Facebook Post

My post for the past two weeks centered on the dedication of the Bentonville Temple.  How grateful we are to be able to attend in the Ft. Smith Stake Center and be a part of this sweet dedication!  It was simply the best--as temple dedications always are.  There were two youth speakers who came from families who have been in Arkansas/Missouri area for a long time.  They spoke of those distant relatives who accepted the gospel and stayed and built a temple here.  Both of them were serious and powerful talks.  A current Relief Society president spoke about her travel to the Ogden Temple from South Carolina over 50 years ago to be sealed to her husband and children and the years of living here and having temples coming closer and closer until today---How these Saints have yearned for this day and how their ancestors were important to having this day happen.  There was certainly rejoicing in the heavens for all of those who have lived in Arkansas, southern Missouri, and northeastern Oklahoma.

And can I say that I am firmly an Elder Bednar "groupie"  He is amazing!  His talk was magnificent and his prayer was beautiful and perfect for the people of this region.  He knows them well and loves them fully.  He lived here with his family for twenty years and they love him, too.  The young sister missionaries attended the morning session as well and said that he and Sister Bednar both gave different talks in the morning. His remarks in our session was so perfect--I can't imagine him saying anything else that what he did (and the sisters did say that they loved the afternoon talk just a bit better.)

Photos from last Monday when we attended the fireside in Bentonville---

 

A picture taken by President Crockett of the Spanish Branch
I am buying a copy of this to take home with us to Syracuse.
This will always be a special place to us.

The actual post on Facebook---

"Joy!! That is the word for today and for the past two weeks of our service as missionaries. Words and even photos can not express the great joy I feel as we continue to be in Arkansas as missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Today was one of those treasured moments never to be forgotten with the dedication of the Bentonville Arkansas Temple. For those not of my faith, these Houses of the Lord (or Temples) are places where we make additional promises--we call them covenants with God and Jesus Christ. Like baptisms, they create a covenant connection between Them and us and lead us toward Them while we are on this mortal life. It is also the place where we are sealed together as couples and families for time and all eternity. This work is also done in proxy (or in behalf of) for all of Heavenly Father's children who have ever lived on this earth.

While we all could not be in the temple itself, we were able to watch and participate in the dedication over streaming services from the temple to our Church buildings within the temple district. Elder Bednar offered the dedication prayer and he and his wife and others offered beautiful talks.

This day was historic for the Church as well as three temple were dedicated today--one in Brazil; Moses Lake, Washington; and Bentonville.

In addition, we drove to the highest mountain in Arkansas-Mt. Magazine; we attended a football game you might have heard about--BYU-Arkansas; we bowled; we taught; we supported the young missionaries!

Our lives are simple and JOYFUL! We are so grateful to be here!

And happy birthday to our son, Benjamin! He is also a source of joy for us in ways only children can be. We love you, Ben! Keep fighting and working hard."

Game Day--Arkansas Razorback Style---With BYU Cougars Mixed In!!

Yes, we are on a senior mission plus one.  Yes, we are serving and working and hopefully helping those we serve along the covenant path!  Yes, we are preparing lessons and making meals and having conversations and supporting the missionaries.....but this week, we had some amazing and fun times as you have seen in our posts so far.

Saturday afternoon and evening was just one of those "icing on the top of the cake" moments--not deserved, not earned--just an opportunity to have fun with thousands of other BYU fans!

Side note: When we got our call last year, I quickly learned about the BYU vs Arkansas football game to be played in Fayetteville this year because they played the first game at BYU last September (which Arkansas won 52-35).  So I knew the game would be played in our mission but I didn't know if we would be close enough to attend and if it was okay to attend.  Our assignment in Ft. Smith made attending possible and our mission leaders said we could attend if we wanted.  However, Gary wasn't really interesting in attending the game in person (especially since we weren't expected to do much in the game) and also we weren't sure if Jena would enjoy a long football game.  

