Christmas Day

After Reading Luke Chapter 1 and 2, and Mathew Chapter 1 we opened our gifts.  This is the wonderful generous gifts we received for Christmas.  Thanks to all who remembered us!  We talked to E. McVea's Parents for a bit, and after this we spoke through Skype to all of our children.  We feel so blessed to have such wonderful children who love us and love the Lord. 

This is one of Elder McVea's favorite yard decorations.  Santa's Sleigh being pulled by a John DEERE Tractor.  Get it John DEERE.  Like Rein Deer!!! Oh well, thought it was cool.

Guest Book of John Young Home

Bob & Eileen Havens are neighbors of ours.  Eileen and her family used to live in the Large John Young home.  The home was built by John Young, President Brigham Young's Father.  Eileen's mother  kept a guest book of the many visitors who had stopped to see the home over the years. The book was passed to Eileen by her mother for safe keeping.  Bob and Eileen now live about a 1/2 mile south of here.  We visited them tonight and they showed us the book.  Although there were many pages, I will post only three.  These three pages show signatures of people most of you will recognize. The one above has a business card of Harold B. Lee when he was the president of the Eastern States Mission.

  This was signed by Elder and Sister Spencer W. Kimball.  Note the messages he added.

Elders N. Eldon Tanner, Richard L. Evans, and Marion D. Hanks signatures are at the top of this page.  There is such rich history in this area.

This is Sister Ryals (in the Red) with her daughter and grandchildren who came to pick her up from her mission.  We were so sad to see her go.  She served for 18 months as the financial secretary.  She is from South Carolina and has a wonderful southern accent.  We wish her well in the next phase of her life.

This is Sisters Stone and Carter.  They stopped by to pick up some supplies and we put them to work decorating our office Christmas tree.

This is the Hill Cumorah Visitor Center at night.  We were here for a Church Historical Site Missionary Meeting that is held every Wednesday night at 6:30 pm.  We gather for instruction, special music, talks and testimonies.  There is always a very strong spirit in these meetings.

Preparation Day

Today, December 18, 2010, was our preparation day.  On our way to Marion, New York to have Sister McVea's hair cut, we gave two of our missionaries a ride to where they had decided to tract.  As we dropped them off, Elder McVea snapped this photo.  This is Sisters Egan and Morrison.  They are two of the most powerful sisters we have in the mission.  We pray for their success.

This is a home near Marion New York.  One of Elder McVea's  favorite homes in the area.

Marion, New York

Many homes have long icicles like these.

2010 Thankgiving Day

This is the Couples Thanksgiving Dinner we enjoyed held at the Smith Farm Welcome Center.  It is just a stones throw from the sacred grove and the reconstructed log home.  Sister McVea is about half way done the right side of the table and I am behind the camera.

Another Shot of couples at the dinner.

Elder and Sister Hales some of our dear friends who server as site missionaries.

Winter Scenes

This is our temporary home, the small John Young home, at mid December.  We feel so blessed to live in such a wonderful place.  The heat works well and we are cozy warm.

 This is what we see each morning during breakfast.  It makes us thankful for shelter from the cold, warm food, and modern conveniences.  Yes, that is 10 degrees.

These ice cycles nearly touched the ground.  They partially melted and then fell off a few days later.

 We have seen these ducks on our way to work for several day.  Sister McVea drove while I snapped a few shots this morning.  Just another one of our simple pleasures we so enjoy about our calling.  This is such a beautiful part of the world.

Dear Friends

We love standing shoulder to shoulder in the cause of Zion with people like Elder and Sister Morley.  They are responsible for all the apartments in the mission; and they do a miraculous job of it.  We served with their daughter and son-in-law Paul and Pat Rowe and their children, in the Hill Cumorah Pageant for a number of years.  We love the Morley's.

Part of Sister McVea's calling is to forward the packages and letters that come to the mission office for the missionaries.  This being Christmas time we have a lot more than normal.  This was 3 days worth of mail.  Due to transfer's we had to hold it for a bit till we knew where all the missionaries would end up after transfer.  Normally we get it out the same day it arrives.  Believe it or not it all fit in the Camry.  The trunk was full and so was the back seat. 

This is an office party in honor of Sisters Price and Evertsen who both celebrated their birthdays in December.  On the left side of the table are President and Sister Christianson and Sister McVea.  On the right side are Sisters Price and Evertsen, and Elder and Sister Yost. The Yost were our trainers.

Our First Snow

It was a little storm.  Not much snow but it changed the appearance so much I thought I'd include it.  We have a cool Honda snow blower.  I hope we get more snow so I can feel justified in getting it out.  I have already started it two or three time just to hear it run.  I love Honda!!!!

This is the Big John Young home.  We now have Sister Evertsen and Sister Price living in this home.  We are so happy to have neighbors.  They had us over for dinner a few days back.  We enjoy their company.

 

This is Sister Price - - Never a dull moment when she is around.

This is Sister Ryals, Evertsen, & McVea.  This was an impromptu color coordination day!!!

Sisters Chaston, Tirrell, and Jones Vistit to the Mission Office

These three sisters stopped by the office to have lunch with us and share a hymn as well.

Kirk Morris's Visit to Rochester (13 Nov 2010)

Our Neighbor from Provo Kirk Morris, son of Best Friends Tom and Lisa Morris, flew into Rochester.  He is here interviewing with a dental program that specializes in pediatric dentistry.  We picked him up at the airport and toured him around some of the Church Historical Sites.  We went to the Sacred Grove, Joseph Cabin, Hill Cumorah and the Grandin Building where the first 5,000 copies of the Book of Mormon were published.

