GOODBYE SUNNY SAINT GEORGE!!...HELLO ZARAHEMLA!!!

After the MTC, we spent the next several days finishing with our packing and cleaning. We were so blessed to find this truck, trailer, and Rhino...and then to have the most wonderful couple move into our home.  It will not only be better off, than if we were to leave it vacant...the rent will cover the cost of these three items...we have seen the Hand of the Lord in so many ways! Goodbye beautiful new house and Sunny Saint George!  Our cute 4-wheeler will be the favorite thing to ride on with Grandpa for visiting grandchildren. When summer comes, all of our "camp children" will want a ride as well! It was almost dark (about 8 pm) when we took off for Salt Lake City. We stayed with David and Kira that night. Driving any time to Salt Lake is a challenge for Carol, but at night, it could have been life threatening!  Armed with a Coke and a Prayer she made the trip safely. "We can do it" says Chuck, and we did!  We arrived at Camp Zarahemla on September 21, 2012.  Elder and Sister Short continued to live in the Caretakers' house, while we stayed in "Cabin One" during our week of training. Thank goodness for the outhouse next to our cabin. The toilets and showers would have been too much of a hike during the night! The canoes and life jackets are free to campers.  You can see the hill going down to the dock and lake from Cabin One's porch. Chuck is in "Wilderness Heaven"...and exclaims how happy he is...often! He can't resist taking pictures!...it is so beautiful, quiet and peaceful!  Chuck has to study his notes...there is so much to do! We are exhausted at the end of every day of our training! Carol is still going to bed and getting up with the sun! The cabin 

has a queen size bed (quite comfortable), a bunk bed, a futon couch, a table, a propane fire place, a 

stove-top, sink (with hot and cold water), an oven, a microwave, and a small refrigerator. It feels messy, because we have so much paperwork! The last day of our training, we had a Senior Missionary Conference in Richland, which began with a temple session. It was fun to meet the camp missionaries from Ensign Ranch. They have horses! Elder and Sister Short were at Camp Zarahemla for 18 months. We will probably extend to 23 months which is the limit for Senior Missions. They left for home after the Conference was over. We drove back to Camp "Z" to take over the WORK! 

 

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SETTING APART AND THE MTC

President Bangerter set us apart on Sunday afternoon, September 4, 2012.  We wept  the whole time we were in his office...which was at least two hours.  He first prayed with us and then asked what it was each of us desired of the Lord. I said I would like to be comforted to know that Tony and Heather would be watched over and blessed.  His blessings were miraculous in so many ways! In Chuck's blessing, he was told that there were two very sacred places on the campground that would be revealed to him, and that only he would know about. He was also promised that with "every physical labor, he would be spiritually strengthened". The Lord promised me that the scriptures would come alive for me...that I would experience the events laid out as an eyewitness...as though I lived at the time they took place. He declared that Heather was in the palm of the Lord's Hand and not to worry about her. The Lord gave President to say that she is "not accountable"...this was a great comfort. I was also promised that the Lord has a Perfect Plan for Tony's restoration. He wept after the blessing was over...confiding that he had just experienced what every Stake President dreams of and prays for...as he was blessing each of us, he was able to look into our hearts and to know who we are and have been, and to perceive our eternal worth. What a Dear Man!...we love him! The next day, Monday, September 5, 2012, we drove to the MTC. "Elder Lee" was chosen by the MTC President to be the District Leader for our District! The next day, Monday, September 5, 2012, we drove to the MTC.  "Elder Lee" was chosen by the MTC President to be the District Leader for our district! Our Trainer was awesome! One Canadian couple in our District was called to Africa...they were learning a foreign language...BRAVE! Another Canadian couple from our District was called to serve in the islands near the Orient.  They were learning Mandarin....Scary! A third Canadian couple were called to serve in Poland and also had to learn a foreign language.  I am amazed at what the Lord expects from "older" people. Another senior couple in our District was headed to England. The cute couple with the map behind them had been on a mission before to the islands...Guam, I think.  They told the wildest stories about traveling between islands on small boats in storms with 10- foot waves...just like "The Other Side of Heaven"! They want to serve many missions like us. They were the most enthusiastic senior couple we met...they literally bounced down the halls holding hands.  They have 12 children! The last couple pictured are headed for Samoa!  They get to wear flip-flops on their mission! I love that we are able to stand in front of the famous map!....just like our sons....pointing to our special spot in the world! The MTC was so exhausting and wonderful at the same time. I went to bed at 7:30 every night so I could be up at 4:30 to shower and study.  Chuck was in his element and seemed to thrive without as much sleep!..he is a natural at extending a hand of friendship to everyone in sight!