June 25th-29th, 2010 (Mike)

We traveled to Nephi and watched the Hand Cart pageant. We met Robert Moss there selling books he has written. He was one of my favorite college professors. He gave us a free autographed copy of one of his books and tapes. It was good to see him. He even recognized and remembered me after all of these years.

A man had an Ox there that he had trained 12 years ago, and had never seen since. The Ox remembered him and what he had learned 12 years ago. It was fun to watch the giant animal which was at least six feet tall at the shoulder, go through his paces. The pageant was excellent.

The next night, we were assigned to man a missionary booth at The Manti Pageant. We had dinner there and started working at the booth. Our job was to collect referrals from the full time missionaries and cast members who were working the crowd, as well as get referrals and answer questions ourselves. We got over eight hundred referrals that night from seventeen thousand people. It was a record number of referrals. It was a lot of fun working with the young people of the cast and the missionaries there. We spent the night at a bed and breakfast, and went across the street the next morning and had breakfast at Bro. and sis. Barton’s (the pageant chairman), with all of the missionaries who had been working at the pageant with us.

Sunday we spoke in Sacrament Meeting I spoke on “Gratitude”, and Lynda spoke on “Sacrifice”. It was a good day.

Yesterday, I spent time taking pictures of Ben Pratt cutting hay with his team pulling an old hay mower. Here at Cove Fort. It was good to see the work done the old way. I spent part of the day at the black smith shop giving tours there. One teen age boy was so excited about what he had learned, he didn’t want to leave. Following our shift, we went to St. George to get some Grocery items and other shopping. We went to Red Lobster for dinner and got home late, but that‘s ok we have P day today.

Tonight we had a mission reunion for just last years and this years missionaries that have served with the Baldwins. Tomorrow there will be a get-together of all of the missionaries that have served here. We had a great time with good food and great intertainment. It seems funny to be having so much fun with so many people twenty miles from nowhere.

The group we have this year is really a fun outgoing bunch. We'll miss them this fall when some of them leave. The ones who are staying through the winter with us will be great also.                                      

A great day at Cove Fort - Mike / Lynda

Today was an excellent day. The Molifua family from our Ammon Ward stopped by for a visit and fort tour. They seemed to really enjoy their tour. Zundle became very efficient with the Cooper Hoops, and the horse hobbles (the people at the Fort could undo them but the the people who were trying to steal their horses couldn't). We were actually scheduled for the late shift, but since we took them on the morning tour, we just stayed on to help out with the other shifts. We had over five hundred visitors at the fort inclucing a group of young people from St. George area that provided lunch for the missionaries and took a tour. While on the tour they sang in the fort. "Be Strong" It was really nice to hear them.


Earlier, Mike caught a man on the road in the front of the fort who was parking a motor cycle in the wrong area. He ended up taking him on a tour; at the end, he wanted a copy of the Book of Mormon, and gave him a referral card for the missionaries to come. The very next tour was a man and wife from Nevada who were very interested in the fort. At the end of the tour, they also wanted a Book of Mormon and a referral for the missionaries. The lady told mike that she felt a very peaceful feeling at the fort and wondered what it was she was feeling. All of the tours were really good and every one of them seemed to have that same good feeling; most of them, even the men had tears in their eyes as they left, including us. It was another great day in the fort.

On my tours today,each family remarked about the Spirit of the Fort. It was very strong today.  I even was asked to have my picture taken with the Layton family from Layton, Utah.  Such a great family.  Our last tour was very special. The gentleman remarked about the feeling of the Fort and left with tears in his eyes. He said he couldn't wait to bring his wife back with him next time.
I love getting up each day and going to the Fort. I can't wait to see who we get to meet each day and be able to share the Gospel with them.  Most people remark that they don't know why they stopped. It seems like that they just seem to be pulled off the road to come to Cove Fort.  We know, it's because we pray them there. There is such a calm and peaceful feeling here.
 A couple of days ago there was a man from Denmark, he wanted to just stay and stay. His tour guide wanted to get back to do another tour and he said please don't leave me I want to stay here and keep this feeling I have here. He stayed at the Fort for almost and hour after his tour was over,  then he said I think I can leave now. But I really don't want to. He gave the Missionary a White card so the Missionaries could contact him when he returned home.Everyday is a GREAT day to be at the Fort!!

Dance last night and busy day today - Mike

Last night we had get-together for all personal at Cove Fort to welcome a new couple. We had pizza and dancing....western style of course, and Kirk Penney, a guy I grew up with in Kanosh, came and sang all of the dance songs.....He is exceptionally good. I didn't know he had a singing talent. It was good to visit with him and catch up on what's going on in Kanosh.....past and present.

