North Country Mission News 9/27/09

Hi Gang, These pictures are of the deployment ceremony for the 2nd BCT (Brigade Combat Team) held this week at the parade field. The formation picture is of just one BN lined up in CO file formation. There were 6 of these BN formation across the field plus the Div. Band, close to 4,000 soldiers, it was very impressive. The other picture is of the crowd watching, on a beautiful fall day. It took about a hour and each BN cased their colors (flag) for the deployment trip. They leave between the 11 and 16 of Oct. Between now and then there will be alot of packing going on. This if by far the largest formation I have every seen in all my years in the military. It was so large the BCT commander and commanding general walked around the troops rather than have the units march in review before them. It was a real spit and polish affair, another journal entry experience as the missionaries would call it. 38 LDS members will deploy in the BCT from both wards. The impact will be heavy on the families and community when they leave. The flip side is that the 10 Aviation BCT in beginning to return now. Two small groups of the advanced party came in of Thurs. and Fri. this past week. There were 5 members returning on Thur. and two came on Fri., most of the main body will be home by the middle of the month. The planes just bring soldier home and take others out when they leave. Nothing leaves empty around here. Mom and I have been invited to be delegates for the annual Army Family Action Plan Conference (25th anniversary) to represent the retired segment of the military community. It is a 3 day conference, organized and planned by the DOD for improving the Army Family. It is really a big deal with great PR posibilities. I have no ideal how we were selected, it came as surpize to us, probable having something to do with our volunteering with the ACS on post. We have tried to be as visible a possible on Post and I guess it paid off. It should be interesting to see what happens. Mom and I are assigned to the Medical/Dental Workgroup. Instalations across the country are all doing the same thing, so it is a nation wide conference. I tell you things just keep happening to us. We just seem to be at the right place at the right time, just like someone was guiding us. We really love this work and it will be hard to leave all the great people we have met, but we are beginning to get alittle trunked. Love you all Mom and Dad

North Country Mission News 9/20/09

We are able to experience life changing events every week with the people around here. This week has been especially eventful. We began the week with a welcome home ceremony for those first arriving back from Iraq. They were just the few that come first to get ready for all the others. The other ceremonies we have been to have been in the gym. This one was held in hanger on the airfield and the soldiers lined up outside the hanger door and when they announced them the door opened. The Army band plays and it is so much fun to be there. It is especially meaningful to us because this is part of the groups we saw leave last fall. This week two more groups come home. The other picture is of us at the Lowville Cream Cheese festival for p day. Philadelphia Cream cheese is made in Lowville. It is about 30 minutes from us. It is a typical small town celebration where they close off the main street and have booths of food and crafts. They also have contests. etc. We met the Elders there and took them to lunch. On Sunday we had our usual beginning with Ward Conference in the Watertown Ward. The Stake Pres. was there and gave us the assignment to call everyone for deployment blessings and to have a lunch between General Conference sessions. We have another big group deploying in October. I went to Relief Society and one of our good friends came in and said she just got a text from a member at the hospital. Her husband had been having seizures that they couldn't contol for quite awhile and she had called an abulance and they had taken them to the hospital again. We ran over to the hospital to be with her and we hadn't been there five minutes when the doctor came in and told us that his breathing and heart had stopped and they did everything but could not revive him. He was gone. He is 25 years old and they have two children from her previous marriage and a little boy about a year old. It was a terrible shock, but we were just so glad we were there with her. Dad came over with the Bishop and they gave her a blessing. We stayed there for a couple of hours with her. She is a soldier and he had just gotten out because of this health. It was a very humbling experience! We came home and got a call from the Carthage Ward's Relief Society Pres.' husband saying that they had just had their baby. They were so excited an wanted us to come visit. Sometimes we get weary with so much going on, but we are so glad we are here to help and support people. We also met a man at church today who is in the military and he said that all his brothers and sisters are active in the church and he is on his third divorce and hasn't been a church for years, so it's time for him to come back. He went out and bought himself a dress shirt and came today. The time is flying by here at the end of our mission. We love the people here and it will be hard to leave, but we can't wait to be home with all of you!

Love Mom & Dad

North Country Mission News 9/14/09

Hi family! The picture os of the Labor Day picnic at Watertown Ward on Monday. They had a chili and pie making contest. It was lots of fun and we love these things because we can visit with so many people at once. We had pur usual busy week. We made lots of viasits and helped fix a dryer. The Burville Cider Mill is open again for the fall, so we got donuts and cider for District Mtg. The donuts are warm when you buy them and they are yummy! We made another trip to the temple this week. We took two women, one who did baptisms for the dead and one who went through a session. I held her baby while she went through. We had an ice cream social for the Young Adults on Sunday night before the CES fireside. We are getting a good group out now and it makes it so great! We will be sad to leave all of them. We had one of those amazing stories happen to us this week. There is a young soldier named Jason Hise from Florida. He was a brand new convert and we contacted him. He came to a few things and we visited him in the hospital here when he had surgery, then we didn't see him for a awhile. Each month for our YA dinner we call to remind everyone. One month we called him and he called us back and said that he had been shot breaking up a fight in Florida. He lost his spleen, part of his liver and kidney and bowel. He was in bad shape and wanted a blessing. Dad got on the computer and found some Elders in the area to go to the hospital. Later when he was home we called again to see how he was doing. He wanted another blessing so we called the Bishop in the area who sent some Elders. Last Sunday he walked into church. He had lost 30 lbs. but was doing well. He told us that the Elders had become friends of his and had been teaching him and were now teaching his friend at home. He knows he has been given a second chance and wants to be active again. The whole story is a small miracle! We are excited because many of the soldiers who left last fall will be returning soon. We can't wait to go to the welcome home ceremonies. Some of the advance party is coming back this week. Needless to say, the wives are so excited! The time is going by so quickly these past few weeks! We have so much we want to do before we leave. We send our love to all! Mom & Dad

Mission News 8/7/09

Hi Gang, Things have been hopping up here in the north country. The one picture is of the change of command ceremony for the division. Two major generals, one outgoing and the other incoming exchanged the Division flag under the watch eye of the 3 star general from the Pentagon. It was beautiful day and all the Divison units were represented with the division band and all. It was very uplifting and formal. Off in the distance just below the tree line are six 155 gun placement used for the 21 gun salute. The other is of the baptism held Sunday evening in Carthage. Brother Milot a soldier, was able to baptize his new wife of 3 days and also his 8 year old daughter, they have been waiting for over a year for his divorce to become final. One of the missionaries has just been out a week, he if from Coleville, Ut. The other is from Hooper, Ut. We are still just doing out thing. Visiting, feeding and serving. The fall has been great, sunny cool and so far dry. A lot like last year, so I guess this is how fall is up here. We made our usual trip to Utica for transfers and took one of the sisters down and brought a new on back. Our main focus is getting the new BCT (brigade) soldiers and families ready to deploy in Oct. The Stake has called group leaders for the two battalions and issued their letters of calling for the Army to certify. They get back from block leave this week and then start the packing for deployment. There are 40+ members leaving with the BCT, 21 active from Carthage and 7 active from Watertown. You can imagine how this will effect the Wards. Another BCT deploys in Jan. That will be a problem for someone else. Our hearts go out to these families and the wards. We love the work and will miss all the people, but we are ready to see all of you. Keep the faith and hug the little one for us. Mom and Dad