4 wheeling adventure

Here I am on my first 4 wheeler. I think I won't be able to hike anymore. It is just too easy to sit on one of these and push a button and go places that are beautifully amazing. We went down a path just wide enough for the bikes that reminded me of a cross between a slot canyon and flying through the forest like jedi knights. Yeah, it was a black diamond run.

My companion in adventuring. I'm thinking this is a great new hobby for the two of us...

Goin' down the road

We were the guests of our neighbors the Joneses. They have a beautiful cabin close to Marysvale where we spent the night. The rhino took us up the canyon to an old mining camp. There were lots of old mining implements and a cabin to look at up there.

Manning Meadow Reservoir is a cutthroat trout nursery for the Fish and Game. You can only fly fish here and the limit is one fish. It has to be over 22" long, otherwise it's catch and release.
I'm thinking there are a lot of fish with sore lips in that lake.

Barney Lake
There was a guy out there in a float tube fishing. Looked like a great way to spend the day. I would like to try the canoe up here. So peaceful and beautiful.

Where the Fun Is

This is the street where Jan lives

Also the dashboard of our rental car...
(You are going west)

Here is the lucky house where Clark and Eva live. If you know the zipcode for Harlingen Texas and the name of the street which is Los Alamos you can determine their address...
(This is looking north)

Benefits of this house: Electricity which powers the AC. We learned how vital this element can be.
Also 3 bedrooms and 2 baths.
Nice little pergola in the backyard which provides shade for the swimming pool.
Completely fenced backyard with a storage shed and a composting tire.
Very nice neighbors to the west. Didn't meet the ones to the east though did see their dog poop on the lawn...
Best of all: 45 minutes to Padre Island Beach!

Padre Island for Father's Day

Two of my favorite girls

Beach play at it's finest. Warm water, sunny weather and darling grandchildren

Bring out a Subway sandwich at the beach and instantly there are dozens of seagulls ready for lunch. We watched this phenomena and the corollary which was Clark chasing the seagulls with his shovel.

Lincoln meets Sophia

Here is Lincoln getting ready for the biggest ride of his life. He has a new baby sister to meet.

Lincoln, try a little harder dude, this is a big day

All this riding around make a guy thirsty

Here we go into the hospital with grandpa and Uncle Matt

We'll skip the part about the elevator. That was just too scary.

Here's mom's and Sophia's room

More favorite pictures

We are a blessed family.

Favorite Pictures

Lady Mountain, across from Zion Lodge. I climbed this mountain back in 1972. Can you even believe that? I can't. It had been outlawed as a hike for a few years at that time. When I worked at Zion Inn that summer there was a guy who had climbed it before so he led the expedition. I didn't take any water so was awful thirsty when we got back hours later...

The Great White Throne peaking out from behind The Altar and Organ Rock.

This is looking up at Angel's Landing. If you look close you may see people up on top. The face is famous in rock climbing circles.

The Great White Throne behind the saddle between Angel's Landing and the Altar.

It had rained the day before so this was a small waterfall by the Temple of Sinewava.

Watchman in the morning.

Spring Break 2009

This was the scene when we left for a balmy spring break in Zion National Park April16th.

Doesn't look a whole lot warmer here at the start of the Narrows hike. Bus said the water was 32.5 degrees. It was colder than we thought and I hadn't brought anything too warm to wear.
It was cold but the beauty surrounding us warmed my heart. So many great memories of times spent here in the past. We went on a few hikes, only a few were life threatening...

I had to work pretty hard to get the gel to make that point on my head.

my latest project

I have had such bad luck with starting plants inside in years past. In August I attended a workshop with Carol on gardening at George Wythe College. So between that workshop and another series of lessons I have been looking at online, here is how I've improved my luck with planting inside. First I had to find some fluorescent lights. With Bus' expertise this was accomplished thanks to craigs list. Turns out you don't need special grow lights.


The lights have to be 2-4 inches away from the plants. These plants were planted the last Monday in February.

The key ingredient seems to be lots of water and liquid sea kelp. Who knew? Couldn't find that anywhere here in Utah Valley so I found a source in Maine. I have enough to plant 38 acres...
Since I have had such terrible luck in the past, I planted 3 or 4 whole packages of tomato seeds not expecting much. I have over 60 tomato plants that look like they will make it. Memo to self--next year plan on a better yield...Hope some of you will open your homes to juicy ripe tomatoes in August.
Newspaper pots are a cheap alternative to peat pots. Wrap a folded length of newspaper around a tomato sauce can with the bottom cut off then stuff the left-over paper into the end of the can. Fill with potting soil, transplant and water with solution containing liquid sea kelp. Voila!

