Rocky Ridge!

Friday we walked up Rocky Ridge as a group.  It had rained the night before so there was so much mud!  Each foot seemed to weigh about 10#!  That was the worst part.  It was about 10 mi rt.  it was pretty fun to be together doing that.  They reenacted the Jens Nielsen story with the sister pulling the handcart up the hill.  Very sweet story and you realized in a hurry she had help from angels.  We were treated with a yummy spaghetti  dinner at 6th crossing on our return.  

Today we had Pres Lorimer speak to us in a fireside.  I could listen to him speak forever!  He spoke about Pres Hinckley and what a sweet fireside it was.  He said Pres. H said Bodil has blue eyes.  I just love the Second Rescue story!  

I feel like I am in Heaven having a very long near death experience.  Even the times like hosing off bird poop from tables and helping Don with servicing coolers are great!  I wish all my family could come here and experience this and hear the stories!

Yesterday we were on the VC and very busy!  I love serving there.  I am amazed how I am able to tell the stories and take people through the VC like I really know what I am doing!  Elder Meier loves it too.    I love so many people here and love this mission so much!  We had quite the lightening storm here last night and rain and I was so grateful to have a trailer.  

Unfortunely, it takes forever, literally hours to download pictures here on their very slow internet.  If you want to keep up on our mission you may want to get on facebook (search for Susan Cluff Meier) and see my updates.  We are having a wonderful time working and playing very hard.  We are assigned to campground 66 two days a week which is where families and visitors camp when they visit (not trekkers.)  We have trekked twice with leaders who will be bringing their youth to Martin's Cove, about 7 miles. 

Lots of antelope here

There are 3 amazing statues before you reach Martin's Cove

 Veil bridge

Who is this good lookin' Elder??

Very very windy on top of Indepence Rock

Independence Rock

We hiked into Devil's gate

Names in Devil's Gate

Easter Sunday at the MTC

We were privileged to attend sacrament meeting with Pres Uchtdorf as the only speaker.  He spoke about Christ and the Atonement then Peter and how he was so valiant after he denied him thrice.  He spoke about losing his fear and how as missionaries we should not have fear.  It was an amazing meeting.  He had time to go up and down a few rows after it was over and shake hands and we were able to shake his hand.  I will never forget how he gazed into my eyes for longer than a second as we shook hands.  It was an amazing experience - one that I will never forget.  I am not one to relish meeting celebrities or even the Pres of the US but this was a very spiritual experience.

We had dinner at Mary's with their family and Heidi's family also came and had a delicious dinner for us.  Allan and Susie and kids also came over to tell us goodbye.

Pres Hacking and Pres Nally of the TMC Mission presidency spoke at our farewell devotional.  Don actually knew Pres Hacking from his Orem ward.  He said we will be somebody's missionary and to always keep their trust.  He said it has been 6 yrs since a member of the first presidency has spoken at the MTC so Elder Uchtdorf's coming today was a big deal.

We had another fireside after that and Richard I Heaton spoke who is a director of something at the MTC.  He showed the clip 'Because of Him'  which is very powerful and popular on fb and YouTube.
He then called up Elder Lau from Hong Kong who hasn't been a member very long and an interpreter was used.  It was so interesting to listen to him.  At the close of the last fireside We talked with Pres Nally about ten minutes at the urging of my friend, Lisa Barnes.  I love that man and his wife!  What a marvelous spirit he has.

God is gathering His children in these last days!

We enjoyed touring the visitors center today so very much.  The call center is amazing where sister missionaries chat and call people from all over the world.  They even have kneel down prayers with them.  I met a man from China and told him I have been to China and Don took our picture!

I can't really put into words what the MTC experience has been like this past week.  We only have 1.5 more days!   I wish our children and grand children could experience even a portion of our week.

MTC and Elder and Sister Neil L Andersen's fireside 4-15-14

 

We have really enjoyed our time thus far in the MTC and the Spirit here is everything we have heard and more.  I feel it is as close to heaven as is possible while on earth as are the Temples. 

 

Our room is very nice and the MTC is much bigger than I thought. We are on the 3rd floor and have a nice view of the Y on Y mt.   The Provo Temple is within view of the admin bldg.  It was so fun that first day to come into the MTC and be welcomed by everyone and have our name badges placed on us!  The food is wonderful and will be missed when we leave.  We have met so very many nice couples going all over the world.  We have met a few couples going to Martin’s Cove and 2 did not request to go there and do not even have a trailer.  They get to stay in nice 2 bedroom trailer that the church owns but they were needed so they are willing to go.  We are wishing there was more time during the day to take a short nap as the days really are exhausting but we are loving every minute.  We are divided into districts of 4 couples and Don was named to be the District Leader.  Another couple in our district, the Speirs, are on their 4th mission and 3rd time going to Nauvoo.  He reminds me of Grandpa Bill as he is 79 yrs old and is really sharp.  I don’t know how they have the energy to sing and dance every night in Nauvoo after serving all day. 