We had another busy day at the fort; in fact we set a new record for visitors for this year so far this year; 819. We were kept running all day. The last tour of the evening was mine again. Just before dark, a father, mother and a son of about 25 years of age from Oregon, stopped and wanted a tour. They had heard very little about the church. I had to use the flash light again since the rooms were so dark. When I had met them at their automobile the mother was smoking and I thought “Oh well, God loves us all”, and I determined to teach them the gospel as part of the tour. As we ended the tour, while the father and son were up on the wall, I visited with the mother about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. I gave her the Joseph Smith story pamphlet, and other info about genealogy and the family. I then gave her a nonmember referral card and she had her son fill it out since she had forgotten her glasses. They wanted the Missionaries to bring a Book of Mormon, and teach them more about the church and two videos. The spirit was strong and they all felt it. It was a great day.

Busy week at the Fort - Lynda.

This week had been very busy until the rain started.  We have had several youth groups come.  On  Thursday we had a Young Adult group from SLC area. They were so fun to take through the Fort.  In their branch they have made it a goal to do 3000 endowments this year.  Last year their goal was 1000 and they did 2000.  Just as  I finished this tour I made it back to the Cabin and was turned around for another double family tour.  It was like that all day. I hardy had a chance to sit down. Elder Cummings and I were split up for most of the tours so we would just pass in the Fort.

The missionaries have had quite a few referral cards this week, most of them from California.  We have had a few close ones. They leave a comment but don't want the free gift.  We are planting seeds.  It has been interesting. We have had two tours the past two days that they were related to Cummings in Iowa.  One it was her maiden name.  They tell us that next week is going to be busier than this week, we have 6 tours just on Thursday, an extra 150 kids during our Swing shift.  There are several others also all that week.  The Manti Pagent also starts this week and we will be going over to help with it.  Our shift for Manti isn't until the 25th.  When the rain started it slowed down at the Fort. It is so beautiful here, and so green. We are loving our Mission.

Girls Camp to Wheel Making to Hot Dog Roast - Lynda

Today was fairly busy at the Fort.  We were on swing shift and shortly after our shift started a Girls camp group from Sunbook ,just south of Tooele, showed up at the Fort.  They were a great group to take through.  The interesting part of this group was that their Bishopric came riding in on motorcycles.  We thought that it must be two groups of tourists. But not so.  Who would think that the Priesthood for girls camp would be on motorcycles.  They were headed to St. George to the Temple and historic sites there and to Zion.  I think this is the most unusual Girls Camp I have heard of so far.  While we were taking the Camp tour I turned around and there was Matt and Michelle Ishino and family.  It was so great to see them and visit for a few minutes.  It's always great to have friends come share our Mission and feel the spirit of Cove Fort. 

Tonight we had Steve Pratt and his son come over and demonstrate how to make wheels for Handcarts and wagons.  He is a very talented man and so knowledgable.  He has made many period items for historic sites all over.  He made the water powered sawmill at Kirtland, Ohio. He has built several printing press, including the one in Nauvoo. He made all the hinges and some of the equiptment  that is in the Barn here at the Fort. It was so informative and fun to see how it is done. Mike helped with pouring water on the metal part of the wheel when Bro. Pratt and his son set the metal tire rim over the wooden wheel. Now maybe we will be able to tell how wheels really are made. Following the demo we used the fire to roast hot dogs and make smores. It was fun to have all the missionaries together to enjoy the evening.   He also brought over an original handcart he had made. It was made to the specifications that Brigham Young had the  pioneers use in making their handcarts when they came across the plains. It costs about $3000 in labor and material, it was  beautiful.  Time to go to bed so we can have another great day at the Fort tomorrow!

The Late shift today; a good day- Mike

We were assigned the late shift today, so we just spent the day doing odds and ends around the trailer when Terrill and Kathryn Christensen stopped by on their way to see a house they had purchased in LaVerkin. It was good to see them and catch up on the news from home.


On the late shift, we met a retired couple from Switzerland who were vacationing here. They spoke broken English, but we could communicate quite well. As we visited the Girls room in the fort, they said that they had noticed that LDS girls were "very clean and well bred". It was a fun tour and at the end they requested to have the missionaries stop by their home in Switzerland and bring a Book of Mormon.

Just as we were getting ready to close for the night, a young man from Chicago stopped in and asked for a tour. He told me he had a wife and two small children. He had only heard a little about the church, Brigham Young, Joseph Smith, the Salt Lake Temple etc. As we took a flashlight tour, I taught him some about the restoration, temple work, families etc. At the end, he filled out a referral form requesting the missionaries in Chicago bring more information about the church, The Book of Mormon, and a video on the restoration.

Afterword as I thought about it, why would a young man from Chicago, traveling alone, in a hurry to meet friends in St. George decide to stop in the middle of nowhere to go on a tour of Cove Fort in the dark? My conclusion was that the spirit led him here.