Early in the summer I checked for prices and the tickets were so expensive so I decided that since I was the only one that really wanted to go, we would stay home and watch it on TV.  Then one day, Gary asked me if I had gotten tickets.  I told him no for all the above reasons.  He said we should go if you really want to.  Later in the same week, he asked me again and said we should go if you really want to---I really want to do a lot of things--and they are more important than a football game--but I realized that I did want to go and I knew Gary was serious--He wanted to take me to the game if it was something I wanted.  He also said in passing, if we are going to go, let's make it a good experience for Jena.  So we got tickets in the main BYU section so she could rise and shout with the crowd. This was the end of August and I have been excited ever since.  I love Gary who knows me so well and loves me enough to go to a BYU game in Fayetteville, Arkansas!

Back to Saturday, I happened to check my phone while we were heading up and saw a story about the Alum gatherings and service projects happening at the away games.  Sure enough--there was one planned for Fayetteville at Wilson Park and they were gathering food for a food pantry in town at one of the local Churches.  So we made a quick stop in West Fork at a grocery store to buy some canned goods and Mac-Cheese and off we went.

The park was filled with blue dressed people of all ages--playing games, talking, eating, etc.  We only stayed about 20 minutes but it was fun and we were happy to add our food to their collection.

Two of the Fayetteville missionaries--some of our favorites-- Elder Kutchinsky and Elder Hubbard. 

Nothing says BYU to me more that this shortened slogan--Learn and Serve.  I have this motto in my bedroom at home--Enter to Learn, Go forth to serve.  It applied to my college life, but also to our home, to the Church, and to the temple--Always enter to learn with the intent to go forth and serve!!!

We saw a few people we knew from Ft. Smith and enjoyed sharing our excitement for all things BYU.

However, you knew we were not in Provo......

The University has a mobile home park which was
filled for game day.  I think it is called Road Hog Park or something
like that.  How fun it that!

We parked in a free lot about a mile from the stadium across from their baseball stadium.  They had free buses to and from the football game.  As we boarded, one of the volunteers thanked us for coming and commented how great it was to see so many BYU fans.  He was an example of the feeling everyone shared with us.  They were welcoming to us and glad we were there.  Although we were in the main BYU section, there were several Arkansas fans around us and they were so friendly to us even after the game.  And we got to hear the actual Razorback call in person-- "Whoo Pig Sooie" to call their Razorbacks!  Check YouTube to experience it a bit yourself.

A tile in the bathroom at the stadium

It was a beautiful evening for a football game.  The temp was perfect and the skies were clear.  The stadium seats about 68000 but they didn't have a full house.  They said it was the 8th largest crowd though so that is great.

Matching band was great as well

So, I realized that I have never gone to a football game with a total confidence that we were not going to win!  But that is truly how I felt as I bought the tickets and thought about the game.  I was going for the historic moment of being at an away game with a SEC opponent--in our mission boundaries.  It would not happen again!  I was going to be a part of that--but not expecting a win.

It was a weird game from start to finish.  Even with 4 minutes left in the game, I still thought Arkansas would pull it out.  They seemed faster and stronger than our team in many ways.  They definitely hurt themselves with penalties.  But BYU played with big hearts and confidence even when they got behind after two unbelievable quick scores in the first minutes of the game.  BYU played and played!  And in the final 36 seconds when I finally let myself believe that we were going to win this game--I teared up.  I was so glad I was there and not at home.  Throughout the game, I kept telling Gary thank you, thank you for letting us come to the game.  I would have regretted it if we had not.  He smiled--as if he knew that BYU was going to win all along. 

Go Blue!!!

The teams on the field at the end of the game and the BYU section going crazy.  Jena loved it!!!

The team then came over in front of our section and we yelled some more for them and their hard work.  Then we sang the BYU fight song--oh the memories of that song sung so many times at games and other events.  I am a BYU Cougar through and through!  Fifty years ago I had just started as a freshman at BYU, Gary and I had just met about 2 weeks ago, and now--here we were cheering once again for the Blue and White of BYU in Arkansas!!!

Like I said, "an icing on the cake" of our lives moment!

And traffic was much better than leaving Provo after a game!!!