Grandpa Horne

I have been alone the last three days. Bus is in Washington D.C. and Emily went to St. George with her friends. I won't complain though. It's kind of nice to be foot-loose and fancy-free.
As I wait for stake conference this morning I thought I would try and give a glimpse into the life of another one of our Spencer ancestors, Joseph Horne Jr. His wife's history was covered in another blog, July 2007. They are the couple that met and married and joined the church in Toronto Canada after hearing Parley P. Pratt preach in their neighborhood. Orson Hyde baptized them in July of 1836. They desired to be gathered with the Saints and came to Kirtland where they visited for a week. After inquiring of Joseph Smith about where they should settle they followed his advice and traveled another 100 miles to settle in Far West Missouri. They endured the persecutions, finally moving to Nauvoo in March 1842 where he opened a mercantile business and built a home 1/2 mile east of the Nauvoo temple.
In February 1846 Joseph Horne closed his successful mercantile business in Nauvoo and migrated toward the West with the first company of Saints. He was called by the First Presidency of the Church among others to scout for the best place to camp for the winter. The brethren located an area across the Missouri River in Nebraska which was named Winter Quarters.
He and Isabella came across the plains with the second company which left 2 months after Brigham Young's company. Their good friends from Canada, John and Leonora Taylor were the supervisors of this group. Joseph Horne was the captain of the first fifty.
Although they suffered many hardships along the way, they rejoiced when they finally reached the Valley of the Great Salt Lake. In the words of Isabella, "We arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in the evening of October 6, 1847, after a journey of four months. From the mouth of Emigration Canyon we traveled in the dark, having no guide but the flickering light of the camp fires on Pioneer Square." They had four children by then, Henry age 9, Joseph age 5, Richard age 3 and baby Elizabeth Ann. Our grandmother Leonora Taylor Horne was one of the first children born in Salt Lake City in January of 1849.

The following is a list of pioneering activities done by Joseph Horne Jr. after arriving in the valley:

*August 1848, Joseph was in a company appointed to go with Chief Walker and his band to explore the San Pete Valley resulting in the settlement of Manti.

*In November 1848, Joseph was called to go with Parley P. Pratt on an exploring expedition south. With a company of 50 men and 12 teams they founded Fillmore.

*In December 1850, Joseph was called to accompany George A. Smith and company to settle what is now called Parowan. Joseph built two log houses.

*About 1852, President Brigham Young sent for Joseph to assist Orson Hyde in building a sugar house. Here they first manufactured beet molasses. Then he supervised the transportation of the sugar machinery which was shipped from France, from Missouri to Salt Lake.

* In 1852 he also became a counselor to Bishop Hoagland of the 14th ward. He held this position for 8 years.

*From 1854-1858, Joseph was superintendent of tithing labor and team work on the temple block. He was also elected to the city council during this time.

*In 1861-62 Joseph was placed in charge of a company of men and teams to go back to Missouri for emigrants. During these various trips he brought 1200 persons to the Valley.

* In 1888, at age 76 he built a comfortable home for his family at 146-3rd Avenue Salt Lake City which they occupied for the remaining 9 years of his life.

Makes me tired to just list his accomplishments. He was truly one of the stalwarts in the community who served others almost constantly. Maybe we could look around a little more thoughtfully about what we could do to improve the situations we live in. The times are definitely different but the need for hard work and selflessness are still abundant.

What Do You Think About This?

