It's Great Being Married to your Best Friend!
For the past few months, we have been making preparations for our mission to Heber Valley Camp beginning April 3, 2023.
We have been unpacking the 5th wheel so that we can leave home the things that we won't be needing or can't play with up at HVC. Now our shed is beginning to look like a yard sale. We really should have gotten rid of some stuff, but alas, we have not...yet, and honestly, it may have to wait until we come home in the fall.
The money has been flying out of our bank accounts at an alarming rate. We are looking forward to actually BEING on our mission so that the money can slow down. We decided to cancel our cable at home, so we could save the money. However, that "savings" will go toward the hired lawncare while we are gone.
A couple of years ago we bought my parents 5th wheel and have loved the extra room.
In preparations to LIVE in the trailer, some of the changes that we have done are one: We took out the futon couch and replaced it with a recliner couch. That was pretty tricky to do because we needed it small enough that the slide would clear the couch when rolled in. But we found one.
I forgot to take a picture before we took the original couch out.
Doran and our FAVORITE grandson, Brayson, built a box for the original couch and we took it and put it in Brayson's bedroom.
We lost a lot of storage under the couch but I think we will be okay, because we took out some things that were under the couch and will be leaving them home.
We wanted to extend our table, so I asked Doran if he would build some kind of extension. He said he would, but when we were out shopping one day, we found this table that was just the right depth between the table and the wall. We decided that we would get this and Doran would cut the legs a little shorter to be even with the table. After we brought it home, we put it on the couch to see how it would fit. We decided to leave the legs as tall as they were and that way I could put some of the storage bins under that table. We can cut them off later if we change our minds.
The kids gave us a backup camera for the buggy, so dad was able to get that installed. Instead of buying an expensive cargo box for the back, we decided to go with a good tote and tie and bungie it down. We'll see how this works, but so far it looks like it will do the job.
I've had to use my brain and come up with some clever ideas inside the trailer to organize and make "extra" room for all the STUFF that we are taking. (I sure hope we use it all!)
I've been frying hamburger and making a bunch of eggs to freeze to make cooking a little faster and easier in the trailer. This will only last for this first batch but as soon as we get to know our schedule better, this will help.
Now we need to finish the last minute things this weekend and PRAY for good driving weather this Monday, April 3, 2023.
Let me set the stage...
The last few years we have been contemplating a mission. Where do we want to go? Do we want to choose, or have one chosen for us? Do we want to serve two years, 18 months, 6 months? Do we want to live in our trailer?
A few years ago, we were able to TREK with the youth of our Stake one year and then the next time we were able to TREK with our ward as Ma & Pa. We trekked at Desert Land and Livestock both times. So, we thought maybe this would be a good mission for us. We get to wear Levi's. We would get to CAMP, and we could ride around on 4-wheelers. Sounds good right?
Well, last May 2022, we went to Heber Valley Camp for their open house. We had some friends serving up there, so we thought we would give it a look-see. We drove around and looked at the camp a bit, and then we participated in one of the challenge courses (zip line) and hatchet throw. Not only was that FUN, but the area was beautiful! Doran had been struggling with some anxiety, but he felt "at home" in the mountains. I mean really, who wouldn't? After our play time, we stopped in to "visit" with the mission president. There were other people there getting information. We filled out what we thought was a "survey" type of thing, but I think it ended up being applications for the mission.
Finally in the fall, we received a phone call asking if we were still "committed" to serving for two years. We assured them that we were. He then told us we would be getting an email with some information on it and to follow the instructions. Does that mean we got the call? Do we get to go? He was pretty vague, or at least we didn't understand. Waiting for THAT email seemed liked forever. We finally got it and was able to go online and "apply" for the mission. MONTHS later, and waiting for the next expected email, it finally came. We were waiting for..."You are called as missionaries...." but we didn't receive anything like that. Anyway, long story short, we visited with our Bishop and filled out more papers, then they were sent to the Stake. Somewhere in all of this we received an email stating that they are "saving a place for us" at Heber Valley Camp! Then MORE waiting. We figured that Doran would have to be released from the Bishopric before they would even call him to a mission, so we waited. We finally met with the Stake President to visit with him about the mission, and also thinking that Doran would be released. He was still serving in the Bishopric (6 years) and we were both working in the Brigham City Temple (5 months). Well we had our visit and then HE SET US APART! Doran was NOT released yet.
Two Sundays later, Doran was released from the Bishopric. Now we are officially called and set apart as missionaries. However, I am still teaching the Fabulous 14 & 15 year old Sunday School class, just passing 6 years.
