Oct 15th - 21st

Fall weather all around and a great week of Sunshine in Nebraska. Activities all around. Families, bus tours , and even our own family members. It is so good to see people we know, and to meet new friends.

Two of our children with their families were here this week. Bryan with his family arrived late Wednesday night, and Matthew and his family arrived late Thursday night. Both will tell you it is a long drive in one day, especially with small children. Bryan said Nebraska is flat for so long.  We are glad they had good weather coming and while they were here.

We all got to go to the Zoo all day Friday, and we are grateful the weather was so good. It is great to see the kids faces light up at the sight of animals, butterflies,  and fish. The day was warm and everybody had fun, but were really tired on Friday night.

It was fun to have time together after our shifts: seeing statues, walking the pedestrian bridge, and Heritage park fountain. Visiting the Kanesville Tabernacle, Mormon Trail Center, Pioneer Cemetery, and Winter Quarters Temple.  Sunday all together in the Karen Group Sacrament Meeting and other church meetings.

Love to serve here in Winter Quarters. :)  

Here is another Pioneer Story from Glenn Rawson Stories

Mary Bathgate
Mary Bathgate was a pioneer to remember. She was born and raised in Scotland and by some accounts worked for 40 years in the coal mines before she emigrated to the United States. Notwithstanding she was more than 60 years old when she crossed the plains, she determined not to be a burden on her handcart company. She became known as the leader of the footmen, meaning those who were in the company but not pulling handcarts. This plucky little lady would gather up her charges every morning and set out in front of the handcart train, swinging her cane and shouting “Hurree for the handkerts!”
Then one day, August 16, 1856, somewhere near the sandhills of Nebraska, Mary sat down on a rock to rest when a large rattlesnake struck her on the back of the leg just above the ankle. Quickly, she tied a tourniquet on it and sent a girl running for help. The entire train stopped and the men came immediately. “Before half an hour her leg had swollen to four times its thickness.”
Captain Dan McArthur related the following, “When we got to her she was quite sick, but said that there was power in the Priesthood, and she knew it. So we took a pocket knife and cut the wound larger, squeezed out all the bad blood we could, and there was considerable…. We then took and anointed her leg and head, and laid our hands on her in the name of Jesus and felt to rebuke the influence of the poison, and she felt full of faith. We then told her that she must get into the wagon, so she called witnesses to prove that she did not get into the wagon until she was compelled to by the cursed snake.”
Mary had not ridden one mile in the lazy wagon since leaving Iowa City and only now got into the wagon because of the snake. She was very sick and rode all that afternoon, but the next day was out of the wagon and, as Captain McArthur put it, was once again “on the tramp,” and cheering her company. She walked the rest of the way to Salt Lake City, a living miracle to her company.
Mortality is a long trek, we can, pickle-sucker style, drag behind, whining and complaining, or, we can straighten out our attitude, get out in front, and have some fun. Remember Mary Bathgate, “Hurree for the Handkerts! 

Sources: https://history.lds.org/overlandtravel/pioneers/18106/mary-bathgate-murry-logan

The Rattle-Snake  

By Mary Bathgate Shelley in her own words

Come all ye Saints of Latter-Days

Where ever you may be

Come join with me to praise the Lord

 For his goodness unto me.

I left my native country,

It was by the Lord’s command.

With five hundred Saints of Latter-Days

 To go to Zion’s land.

We crossed o ’er the mighty deep

All in the Enoch Train.

In charge of Dan McArthur

We crossed o’er the plains.

We traveled on six hundred miles

And nothing did me fear.

For I know this is the work of God,

Which do’th my spirits cheer.

The trials of this journey great

Which I did undertake.

Not one of them cost me a thought

Till I met this rattle-snake.

In me it fixed its poisonous dart.

It stung my ankle bone.

My little daughter, she cried out,

“Alas, my mother’s gone”.

Oh no!  said I, my little child

The Priesthood is restored.

Go bring to me the Elders quick

I’ve faith in Israel’s God.

The Elders they were sent for

And quickly came with speed,

And brother Leonard tenderly

Did cause the wound to bleed.

The anointed me with holy oil,

On me their hands they laid.

And I the blessings have received,  

Just as the Lord had said.

So praise the Lord, O, everyone

For his power is restored again;

I’ ll praise his name forever more,

So amen, and amen.