When A Friend Is Passing Through Ft. Smith....

you definitely have time for lunch.  And as we said, one Thiot is better than no Thiot.  We missed his wife, Robynn, but we loved being with Dick and sharing a brief moment with him in Mulberry, Arkansas yesterday.

Dick was heading to Kansas City from their home in Plano, Texas, so he reached out to see if we could meet for lunch. He mentioned that he wanted to also stop in Mulberry, Arkansas, as his mother was born there in 1909 and lived there for a few years at least before moving to Texas.  The young missionaries had told us about a fun diner in Mulberry so we decided to eat lunch there--The Dairy Dip Diner.  It was a cute retro place with great food and huge onion rings.  We had a fun waitress who we enjoyed as well.  (Ignore our BYU shirts--that comes in a later post!)

The waitress had told Dick that there was an old hospital on Main street.  We assumed it would be a standard rebuilt hospital but decided to drive that way out of town.  Dick was following us in his car.

As soon as we passed the sign, I told Gary that we had to go back to take pictures with Dick.  This wasn't a rebuilt hospital.  This was a maternity hospital--opened in 1900 that is now on the American historic registry. Clearly, very likely the place his mother was born!!!

How sweet to share this brief moment of connection with Dick?  His mom, Jetta, died a long time ago but I know she was smiling today as her only child walked in Mulberry!

Our favorite "Silver Bridge" i near Mulberry so we headed up to share it with Dick as well.  There were signs saying that the bridge was closed which didn't make sense to us since we had just been there a month or so ago.....imagine our surprise to discover that serious work is being done on both sides of the rives, removing many trees, and that the bridge had been stripped of its green paint entirely.  And although the bridge is "closed", we saw several vehicles still crossing it.  It appears that they are preparing to replace the bridge.  We will keep you updated on the process.

So we said goodbye to Dick who was taking the more direct route to Fayetteville and points beyond while we headed through the hills on dirt roads and paved ones until catching I-49 around Mountainberg.

This cool hat "sits" perched on the fence at the gate into a ranch.  It was perfect.  I would want one if I ever have a ranch.

Still beautiful green tree tunnels--a few more weeks until season changing colors should start according to the Fall Colors Watch on google.

The things you see in the front yards in the country.....

this deer is getting ready to be carted somewhere but we aren't sure where yet!

Once on the freeway and getting closer to Fayetteville, you knew it was GAME DAY for the Razorbacks!!! Flags flying--good thing we had a blue car between us and the one with the flags!

Next post--BYU vs Arkansas Football!!!

Hardy Waterfall-- Or The Fall That Wasn't!

We had decided on Friday afternoon to do some sightseeing in the area after Jena and I got our haircut.  We had to drop something to the missionaries in Clarksville and Gary had done some research and found "Hardy Falls" along a southern route between Ft. Smith and Clarksville.  Not ever the way you would go between Ft. Smith and Clarksville in a normal situation but we are living a "not normal" life.  We had a free afternoon with one task to do in it so off we went.

We headed down to Greenwood, then east to Havana (Arkansas), north through Mt. Magazine State Park, and then further north and a bit east to Clarksville and then home again.  That is the short version if you just want to check your maps and figure out where we went.

Here is the long version--

We stopped first in Greenwood at the South Sebastian County Historical Sites Park.  There is basically two sections....

A monument dedicated to coal miners who have worked and died in the area over the past 100+ years.  For many years, coal mining was very important to the economy of the area.

(words on the slab)

This memorial is dedicated to honor the coal miners of

Sebastian County, Arkansas. Coal miners were the heart of our 

heritage that we enjoy today. These walls of memories include names of the men

 who mined the coal that fueled the industrial might of America.

Miners, mine bosses, and mine owners together applied skills, financing,

 and know-how to an industry that demanded unusual

dedication.  Many of these men and boys gave their lives

 in explosions, floods, cave-ins and accidents.  

Others were injured or died of black lung disease.

Many of the miners were immigrants from Europe.

They are a part of the ethnic and cultural mix that enriches our culture today.

