Leaving Family once again—Heading to MTC Iin Provo, Utah

Here we are getting ready to leave Clifton earlier this evening--"heading to Bryce's in Provo". Then   on Monday morn-- we will report to THE MTC and or Mission to the UTAH SALT LAKE CITY CHURCH HEADQUARTERS MISSION begins!! 

 (Behind us is our last "project"--completed by car headlights late last night!!). We refer to it as the Aloha tree-- before we left for our first Mission--Ron carved "Aloha" in the top of what was left of a pine tree that broke off in a severe windstorm about 4 years ago. It was to honor our Hawaiian neighbor, Guy Ebanez. Guy passed away this past Spring from ALS and the tree and ground around it had become quite "unsightly". Carol wanted it taken down and had other ideas for that corner, but Ron felt we should try to incorporate something to do with the ״Aloha" in memory of Guy and his  family. So late one night a few weeks ago, Carol heard "chopping noises" coming from the front yard--and there was Ron, swinging an axe--at the roots of that tree. She thought it was sure "late" for him to be out doing that (9:45 pm). Well-- the chopping noises cease and then a while later-- she hears a tractor coming up the road--and it's Ron!! He has gone to the Farm and is back to take the tree OUT!! So, under cover of darkness-- Ron. . . and Carol. . . take that tree down. Long story short--This is what he (with encouragement and a plan from Kate (Duke's wife) came up with. He did the "carvings" himself-- Quite unique!! We hope this "Bench" is a welcome for all who pass by or come to visit in Clifton.

Elder Mumford worked so hard to finish “projects” that Sister Mumford wanted and this “Aloha Bench” was one of the projects he felt so “pressed” to get put in place!!

   

Kidney Garden “planted and finished”—PLEASE GROW”!!

 

Kidney Garden “a new start”

This Potatoe shed  went from “CHAOS to . . .

ORDERLY and

DONE !! 

 Potatoe shed— from “jumbled mess” pictured below —to “sweet organization “ as  pictured above” 

  

 

At least we got some “organizing accomplished!! Now we can leave!!,

That Sunday morning,, before we went to Church and were set apart as Missionaries, we said “Good Bye” to Marcus and his family. They drove away . . . And then before we  left our front porch,  their black car pulled up in front of our house, windows came down and we heard shouts of “HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!! HURRAH! HURRAH!” That is the same “phrase of encouragement and love”  that  Brigham Young and Heber C kimball , though ill themselves, stopped their wagon and raised up on their arms and knees to “wave to their families and with all they could muster, shouted out to them—

HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!! HURRAH!! 

Thanks for that Send Off!!

Called to serve, another “Open the Call” adventure

We were not “quite” ready to submit mission papers in April of this year—having only returned from our New York Manhattan Temple Mission on Jan 9, 2018. But the Brethren announced the Open House dates of the Rome, Italy Temple (to be the end of January 2019–to March 2019 ) on the first week in April 2018— we knew if we were going to have any chance at being called to serve there as Temple Workers, we would need to be ready to submit our mission papers SOON. So we filled them out and though we put Italy Rome Temple as our first choice, we also listed Utah Salt Lake Headquarters Mission as a choice as there was a “critical need” for Senior Couple Missionaries as Coordinators in that mission. Well our call went in about mid-April and our wait began. We had planned a Cruise to Alaska with our good friends, Scott and Deanne Jefferies leaving on May 22, 2018. We had hoped our call would have come before we left—but it did not. So—we truly thought we’d just get it when we returned about June 3 or so. Well—we left town, the White Call envelope arrived from Salt Lake that Friday and our kids were all gathering in Clifton for Memorial Day (without US)— and were so anxious to “Open the Call”. They made contact with us while we were “in Port” at Juneau, Alaska (May 27, 2018) and though we tried FaceTime, our reception was so spotty that we ended up huddled around Ron’s phone on a “semi-quiet”  sidewalk in Juneau—Missy was our “designated opener” and she read” Dear Elder Ron and Sister Carol Mumford, you are hereby called to the Church  and Family History Mission in Salt Lake City, Utah to labor for a period of 18 months. You will report on Jan 29, 2019”. Oh Wow—another very long WAIT TIME!! But we were thrilled and accepted our call. Then when we got home—we called the Housing Coordinator for the Mission, Sister Wanda Silvers, just to find out our housing options. In the course of that conversation, we learned our Mission boundaries were huge and that we got 4 days at Thanksgiving and this year we’d also have 4 days at Christmas—that we could be home for even if we were serving our mission. The light went on in this Sister Mumford’s head as she realized that if there was a chance to start this mission earlier than 2019–we could be “back home” sooner! So the question was asked and she gave us Elder Ted Hodges’ number to call and inquire about that very possibility. Ron called him on Friday—he was not in—but he left a message asking about that very possibility of coming “earlier” to our Mission assignment- Well—Minday mirning next-/we got a call from Elder Hodges and he told us our Call was in process of being “reissued” and could we be ready by Oct 1st 2018 to enter the MTC in Provo??
Absolutely!! Then in less than a week—another White Call envelope arrived—with a letter from President Jerry Fenn, Mission President if the Utah Salt Lake City Headquarters Mission and IT WAS OFFICIAL!! A flurry of activity started happening and projects started that we thought we had months to finish—but now we had only weeks. But—we DID IT!! And we are Ready to Go!!

On a “semi-quiet”sidewalk in Juneau, Alaska we listen as Missy with family “gathered” in our front room and on Conference calls from various places, reads our Call Letter

Family gathered in our Clifton, Idaho living room to “Open our Call”

Since Missy is the “oldest” (she’ll NOT LIKE that terminology) her Dad designated her as the “Reader of the Letter”

Others in our wonderful family who had also come to Clifton for Memorial Day— and got “in” 

On the OPENING!! It really was so sweet that so many were interested in where the Lord would have us serve!!  We appreciated them all so much!! 

Ready to Serve in the UTAH SALT LAKE CITY HEADQUARTERS MISSION