Maple Syrup Sugar Shack - 26 March 2011

 Schoff's maple syrup is delicious!  Two weekends a year in March this family open's their processing of maple syrup to the public.  It takes about 50 gallons of maple tree sap to make 1 gallon of maple syrup.  The owner is a school teacher and he does this as his hobby.  He learned the trade when he was a boy by helping his grandfather.

 Sister McVea posing while Elder McVea gets a picture of the way sap use to be collected.  They collect sap now by running lengths of PVC pipe from tree to tree with a vacuum pump on the end of it.

 Handsome Elder McVea with Mr. Schoff, owner of the Sugar Shack.

When I said shack I mean "shack."  Mr. Schoff out front of his processing plant.  There were 3 adults and 2 children in the shack with us and it was crowded.  His goal was to make 450 gallons of maple syrup this year in this little shack.

Scenery in March 2011

 Elder McVea was standing in the parking lot of the Rochester Stake Center when he took this shot.  He was only 35 feet away from these mallard ducks.  Can you see the hen?

Breath taking!  Elder McVea took this shot one evening.  This is our view from our kitchen window.

Sunrise from our side yard.

Oh, Deer!

 25 March 2011, The soybean field across the road from our house by nightfall had 47 deer.

24 February 2011, Sister McVea snapped this shot on the way to work.  Do you see the deer getting ready to walk in the back door of the house?

Performances in the area

 12 March 2011, Katie Jacobson was Millie in "Thoroughly Modern Millie" at her high school, Canandaigua Academy.  She was SPECTACULAR!!!  She sang, tap danced and won the hearts of everyone.  The Jacobson's invited us as their guests.

 

 L. to R.: Sisters:  Kissel, Whitney Andersen, K. Stone, Melling, VanDenBerghe, Chaston & J. Stone

13 April 2011, Site Meeting with the 7 sisters going home :(  The song they sang was just beautiful!

Peter Whitmer Farm-The Origin of the Church of Jesus Christ in our day

 Elder McVea was here with President Christainson to shoot part of a video production.  The intent of the video was to show many of the changes that have occurred in the Church Historical Sites since the 70's.  President Siddoway, former president of the NY Rochester Mission asked for such a video to be done so he could show it at an upcoming mission reunion. 

 This Cabin was reconstructed on what is believed to be the exact spot where the original cabin was back in 1830.  This is where the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was first organized April 6, 1830 by the Prophet Joseph Smith.  It was originally organized according to New York State law with 6 members and has grown to over 14 million with members in nearly every country of the world.  There are now more members outside the US than in; and it all started in this same air space, at a fire place similar to this one.

It was in this cabin that Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery finished up the translation of the Book of Mormon.   They could have done the work at a table like this one in the picture.  It was in the woods near here where the 3 witnesses where shown the Gold Plates by and Angle of God and were commanded to bear record to the world of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.  These three men, Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris, never denied their testimony, even though all of them fell away from the church.  Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris came back in later years, but David Whitmer died before coming back.

Mater - My Hero

My grandson Mason Cole McVea colored this picture for me.  It holds a very prominent spot in the mission office.  Everyone who sees it comments on how well done it is.  I love my picture of Mater.  Mater is one of my favorite actors from the animated movie Cars, and it was colored by one my favorite people.  I love you Mason.  One of my favorite lines in the movie Cars is, Sheriff says, "Mater, what did I tell you about talking with the accused?  Mater says, "To not too".

Palmyra North and South Zone Conferences

 We had all 4 zone conferences this week.  Rochester Zone on Tuesday February 8th, Buffalo on Wednesday Feb 9th, and Palmyra South and Palmyra North Zones on Thursday Feb 10th.  The picture above is an example of what I woke up to every morning.

This is the Palmyra Stake Center, where we held the Palmyra North and South Zone Conferences (two at once).  I had 15 Cars and Trucks to inspect.  With the wind chill (notice the flag) figured in, it was about 20 below zero weather. Thankfully the assistants, Elder Westley and Elder Cook helped me.  Even with their help it took about 2  1/2 hours and I was sick for the next 3 days after.  I must find a better way to do these inspections, especially in the winter time.

Her is a quick video of the cars ready for inspection at the Palmyra North South Zone Conference.  This is 15 of the 37 vehicles we have in our mission.

After the Buffalo Zone Conference President & Sister Christianson took us out to dinner at Duff's one of the two restaurants that are famous for Buffalo Hot Wings.  The food was delicious. (From Left to Right are Elder and Sister McVea, President and Sister Christianson, Sister Evertsen [Sister Christianson's Sister] Elder Westley, and Elder Cook the two Assistants to the President in our mission.)