So I finished the day and the week after staying with six different groups. Colorado Springs, Draper, Salt Lake 1st Ward (A deaf ward), Moab Stake, Idaho Falls, and Houston Texas - each one bring their own unique experiences and stories. I took the final photos of the clouds in the evening sky and closed the week.

Now you saw some of the beautiful skies - this is another story. Two boys from the Moab Stake got a Rattle Snake in front of the boy's bathroom - took off his head and then needed to know what to do with it. We had given explicit instructions for people not to roast snakes if they found them. These two boys came up to us at the Campground Host Shack to show us the snake and ask permission to cook the snake on their camp stove for the kids to eat. We had told them we didn't want them to throw snakes into the fires just to be mean but gave permission for them to respectfully take care of their kill and cook it as they would any wildlife they killed for food. They were so good to ask and I told them they had to let me take a photo first.

Then - still at the campground because we were there from 7 AM until everyone was finished in their camps at night - usually 9:30 I got some incredible sunsets.

More Wyoming Sky with the national historic Handcart Trail in the front. This is the actual trail area where all four trails came through this area - California, Oregon, Pony Express, and Mormon Handcart Trails.

While I was sitting out the campground as host last week I noticed how beautiful the clouds were aginst this magnificent blue sky - so I got several photos of the clouds.

Proud Grandpa - with good reason.

Skylar at the Sweetwater River - Martin's Cove Wyoming. He looks like a missionary already.

Mother and daughters - very special occasion.

Emma - in front of the Sweetwater River - baptism area.

Congratulationsd to the entire family. It was a great day.

This is an amazing picture - Father instructing daughter about the baptismal ordinance and the water. This photo should be published in the Friend Magazine. Proud Grandma and Grandpa.

Yes, this is actually in the river. It was amazing!!!!!

On July 23, 2011 Sophie Marie Starr was baptized in the Sweetwater River at the Mormon Handcart Historic Site, Martin's Cove, Wyoming. It was a beautiful day and so special for all of us.

Skylar experiencing pulling the handcart loaded with sisters. He decided a short distance would be a good experience.

Martin's Cove - July 23rd. Close to pioneer day - such a special occasion.

Brent and family at the bronze statues of the rescuers. This is one of my favorite spots. It is so humbling to see the silouettes of the statues against the sky at sunset.

The expressions on the faces of the rescuer statues is so lifelike. You can see the exhaustion in the face of the man being carried.

Brent and Marcia and family came to visit. Here we are standing at the edge of the Sweetwater Crossing. The Footbridge honoring the rescuers is in the background.

This could be lunch - or not. This little bunny was just having his own lunch near the wagon wheel. He was eating grass like spaghetti. So fun to watch him nibble.

This one was making his way through the cool green grass - probably looking for lunch.

Okay - so this is snake season. This little guy (about 3 ft long) is a typical blow snake and they are prevalent in the area - however - when you see these you won't see rattlers. He is completely harmless - in fact we took one out of the base station on Saturday - he was just inside for a visit and to cool off.

Then shakes to dry off before rejoining the trekkers on the trail

Oscar will NOT cross a bridge - he simply follows along - swimming across the river.

Okay - this little family walked right in front of the motorhome this afternoon - almost a perfect pose. I have been trying to get a good picture of the babies and they simply came to me. They grow so fast they are half as big as mother now.

Close up view of Devil's Gate where the Sweetwater River flows on it's way to the No.Platte

Climbing the Rocks at Devil's Gate. The pioneers did not go through Devil's Gate - the Sweetwater River flows through the huge opening in the rock.

Carroll family in front of the Visitor's Center at Martin's Cove - Sunday - July 3, 2011.

Kelcie and Oscar on the trail to Devil's Gate

Oscar the dog - adopted the kids on Sunday afternoon. It is amazing to watch him. He also followed us on the trail to Devil's Gate - mostly he stayed close to Kelcie

It was so great to have family come to visit. They arrived on July 2nd in a wind storm. There is so much to see - I am sure LeAnn will post pictures on her blog but I have to include them on our mission blog because they became part of our mission

The prickley pear cactus is in bloom and the bees are loving the flowers. They are such a beautiful yellow and dot the landscape on all the sandhills amongst the prairie grass and sagebrush.

Spring flowers on the prairie.

One day when we were stationed at Base - which is the station that controls all the trails - an antelope came wandering across the road and checked us out.

We had a group from the Tonga Stake in Salt Lake - about 500 came. They were amazing as they Trekked along the trails. They crossed the Sweetwater River which is very high and swift this time of year.

This is quite a sight when the Trekkers park their handcarts before moving into Martin's Cove. The handcarts remain here at Handcart parking until they return from the Cove. On this day we had a huge group - several in fact - and they all moved quietly into the Cove in a very reverent manner - just like the Temple.

Remember Oscar the dog??? Well one day last week there were lots of visitors and two big motor homes were parked in the parking lot. The families had visited all the sites and were ready to leave. They loaded their families into the motorhomes and started the engines. Well, Oscar came out and layed right in front of one of the motorhomes and would not move. They tried everything to get him to move but he would not budge. Suddenly a little boy came running from the bathrooms. He was a member of one of the families - as soon as he got onto the motorhome - Oscar moved. Miracles like this happen every day here at Martin's Cove.