"You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."
~~~~~ Dr. Adrian Rogers, 1931 - 2005 ~~~~~

Grandpa Kienke

Our Sunday lesson today was about the Spirit of Elijah. It prompted me to think of my experiences with family history work and temple work and the very sweet spirit of that work. Since most of my experience with that has been on the one German great great grandfather's line I thought I would tell a little bit about him. I only know him because of what others have donated to the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers' data base. One interesting thing though is that a couple of weeks ago a man called and asked if I was doing work on the Kienke line. I replied that I was. He then said that he was writing a book about this man Johann Heinrich Christopher Kienke, he being a descendant from the first wife Barbara Pitchforth. We are descended from his second wife an English girl, Elizabeth Harvey. The man, a Mr. Smith, told of being in the BYU family history library looking for information about the Kienkes. He happened to ask one of the missionaries there if she knew much about Germans with the last name ending in "ke". Out of the many missionaries he could have asked this question, he happened to ask the one lady who has been helping me the last 3 years with my Kienke line. What are the odds? (No such thing as coincidences). She thought for a moment and said "Well the only one I can think of at the moment is Kienke". He was amazed. Needless to say he was given my phone number. My mother happens to have my grandfather Kienke's missionary diary. It's an old leather bound book that is fragile yet quite well preserved. It has the name of Samuel Pitchforth in the inside cover, probably one of Barbara's relatives. The diary is for the year 1874, his mission was 4 years later than that. I suspect finding that sort of writing instrument was rare in Nephi in those years. So at some point I hope to meet this Mr. Smith and share copies I have made of the diary. When the book is published the rest of the story about Johann Heinrich Christopher Kienke will be available. Until then this is what I have learned about him:
He was born 26 April 1831 in Warnitz Germany, a few miles from Schwerin in Mecklenburg-Schwerin Germany, just south of the Danish/German border. He was the only child of his father. His father died at an early age and his mother remarried. Johann's (John's)health was not good. When an uncle made plans to come to America, John's mother thought it best that he join his uncle.
He arrived with his uncle in Chicago in 1852, one of the last years of the gold rush to California. John was twenty years old and full of enthusiasm. He left his uncle in Chicago and started west. The Company arrived in Salt Lake City in the spring and remained a short time to rest. On the morning he was to press on, he awoke suffering from an inflammation of the eyes and was unable to leave.
He worked on a farm during that summer, fully intending to join a company going through in the fall. The day before he was to leave, he ran a pitchfork into his leg and once again was unable to go.
Before the spring he had joined the church and went to Nephi to work. There he met and married Sarah Barbara Pitchforth.
John was honest, sincere and dependable. He was one of the "Minute Men" always ready and willing to leave on a moment's notice. He was a peacemaker and responded to important calls to settle Indian disputes. He helped to make friends with unfriendly Indians. He was a very active member of the church and served on the high council for many years and served as bishop in a ward in Mona, Utah. He paid his tithing from the "Pick of the Crop" and in full measure, running over.
He was unusually generous and was often giving help to the needy.
He was married to Elizabeth Harvey in the Endowment House in 1864. He was the father of seventeen children.
John fulfilled a mission to Germany being set apart 11 November 1878. While serving his mission, he converted and brought to America, Mary Harvey, a sister-in-law, and her fifteen year old son Enoch.
Although John's health was poor while in Germany, the Rocky Mountain air was good for him.
He died in Nephi, Utah on the 5th of May 1900.

Happy Happy Joy Joy

I have found my new favorite web site. It actually has the ability to bring joy to you and others forever and always. Check it out and see what I mean. Besides the producers of this blog are some of my favorite people in the world. Amazing job! Thanks for taking time to share. Go to Whatdomormonsbelieve.com

Thirty Years

I know I have been neglecting my blog. Sorry. When I asked for a title for my next post Emily said Thirty Years. Her reference here is the fact that our 30th anniversary was the day after Christmas. Quite an accomplishment in this day and time, they say. We have certainly had our share of ups and downs. I think marriage is actually designed for that. We grow from both the ups and downs. This year there is a special significance I guess with the diagnosis of Bus with leukemia two days before Christmas. We have hope that this will be one of the ups in our relationship in that it will help us strive to become even closer and more reliant on the Lord. I am grateful that the Lord sees fit to give us these challenges. We are both trying to put the best spin on we can. The family response has been great. Nothing but support and love. I felt a special bonding with our family during the holidays this year even without the usual trappings of Christmas (I didn't decorate this year due to the dust). I loved the thoughtful things done for me this year. Thanks guys.

My Christmas Card to You

A joyful expression to help you get in the Christmas Spirit

A Missionary Moment

Here is a letter I received this morning on my email. We taught this young 13 year old student right before I left Korea. He was the nephew of a strong member of our branch, Brother Song, Yoon Heon. Apparently when the New Horizon did their reunion tour this past October this young man came up to Elder Munoa and asked if he knew me. Elder Munoa and I have communicated over the past couple of years while he was on a temple mission in Korea so he had my email address and told Jae Joong that he would give me his email address. I wrote to him yesterday and received this today.


