Trumpet Flourish, Please!

There could not have been a more blessed announcement to our dear Groveland than the one that appeared on Wednesday: 

April 25, 2017 
"Yosemite National Park Announces Re-Opening of Big Oak Flat Road 
Yosemite National Park is pleased to announce that the Big Oak Flat road will reopen to all vehicular traffic at 5:00 am on Monday, May 1, 2017. Visitors entering the park via Highway 120 West will once again be able to drive via Big Oak Flat road to Yosemite Valley."

I had never realized how much an area could depend on one source of revenue.  When mudslides and sink holes washed away part of the highway leading into Yosemite, it threatened the existence of our entire town that depends so much on tourists making their last stop here before driving into the park!  When news of the reopening came, it breathed grateful life back into every citizen here.  In honor of the opening, we have made plans to go to the park with one of our mission's office couples!  We just have to find a time we're both free...hopefully not on a weekend!  

As for our week, things are going well.  If some of our activities sound like home and visiting teaching, we remember the quote from Harold B Lee: "Missionary work is but home teaching to those who are not now members of the church.  And home teaching is nothing more or less than missionary work to church members."  Pretty true - it's all the Lord's work, no matter what part you're engaged in.  

This week we are staying close to a friend in the branch who is dealing with a new cancer diagnosis and a husband just recovering from hip replacement and looking toward knee and shoulder surgeries.  And somewhere in all this, she had a birthday... 

This week we also took our first turn 'reading to preschoolers' at Groveland library.  We can't take pictures of the children, but I can show you our 'secret weapon' to help them feel more comfortable getting to know us today.  

So parents bring their tiny ones to a library 'story time' every Friday at 10:30, and you read to them for half an hour.  Sometimes you have four, sometimes two, sometimes no one comes.  But we have now been entrusted with the 'fourth Friday'.  Our mentor, a lady with her PhD in Family Counseling, was somewhat dubious about Fred ("We've never had a man before") being able to fill this role.

She critiqued us following our first session.   She was happy with our ability to draw them in and said we seemed to enjoy ourselves.  And she said she likes the idea of having a 'grandpa' also read (a 'first')  So I guess we passed.  * Phew *  We just had to laugh after a lifetime of church service and reading to grandkids that we were nervous about making the grade with her!

By the way, who's the person you are most frightened to leave when you serve a mission? Your doctor?  No, no.  It's your hairdresser, of course!  I don't know if I've mentioned, but we are most grateful to have found another good person to cut hair out here!  It's Kirsten, our sweet pregnant branch member!  It's great - she (and Will when he's not being a Yosemite back-packing guide) comes to the house and cuts, then they stay for dinner.  It's such a pleasant evening!  

We found out something else this week.  We knew May 1 was the Pine Mountain deadline for having all excess leaves and debris cleaned off your property (fire hazard).  So we were awaiting the clean up crew we were told would come.  This week, we found out there was evidently a mix up in that understanding - the crew is US.  hahaha   So even in the forest, there is yard work!  Okay, I did eventually put down the camera and pick up a rake...

Does this look like an add for a CRV?  It's actually our 'final destination' according to our GPS as we hunted for the home of a member who was baptised at 19 and hasn't returned in 50 years.  Even though she didn't want to meet with us, Elder Meese wanted to just leave a Book of Mormon and loaf of bread on her porch.  I will just say, after traversing rutted, dirt and gravel mountain roads that got smaller and smaller, we finally ended up with NO road and I said, "I have to get out and take a picture of this!"  We can only laugh about it now because we eventually found our way back to civilization!  (Okay, he was never lost...just my perception)  We did actually find the house, but you should ask Fred for the rest of the story; it was too nerve racking for me.

I'll end by showing you another volunteer opportunity Elder Meese got us into this week that ended up being so wonderful.  We helped prepare "Tuolumne Trails" camp for the summer.  This is a state of the art campground, lodge and cabins conceived and funded by the Bakers, a wonderful local couple.  

When their young son contracted a illness that left him with some brain damage, they decided to turn their efforts toward making a place where all young people with special needs could come and enjoy the outdoors together.  Their dream has grown into the most amazing camp I've seen.  And their son (above) was delightful to talk with, helping everywhere needed.  He told me about some of the campers ("some of the kids that come up have never seen stars at night").  

There were forty great people helping today.  I got lucky with kitchen duty; Elder Meese was re-staining the cabins.  It was a great day, and by now we're starting to see familiar faces!  We're beginning to just be 'part of the community'.  Blessings.  

So many doors are beginning to open.  So many people are beginning to feel comfortable with these 'badges' in their midst.  So many new friends.  We are feeling very blessed.  




So for now, we love you all and say good night from our favorite path home from Sonora, Algerine Road...