us to repent and become more like the Savior, Jesus Christ, everyday, then all of those experiences, even the hard ones are worth it. 

      We will go home tomorrow and stay home for a little while, help out our kids and spend time with them and our Grand Kids.  Then, if it is the Lords will, we hope to go on another mission, we will not request a particular place, we will leave it up to the Lord where we go, He picked just the right place for us when He sent us to Micronesia, and He knew what we needed to learn to continue to progress when He sent us here, to the Heber Valley Camp.  I absolutely know He will know where to send us next time. Who knows where we will end up, but I know when it is finished, we will have grown, and will love what we did. 

       I know that He lives and loves us, I know when we put Him first in our lives, He puts us first. 

Almost Finished

Trying to get all the work done

The Indian in the tree carving, I think it looks more like Elvis

Trying to get all the work done

Paddle Boats are finished and ready to move to winter storage

Beautiful Sis. Layne, she has been my cabin neighbor and my friend, I am
going to miss this wonderful women

Elder Way and Elder Layne, getting ready to put away the Power Washer

Goshen, a fun day with most of the Missionaries

     We got to go to the Church Movie Set, for the Bible Video's and other video's the Church has produced. First off we did a service project and then they took us on a tour.  I can only show you some of the Pictures, because of Copy right laws, but can I just say, what a GREAT day.
     The Couple that took us on the Tour, shared some of the stories of when the Bible Video;s were being filmed, many of the miracles that happened during filming. I love the Bible Video's, so to see where they were filmed and feel the special spirit that is there, was such a treat for me.
      If you ever get the chance, you should call and make an appt. and go there, you will not regret it. I really is a special place.

Getting equipment for the service project

Sis. Migel & Sis. Hymas

Using sagebrush for shade

Sis. Rawlings, we rode to Goshen with them

Sis. Korth

Us

We had a Pelican come to the Lake tonight, we thought we better
get some pictures

Cleaning up and training new leaders for next year

     This summer has gone by so quickly, I can't believe we are already cleaning up the lake, training the new Team Leaders for next year, the staining of cabins and benches is almost done, in 3 weeks we will be done and go home.  This last 18 months has flown by, we have learned a lot, loved a lot and can't wait to serve a 3rd mission.
     We are going to stay home for a while, and spend some time with our kids, grand kids and neighbors, but hopefully, if our health keeps being good, we would like to go again, on a 3rd mission, in about 3 to 4 years.
      We have had so much fun as we have been getting ready to say Goodbye to our Heber Valley Camp Mission, enjoy the pictures.

About 35 years ago, we were Ma and Pa for a Trek/Wilderness Youth Conference,
Surprise, Surprise,  one of our kids, Todd Bensen and his sister and their
families came to the camp, we were so surprised and had a great reunion as we
remembered those great adventures from 35 years ago.

and then another blast from the past, our best friends from 35 years ago and still our
 best friends today were and are Carolyn and Daryl Moss, we raised our kids together,
our kids and their kids were all friends and grew up together, until we both moved away
from those first home, well guess who else showed up at the Lake, Carolyn and Daryl's
oldest son, Grant and his wife Mindi and their 5 kids, what a great reunion day it was for us,
 as we caught up with Grant and Mindi on their family and their extended family.

The CRAZY activities committee we had the blessing of serving with,
this year at camp.  Elder and Sister Langford, us and Elder and Sister Way. We have
loved serving with these guys, it has been a highlight for us this summer. 

Our Theme for this year

An Ariel of the lake and double rainbows we had. With this years Theme  ASK

A fun night with GREAT friends

Elder LeFevre, is he sleeping on the job?

We were training the new leaders for next year, they are also our cabin
neighbors, we love the, Elder and Sister Layne

Add caption

One of our last rides around the Lake

Elder and Sister Caldwell. there last ride

Sis. Way, we were training Laynes on Rescue's and Sis. Way decided to make it
Authentic, It was great fun.

Sis. Layne spots a person in the water, the adrenaline has kicked in

Getting her into the boat

Oh NO, a person has fallen into the water

To the rescue

These 2 Pictures have been our quest for the last 18 months, We could all stand to think
about what they say and heed the advice.

Family

Jeffrey, Stephanie and Emilio

Ben, Sophia & Tate

Tate sat so still for the first little bit, then he loosened up and was putting
his hand in the water

Uncle Jeff, caught splashing Uncle James, Enzo and Maggie

It took Kammie and I a while to catch up with these guys, we were in
a Paddle Boat. Here is James, Enzo and Maggie

Wow, we caught 2 of the boats at the same time, Ben, Tate and Sophia, Stephanie, Emilio ( he
finally got brave enough to sit by himself in the middle of the boat) and Uncle Jeff ( Janelle stayed on
shore with the little kids that did not want to go on the water)

Me, swinging on the big swing

Jeffrey. on the big swing

It was more fun then I thought it would be

Kammie, she went all the way to the top

Ben

Lydia was scared, so they just swung her by hand

The Missionaries were the best, they were so good to the kids,
Thank You to the AMAZING missionaries that took care
of our family

Ada also had them hand swing her, she and Lydia had a really fun time

Stephanie, tried it also, we all had fun

Maggie thought it was the best

Enzo was a little nervous, but he had fun

Sophia had so much fun

Getting our instructions

A sand box is always fun

     We had the blessing of having all but one of our kids and their families come up to camp and stay for 2 days.  We LOVED it.  It was so fun to have them here, on the mountain, to be able to play with them and watch them overcome some fears on Challenge Courses, and time at the Lake.
     We missed Carrie and her family, but maybe next year, we can all plan a fun vacation together.

The HVC Grounds Maintenance team had to build a new pond
in the outback, for drinking water for the animals, this is the new pond.
We went on a ride to see it in the morning, before the family came. 

Elder Way, Elder LeFevre, and Elder Rawlings, pretending like they caught a BIG fish

Sis. Rawlings, taking a picture of Sis. Way and I

The only ones missing are Carrie, Briody, Calan, Annie, Josie and Baby LeFevre( Jeff and Janelle are expecting in November)