Rodeo Days at the Ranch!

Hey Ya’ll! How’s life? WE are so busy with our mission life. Things are rolling along and picking up speed as we move forward into our mission time. We had a busy week with Zone Conference and a Zone Temple trip the next day and then 2 days later the Deseret Ranch Rodeo this last Friday.

Elder Randall made 8 ½ gallons of his family’s special Barbeque sauce for the smoked meat to make Bar-B-Que sandwiches and it was a hit.

Thats the smoker in the background. It was huge! They did tons of barbque to go with Rich's sauce.  Ymmy!

My Primary class all participated in the “Mutton Busting” (Riding a sheep) and Wild Hog catching. It was hilarious! Here's

Hayden ,my primary student. He's such a smart, good kid and so excited to be in the rodeo along with all the other kids. He's now hangin' onto that sheep for theMutton busting! He heard it's better to do it backwards.  Looks good to me!

Daddy's helping his one get ready for Mutton busting JP & Isaac (two of my primary boys) Jessica Jacobsen carrying the flag for the Opening Ceremony. 

I especially enjoyed singing the National Anthem for the Rodeo with several other Sisters. That was awesome!  The best part was standing up in the announcers stand to sing.  No one could see us up there, but they sure could here us!  Hopefully it sounded good.  It is a great feeling to get to honor your country through song!

 

 

Mykala, another sweet primary student-- she lost her Mommy last year to breast cancer.  Her Granny and Papa are her at the ranch with us serving a mission to help their Son-in-law (who is one of the forman here) with the kids after his wife passing away.  They are our next door neighbors.  Great people!

 The rodeo was so fun and I especially enjoyed watching the youth in the ward participate and showing off all their cowboy tricks.  These young teen ranch boys can crack a whip as loud as a shotgun and almost as fast as a bullet. They can kill a rattlesnake with a whip if needed. Elder Randall isn’t so bad himself with his whip and roping skills developed with his years growing up on the ranch and horse training in Australia just after his mission. He was definitely in his element that day. But his arm was sure sore the next day!

This little one is only 5 yrs old!  It's her 2nd yr in the rodeo.  She was very comfortable and skilled on her horse.  Her Mom is a trick rider!

Lots of girls did the Barrels.

The Bishops Horserace! This brought the house down! Such a fun, lighthearted way to end the the rodeo. We liked the way they emphasized team effort and minimized competition through well chosen events.

I am spending most of my time, lately, with activities that promote fellowshipping and re-activating, since we can’t proselyte to non-members here on the ranch. Anything that allows me to be a friend to another, I say “Yes! I’ll be happy to!” So I am very busy picking up people for RS event, carpools, visiting, working alongside those on the Ranch that need a friend-such as planting flowers, checking water meters and all sorts of interesting odd jobs. So, I’m having a great time. My desire is to give back the miracle that was given to us in getting to serve this mission. That is a lofty goal and I hope my efforts can make a difference for good in lives even if in just a small way. I remind myself, we can do no great things; only small things with great love—Mother Teresa. And I’m good at that!

We love all of you and pray each day for all our friends and family back home that the Lord will keep you safe and send you his sweetest blessings for your goodness in supporting us here on our mission. Sincerely, Elder and Sister Randall