Can't believe it's been over a month since I've posted.  Things have been very  busy here at Cove Fort.  We average about 450 to 500 visitors a day.  June was the month for lots of youth groups to visit.  They often would do a service project, take a tour, and picnic.  One day we had 160 youth come to visit.  I loved it!!!  July is a month of many vacationers.... It has been extremely dry in Utah the past month and a half.  The last few days we have received some much needed moisture.  Today after Sacrament meeting, Dan and I were on morning shift so went to the Fort around 9:30.  There were a few visitors and while finishing  a tour with a sweet family from Maine, we had a down pour!  I was amazed that all of a sudden there were all sorts of cars pulling into the Fort.  We were busy campers...holding umbrellas over our guests as we continued the tours.  Loved it!  Each day  brings joy and new affirmations of why we are here at this time.  We have met people from all over the world and have the opportunity to share the love we have of the Savior and the wonderful history of this great place which accommodated so many people traveling through this barren place.  It was definitely a way station for weary travelers who were on their way to new settlements as well as church leaders, dignitaries, native Americans and all sorts of interesting people.  The Hinckley family was very loving, giving, faithful, kind, and charitable people.  I love the spiritual way station it has become as the travelers who stop by now feel that wonderful spirit that dwells within the walls of this beautiful site.  I would love to share it with all of you.  It is an experience to behold.
We have had many opportunities to see many sites of this beautiful Utah country.  We were able to attend the Miracle Pageant in Manti at the Manti Temple.  We helped at the information booth and were able to watch the beautiful pageant which portrayed the Joseph Smith story and the trek west with Brigham Young.  It was all performed on the hill below the Manti Temple after dark with the beautiful Temple in the back ground.  What a blessing it was to meet some of the 2,000 in attendance.  We handed out brochures and pictures of the Savior.  There was a wonderful spirit there.  We were invited to stay in a lovely B & B that night with an amazing breakfast at the Bishop Barton's home the next morning.  Opportunity of a lifetime for us...so grateful.
I'll add some pictures of some of the places and events that have happened in the past month or so. Missin' our family and friends but happy, healthy, and grateful to be serving.

We went to Cedar City with our missionaries friends the Cranors and visited a State Park.  We also went to Bryce Canyon with them on another "P"day.

These are some pictures of the day Travis Kesler (the owner of our RV Park) moved his cattle from one pasture to the other. They passed right in front of the Fort.  His whole family was on horseback "roundin" them up.

These are pictures of the entrance before Bryce Canyon. This area is called the Red Canyon.

These are pictures taken in Bryce Canyon.  Breath taking!  You just had to be there. It's beauty is beyond words!

We decided to hike the 1.5 mi. Navajo Loop!  Only took 2 hours. 

Yes this was on the way down to the bottom of the canyon.  Those are people down there. It was a pretty steady down hill trail with a lot of switchbacks.

These are our friends The Cranors

Looking up from our descent.

This is the trek back up. Rather steep  (several stops to catch our breath)

This was called the Amphitheater.

We visited Bridal Point and Rainbow Point as well as other short stops in between.  All views were amazing!

One of the highlights at the Fort is watching the neighbor Bro. Pratt (who lives 1 mi. up the road) come to cut the alfalfa.  They are required to cut it with a  horse drawn cutter.  It was fun to watch and it smelled so good.

This is Peaches and Cream.  They are beautiful horses.

Elder Allen getting the scoop on how to manage the team and harvest the alfalfa from Bro. Pratt. You might recognize Bro. Pratt.   He helped his father with the wagon wheel demo. in the former pics.

I watched the process with our FM (service missionary) Sis. Scullen. (Her husband is in the back with the red shirt.  They along with 3 other couples take care of all the grounds as well as the 3 huge gardens.

Last Friday, June 1st (evening at 7 p.m.) , we missionaries gathered out by the blacksmith's shop for an amazing demonstration of putting a wagon wheel together.  Bro. Pratt, who lives up the road about a half mile from the fort, is a real blacksmith/farmer.  He has been employed by the church to take care of many such items for our Historical sites around the country.  Many other organizations which have events that need wagon wheels, wagons, or anything needing a blacksmith's skills, call on Bro. Pratt.  The following pictures shows the sequence that he demonstrated.  The rest of the pictures are of some of our 25 couple missionaries who enjoyed hot dogs and smores after the demonstration and pictures of the beautiful evening at the fort. It was a glorious night...warm with NO wind.




Bro. Pratt explains that the iron ring is called the tire.




Measuring device





Measuring the wood  wheel





prepareing the fire for the tire





the tire has to be 1/2 in. smaller than the wooden wheel



the tire is in the fire



feeding the fire




preparing lots of water for after the tire is ready to go onto the wheel




the next few pictures are demonstrations of instruments used to build the wheel. This is a measuring device. The children in the background are among Bro. Pratt's 11 grandchildren.






Bro. Pratt is showing how to sculpt a spoke





the next two pictures shows how the spoke is rounded to fit into the fellow part of the wheel





the tire is now the right temp.

 


the tire is carried over and placed on the wheel





 
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Tire is so hot that the wooden wheel starts to burn



 









using a hose to finish the cooling process which helps to adhere the tire to the wheel

Job complete

done

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Bro Pratt  entertained us by reading from a Blacksmith's book.

Our fellow missionaries

This is the original bellows that Ira Hinkley used in 1867.. it's huge

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Bro. Pratt built this hand cart

the two men working on the wheel are Bro. Pratt's sons.  The children in the pictures are Bro. Pratt's grandchildren.





  

Time to roast the dogs!













 







Works great and Beautiful sights

The work is wonderful and we are happy to be here!  Not by chance but by divine inspiration, we have met many amazing people.  We believe that many of our visitors have been prepared to come to Cove Fort to feel of the special spirit that is here.  Each day is a new adventure and we love serving.  We will never get tired of the amazing spirit of peace and love we feel here.
We have had some wonderful opportunities to share the gospel as well as explore this beautiful country side.  Here are some pictures which can only give you a little taste of what we are experiencing.


These where taken on a "P"day trip with the Atwoods, Dye's, and Marrotts trowards the Price area where Elder Atwood grew up.  Beautiful canyon area with Native American paintings and amazing  views.

Livin' on the edge...Elder Hale

the following is from our trip with our missionary friends, the Marrots, to St. George


St. George Temple



Back to the Fort... inside view...the trees were planted by Ira Hinckley 145 years ago...Fort built in 1867