From early 1870 to 1965, coal mining and coal miners 

were a dominate force in Sebastian County, Arkansas. 

They have listed all of the coal miners that died doing this work--either in accidents or illnesses caused by the work.  The last few names were posted in 2007.  There were two large slabs with row after row of names of men and boys who died in mine related ways.

It was another beautiful day in "our" neighborhood.

In another part of the park, they had collected and restored old buildings and refitted them for people to get a look at how people lived back in the 1800s.  There is a home, a school house, a jail....

and, of course, the classic outhouse!  Why were stars and crescent moons so frequently put in the doors of outhouses?

On the road again east of Boonville, we got this pretty flag flying and a large one painted on their fence.  People here do not hesitate (in many cases) to share their love of our country.

This one required circling back to get a picture of.  They had a number of Halloween decorations throughout their yard---but a skeleton mowing the lawn?/ Who thinks of these things?

On a car wash wall---

Although there are some leaves which are beginning to turn, it is still very green as we started north up Mt. Magazine road to find Hardy Falls....which we missed on our first pass!  There was no sign nor any falls.  The only reason I knew we had passed it was I checked my phone and it dinged "You have arrived" as we made a steep turn in the road.  We circled back...

...and here it is....dry as a bone.  The travel site on Gary's research had neglected to mention that it was not marked and it only runs during the spring run offs.  We will have to make a trip next spring.

That was disappointing, but the rest of the afternoon in Mt. Magazine State Park was great.  Mt. Magazine is the tallest mountain in Arkansas at 2753 feet.  It was a pretty drive with green trees everywhere and great overlooks into the surrounding valleys.

One of the scenic byways---

Jena is starting to get into taking pictures and sharing them with her friends and family by texts.  It is fun although sometimes I have to clarify her brief descriptions.

Here we aren't at the top yet.

Near the top, they had a forest station which we stopped out to learn more about the area.

Yes, they have bears--they almost lost black bears in the early 1900s due to over hunting.  They have slowly been adding more bears into the area.  If you see one, you are suppose to file a report so they can monitor the activity in the area--it is still very rare to see them in the area.  Their numbers are still low and they prefer not to interact with humans.

Arkansas is an important part of many (@ 90 species of butterflies) migration path.  Monarch butterflies fly through in the early October.  Along the forest station, they had a flower bed that was designated as an "official Monarch feeding area."  Cool--we might make another trip to see that.

On their displays about moths and butterflies of the area, they also showed other insects that can be found including my friend, the walking stick.  I like them better alive.

They also had this cougar in the display as well.  It convinced me even more that what we saw that day was a cougar or mountain lion.  It was built just like this animal but smaller.  According to the display, they are not considered to have a viable breeding population in Arkansas any more.

I have never seen a bear crossing sign, although they must have them in other national parks like Yellowstone and Yosemite where I have seen bears in person.

Another lookout.....

A pine tree with its berries...

At one lookout, I found a lot of red leaves scattered over the ground.  However, when I looked up, I couldn't see any tree that matched the red leaves.  I had seen from the road one type of tree where single branches were starting to turn red and I was hoping to get a picture of that.

Yet, these red leaves were everywhere.  I realized that they were oddly all the exact same color and shape and picked one up to determine that they were FAKE.  So disappointing--first that there wasn't one of those trees nearby for a picture but also, second, that someone would leave so much trash over the ground.  These "leaves" will not feed or provide shelter for small animals nor will they disintegrate back to the dirt they lay on.  Why do people do stuff like that in a middle of a pretty forest?

I wonder if someone had a wedding or some other event at this lookout that they felt required red petals everywhere.  We also found this fake orange leaf in the same area.....

Let's get back to the awesome views from this particular lookout!

Yellow wildflowers were in full bloom many places along our drive today.

We ended our day with dinner in Clarksville at Dairy Queen and our photo for the Friday Freeze for our zone chat!

The sunset as we crossed the Arkansas River into Ft. Smith.....

So, no waterfall but another great day in Arkansas!