Today was a good day.

P Day Fishing and Dinner- Mike

We had 534 visitors on Saturday and 400 plus on Sunday. The summer is getting busy.

We went fishing today with two other missionary couples on Beaver Mountain at a  lake called Little Kent Lake. We lost count of the fish we caught and released. It is a beautiful little spot among the quakies and pines. Lynda caught the biggest fish of the afternoon which I'm sure I'll hear about for a while. We then had dinner at Maria's Cocina.....Great Mixican food.

Early Shift - Richfield Here we come!

Today was very busy. We had another Youth Conference group. There were about 40 in this group.  They came to do a service project at the Fort.  We had them pull Thistle in the field near the Fort.  They were fun to take on a tour. They were divided into 4 groups, Levi, Manassa, Ephrium, and ?  We did several other tours today with families from Arizona, and Utah.As our shift ended there was another Girls Camp group that had just finished Camp at Heber City.  So I guess it was busy most of the day.  I payed a few bills and got a video ready to send to a less-active family so their Ward Mission Leader could make a contact.  Then it was off to Richfield to do some shopping, get my Hair cut and have dinner at Pepperbellys, missionaries eat here for 1/2 the price.  It was a fun afternoon.  Now were home to make phone calls from  "Buff " cards These Buff cards are filled out by members who want to share a video or Book of Mormon with a friend or acqauaintance.  They leave a message on the card then we contact them to see if they will accept the video or Book of Mormon.  Some become "Yes" cards and then become referrals for the Missionaries all over the world and some say no :(.  It is always exciting to get a "Yes" card. Lynda got one yesterday!

Thrusday Breezy but beautiful

Yesterday we were on the late shift.  When we got there they had been super busy.  They had already had 2 youth groups and one large family reunion.  They were running all day.  Mike had a fun group of ladies he took through the Fort.  One of them was the mother of a former roommate and friend growing up in Kanosh, Ted Whitaker. I had to sit on the "Chair" again.  It wasn't as bad today.  There were 304 visitors today.

Preparation Day - June 2, 2010 - Time to Catch Up!

Hey all you friends that may want to read our blog. 

This is all new to us.  Thanks to our wonderful children we can now stay in touch and let you know what we are doing.  Thanks Jo for setting this up.  Thanks Andrea for delegating and letting us use your password for a little while, and thanks Michelle for the input, if you gave any, to help with this project. If any of our other kids helped thanks to you too.  If you didn't help I know you would have if they had asked. 

Well here we go!

Monday,

 Memorial Day, was very busy at the Fort.  We had 802 visitors.  We were all running to keep up with all the people It was so much fun to meet people from all over.  The MOR (Missionary Observation Room) was full of food that Missionaries brought to share. We would grab a bite when we could between tours.  It reminds me of the Teachers lounge at school.  Everybody talking, eating and sharing stories of their adventures. (Tours). 

Tuesday:

 We had the early shift.  8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p,.m.  From 10:00 - 12:00  we were put on the "Chair" as they call it.  We have to watch for cars coming in and assign Missionaries to go out to greet the car and take them on a Tour, You have to keep track of where all the Missionaries are. If they are going "East", (restooms), in showing one of the Movies, in the Fort, or in the Out Buildings.Then when they come back you have to put them in the right order.  If the people Missionaries greet are only going to use the restroom then those Missionaries return to the MOR and they go to the front of the list again.  It is fun but a little stressful.  You do have others watching so that is nice.  Today wasn't as busy as yesterday.  We had several great tours. 

 Wednesday,

Today was our 3rd P-Day.   The  first P-Day was spent in Richfield getting groceries, going to the bank and getting set up. Last week we went looking for Horse Hollow, west of Kanosh.  It is all fenced off and we were not able to get to it.  This week we went the same direction but this time we went looking for snowfake obsidian.  We were successful and found some pretty good chunks.  We visited the Kanosh Merchanile and bought milk and cereal to see us through until we can get to Richfield again.  Tonight Elder and Sister Garner from Lehi, invited us to dinner in Fillmore. We ate at the "Garden of Eatin".  The onion rings were excellent.  The hamburgers were great too.  Mike is going to figure out how to post pictures to go with this blog.  Jo you may get a call if he can't figure it out::)

We also went to Coyote Spring. It's an oasis out on the desert where Mike and his brothers used to go hunting rabbits in the old days; about twenty-five miles west of Kanosh. It's a nice cool spot that you wouldn't expect on the desert. We saw several antelope, and the wild geraniums with their beautiful orange flowers were everywhere.

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We also drove around in Kanosh a took a few photos. One was of the old milking barn where        Mike used to milk cows when he was a boy. It's still barely standing after all of these years.