Saturday, March 16, 2024

A TIME OF GROWTH

 Just as the promise of new life is contained snuggly within tiny seeds lying dormant in the ground awaiting Spring’s signal to release all their beauty and purpose, there are seeds in each of us waiting the time and place to be nurtured and burst forth into new and purposeful growth.

Our Arrival & Welcome:  After arriving at our apartment we unloaded the contents of our car and went to the Mormon Battalion Historic Site for a welcome dinner and social. When we walked in the door, we were greeted by the missionaries smiling and singing the following song they had put together. After introductions and dinner we were given our special “Tour” by the STL’s (Sister Training Leaders, Sister Smedley and Sister Hernandez . And Stan, President Kauffman, was enlisted into the Mormon Battalion.  (Sister Logo-Vaelua replaced Sister Smedley as an STL.)

Welcome Song:

Welcome, welcome, to the Kauffman's.  We're so happy you are here.

Welcome, welcome, to the MoBat. This is your home for the next two years

We have heard you two are amazing, Serving the Lord so faithfully.

Now we get to ser-ve with you two. Here at the MoBat in San Diego.

Welcome, welcome, to the MoBat. We’re so happy you are here.

Thank you fo-r leaving Utah. To come out west to ser-ve with us.


                                













WHY A MORMON BATTALION HISTORIC SITE?

 After the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum, in June of 1844 tensions with members of the Church and their neighbors continued to escalate. The leadership of the Church sent representatives to ask the United States government for help in protecting their rights as citizens, but upon receiving no relief the Saints soon concluded they must leave their beautiful city, and they began making plans to move west. With escalating tensions, they were compelled to begin their exodus from Nauvoo in February 1946.  Due to difficult weather, it took four arduous months of travel for the first company of Saints to cross Iowa and reach the Missouri River.  The shortage of supplies necessitated they establish temporary camps along the way which they named Garden Grove and Mount Pisgah. 

With very little trust in the United States government’s interest in their well-being, it came as a great surprise for a government official, Captain James Allen, to seek them out in their Iowa camps requesting 500 men enlist into military service for the United States. They were being enlisted to fight in the newly declared war with Mexico. The men were hesitant to sign up until their prophet leader, Brigham Young, said the opportunity was an answer to prayer.  Thus, these men and their families, acting in faith, sacrificed both being with their loved ones and as well  as giving up part of their soldier’s pay in order to help raise the funds  necessary to outfit and expedite the western exodus of their fellow saints.   

The Mormon Battalion Historic Site was built to tell the story of the Battalion and their marching from Council Bluff to California, a distance of approximately 2,000 miles.  I will tell more about their contributions to California in forth coming journal entries.  (Mormon Battalion Statue in Yuma, AZ.)
 


TRAINING & TRAVEL

 

We received inspirational and instructive training in Salt Lake City February 6th-9th.  The focus of our training seminar was on the “heart” or purposes and messages of our historical site mission and not so much on the “head” or logistics of the day-to-day running of the sites. We are grateful our mission to the historical sites in Palmyra (2018-2020) had given us some experience with "interpretive" historic presentations, which is how the story of the Mormon Battalion is presented. 


On February 10th we enjoyed a beautiful and familiar drive to Arizona to visit with family for the weekend.  We enjoyed staying with David and Jessica's family (Addilyn, Kate, Garrett, and Benjamin) and visiting with Tanya and Ron Cannon, (Stan's sister and husband) as well as visiting with Stan's brother, Bill, and sister-in-law, Connie. On Monday, February 12th we drove across southern Arizona to San Diego, California.  We stopped in Yuma to visit our friends, Mike and Jeanine Jarvis.  We couldn't help think about the Mormon Battalion taking months to cross this barren landscape that we crossed in a matter of a few hours.  (We are grateful for modern transportation!) 














PREPARING TO LEAVE OUR HOME, FAMILY, AND FRIENDS

In response to a call to serve God we temporally stepped out of our comfort zone and left behind our beautiful home, our loving family, and our kind friends. For us, leaving these things behind for two years is a small cost to pay for our many blessings. So much good can come from increasing our life's experiences and enlarging our circle of friends.  Each day we feel our hearts expanding with love for new acquaintances. 

We had five months from the time we received our call to serve to the time to left for San Diego.  We enjoyed spending time with family and preparing to leave our home.  The following are just a few pictures from the last couple of weeks before we left for California.


                  
Stan, helping to get our home ready to leave.  Meeting Cassidy at her work to say good-bye.
             
Enjoying lunch with Taylor and Kate's family (Will, Ada, and Nel) and staying with Dallin, Whitlie, Brynlee, and Clay after we were out of our home were treasured times for us.  
The Bangerter family drove from New Mexico to listen to us speak and spend a few more hours together. (Adam, Lindsey, Alina, Anna, Page, Sydney, Sarah, Jane, and Addy

A mother couldn't ask for more caring and helpful daughters. (Aubrey & Lindsey)


















Thursday, March 14, 2024

Explanation and Background

Now, after some deliberation of just how to communicate what is happening in our lives currently, I have decided to open back up my old BlogSpot, “East Coast Gratitude” and rename it, “East to West Coast Gratitude.”  I will use it as a means of establishing a written record and communicating with those interested in knowing what we are doing.   



