These are some of the senior couples at the mission home for lunch. The mission Mom is in the speckled jacket at the end of the table. The others work in the mission office. It has rained every day except one this week. Usually it rains at night but threatens throughout the day. Take care and stay out of trouble. We love you all and miss you. Mom and Dad.
This is some of the Sisters in front of the mission home in Whitesboro, NY just east of Utica. We took the two, dressed liked real missionaries, down there on Thursday evening and stayed the night. Friday they spent the day with the Mission president on a Return and Report thing for the new missionaries. Since there was nothing for us to do Mom and I went to Rome, NY and visited Fort Stanwick. It was a big deal in the revolutionary war and used as a set for the movie "The Last of the Mohicans". We then had a late lunch at the mission home and drove back. It pretty much used up a full day plus. Driving back and forth is going to get real old. Gas on Post is $4.17 a gal, off about $4.25. We had a good week visiting people despite the driving.
These guys set a new record for the march, which has been going on for 10 year. Earlier in the week, Mom and I witnessed a division morning run in complete formation by brigade, battalion and company with guideons and all. All the roads on post were closed off for 1 full hour. It's the only time I have every seen this kind of thing. Very impressive indeed. The two Star general was even out there in PT clothes leading the group. We are talking about some 6,000 men and women sucking deep air for one hour. Mom and I work out at one of the post gyms 2 to 3 times a week on the Nautalis system so we see all this early real Army stuff.
Check out the 50 Cal machine gun on top, this a real Humvee, not one of those pimped out civilian jobs.
This is the first platoon to reach the main gate after a 25 mile road march full gear, weapons and all. The march was part of a week long celebration to commorate the Army's 100 year birthday. We happened by them on our way to the Gym last week. They had marched all night from Saccetts Harbor. The 3 other pictures to follow are of the same group. At least I was impressed.
In front of the History Museum on Post of course. This is an H model Apache that Tom flew in Viet Nam.
This is actually the Watertown ward house, I screwed up on the last blog and mislabeled the Carthage ward house. This is just to keep the historical record straight. As you can see they are both fairly new buildings in great areas.
These are a few of the soldiers at family home evening, even one of the girls. Three of then have already been to Iraq or Afghanistan. The girl plays the flute in the Army band and she is going in the fall with her brigade. One of the boys is home from BYU for the summer. We get a few different ones each week, so it will take us awhile to get to know all the active ones. We have 92 young adults on the ward list in just one ward. 25 are now gone and the rest are here. We have a huge job as you can see to reach them all. Most are inactive. We also need to visit the families of those who are deployed (14 or so). We haven't even started with the other ward. One MP Captain came home for two weeks on leave and was able to baptize his daughter on Sunday. He left to back Tuesday. He is over in Iraq training Iraqi security forces.
This is the ward house in Watertown, it is across the street from a golf course. We went to church there last Sunday. It was a great ward lots of good people, I told Mom we lucked out. It doesn't appear to be very needy. It is about 50% military, some 600 members in all with about 40% activity.
Dear family, today was our first day in the mission. I must admit that the apartment was less than expected. A few cracked tiles, a little dirty, old furniture, very small, no dishwasher, a tiny bed. Other than that...it will be fine. We have been cleaning and fixing. The first day we had little chance to do much. The Underwoods had only one day to show us around. We went on post and went to a chaplain's briefing for incoming troops. We were introduced. We visited Drum Inn, volunteer dept., spouse information meeting all of which we will be volunteering with. We met two sets of Elders and a set of sisters who we will be working with. They are all great. We got all our keys, etc. That night we went to institute class. Four were there and a new sodier came. We have to pick up the sisters for PEC on Sunday and take food for a linger longer after church. Pres. Eckersley will be at church on Sun. Can't wait to get going and getting involved. 
This is the Witmer log house where most of the translation for the B of M took place. It was also the place where the church was organized. Not far from this cabin the three witnesses vision occurred
This temple is just to the west of the farm on a small hill. It looks down on the Sacred Grove and the farm, very inspiring view.
Sorry about angle couldn't figure out how to correct it. This the monument atop hill Cumorah, the shot doesn't do it justice. It is really huge.
This is looking down from atop hill Cumorah onto the area where the spectators sit to watch the Pageant. As you can see there is plenty of room for the 9000 visitors.
This is back of the old log farm house where the Angel Moroni first visited Joseph Smith. Mom is standing between the house and the sacred grove.
I started the day jogging around the Joseph Smith farm and then the Palmyra temple, it was something I have wanted to do since I was here last some 15 years ago. We visited the farm, the sacred grove, here pictured, and the old farm house where angel Moroni's vision took place. You can imagine how thick the spirit was. A very special time for both Mom and I. We then went to the Hill Cumorah visitors center where we linked up with a couple that was in the MTC with us. Then on to the Grandin printing shop where the first 5,000 copies of the Book of Mormon were printed in Palmyra, fascinating story. We then left Palmyra and headed to Fayette, NY and the David Witmer farm where most of the translation occurred. The three witness vision also took place there, quite inspiring as you can imagine. This took most the day, we drove to Watertown and got to our apartment about 6 PM, our first day in the mission field. Mom was a little disappointed in the apartment, but has been a real trouper. We had a great day and feel really good about our calling. Love and Miss you all, Mom and Dad
We visited Kirtland, Ohio this morning. This is Newel K. Whitney's store where translating was done and the school of the prophets was held. There were several old homes and a sawmill that were restored. It was a beautiful area. We also saw the Kirtland temple. We drove up to Palmyra this afternoon and rode around the city. It is a quaint, small town. We will go on the tours tomorrow. The temple is so amazing. Everything here has beautiful, large green manicured fields. The one thing so impressive was on Main street with cute little shops then there are four large churches on all four corners of the street, just as Joseph describes in his history. The peaceful feeling here and the beauty are amazing. We're looking forward to tomorrow.
