Will Winter Ever Ever End - March 2011

We woke up this morning (March 10th) to another 5-6" of new snow! My creative mind is trying to figure out how I could market the winter of 2010-2011, using my family
name "SNOW" here in Vermont, after all this is where our G G grandfather "Erastus Snow" was born.

On one of our days out visiting we passed this trailer being cleared of its snow. When we came back down the road there were men sitting around the wood pile off to the left, and they had a big fire going and chairs around it like they were enjoying a summer picnic. They waved, and we waved back. It was easy 10 degrees that day! I really wanted to get out and take their picture but, we are as odd to them out visiting in our dress clothes and badges, and in a car with "Idaho plates" as they were to us having a hot dog roast in 3 foot of snow..... "Only in Vermont" lol

How many ways can you say BEAUTIFUL! We had the 3rd worst storm on record in Vermont on March 7th. Areas received up to 32" of new snow. In South Royalton we received 15+" with an Ice Storm that followed. It was the third storm to hit this area in just over 10 days and each brought 8-12" of snow. It is getting hard to find places to put the snow. Today (March 8th) we took Elders to Manchester for transfers and we saw miles of these beautiful trees covered with a thick layer of ice. They shimmered like iridescent fabric or like white lights at Christmas time. It was simply amazing. I wish the pictures did justice to what we saw. Everything you see is ice - not snow! :)

This is the lane to our mountain cabin. We have a man who keeps it cleared for us but even with that, at times it's hard for us to make the climb after fresh snow or when the road is muddy. We live in such a beautiful spot. From our hill we can see out over our little valley winter, summer, spring and fall and each season is wonderful.

In Vermont and New Hampshire there is a lot of ground water that flows through the granite walls along the road ways. In the summer the water isn't noticed because of the foliage and evaporation, but in the winter it forms "ice falls". They are a light blue in color and are simply beautiful. As spring comes these begin to melt and then finally fall off . Coming from Utah and Idaho we thought we knew what winter was and what it's effect on an area could be, but being here has given us a whole new perspective. Winters here are harsh, and they are long and cold. For the most part the only paved roads in this area are the main roads with everything else being dirt. People are snowed in so often that they learn to become very independant. Many of them in our area have no phones and or no TV/computer hook-ups due to the remoteness of their homes, not even cell phones. South Royalton area is miles from shopping so independence is vital to thier survival, and way of life. We visit and love so many wonderful people who are some of our Father in Heavens chosen children. These wonderful people have very few worldly pocessions, but they are so rich.

Pictures of the snow we received in the storms on 25th and 27th of February (additional 15" to what we had on the ground). The first 3 pictures are of the Joseph Smith Memorial grounds and the others are of the roads we drive daily to visit our ward members.

Dillon Monroe Smith

Elder Smith and I returned to Idaho for a wonderful reunion with our children and grandchildren. We were there for a temple sealing on Jan 29th. The Lord has blessed Neal and Brenda with a handsome 6 yr. old son named Dillon. It was such a wonderful day to be in the temple with our family and to be apart of the building of an eternal family. We love you Dillon. .......... as missionaries our responsibility was to return to our assignment, so we hugged and kissed our family good-by, and flew back to Vermont. See you all in 6 months. :)

Christmas in Vermont

Christmas was wonderful at the Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial this year - 2010. The FM Missionaries assigned to our site began getting the lights out late in Sept and started testing them and began stringing them in the trees. They work summer and winter doing all that those seasons bring. Over 180,000 lights were strung on our grounds. The center and the Directors home were decorated with three beautiful trees, lots of Nativity Art, strings of garland with hundreds bows, and wreaths on every door again with lots of bows added to the magic of the season. There were more than 50 large poinsettia plants placed around the center which added such beauty to our center. We had over 15,000 visitors during the six weeks of the holidays, with most of them being of other faiths. It was wonderful to share who we are, and what we believe with so many at Christmas time. Some times I still have to pinch myself to believe that I really am here and that this is the calling Elder Smith and I received.

Everytime I complete a tour I end it with a testimony given of Christ by the Prohpet Joseph Smith. In that testimony found in Section 76 the Prophet states that we are literal sons and daughters of our Father in Heaven who loves us. He wants us to return home to Him, and it is only through the Gospel of Jesus Christ that that is possible. How grateful I am for that knowledge and for the path way home that has been provided for me. How much I owe my elder Brother for His sacrifice in my behalf. My will to obey is what I have to give in return.

Nativity Animals

The day after Thanksgiving the Joseph Smith Memorial begins its Christmas season. We have two evenings with a live Nativity. A family brings their small, friendly donkey and two sheep for all to come by and feed and pet. We had more than 2,200 guests come just for the animals, and of course the cookies and hot cider .... haha! We had more than 15,000 guests come in their cars just to see our lights. (That's alot for remote Vermont) It was a busy month. Children who came loved our donkey named "Forest" and he loved their carrots and apples.

Winter at the Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial

Winter in Vermont is beautiful, but winter at the Memorial is extra special. We have several acres of manicured rolling lawns and as the snow falls it becomes a carpet of white. Everyday we walk about the grounds and each day it changes. Some days its foggy, some days rainy, and others just plain cold! We love to see the heavy frost on the trees as we come up the memorial lane. During the Christmas season we have thousands of lights hung in the trees, beautiful place ..... we are honored to be serving here!