Bearing Testimony- Lynda

On Christmas Eve a young lady stopped on her way to Cedar City.  She wanted to talk to the Missionaries.  So she came into the MOR (Missionary Observation Room) and said that she was taking the challenge that Elder Anderson had given in General Conference. That challenge was to bear testimony of Jesus Christ more often.  So she wanted to share her testimony of the Savior, to the Missionaries at Cove Fort.  It was such a sweet testimony. She cried and we cried as we felt her spirit and the Spirit of our Heavenly Father.  What a great way to remember the birth and sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ.

 I had another couple stop that day from Delta. They were meeting their son on the bus from Las Vegas.  I took them through the Fort and told them they seemed to be really nice people.  They said that many people would probably not agree with me. I wonder how many times we judge people by their outside appearance and not look deeper into their hearts. They told me, that they really were nice people ,and thanked me.  They accepted an offer for the Missionaries to come and bring them a Book of Mormon.  I know that I am going to change and look at people differently because we are all Heavenly Father's children.  

Another man, a non-member, who was an executive in a Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise, came to the Fort recently.  We talked a great deal about the Chruch.  He had a accountant that was a member.  He mentioned that he was very impressed by his friend and had watched the members in his neighborhood in California. He also said that sometimes the members seem to forget their neighbors and leave them out. They seemed to be so caught up on their own activies that they often forgot to include his children or family.  Another lesson for me to remember. I need to befriend all my neighbors and not be so caught up in my own little circle of member friends.  Well enough of the preaching. These are things I need to work on in 2011. 

I hope that all of you blog readers had as wonderful a Christmas and holiday season as I did.  May the Lord bless you in 2011.  I love my Savior and am looking forward to 2011 as "Another Great Year to serve at Cove Fort"!

Festive Cove Fort (Mike)

The days have been going by fast, the weather this winter has been mild for Cove Fort, with temps In the 40’s and even 50’s some days. We have reached our goal of 1,300 referrals and are surpassing it daily. While things are a little slow, the men have been busy making the spinning toys we give away to each family. We work in our shop, and have have made around 20,000 of them from river birch which we cut in the mountains near here. Lynda and I also made toys for the grand kids… Airplanes and Jacobs Ladders.


I have had at least one family each day asking to have the missionaries come by their home to deliver either a Book of Mormon or a video. Some are requesting to be taught by the missionaries; others who request the Book of Mormons probably will be taught also when the missionaries stop by. We are lucky to get one tour a day each with the lower numbers of visitors. The power went out for a couple of days after a heavy snow storm, and the power went out at the gas station on I-15, so they sent their customers here to use restrooms. We have a large diesel generator that keeps us operating. We ended up getting 195 visitors on one day and 150 on the next day. We weren’t even planning to open because of the weather, but it turned out to be some of our best missionary days.

This Christmas season has been fun, with festive decorations all around and much good will. We had bell ringers from Milford come and entertain us. They were great. We also attended the Forgotten Carols in Richfield. We all got together on Christmas Eve for dinner, then again for breakfast Christmas morning. Christmas night, we got together for dinner, and played games. It’s been fun with this great group of missionaries we have here for the winter. They will be forever friends.

Kitty Landon stopped in for a visit today. She had been in St. George area visiting Rod and his family for Christmas. It was good to see her.

We were hoping to reach our goal of 75,000 visitors this year. It looks like we will make it, we only need around 150 more.

I know that Church member daily pray for the missionaries, that they will be led to the honest in heart. That is exactly the people who are prompted to stop here daily. They come and feel of the spirit and want to know more. The gospel net if functioning well at Cove Fort.