For years we talked of serving missions after Stan retired.  We were living in Elmhurst, NY when he retired in June of 2015 and we moved west and established our new home to Orem, Utah.  After a few years we were ready to serve, and we submitted our mission papers.  These few pictures represent our mission to the New York and Pennsylvania Historic Sites (Oct. 2018 – Mar. 2020).  It was a wonderful opportunity to immerse ourselves in knowing the people and places associated with the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its beginnings.  We feel this mission helped to prepare us for our second mission.  

 

At the end of April of 2023 Stan and I put in our papers to serve. To show our willingness and ability to serve anywhere, we chose eight places around the world that we were willing to serve at, but said we were happy to serve wherever we were needed.  We expected to receive our call within three-four weeks.  When all of May, June, and July went by we wondered what was going on.  Then on August 31st we received a phone call from the secretary for Elder Gerrit W. Gong requesting a Zoom meeting visit with him and Elder Hugo E. Martinez.  That visit resulted in our being asked to serve as site directors for the Mormon Battalion Historic Site in San Diego, California from February 2024-February 2026.  

We would be replacing Brent and Wendy Top who were then serving as the site directors. Since we share three grandchildren with them, we were excited to call and tell them. Being able to communicate with them helped to lay the groundwork necessary for us to begin to understand what lay in-store for us.  In January 2024 we were set apart by Elder Gong and Elder Martinez and received training from the Church History Department in Salt Lake City.  Our training, coupled with the missionaries already serving when we arrived, has allowed us to jump onto the engine of a fast-moving train, take the controls and begin the process of learning on the job.  (And yes! We do have period clothing that we wear on special occasions.) What an adventure! 

      

For the next two years we have a rotation of anywhere between 14-24 young sister missionaries called to serve the first six months of their 18-month mission with us.  We also have three senior couples from outside of California who serve and two service couples who live locally.  






 





Saturday, January 4, 2014

2013 At a Glance

As can be seen, all of my great plans for keeping up this blog throughout 2013 did not materialize.  Why?  Life!  But I would like to make an attempt to recap the year with its highlights.  It was a great year!

Our Ever Growing Family:

Carter Stanton Hill was born January 30, 2013.
Carter is the perfect addition to the Camron and Aubrey Hill family.

Brynlee Kauffman checks out her new cousin, Carter Hill.
Will Stanton Kauffman was born March 21, 2013.
Taylor and Kate Kauffman are Will's wonderful parents.
Carter Hill is checking out his cousin, Will Kauffman.
The first of many play dates ahead.
In nine months, Between June 18, 2012 - March 23, 2013
we had five new grandchildren!
We now have ten granddaughters and five grandsons.
Even though we were not able to attend ourselves
all of our children and grandchildren were able to
spend some family time together in July. 
We are proud of Janey's academic achievements.
She graduated with her Masters in Second Launguage Acquisition from BYU in April.
She is now teaching Russian part-time at UVU and U of U.
We are proud of Taylor completing his Bachelors in Europen Studies.
He is now working on obtaining a Masters of Science in Public Administration at BYU.
Our 2013 Family Experiences:

On my way to Utah to help Aubrey with Carter
I was able to spend a few days in Arizona enjoying David and Jessica's family.
Here is a "selfie" of Addi, Kate, and I.  Garrett was off doing his own thing.
Helping Aubrey with her adjustment to five children was a joy.
Taylor and Kate exchanged our being at Taylor's graduation from BYU
for a trip to NYC so we could meet Will.
Kate brought along three of her siblings,  Joseph, Sarah, and Eliza Garlick.
Having Camron, Aubrey, McKenzie, Cassidy, Kylie, Cade, and Carter Hill
visit us here in NYC in June was a dream come true for us!  What adventures we had!
Seeing a Broadway play, Cinderella, and walking through Times Square
with our granddaughters was almost magical.
A little rain could not dampen our spirits.
Visiting a near by fire station was our special date with Cade.
Whitlie came with Brynlee and her sister, McKell,
for a quick visit the end of July and early August.
We always love one-on-one time with family!
In August I flew to Utah and tended Dmitri and Blythe (Bebe)
while Don and Janey went to Russia and Ukraine.  I soaked in all the family I could get.
Here is my mom enjoying two of her great grandchildren.
We enjoyed many activities with extended family.
Nothing like a trip to the splash park on a hot August day with cousins.
It was so nice to be able to see Lindsey, Adam, Alina, Anna, and Page while I was in Utah.
A lively water fight in the back yard with grandma (me) helps build memories and keep us all cool.
Since Brent and Wendy Top went to Russia and Ukraine with Don and Janey,
I was blessed to be able to use their home in Pleasant Grove as my "home base."
Just enough water in the stream bed at Cedar Hills Park
to cool off and let the little one entertain themselves.
A family wedding (Jeremy and Ghazaleh Gooch)
brought us together for a very enjoyable evening
and this photo with my mom and girls.
Stan was able to join me in Utah for a few days so we could visit family together.
Then we headed to Arizona driving Dallin and Whitlie's 22' moving van
so they could get established in Peoria, AZ.  Dallin is working on his Masters of Science
in Global Management at Thunderbird School of Management.
The early morning arrivial of family makes for the best day!
David, Jessica, Addilyn, Kate, Garrett Kauffman visited NYC in October.
We did many activites in NYC including attending church together.
This does not always happen with our visitors.
A bike ride around Central Park was one of our favorite activies!
A beautiful, sunny, October day was perfect for this.
When Taylor and Kate announced they wanted to spend Christmas with us,
we were delighted!  What a way to end a great year!
Our Other 2013 East Coast Experiences:

We visited the Sacred Grove in April.
Now we have seen the Sacred Grove in all four seasons.
Each season wraps the Grove with its unique beauty.
Hurrican Sandy wrecked havic in many coastal parts of Lond Island.
The Missionaries from the NYNY South Mission stepped up and donated
thousands of hours of service in cleaning out homes.
They were asked to participate in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in the Rockaways in early March.
It was heart warming to see and hear the great appreciation expressed
by the residents in the Rockaways as the missionaries marched down the street. 
The ravaging affects of the storm were still visable long months later.
We were able to visit Bermuda in March.
It was cold and windy but it was still beautiful Bermuda.
It was a business trip for Stan with only a few hours to ourselves,
but it was still Bermuda!
New York Ciy has many beautiful treasures to discover.
In March we found the original art work of Heinrich Hofmann at the Riverside Church.
A boat tour in New York Harbor in April.
In July we enjoyed a walk along the coast line of Rhode Island.
It is frequently needful to get out of the "beauty" of the concrete jungle
and reconnect with the beauties of nature.
A tour of Valley Forge was beautiful in early June.
Our respect for Washington and what he accomplished was deepened.
We enjoy visiting Central Park during the different seasons.
Not only is Central Park beautiful the people are so interesting.
One never knows what a person will see there.
We were able to visit Kirtland, OH in October.
In November we visited Croton Reservoir and learned why NYC's
drinking water is world renowned for its quality.
Now we can say we saw the Macey's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Our Other Visitors to NYC in 2013:

We enjoyed sharing our place with Jeremiah Clark who
came with his daughter and son-in-law, Chris & Sarah Moyes.

Joe and Whitney Baxter came and spent some time int he city.
My brother, Mark Simmons, with his wife, chandra,
and daughtrer, Heather visited us in April.
Steve and Charee Harbertson and Greg and Denise LeCheminant visited us in May
Charee and Denise are Stan's first cousins.  So fun to have them come!
Linwood, Brook, and Mae Biddulph used us as homebase while they enjoyed the city.
Brook is the daughter of our good friends, Howard and Gwen Haglund who are serving a mission in Armenia.
Elder and Sister Owens stayed with us when they first arrived in NY 
while they waited for their apartment to be available.

Jeff and Cambri Spear came in July.
Cambri was doing an internship in the city.
Danita Reed and her daughter, Lisette stayed at our apartment both in August and October.
We were actually gone both times they came, so we do not have a picture of them together.
In August they took care of Gladys Cazakoff in our apartment while her apartment was being painted.
Steve Weber brought Andrew, Sophie, and Isaac to see a Yankee's game.
Allen and Fern Hill were visiting NYC with Marshall, Lisa, and Max Hill
and Mark, Aimee, Kimball, Eliza, and Grant Hansen.
They took time to come to our apartment so we could enjoy breakfast together .
Reagan, Sam, and Duke Nelson and Katherine and Nick Smith
were able to come and get in some NYC adventures.
Reagan has been a friend of the family since Dallin's highschool days.


Steve and Evelyn Weber came and spent Thanksgiving with us.


Elder Chris and Sister Stephanie Owen also came and spent Thanksgiving with us.
Elder and Sister Owen also spent several weeks in the summer with as as they waited for their
apartment to be ready for them.  They are from LasVegas, NV and are blessing the lives of the Young Adults.

Joe & Whitney came with Mazie to enjoy some 
Christmas activities in the city.
Katrina McCullough and her friend, Melissa Sauter, came to have fun in NYC Thanksgiving weekend.
It was so nice they would come and have Sunday dinner with us.
It is always a pleasure to have Jeremiah Clark spend a night with us.
He has come several times throughout the year and is such a sport to pose for another pictures.
The view from our living room window started changing in August.
When they are finished, there will be three new restaurants gracing our neighborhood:
Joe's Crab Shack, Texas Roadhouse, and The Olive Garden.
I am still serving as the Relief Society president of the Rego Park 1st Ward.
I enjoy serving the sisters.  My dear friend, Rosa Morgan, passed away in July.
I miss her.
Stan works with missionary couples called on S&I missions.
Elder and Sister Hawkes are just one of the couples he has enjoyed working with.
It is such a priveledge to be associated with such fine people.
Stan serves as a counselor in the NYNY South Mission presidency.
President Kevin Calderwood is the president and
Vic Goepfert is serving as the other counselor.