Easter and Spring

The month of April always brings Easter.  Which means that spring is on the way, the trees are budding and it's a time to refresh and renew.  I love the spring; it's so pretty when the trees leaf out and the tulips and crocus bloom.  

For us this year, it meant cutting down three large trees in the back yard, the ward priests hauling the wood down and Theron and I hauling the wood to Kendall's and the branches to the dump.  We are too old for this much work, perhaps next year we will see about getting a home with a smaller yard.  We also worked one week on remodeling the garden - building another level on the grow boxes and putting new dirt and manure in them.  As Theron says, "We've spent our $100 for the twelve tomatoes we will get."  The garden is important because you never know when you will need to grow your own food.

Pay attention children, we may (or may not) move.  We are breaking it to you gently not like telling Garret that Dawain and Jana were getting their house ready to sell.  Things change and we may do so, also.

Now, that being said, it was a wonderful Easter with all of you here at our house for dinner and an small Easter egg hunt.  This year it was dollars in the eggs and very little candy.  I'm sure the young ones - Mason, Ali and Tyce - don't have a clue what to do with a few dollars, but their parents do.

Now what do I do, both hands are full!

I love seeing our children sit around the dining table and chatting.  It brings warmth to my heart and tears to my eyes.  I love you all so much.

Easter is more than the bunny and the eggs, it is the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of the atonement, the new life it gives to all of us, and the love of a Heavenly Father being renewed in our hearts. Kisses, Mom

A Jamaica Kingston Mission Reunion

On Friday, April 11, a large group of returned Jamaica Kingston missionaries gathered together in Salt Lake.  President and Sister Hendricks were up from Texas attending to some family activities and what a special time to see them again and here President Hendricks instruct us -- remember, we are the salt of the earth and we need to remain true to our covenants through upcoming perilous times.

It was a great time to re-meet with all our senior couple friends and to make new friends of the senior couples that came after we left.  The news of the day was that on June 7 and 8 they are creating a stake in Jamaica!!!  The fruits of President Hendricks labors and all the full-time missionaries.  We feel we contributed a little in that about 70% of our food projects are still operating.  This gives a boost up to the members and some financial help.  The sad news is that Duane Martin our former Kingston Branch president has fallen away; he was excommunicated for misuse of Church funds.  However, his wife is planning on attending the Temple and finally receiving her endowments.  There are just too many happy and sad times in this small country.

Pat Apgood, Sorensons, Shirlene Daniels

Our good buddies Ross and Gail Cheesman

May of the elders brought their wives, girl friends and fiancees.  They are progressing.  It was marvelous to see Sister Wilkinson again and she is doing so well.  Elder and Sister Flake had just finished the MTC on Friday and were able to attend as they now prepare to journey to Hannibal, Missouri, for their third full-time mission.

Our Mandeville buddies Jack and Fran Anderson

Judy and Gary Coleman

The senior missionaries

Getting together with the missionaries that we served with was a wonderful renewing experience for us.  We love all of them and have such fond memories.  A special guest was Elder Coleman and his wife Judy.  We love them for the strength they had to make the changes in the mission that moved it along.

A Wedding for Kendall

On April 10, 2014, Aubrianna (Katiann's daughter) was married in the Salt Lake Temple.  Kendall was one proud grandfather and father.  He has worked so hard over all these years holding this family together and on this day he had three daughters who could attend the Temple and one granddaughter.  That's quite an accomplishment for him; we hope all remains well with each family.

It was a beautiful wedding and one of the highlights was getting a picture of Theron and Kendall and several that included their special sister Neala.  As Neala said, "I didn't have to share my brothers with the other two sisters today."  


Every time Theron puts on his suits I marvel at how good he looks.  He only improves with age!
This is a unique picture and probably the first one that I've seen of just Kendall and Theron together.  There is 18 year difference in their ages and Kendall takes after the Schaefermeyer side with Theron taking after the Jones side.  Most think it's father and son, but we know differently.

Houseboat Repair Week

Theron is the president of the houseboat this year and as such is responsible to get some needed repair work accomplished.  He took two new engines down a few weeks ago and on April 5, we (Collin and Kathy and Scott and Marianne) traveled to Lake Powell to put the boat in the water and try out the engines.  The day we left was very cold and you know it's going to be a cold trip when you start off with snow on the jet skis.  The snow didn't even leave them until we got to Hanksville.





Sounds easy, but the week was spent fixing batteries, changing lights to LEDs, cleaning, throwing away and more throwing away all the junk that had been left on the boat for years, power washing and finally on Tuesday we got to try out the engines.

They work great and move that boat along.  We traveled just a few miles down the lake and parked on a nice sandy beach.  They synchronized the engines and all is now working well.

It was a week of survival for Theron and I.  I was just getting over an ear infection and sinus congestion and could hardly stand to work for more than an hour at a time.  Theron was just as sick with a cold and sinus congestion.  No matter, we made it, the boat works and we'll be going down a couple more times to enjoy the fruits of our labor.

