On the Road again

Here's a short version of our trip.

Thursday: Thanks-giving Day, dinner at IHOP in Grand Junction, the only place open. Great clear skies and roads until we go over the loveland pass right before Denver. Icy spots in the road, temp drops to about 18 degrees. Denver Temple beautiful, chosen witness couple, frozen crystalized grasses, trees, bushes as we left the city.

Friday: long drive thru Nebraska, enjoyed the conference CD's, found Winter Quarter's, very old old part of town, love the GPS, Vistor's center full of Gingerbread parade,Temple beautiful and small, chosen witness couple. Brrrr it's very cold. Have seen deer, racoon, moose, migrating ducks and birds.

Saturday: Council Bluff across the river, visited Tabernacle where Brigham Young was sustained as prophet, more Gingerbread houses on parade, crossing Iowa, Now I know why the saints didn't like Iowa, except that it was flat, flat, flat. enjoyed CD about the restoration and Joseph Smith, gift from JR & Lorri, electrical christmas parade at Fort madison, crossed the Mississippi and stayed at beautiful Nauvoo.

Sunday: A day of rest. Enjoyed Nauvoo 3rd ward, visited the visitor center, watched the new restoration movie, cried, visited with the missionaries, pizza for dinner, studied the scriptures. rested, no driving, yea!!! Brrrr it's cold.

Monday: Dropped down into Peoria, took sister Melissa Mower and companions to lunch, Penora - yummy, Thank heavens for the GPS, almost got hit by a huge delivery truck, unseen angel grabbed the wheel and steered us away from collision, stopped by Aunt Nancy's house in Romeoville, nobody home, dinner at "Friday's", stayed right by the Chicago temple.

Tuesday: Beautiful small temple, exterior of gray and white marble. just three in the session, yes witness couple again, what a blessings, huge city, traveled to St. Joseph Michigan, lunch with Elder Kacen Smith and companion. Doug's favorite - AppleBee's - Kacen's doing great, teaching a golden contact. Michigan's cold, wind chill 16 degrees, spending the night in Toledo, Ohio.

Wednesday: Got a late start, Doug too tired to drive. Beth drives, now that's a first. Beautiful country, got lost in Kirtland, thank heavens for GPS. Didn't have time to revisit sites, drove along lake erie all day long, weather great, crossed into our home state for the next two years; NEW YORK at 5:18 pm. It sure gets dark early, pulled into Olean to spend the night. Doug asleep in bed at 7:00 pm. Beth to study and read.

Thursday: Woke up to rain, the first on our trip. Cold, burrrrr, drove to Palmyra and attended the temple. Small and similar to Winter Quarters temple, full session, beautiful stain glass of the sacred grove, picture window overlooks the sacred grove, visited Joseph Smith home sites, snow and wind swirling around us, sister missionaries sweet testimony, special spirit felt. Sacred grove closed due to terrible winds. Spent the night in Scranton Pennsylvania.

Friday: Drove thru the beautiful countryside of eastern Pennsylvania and south western New York. What a site to behold if only a month earlier. The leaves left on the trees were deep red - brown and falling. 130 miles of country, but not any more. Scarsdale is a pretty place, nice big homes with huge trees. Mission home and office in Scarsdale. Barged in on Zone conference, met about 20 missionaries and Pres. and sister Searle. Yummy lunch, then off to check out new home for next two years. Bronx is noisy, busy, dirty, scary, just like on tv, but we are told the people are wonderful. Went to Manhattan temple, night time drive into the city, magnificent, GPS our new best friend. Staying in Scarsdale for 13 days, then into the "pantry". The Bishop's store house. WE HAVE ARRIVED!!!