Holiday Weekend Service

So...a while ago, Andy was asked to go help mow some lawns at the church-owned campground up in Hiram. Little did he know at the time of signing up, that it was for the 4th of July weekend. Oops. We had actually wanted to go camping this weekend...but when the reminder from the Elder's Quorum came about what he had been signed up to do...Andy isn't the type of person to back out of a commitment...so what other choice did we have but to go up as a family and try to make some fun of it? So, that's what we did.

We got up really early (especially considering the fact that we had all been up late the night before watching fireworks!) and made it up there at 8:30 am. It was a beautiful morning out in Hiram, I love it out there. This is totally off subject...but Hiram is one of my most favorite areas in our stake.

So, Andy introduced everyone to Bro. Pack, who is one of the men in charge of the maintenance of the camp...and Bro. Pack gave out assignments to everyone. They had to mow all of the grass that goes alongside the roads leading into the camp, mow each campsight, and mow this huge grass field by the camp parking lot. They also weed-whipped edges, and made everything look really nice.

Andy was given the assignment to tame this beast of a machine. It may look easy from where I was standing...but Andy said he pretty much had to use all of his strength and weight to get it to make the turns...and it rattled like crazy.

Okay. Yes. This was an Elder's Quorum assignment, but I am so proud of our little 8 year old boy. All of the MEN got to use riding lawn mowers or do the edging. My little boy volunteered to help, and was given the assignment to use this NON-PROPELLED push mower, and mow around a long fence-line of pine trees. And...mind...mowing around trees involves pushing forward and then pulling backward in order to get up under the tree. I would guess that the fence line was at least 300 meters long. He was a CHAMP! When he was done, he could barely push the mower back up to the shed, and his face was dripping with sweat. The look on his face in this picture is one of pure exhaustion...the poor little guy smiled at me, right after I clicked the picture...then went back to his work. I honestly didn't expect him to finish the entire line of trees...I thought if he just did about a third of it that that would be amazing...but he finished.

Nobody worked harder than Taylor that day.

After Tay returned the mower to the shed, he came back out to the field with me,the girls, and Matthew. He wasn't out there very long, when Bro. Pack came over to tell him Thank you for what he had done, and he also told Taylor that he had done the job better than anyone had ever done it. Taylor had a wide smile on his face for the rest of the day. We have a picture of this little conversation between Tay and Bro. Pack because Rachey had previously been complaining of boredom and I had given her the camera with the assignment to take pictures of "bugs and grass". She decided we were much more interesting than bugs. It's a good thing I have a memory card that holds 400 pictures...she took about 200.

While we were out in the field, Rachey found a lady bug. I picked it up on a little stem of grass, and was trying to show it to Matthew. But Matthew just wanted to eat it.

The girls were really intrigued by all of the bugs and moths and butterflies flying around. Oh, and trying to find a four-leaf clover.

We played frisbee and baseball out in the field for a while more, and then the kids discovered that the volleyball sand-court was the perfect wetness for sand-castles. So...they started building. And they played in the sand until the guys were done mowing.

After the work was done and everyone left, our family made a campfire and roasted hot dogs and marshmallows and enjoyed the afternoon. It really was a good experience for the whole family.

Sometimes, I think that people may think we're a little crazy because we try to involve our entire family in different assignments. But, with the callings that we have combined with school and work schedules...if we didn't involve the whole family...we wouldn't see each other very often at all.

There have been many stake YW functions where I've had Andy and our children there with me...setting up for modest prom each year, leadership mtgs, ward conferences, activities, etc...and each week the kids and I go with him to scouts. When it's our week to clean the church, we go as a family and give each of the kids something to do. Is it always fun? No! Is it easier that way? Nope! It would certainly be easier if we just left the spouse and kids home while we went out and did our assignment. But then...what would that teach?

This assignment with the Elders Quorum, which really did cut into our holiday weekend plans, actually turned into a good experience, especially for our son who was given an opportunity to serve alongside his dad and was made to feel important and appreciated for a job well done.

Each time we go as a family, I hope that our children will see Andy and I serving willingly even when it's not convenient, and develop a desire of their own to help and serve in whatever way they are capable.