Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day is another opportunity each year for us to get away.  Since we now have a place in Manila, this is where we go for any free weekends.  Caitlyn asked if she and Dallin could come along, and of course we said yes.  The afternoon that they arrived (one day after we got up here) it was so beautiful I suggested taking the boat out for the evening, but Roy had some chores so we stayed in.  The next morning we headed out but only lasted a couple of hours before the storms came in.  Flaming Gorge is beautiful, but you can't predict the weather--and neither can the forecasters.  We were able to rent a slip so that we could leave our boat in the water for a couple of days.  This is very helpful when you don't know when the weather will make a turn for the better.

Manila has a rodeo every year at this time and we usually try to attend.  It's a fun event that I believe is well attended by the locals as well as the visitors.  It's quite the thing to watch as the young men get bucked off the horse or the bull and then limp out of the stadium.  I'm sure it is very hard on their bodies.  We found out that a young man from Texas was killed in the rodeo circuit a few weeks earlier.  They showed a picture of him with his wife and brand new baby.  Personally, I don't think it would be worth it for the thrill of the ride, even when there is money involved. This became slightly more personal when we found out (on Sunday) that one of our new friends in this area lost a 14 year-old grandson this week when a horse fell on him.  We're not sure, but we think he may have been in some sort of a junior rodeo when the accident happened.  Our friend, Keith, showed up to church (his sister had just informed us of his loss), but didn't even make it till the opening prayer before he left in tears.  We know from experience how devastating this type of loss is.  Roy had stopped by to say hi to him on Thursday and talked to him about some of the trials we were going through.  He was very empathetic.  It was right after this that he got the call about his grandson.  Life is so fragile.  It's important to live each day to the fullest because we never know what tomorrow will bring.

Saturday morning we tried to go out on the boat but the wind was kicking up the water and it looked like too much of a gamble, so we went back home.  After a couple of hours, the weather changed and we went out and had a beautiful afternoon on the lake.  When we put our boat in the slip at the end of the day, we talked to a couple of guys that were setting things up for the Labor Day festivities and they told us that our boat was in the prime spot to watch the boat parade and the fireworks.  We had planned on taking the boat out to watch, but when we found this out we were happy to make our seats right on the boat dock.

There was a parade with many boats that were all lit up, and after watching this, we found out that a lot of people decorate their boats and just stay in the marina.  We walked around and saw some interesting decorations.  

The highlight of the evening show was the lights in this picture.  They went up in a straight line until they disappeared.  We were thinking it was pretty creepy--maybe a UFO of some sort (Roy's been watching a show about UFO's in Roosevelt, UT. and Roosevelt is very close to Manila.  After looking on the Internet, we discovered that these are Elon Musk's Starlink satellites.  It was good to have an explanation of such an interesting phenomenon.

Caityn got some good pictures of the clouds that were our companions for the weekend

Sunday after church we went to our old stomping grounds near Dutch John and walked to the Gorge overlook.  It's about three miles round trip.  It was as beautiful as always.  Caitlyn reminded us that this was the very spot where Dallin proposed three years ago (almost to the day).

Sunday night, looking out our front door.

 

No, Yuli didn't come with us, but this picture was sent via text to the Rasband Clan.  We love our grandchildren and pictures liket his bring us joy!

I've always loved and admired my brother Dave.  He stays active in the community even though he has his share of trials that keep him busy.  He had the opportunity to be an usher for education week a coupel of weeks ago and shared this in his famly letter last week: 

Somewhat bewildered: My assigned hosting classes were not topics I would have picked over several other classes more in line with my interests. I was in for some surprises. The first class, Emma Smith: How Great Was Her Contribution to the Restoration by Don W. Parry. I already knew Emma was an amazing woman, yet when I was a boy, not many good things were said about her. In the 80s I attended a single play where Mamie Hjorth portrayed Emma Smith. Mamie’s depiction changed the way I thought about Emma Smith. Since that time, I have admired her.

Emma was married to Joseph for 17 1⁄2 years and was homeless with Joseph for all but five of those years. She often sang solo at community and Church events with a soprano voice. She was an accomplished horseman (person) and rode with great dignity in parades. She once rode a horse bareback for an hour to warn Joseph of a mob’s approach. She was also a canoe enthusiast. Yes, canoe.

Brother Parry related this story. A few years ago, a direct descendent of Joseph Smith, Jr., Robert Smith, was invited to a Hyrum Smith family reunion in Salt Lake City. Robert had been told from his earliest childhood that the Saints in Salt Lake City hated Joseph’s descendants. Despite thinking he may be killed in Salt Lake City, he wrote a letter to a friend and stated, he was going in a nice airplane to Salt Lake City but would probably return in a coffin. He went anyway and was greeted by 300 of Hyrum’s descendants. Everyone was excited to have him there and wanted to meet him. He spoke to the participants about his 2nd great grandfather Joseph, Jr. and received a standing ovation.

Robert started thinking that maybe other things he was told might not be true, so he investigated the Church. When he received a testimony of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ he debated if he should be baptized. In some way Emma came to him and said he should follow his conscience and decide for himself what to do. She then told him she only stayed in Nauvoo because she was exhausted from all the persecution and heartache and couldn’t go. Remember Joseph’s mother, Lucy Mack Smith, stayed with Emma in Nauvoo knowing she wouldn’t survive the trip. As Emma was dying, she said, “Yes, Yes, I’m coming Joseph.” This was all the testimony he needed and was baptized.

Brother Parry gave this word of advice: To overcome the difficulties we face, teach our family and associates who we(they) are and our destiny. Eternal families is our goal.

I have also admired Emma Smith.  After Joseph's death she remarried and at some point her 2nd husband had an affair which resulted in a child.  I don't remember the whole story, but Emma ended up raising this child.  In my opinion that would take courage and faith.  She went through a lot for the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints.

I have two weeks to prepare to teach my first institute class.  I guess technically it's my second since I had the opportunity to sub once during the last semester.  I'm teaching the "Eternal Marriage" class.  I am looking forward to using a little bit of my time each week to serve in this way.  I need to get on the ball, though, because the training I did was all done before I went to Italy, so I've forgotten how to do some of the things I need to set up on-line.  I'm sure it will all fall into place as soon as I carve out a little bit of time for it.  I have also put my name in to be a temple worker, but have not heard back.  I think it's because they don't need me right now.  Maybe when the Layton temple finally opens they'll have a spot for me.