Week 31--March 22-28, 2020

Sunday morning we had our last Sacrament Meeting with the other senior missionaries.  Our site president said the History Department decided we shouldn't be having Sacrament, so we just had a last testimony meeting.  We have become dear friends.
A final dinner with the other couples and the sisters before they depart for home tomorrow. We had pasta with sauces, salad, brownies, and lots of laughter.

Pictured: Sister Pomeroy, Elder Dunn, Sister Dunn, Garnalee, Tom, Elder Penrose, Sister Penrose, Elder Storer, Sister Storer, and Sister Henderson.

 Final pictures before everyone departs.

Elder Keven and Sister Sidney Penrose.

Sister Pomeroy gets a hug from Sister Penrose as Sister Dunn, Elder Penrose, and Elder Storer are checking their phones as they share pictures.

 Sister Dunn, Elder Penrose, Elder Storer, and Elder Dunn.

Sister Henderson gives Sister Storer a hug.

 "What did you just say?: queried Sister Penrose.

Sister Pomeroy, Sister Penrose, Elder Penrose, and Elder Storer.

"That was a good one!" as Elder Penrose and Elder Storer have a good laugh.

Elder Penrose, Elder Storer, Elder Dunn, and Sister Dunn.

One final picture as the couples split up at Echo, Utah. The Dunns went to the home their daughter who lives in Herriman, Utah. The Penroses and the Storers continued on to Smithfield, Utah to drop off the Penroses items. Then it was on to Menan, Idaho for the Storers with a stop in Blackfoot to drop off three boxes for us.

Pictured: Jack and Karen Dunn, Roy and Laura Storer, and Keven and Sidney Penrose.



As advised, we go walking every day.  It relieves the stress of being in the apartment all day and is healthy.  On Tuesday the Larsens, the only other senior couple left in Independence, came by to walk with us in the cemetery.  They wanted us to show them the graves we had found so far.  They are: General Samuel D. Lucas (the same who arrested Joseph Smith and had him put into Liberty Jail on December 1, 1838; William E. McLellin a former member of the original Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; and Frederick C. Warnky, a photographer who took a picture of Joseph Smith III and Alexander Smith, both sons of Joseph Smith Jr., at Liberty Jail in 1887.  There are several McBride cousins of Garnalee, along with some Shaw, and White graves (related to Garnalee, not me).

On Wednesday we spent the morning cleaning the Storer's apartment.  It's ready for the next tenant. The Dunns had a full size bed in their 2nd bedroom, so we moved it up to our second bedroom, ready for any visitors we may have.

We've both been doing indexing for 1-2 hours every day to be useful.  In the evening after Come, Follow Me we commonly play Lanterns.

Wednesday was the day it was announced that all the Temples would be closed until further notice. We know at least two couples who will not be married in the Temple this week as planned.
On Friday, President Cannon and I (with our wives) drove to KC to pick up two 2020 Chevy Equinoxes for our sister visitors' center missionaries to use when they come in May. Later that afternoon Mike White called to let me know he'd been assigned as a ministering brother to five families.  He called all five, but was only able to reach two. He's only been a member for a month,
but he's loving the activity and new friendships he's making.

 We participated in the world-wide fast to pray for a quick end to the Covid-19 pandemic. Heather told me (by the way Happy Birthday Heather) that China is reporting fewer cases this week over last week.  If true, that's a great sign. We're all praying for a quick end.

Week 30--March 15-21, 2020

The Independence Visitors' Center closed on March 14, 2020. The sign reads: Closed temporally until further notice. Most Church Historic Sites are now closed including Liberty Jail, Winter Quarters, Nauvoo, and others. Check newsroom ChurchorJesusChrist.org  “Updates on How COVID-19 is Impacting Saints Worldwide” for updates. 

The sisters are sad at the development of the Center closing.

Pictured: Sister Henderson, Sister Pomeroy, Sister Cannon, Sister Romero, Sister Larsen, and Sister Flindt.