A special thanks to Scott, Marianne, Collin and Kathy.  What great friends.

Just a little side note, Craig and Judy were supposed to go with us but Craig hurt his back.  While we were gone, Judy had a relapse and spent her time in the hospital getting fluid drained from her body and getting her breathing under control.  She has been one sick woman this year and we wish her a good recovery.

Cameron Todd Paschal, age 12

On March 20, 2014, Cameron turned 12.  This is a special birthday for every young man and woman in our Church.  Cameron was ordained on Sunday, March 23, with our entire family and most of Paschal's there.  We filled the classrooms at the Church.

A few weeks before, Cameron and I were traveling to Mr. Mac's to pick out a suit.  Cameron told me he didn't want me to be sad, but as soon as he could go to the Temple he was going to do baptisms.  (Meaning, if I wasn't there, he was going anyway; he was not waiting.)  Well, Sunday afternoon just after his ordination, he was in the Bishop's office getting his recommend.  Mutual had been cancelled for Tuesday, so he announced to everyone - Tuesday, I'm going to the Temple.

Theron and I were able to drive down and witness this historic event in our family.  Again, my heart was full.  This is what you raise children for - to give you spiritual blessings that can come in no other way.  We watched as Todd baptized Cameron for members of our family.  Adrian was also baptized and confirmed for others that same night.

The highlight was ice cream after at Baskin Robins and to listen to Cameron tell Taylor about the experience and the size of the baptismal font and that the oxen were white and not gold, and on and on.  The warm spiritual feeling will stay with me for a long time.

Congratulations Cameron and may you continue to have such a strong testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

The Cove Fort Adventure

The fun thing about traveling with your home behind you is that you never know what's around the next bend.  On Monday, March 17 (St Patrick's Day), we left Las Vegas and were intent on driving to at least Cove Fort - just because we had never been there.  
 
The wind started blowing in Cedar City and we were pretty set on just getting off the road before we blew over.  When the Cove Fort sign appeared, we said, okay we made it, we're staying the night.



After descending from the truck, we immediately met a senior missionary elder who welcomed us and took us on a tour of the fort.  He and his wife were getting ready to leave as they were just finishing their mission.  As the wind howled and the valley became obscure with dust all around and the temperature dipped now into the 30's, the site director gave us permission to park our trailer for the night in a graveled parking lot.   The RV park we were intent on staying at was not open yet; it didn't open for another month and then it was to be fully occupied by senior missionary couples coming down to be tour guides and work at the Fort.

Not only were we now going to spend the night there, but the 10 missionary couples were having a St. Patrick's Day dinner - corned beef, potatoes, cabbage, green cake, and so forth and we were invited!  What a treat to attend a senior missionary party.  Everyone we met was so great and the site director has invited us back to give a Monday evening fireside on our humanitarian mission experiences.

Around the next bend is always an adventure and this one was a sweet one.  It touched our hearts as we heard of the many and varied missionary experiences of the couples.  No matter where the Lord sends you, it's always the right spot in his vineyard.

Cove Fort was built and settled by Ira Hinckley, Gordon B. Hinckley's grandfather.  It was never a protection fort, except from elements.  It was a relay station for travelers and housed the post office and a telegraph office.  They have many of the original furnishings.  As you travel I-15, take the mile drive over to Cove Fort and visit.

On the Road for Home

Our last big activity in San Diego was to bike Balboa Park.  We used diesel to get us close and then we used physical power of the bikes.  We enjoyed biking through the park seeing the sites.  This is a beautiful park next to the San Diego Zoo and there are numerous hiking and biking trails.  There are beautiful buildings to see and you never know what awaits around each corner.  



One path led us through the middle of a lawn bowling area.  Two gentlemen volunteered to teach us how to lawn bowl.  The balls are not round, they are balanced on each side to make the ball curve and the object is to get close to the white ball where ever it is placed on the field.  There is some real skill to knowing how to roll the ball -- gently, trying not to bruise the grass; releasing the ball to take advantage of the curvature; and being patient and subtle.  The people who participate come each day and they have some real champions among them.  What a great experience.

Sadly on Saturday, March 15, we pulled away from Santee RV Park in California and headed for Las Vegas.  We stayed there through Monday and headed further north for home.  Just before entering Nevada, there is a huge solar field.  We parked the truck and biked about 6 miles to see it.  It's operational but we couldn't get a tour.
 
Steve and Jackie had found a great bike trail in Vegas - Red Rock Canyon.  It is about 16 miles round trip and you share the road with cars but everyone is going the same way.  I did it!  All the elevation changes and down hill slopes.  We stopped and had a lunch break and enjoyed a few views of the canyon.  It was great to be able to see this canyon from the seat of a bicycle.  I love that electric bike!  And, to all, yes, you get sore legs and lots of exercise.

Theron then wanted to go to Hoover Dam and bike the old railroad trail to the dam and then walk the new bridge.  My legs were give out, but how could I stop.  So another 7-8 miles of biking that afternoon.

 And then we called it a day and rested!