 

 

We were treated last night to a fireside with Elder Andersen and his wife
speaking.  This broadcast was sent to 14 other MTC's with 1900
participating.  There are 180 Sr. missionaries this week. 

Kathy Andersen - 25 yrs ago their family went to France as mission pres.  They decided as a couple to study general conf talks for home evenings.  She made a copy of the conference Ensign editions for each member of the family which included 4 children.  It was $50 and she thought that was so much to pay!  The thought then came to her 'what is it worth to you to have copies of what the living prophets say.  Our greatest blessings have come from trying to follow their advise.  Elder Andersen once asked a member of the 12 if they prepared all their talks.  He said I speak what comes to my mind except for general conference and usually have about 15 drafts for each talk.  How many times should we read those talks???  The words of the prophets, seers, and revelators are the words H.F. would have them say.

NLAndersen- Thankful for couples service and it is important to this great work.  Prayed about what to say tonight and articles in recent newspapers came to mind about how America is more skeptical of biblical events.  We are living in a world that is moving away from spiritual things.
-The Doctrine of Christ - how to teach so it will never leave us.
- Power of the Book of Mormon Mor 7: 8-9 great teacher of the Atonement - deep into your bones and never separate yourselves from it 2 Ne 31
-Embracing the Atonement
-Think of Christ and act as He would
-Humility
-Atonement verses:  Alma 34:13-15, 3 Ne 11:9-11, Alma 26:16, Mosiah 3:5-8 King Benjamin on tower
-Testimony of the Book of Mormon which testifies of Christ 3 Ne 27:14-16 lifted up, Alma 7:7, 11-12, Mos 15 Abinadi
    

 

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Mission!

Our time to serve has finally arrived!  We will be serving in the Rapid City South Dakota Mission serving at the Mormon Handcart Historic Site at Martin's cove!  We are very excited to serve here!  We do not know how often we will be able to get online (internet is poor here) and post but hope to add to our blog throughout our mission. It has been tricky to downsize our home to fit into our 24 foot trailer to say the least. 

Lake Tahoe/Yosemite

We had a great trip to Lake Tahoe and Yosemite to celebrate my 56th birthday.  I had never been to either one and Don has fond memories of Yosemite going there as a child.  I took lots of great pix and posted many on my facebook if you want to see more. 

I didn't realize Lake Tahoe was so big!  We drove all around it but stayed in Reno where hotels were more reasonable.  I didn't post any pix here of Lake Tahoe.  The following were taken in Yosemite.  The last pix is Dog Lake where we hiked on my birthday.  We figured we hiked around 6 miles and it was a great way to spend my birthday.  I decided only Europeans visit there because almost everyone we met were from over there! 

Wonderful adventuresome trip!

I had a little shoulder surgery in early May which allowed me to take off work for six wks so a week after the procedure we left for our adventure. I figured I heal much faster having fun. We just traveled with a carry on so dealing with luggage wasn't too bad for my sore shoulder. We first flew to Omaha NE where we loved visiting Winter Quarters. I absolutely loved that place. I have an ancestor that died there and it was pretty awesome to be at her gravesite. We then flew to Rochester NY and drove to Niagara Falls then over to Palmyra where we spent four days. How we loved being there! We then flew to NYC where we booked a last min 9 day cruise going up to Canada. After many very busy traveling days this was very relaxing! We enjoyed asking other passengers about their previous cruises and one lady about our age said she was on her 64th! That blew me away. We do like to cruise and feel you get a lot for your money and really really enjoyed this cruise. We had some trouble getting out of NY (we fly standby) but finally I was able to get on a flight to Cincinnati then one after that to SLC. Don. Flew later to Cinn. Then onto Phx then SLC the next am. We spent a week there while Don worked on rentals. Unfortunately, I got pretty sick there with sore throat and flu like symptoms so I could't enjoy UT like I usually do. Now I am back at work and reality. I never really felt better so a throat culture today confirmed I have had strep the past two weeks! But what a great trip and adventure! Maybe I will post pix when I feel better.