July 15th - 22nd

What a week, it has been a whirlwind week ( maybe I should say Tornado week ( 2  tornadoes touched down in Iowa)

Two of our seasoned senior couples went home after serving faithfully their 18 month mission.

It has been busy. Sunday night our daughter Paulynn and her family came. It was great to

take them to a few places around here and have them with us most of the week. They went

to Nauvoo Thursday and Friday . They got back Saturday and left Tuesday (24th). Our

Son Brent and his family arrived Saturday and we enjoyed both families visiting with

us and it will be way to quiet when they all go home on the 24th.

After our shift on Monday we toured the Mormon Trail Center, and caught lightning bugs

at the Pioneer Cemetery. Tuesday after shift we visited the Grand Encampment, Hyde Park,

and Mormon Battalion Mustering grounds as well as the Kanesville Tabernacle and

Lewis and Clark Monument. Wednesday the family did Baptisms in the Winter Quarters

Temple and took Sister White to dinner for her Birthday.. Sister White got to play games

with the grandchildren. Saturday we took the family to Boys Town and visited the Freedom Park Museum and the new arrivals got the lightning bug experience.

Sunday it was so great to have our children and grandchildren join us at church. It

doubled the attendance of our little Karen group!! It was great to tour National

Sculpture Park, walk the Pedestrian Bridge and watch the beautiful fountain at Heartland of America Park

With all these fun activities no wonder we are tired this week!! 

Pioneer Story 7th handcart company

One of the people we had was a blind sister from Norway, who was about sixty years

old, and she walked the whole way. But she was always cheerful, and as she pushed

the handcart her young daughter was helping to pull we could often hear her merry

laughter when she unexpectedly found herself wading through one or another of the many

streams of water which were found along our way. "Now, Mother, we are about to cross

some water, "we could hear her daughter warning her, "Is it deep?" or "How deep is it?" we

heard in reply from the blind woman; and when the explanation was satisfactory, she

walked cheerfully out into the water.

One of the most difficult streams that we had to ford was Loup Fork, a tributary of

the Platte River. At the time we crossed, it was very wide, and besides that the bottom

was loose sand, which was constantly shifting. The sick and the blind woman were allowed

to ride in one of our freight wagons, for we had three wagons drawn

by mules, which carried our tents and cookware, and in extreme emergencies one

or more of those who were sick or

fatigued were allowed to ride. But such a ride was an object of dread for most, for to be

driven over rocky and uneven roads, and with only the tents under oneself, was for sick

people usually only a means of increasing their suffering, and in some cases of hastening

their death.

At the river mentioned above, Loup Fork, several interesting and almost amusing scenes

also took place.

A large Indian encampment was located at that time right at the fording place, and several

of the young girls were ferried across by sitting behind a half-naked Indian on horseback,

having to hold on to him around the waist in order not to fall off. Those of the emigrants

who dared to wade had to hold on to each other in order not to be carried downstream

in the strong current, and now and then the handcart also lost its footing and threatened

to leave the company, at which time extra resources for rescue had to be utilized. But all

went well, and not a thing was lost, nor was anyone hurt.