So, Sunday, March 15th we had our Sacrament Meeting in our apartment with all of us senior couples in our building.  President Cannon gave us permission to have the Sacrament beforehand.

We talked about our favorite scriptures from our study of Come Follow Me during the previous week (Jacob 1-4).  It was an excellent time together.

Transfers were postponed due to an earthquake in Magna, Utah, on March 18, 2020, that affected the Salt Lake City area and the Salt Lake City Airport was closed. The new missionaries arrived late in the evening of March 19. Transfers finally took place on Friday, March 20.
Sister Durfee is going home. We will miss her dimples and cute smile.

 Sister Buist and Sister Johnson.

Sister Smith is being transferred so a final picture with her companion, Sister Pulley. 

 Elder Tate (on the left) is getting a new companion and will stay in Hill Park Ward. Due CO-VID 19 the missionaries were to stay in their cars and wait for a text to let them know when their new companion had arrived. Some followed directions but many didn't.

These sisters followed directions and waited in the car.

Pictured: Sister Salois, Sister Harris, and Sister Bowen.









On Wednesday we found out that the senior couples in the Missouri Independence Mission had a meeting with President Love and they were told they were being sent home. We were sad to hear that but understand the reasoning for the decision. The senior couples are at a higher risk for CO-VID19. We will miss all of the senior couples but especially the Storers and the Penroses who live our building.

Since we are Historic Sites missionaries we are under President Cannon. We started to wonder if we would be sent home.  We received a call on Thursday from President Cannon asking us to stay. He is hoping that the visitors' centers will open around May 1. However the Dunns and the Marchants were told they would be going home. The Dunns have served 18 months of their 23 month mission. However the Marchants only arrived in December.

On Saturday the announcement was made of a Stay-at-Home Order for the Greater Kansas City Metro area that will begin on Tuesday, March 24, and last for 30 days. This order affects us in that we are to only leave our apartment for grocery shopping and exercise. 

When the other senior couples got the news they were going home, Elder Storer decided he needed a hitch on his car to tow a U-haul back to Menan, Idaho.  When I saw the high quality of the hitch he ordered, and the ease with which he installed it, I asked him if he'd help me install one if I ordered it.  This was Wednesday night.  He said he'd be happy to help if we could get it done before Monday the 23rd when they would be pulling out. Thurdsay morning at 9:00 A.M. I called eTrailers.com and ordered a hitch, two ball assemblies (one 2" and the other 1 7/8"), and a wiring harness that would connect to the lights on a trailer.  The sales guy asked if Monday morning would be soon enough.  I said no, I needed it tomorrow because I was pretty sure UPS didn't deliver on Saturdays.  The next day, Friday the 20th, at 2:30 P.M. the package was delivered to my door.  It took nearly three hours to finish the project, but it was all hooked up and ready to go early that evening.  Thanks Elder Storer. I'll be ready to go fishing as soon as we get home.

And, what does a visitors' center missionary do when you can't go to the visitors' center?  Index of course.  We both try to index a couple of hours per day. We know lots of other missionaries who are doing the same thing, so this self-isolation thing may be a blessing in the end.

Tuesday morning we went to Walmart to buy some hand sanitizer and clorox wipes.  Sold out.  No more toilet paper either.  I still haven't figured out the connection between Covid-19 and toilet paper.

Wednesday, March 19, we heard about the earthquake in Utah.  We saw a picture of the SLC Temple with the Angel Moroni missing his trumpet.

Week 29--March 8-14, 2020

This has been a very eventful week. Tom and Garnalee both celebrated birthdays, Tom on Sunday and Garnalee on Friday. However the big news for the week has been the CO-VID19 (coronavirus) that has arrived in the United States. The NCAA March Madness Tournament was cancelled, also the NBA basketball season, the MLB is delaying their season, and Disneyland closed. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints made major adjustments and changes were being announced on a daily basis. It was announced that General Conference would only be done virtually; all large gatherings were cancelled; all senior missionaries and young missionaries with health problems were sent home which affected 22 missions; all worship services were cancelled; all classes at BYU and BYU-I were cancelled and will be completed remotely; the Tabernacle Choir cancelled all concerts and closed their rehearsals and broadcasts; all proxy temple work was suspended; Temple Square and surrounding buildings were closed; all  historic sites visitors' centers were closed; and a total of 26 temples around the world have been closed. We tried to go visit some museums on our P-Day on Saturday and they were closed.