Sister McVea, Kirk Morris and Elder McVea (taking the picture) at the Hill Cumorah in the Fall.

Sister McVea, Kirk Morris, and Elder McVea at the E. B. Grandin Building where the Book of Mormon was first published.

This is an exact replica of the type of press used to to print the first copies of the Book of Mormon.

Our First Zone Conference's ( 9-12 Nov 2010

Sister McVea and I participated in our first set of Zone Conferences November 9th through 12th of 2010.  There are 4 Zones in the New York Rochester Mission; Rochester, Palmyra North, Palmyra South and Buffalo.  The cars in this picture represent about 1/3 of the 37 cars I have responsibility for.  I check the tires, fluids, body exterior and interior condition. I also do a 30 minute presentation to the Elders and Sisters about caring for the vehicles as well as Safety.  Sister McVea goes and helps me when she can and also does a presentation about baptisms, referrals, and mail as needed.

Tour of the Hill Cumorah with President and Sister Christianson (8 Nov 2010)

President and Sister Christianson took Sister McVea and I, and the rest of the office staff, Sister Ryals and Brinkerhoff on a "behind the scenes" tour of the Hill Cumorah.  We saw things we had never seen, and heard things we had never heard.  It was indeed a sacred time for us all as we were reminded of the sacred things that have occurred here.  I am even more convinced that this is not only the place where Moroni burred the plates, but that this is the place of the great and last battle between the Nephites and the Lamanites as depicted in the Book of Mormon.

Joseph Smith described the hiding place of the gold plates to be a "stone box" covered by a stone that was "thick and rounded in the middle on the upper side"  and flat on the bottom.  This is one example of many stones on the hill that fit that description.  Of course we do not know the exact location of the original hiding place of the gold plates.

This is one of the trees that is old enough to have been on the hill when Joseph Smith meet with the Angle Moroni.  If this and other trees of this age could talk, it could probably tell us exactly what happened when Joseph Smith was taught by Moroni and eventually able to take the plates from the hill for translation.  These trees are called "witness trees".

End of a Beautiful Day - 30 Oct. 2010

 While driving home from the service project at 6 pm I looked over at a field and saw this picture.  I asked Coleman to turn around so we could capture it on camera.  He suggested including the tractor and trailer which really made it perfect.  Look at the trees that appear to be on fire.  It is just beautiful in this part of God's vineyard.  We just can't seem to be tired of the beauty.

 Before we reached home we had taken several pictures and this is another one.

After we got home and Coleman went out to feed the deer he took this shot.  We are so grateful for our little camera.  It brings us much happiness.

Saturday Service Project - 30 October 2010

 Penfield missionaries, Elder Harris with Lissa Cotter (above) and Elder Elrey with Elder McVea (below), invited us to help paint Lissa's home who is their investigator.  Penfield is a suburb of Rochester, NY.

After being asked if the paint was dry enough for the second coat, Elder McVea said,  "Nope, it's not dried yet."

Sister Holm & Sister Brent can paint nearly as well as they can teach the gospel.

Sister McVea at work, what more can I say.

Friends in the Office

 Left to Right:  Sister Brinkerhoff, Pleasant Grove, UT the President's Secretary, Elder & Sister McVea, Elder Larry and LaDean Yost who trained dad and I and are from Washington State, and Sister Debbie Ryals from South Carolina, the financial secretary.  Taken 29 October 2010.  The Yosts came into the office for a visit because our mail lady was having a birthday.  Sister Yost before leaving the office had promised Jennifer a cake carrot for her birthday.  Well, she held to her promise and she and Elder Yost returned to the office for Friday to be there when Jennifer brought the mail.  Lots of pictures were taken because every one who came to the office that day got a piece of delicious carrot cake.  Since you know us we decided to include the picture taken with us.  She is the reason we have many happy missionaries, because she delivers their mail to the office and then I forward it to the missionaries.

Bob and Eileen Haven

Eileen was born and lived in the John Young Home until she was 7 years old.  Then she moved across the street to the BIG John Young Home.  For some reason no one can tell us why John Young's Home was separated, making two homes which are right across the street from each other.  When  Bob and Eileen Haven were married they lived in the small John Young home where we live now.  We thought it would be nice to visit with them and learn some of the history.  The same Sunday we found the cemetery is the day we stopped in to visit the Haven's.  The cemetery is a block from their home.

The John Young Home is seen from the Haven's backyard.  They planned it that way when they built their home on the hill over looking the home Eileen was raised in.  The white house  and red barn in the background  is her former home.

This is one of the walls in their home of old tools Eileen has collected from the barn in her childhood and along the way.  She tested Coleman on his knowledge of the tools and he passed.

Tomlinson's Corners Cemetery

 Tomlinson's Corners Cemetery is 1 mile south of John Young's Home (where we live) and has historical significance.  After church one Sunday we stopped by to see if we could find this cemetery and by the pictures you can tell we did.  If you look close you can see our white house in the background. 

 Sister McVea is standing next to Miriam Young's grave, Brigham Young's first wife who died at the age of 26 and was buried here.  The original tomb stone has been replaced with this nice one.

President Spencer W. Kimball's great grandfather, Solomon F Kimball, is buried in this cemetery also.

Mark's Pizzeria

 Mark's Pizzeria was one of our family's favorite places to eat when we served in Hill Cumorah Pageant.  I was craving pizza so we stopped by one night for our date in October 2010.  This pizza place is right across the street from the building below,  "Book of Mormon Historical Publication Site" formerly known as "The Grandin Building."  The first 5000 copies of Book of Mormon were published here.