We Are FINALLY in Our New Home in Michigan!

This is looking at the back of our apartment. We are on the second floor, right behind that beautiful tree that is already changing colors. We love our apartment and we feel like newlyweds again setting up housekeeping--but we are wiser and have a little more money to buy basic needs,etc. this time around. Our neighbors are sweet and one even stopped by this evening with a little fall gift to brighten our apartment. We are cozy and happy here and the ward is full of darling young adults which we are looking forward to getting to know. The top picture was taken out of our livingroom window. We have a gorgeous view of the woods and all the trees here are just starting to change colors so I am looking forward to a spectacular fall. We had a lovely visit and dinner with the Mission President and tomorrow morning we meet with the CES director for this area. It is going to be a busy week.


These are only two of the many sculptures located in the the Women's Garden at the Nauvoo Visistor's Center. They are such a marvelous tribute to all women and made me so proud to be a women.

Nauvoo was inspirational beyond words!!!!!!

A few pictures of the beautiful Nauvoo temple perched on the hill overlooking the historical city of Nauvoo.

Trail of Hope

The Trail of Hope was a trail from Nauvoo to the Mississippi River lined with signs that had actually journal writings from the saints who made the trek west. Here are just a sample of the many, many signs we read. What a courageous group of people!

Church History on the Road to Michigan....

Fall colors at the top of Squaw Peak behind Provo.
The Fort Bridger trading post. Used as a stopover for the Mormon pioneers and later acquired by them for restocking wagons coming through on the Oregon, California, and Mormon Trails west. Also served as a Pony Express stop.
Great opportunity to visit with my sister Karen and her husband Jim in Cheyenne. We hadn't seen them in over a year.
Handcart pioneers at Winter Quarters, where Omaha is now located. 2,962 Mormon handcart pioneers crossed 1,300 miles of plains and mountains between 1856 and 1860 to secure a place where they could worship freely. Tragically, almost 250 died along the way. They were the first of almost 57,000 (!) to cross the plains from Winter Quarters to the Salt Lake valley over the next 10 years.
Trying my hand at pulling a hand cart...my great, great grandfather Jens Poulsen might not have been impressed by my staying power!
Karen checking out her next new car. Actually, wagons such as this were the mainstay of cross-plains travel until the trans-continental railroad was completed in 1869. Jens Poulsen and his family used this means of transportation. Emigrating from Denmark in 1862, he lost his wife and three children to shipboard illness, and the family (including his brother and sister's families)lost several more members along the Mormon Trail. He has always been a great example to me for his faith and endurance.
The Liberty jail in Independence, Missouri. Joseph Smith and five other church leaders were incarcerated unjustly for almost five months in the lower cell, with 4 ft thick walls, barely enough headroom to stand, and horrific sanitation and food. The Lord told Joseph that "...all these things shall give thee experience, and it shall be for thy good." Now THAT'S a refiner's fire.

Far West, Missouri. Once a city of almost 5000 church members who been driven out of Independence by vengeful mobs. Now a beautiful dedicated temple site with the four cornerstones laid.

Karen's presence greatly enhanced the experience, as always.
Site of the Haun's Mill Massacre. It's haunting to recall that 17 men, women and children were killed by an angry mob at this location.
A serene view of the valley from Adam-ondi-Ahman.
"Preachers Rock", where it is said that Joseph Smith gave many sermons.

It's fun and edifying to immerse ourselves in a part of church history we had not previously experienced. Tomorrow we will head northeast to Nauvoo, Illinois.

Posted by Craig

Our First Week in the Missionary Training Center--We Did It!

Our first week in the MTC has been absolutely wonderful, full of many inspirational experinces and much learning. (Very exhausting too.) There were 80 senior missionaries that were here this week and we are definitely in the minority with the 2200 young missionaries. They treat us all with so much respect--opening doors, letting us crowd to the front of the line, put away our lunch trays, etc. They are all so darling and it is amazing to see so many wonderful young people in one place. On Wednesday when the new missionaries arrived, I sat and watched them come through the door all shining and fresh, ready to join God's army of missionaries and I have to say I got a bit teary eyed remembering the day each of my own sons entered the MTC, knowing I wouldn't see them for two years.
We get lots of amazing speakers here and on Tuesday, Elder Snow of the Second Quorum of Seventies spoke. He spoke on choices and how choices really do define us---our choices reveal us. Today we had the pleasure of hearing from Sister Elaine Dalton of the Young Women. We are very spoiled here.
We have now completed our first week and finished the Preach My Gospel course. These lessons have been so wonderful and although the activities have been challenging we have both grown so much in our love for our Savior, Jesus Christ.
One of the highlights of our week was the day we met up with Lea Gallagher. She is the daughter of a family Eric taught on his mission in Ireland 22 years ago. She was just a baby when her family was baptized and now she is in the MTC getting ready to go to Greece to teach others the gospel. It almost made me cry to think of the impact one missionary can have. We have enjoyed seeing her around the MTC and spending time with this beautiful young lady.


This is our district and they are all going to various places in the world. Elder and Sister Oakden are going to Salt Lake City, Elder and Sister Lundwall are heading for Sweden, Elder and Sister Hatch are our high adventure missionaries and they will be serving in the Congo, and Elder and Sister Lurf will be going to Nigeria. What amazing couples they all are and it has been a pleasure for Craig and I to get to know them. We all worked together in class and our young teachers taught us so much. I don't think I have ever studied the plan of salvation in so much depth and learned so much. It has been a wonderful week with wonderful people!!!





It was so nice to have time Saturday to attend the Provo Temple. We had a great experience at the temple and the flowers on the grounds were spectacular-so gorgeous!!!!


Dan, Tiff, Lily, Katie, Luke, Grandpa and Sophie enjoying treats at the BYU Creamery on 9th.

Sophie, Grandma, Tiffany, Lily, and Kate enjoying Saturday together.

We just returned to the MTC after visiting Bruce, Chis, and Clara in Salt Lake City. We had fun talking to Chris about the MTC as he will be coming here Sept. 29th in preparation for his mission to Des Moine, Iowa. We have had a wonderful week here.

Posted by Karen

Our "class" at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. What a wonderful group of dedicated folks, all dedicated to serving the Lord. Headed for many far away countries as well as points in the United States...as for us, we're headed for Lansing, Michigan. Oh, and that's beautiful Squaw Peak in the background.

Missionaries at Last

We were set apart as full time missionaries Thursday evening at Eric and Jill's home by their stake president, Pres. Jon Parker. A fun dinner with the Clovis families Friday night and then we were off to Utah early Saturday morning. A dinner and visit with Bruce and kids Saturday evening and then we headed for Kaysville to spend a couple of nights with Dan and Tiffany and the kids. The car is loaded, we've said our goodbyes, and we have made our final preparations. We are both so excited as tomorrow morning we head to the MTC in Provo!!!!