We had a P-Day on Monday so we went to the Miniature and Toy Museum in Kansas City. Most of the items in the museum were a 1:12 ratio. This is the first thing a visitor to the museum sees. In this picture it shows the chair, table, a framed cross stitch on the wall, and a candlestick that was perfectly duplicated in miniature in the glass case to the side. 

 A harpsichord that had strings that could be tuned and working keys.  It is only about 5" long.

Here we see a tiny teapot that had a removable lid so it could be used.  It wouldn't be able to hold more than a single drop of water, and most likely wouldn't be able to pour out the very tiny spout because of the surface tension of the water. With no reference point, it's hard to realize that this teapot isn't any larger than a single kidney bean.

A table with inlaid wood.

 These are pieced quilts. The pieces of fabric are the size of the fingernail on you little finger.

 This house was 1:48 scale. The master craftsman spent 5 years constructing the house, including its furniture and garden. He also created the oil paintings displayed throughout the house. He enjoyed the challenge of working in small scale, describing it as "trying to hold a gnat while clipping its wings."

The chess set was craved just like a bigger one.

To create this rug the craftsman graphed the design and calculated the number of knots required. This carpet measures 4 7/8 inches by 3 1/4 inches but contains 17,641 knots.

The "exploded" spice cabinet shows the intense level of craftsmanship that goes into making the miniature items. The drawers and case are dovetailed and the door frame is held together with mortise and tenon joints. The cabinet is made of cherry, Swiss pear, poplar, and briar wood, and even contains a secret compartment. A steel key fits the functioning brass and steel lock which is hard to see in this picture. Interestingly, miniatures use the very same pieces that would be used to build a full sized piece of furniture.

 This sweater with a Christmas motif was knitted with fine wire for the knitting needles. Note the pictures on the front and back.

This picture shows the number of pieces required to build the door. As with the cupboard seen earlier, construction of this door is the same as what would be needed for a full scale door.

This piece allows you to get a feel for scale.  Inside the violin is a violin maker's shop.  You can see the six tiny violins hanging to dry along with the cello leaning against the work bench.  Truly amazing.

 There were many doll houses here. This doll house was not a single-family home. Rising six stories, the dolls' apartment building features faux masonry blocks, roof and balcony banisters, and mixture of arched and rectangular windows--89 in all! The structure was wired for electricity, so lights can be turned on in any room with the functioning light switch.

 After the miniature part of the museum we went upstairs to the toy section.  I remember playing with these.

 A nice collection of matchbox cars.

The days of playing shooting marbles on the playground at school.

 Pic-up sticks, Tiddley Winks, a Gyroscope, and Jacks.

Our dolls had a whole wardrobe of clothes. Note the slip, nylons with seams, and even a small bra.

 Every boy loved to play with GI Joe.

 A Mouse Trap Game like one that Garnalee had when she was young.

Etch a Sketch, a Barrel of Monkeys, and the Magic 8 Ball. Is it really magic? Using a floating 20-sided die inside a plastic ball filled  with a blue liquid, the Magic 8 Ball has answered (or postponed answering) thousands of questions since the 1940s.

The Fisher Price Garage. Garnalee remembers Scott playing with one these when he was little. It was one of his favorite toys.

Every little girl loved her Betsy Wetsy Doll and Mr and Mrs Potato Head.

 In order to keep safe we are all encouraged not to shake hands but to elbow bumps. The sisters are practicing.

Pictured: Front:Sister Romero, Kait Moritz (who is back for a visit), Sister Pomeroy, Sister Henderson, Sister Morgenegg.
Middle: Sister Mills, Sister Alldredge, Sister Flindt, Sister Smith.
Back: Sister Pulley, Sister Leakehe.