Dear Sister Spencer !

I am very happy to hear from you.

In fact I have never forgotten your name.



As you want to know about me, I will tell you some about me first.

Now I am 46 years old (45 in american age), I live in Daejeon city.

I married sister Jangdongran who is a daughter of Jang Byung soon ( he got baptised in 1972 in Cheong_ ju).

And now I have 3 children.

My first son, who is 12 years old can play the piano very well so his nick name is little Bethoven.

My daughter, who is 10 can play not only the piano but also violin well.

And my youngest son, who is 7 goes to kindergarten and he can also play the piano and easily make people laugh.



I graduated Yonsei University and majored in Business Administration.

Then I went to Daewoo Security company and failed in Investment.

So, I had great financial difficulty in my age of 31.

I quit my job and I had managed a Car washing shop for 3 years.



And finally I got married when I turned 34 and I started to study electronics, and I have been developing new electronic products.

My wife is an English teacher, she teaches adults and young students English.

And sometimes she translates for mission president's wife and american visitors at the church.

she translated for Elder Nelson's wife in 2006, when they came to Dae jeon.

She is far better than I in English.

I didn't serve as a missionary when I was young.

However my wife is a return misionary and she served in Seoul mission in 1988.

At the church I have been serving as a mission leader of my ward for 5 years.

We baptised 11 converters this year so far and the goal of the next year is to baptise 25 people.

I am really enjoying working with young and wonderful missionaries.

And my wife and I love missionaries and missionary work a lot.

Later I will send you some pictures.



And now I will explain about my uncle, Song Yoonheon.

He used to be the first Dae jeon stake president .

Now he became a patriarch.

He is a professor of a business department in Choong nam national University.

His wife,sister Byun MyungJa, runs a nursery school for the children under 36 months.

My uncle lives in Daejeon too, 10 minutes distance from my house.

They have 4 children.

Their first daughter, Jae in lives in Utah with her Korean husband.

The second daughter, who is a doctor lives in Phoenix and her Korean husband is a dentist.

The third son is a doctor in Korea and he lives in Daejeon.

the last son is now studying in Utah to become a doctor.



I will think about "what to show you." later.

Anyway I am very happy to contact you.



I hope you will stay healthy and happy.

with my best wishes,

Song Jaejoong.

Seven Things

Seven Things I Can Do:

1. Love my family
2. Do family history work
3. Be too serious
4. See patterns in things
5. Sit at the computer for hours on end
6. Work around blood
7. Store food

Seven Things I Cannot Do

1. Be funny
2. Not cry at musical events, especially marching band competitions
3. Relax
4. Understand math
5. Chit chat
6. Eat tuna and rice casserole
7. Stop worrying

Seven Things I Love About Bus

1. He's a hard worker
2. Laugh lines around his eyes
3. Broad shoulders
4. He still plays basketball on Friday mornings
5. He honors his priesthood
6. He likes my cooking
7. He drives an old truck

Seven Places I Would Like To Visit

1. San Antonio
2. Pampow and Wustmark Germany
3. Alaska
4. Italy
5. New Zealand
6. Jerusalem
7. Adam Ondi Ahman

Seven Things I Commonly Say

1. ...the coming pandemic...
2. Do you have your food storage?
3. ..my beautiful grandchildren...
4. Come and eat.
5. This stings a little bit but you'll feel better in a few minutes.
6. I need help...
7. I love you...

Seven Favorite Foods

1. Dark chocolate
2. Yogurt
3. Cookies
4. Funeral potatoes
5. Bananas
6. Soup
7. Anything someone else cooks

Seven People I Tag

1. Deah
2. Harrison
3. Taylor
4. Jolyn
5. LauraLee
6. Paula
7. Todd

Get Educated

This is an important piece of information. I have been to several meetings regarding the upcoming pandemic. While no one is sure what the exact cause will be it is a foregone conclusion that it will be happening and probably soon. The LDS church has more information on their lds.org site as well. I think this plan from BYU Idaho has the best chance of saving people from being sick. Since the mortality rate from the avian flu has been over 50% this is significant. Do yourselves and your family a favor and find out about it. Of course, staying home for 3 months will require some advanced planning regarding having enough food and other essentials. There is still time though...

Cool New Trading Post

Do you have books, movies, CD's or games that you want to trade? I just found a new site that will find a trade for something you want and all it costs is the postage to send out your part of the trade. How cool is that? You can even print out a postage and address label.

New Fun Stuff

This is my latest toy. I cooked our lunch in it and the veggies from the garden were yummy.

This is banana bread that baked in it today. I think I overcooked it actually. I should have taken it out after an hour instead of letting it bake for an hour and a half. The good thing about baking in a solar oven is that it never burns, but you sense that it is overdone...


We also had this new window installed in the front room this morning. You can even see through this one. There is still some work to be done to fix the inside part but it is a vast improvement trust me. The old blue sectional has gone on to another family as well. So the remodeling has begun in earnest.

I guess I'll give up Text Twist...

"I don't know whether I had been praying, but I felt, not heard, a voice. It was an impression, which I knew then was from God. It was this thought, and close to these words: "Someday, when you know who you really are, you will be sorry you didn't use your time better." " - Henry B. Eyring, 1986, BYU fireside