We visited the grave of Jim Bridger. The engraving says, "Celebrated as a hunter, trapper, fur trader and guide, discovered Great Salt Lake 1824, the South Pass 1827, visited Yellowstone Lake and geysers 1830, founded Ft. Bridger 1843, opened overland route by Bridger's Pass to Salt Lake, was guide for U. S. exploring expeditions, Albert Sidney Johnston's Army in 1857, and G. M. Dodgein U. P. surveys and Indian campaigns 1856-66. This monument is erected as a tribute to his pioneer work by Maj. Gen. G. M. Dodge."

The time has arrived to say good-bye to Sister Morgenegg. She completes her mission next week.

Pictured Front: Sister Alldredge, Sister Pomeroy, Sister Morgenegg, Sister Henderson, and Sister Romero.
Back: Sister Smith, Sister Leakehe, Sister Flindt, Sister Pulley, and Sister Mills.

 Tom in the Brady Courtroom at the Truman Courthouse. This is the oldest part of the courthouse and has been in use since 1838.

The last remaining clock from the 1933 system was disconnected at 7:50 AM on December 26, 1972 to mark the passing of Harry S. Truman.

 Garnalee in the Truman's Chambers where he would hear land issues as County Commissioner of Jackson County.

 Tom in Truman's office. Truman could see the unemployed men walking on the sidewalk outside of his window during the Depression. When he had a letter to be delivered, instead of using the courier service, he would give his secretary a quarter to go and get one of the men to deliver the letter. The man would be given the letter and the address. When he returned to collect his pay, the secretary would call to make sure the letter had been delivered, and then he would be given his money. He could go across the street and get a  cup of coffee and a sandwich for 15 cents and have money left over. Truman was very concerned about the unemployed in the Depression. He developed a project for paved roads throughout Jackson County to give the men jobs using funds from the Works Progress Administration.

One area of the Truman Courthouse housed the art work of George Caleb Bingham. This picture is titled Order No. 11. When William Quantrill and his guerrillas raided Lawrence, Dansas, they left 200 dead. In response the Federal Government. Commander of the District Border, Brigadier-General Thomas Ewing, Jr. issued Order No. 11. It required all civilians in four Missouri border counties, including Jackson County, regardless of their loyalty to report to military stations.
The story is told that when Kate Doneghy awoke to the sound of Federal soldiers approching her home she was, no doubt, terrified. In this time of Civil War, where countrymen squared off against fellow countrymen, residents of the area faced acts of terrorism and strictly enforced martial law on a daily basis. As the soldiers approached the home they had but one thing in mind: Burn it to the ground. The family was ordered out of the house and the torches were lit, then Kate's youngest son cried out to save the family Bible. Whatever the reason, the Federal soldiers took mercy on the Doneghy family, spared their house, and headed off into the night.
The purpose of Order No. 11 was total depopulation and banishment of everyone from the four counties. There about 40,000 people living within the four affected counties. Within 15 days, the population of Cass County decreased from 7,000 to around 800.  Bates and northern Vernon counties became ghost counties. The total population of Jackson County evicted under Order No. 11 is estimated at about 14,000 citizens.
It is said that the state of Missouri and Jackson County suffered greatly during the Civil War because of the treatment of the "Mormons" 30 years earlier.


Tom next to the statue of Harry S. Truman on the west end of the courthouse.

The Truman Courthouse from the north side. The original courthouse that was built in 1838 is contained within the additions added later.

 We ended our week at Moon Marble Company where we able to see the making of a marble.

The glass is taken from a kiln where it is heated some. Then it is heated so the glass is pliable and be shaped into a marble.
This man visited the shop when he was 15 and saw how the custom marbles were made. He went home and started to develop his talent.

 The glass was flatted so that a metal could be placed on the glass that would make it shiny. Then glow in the dark powder was added.

The marble taking shape and a black light is used to show the glow.

Shaping the glass into a round ball and adding a background color.

A few of the custom made marbles that were made last week during a marble makers convention.  The whole store was fascinating.