Hudderites, Amish and Ice Cream

Loving our adventures in Montana It’s fun to serve a mission!

                             At the Amish Store

Hutterite Colonies

There are 39 Hutterite colonies in Montana LINK.  These are communal farms operated by German-speaking families.  They are known for their production of eggs, pork, garden produce and strict religious commitments.  Hutterites must marry another Hutterites.  They stretch up into Canada.  Apparently if one of the young men leave the colony, finding a job is easy for them-- they know how to work and almost anyone will hire them, but there are specific rules that must be followed if they are to be allowed back into the colony.  Women simply cannot go back if they leave.  Their work is highly respect and they have amazing equipment.

This group's practices are based on the Apostle Paul and having all things common among them.  They believe the Bible's second commandment about not. making unto thee any graven image prohibits them from having their picture taken.  Always new cultural norms learn.

Amish Colony

Yesterday we drove with Brother and Sister Gabel up to Moore Montana to shop the Amish store there LINK  They also believe like the Hutterites in regards to picture taking.  We ordered ice-cream and it was so clean and fresh tasting.  I thought I must have died and gone to heaven!  So many other fun items

 

Branding

Today we took food the another branding for the ranch.  We were assigned salads and desserts.  They help the neighbors and the neighbors help them.  The calves are vaccinated just like you do your kids.  Afterwards that is plenty of food for everyone.  We sit around in a big circle in the middle of some grassy prairie and talk while we eat.  There is a reason they call Montana "Big Sky Country"! 

Today's menu consisted of ham, cheesy potatoes, crescent rolls, tossed salad, macaroni salad, frog eye salad, brownies, cookies and banana bread.

Projects

The bathroom project is coming right along.  

Our biggest challenge still remains to be budget, shortages and high prices. The first bathroom is framed, mudded and almost ready for paint and tile. They are very excited about it. We realize there is much to do in the next four weeks.  One side of the ranch has very soft water and the other side (10 miles away) is very hard. We were struggling to find a couple of water softeners for the hard side of the ranch.  Elder Himle explained our budget constraint to the owner of Standard Plumbing and he generously offered to help us out with a couple.  Now, we faced the problem of getting them up here.  We prayed and did everything we could think of to find a way to get them here.  The Lord heard our prayers and they should be here tonight (May 28th).

We also put a pump in Sister Budges hot tub.  Sister Budge and her husband were bee keepers in this area for years, and just like water rights you have to get "bee rights" in Montana.  

Sheetrock mud that Wes dropped in my hair wasn't easy to get out.     

WildLife      

We continue to see more and more wildlife was the weather begins to warm.  Turkey's, Owls, antelope, and those incredible Sandhill Crane.  I never grow tired of hearing them calling in the morning or evening.  

Wild turkey in the grass below.

This Old House  

I decided to do some research into the house we are living in.  I found out that Joseph Muir immigrated here  from Scotland Linkand after working for others, started a sheep ranch on this property.  That was interesting enough, however I plugged that name into Family Search and discovered that Joseph married my 10th cousin.  Is that crazy or what?!  We have been waiting for the bunkhouse to become available (which is 10 miles away from this place) and will be moving over there Monday. 

We have gotten to know Elder James and Sister Shirley Gabel from Fort Collins Colorado, and they have taught us so much.   They have  bent over backwards to make sure things (like sharing one bathroom) worked out for all of us.  

The Wind                           

I have decided that the wind never stops blowing here.  I am always either under-dressed or over dressed and I need to take my winter parka, sunscreen, a sweatshirt and a summer shirt.  There are hundreds of  huge wind powered generators just outside of Harlowton.

HOWEVER... it is also the polar opposite of Hawaii when you talk about how quiet it is.  Hawaii was noisy with pit bulls, roosters, sirens, etc.  We don't hear ANYTHING here... not a plane, siren, dog-- just total and complete silence. 

Today, Sunday May 30th we spoke in church and then fed two of the full time elders who were here from Round Up.  Doesn't "Round Up" sound like a western town!?

                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Oh the Howling Winds and Elders!

 

Thursday, May 20

Elder Himle and Gabel continue their work on the basement bathroom install.  The sewer comes in five feet from the floor so there was no plumbing in the basement.  This required an up flush (ejector system) toilet.  So they are installing walls, sheetrock and framing beneath the current duct work.  Elder Gabel is quite the story teller and keeps Elder Himle entertained with some pretty funny stories while they work.  

A huge storm blew in yesterday while they were working, so to their dismay at the end of the day they went out to start the truck to come home, and killed the family cat which had climbed up into the engine compartment.  

They both climbed out after hearing this bad sound and opened the hood of the engine and are trying to figure out how to get the cat out as their arms aren’t long enough.  The children see this from inside the house and are calling, “What’s wrong, did you break down?”

They are looking at each other and shaking their heads wondering how to  break the news to them.  They told the mom and then asked the oldest boy to come out as they figured he was old enough to handle it and his arms were skinny enough to get the cat by the tail.  

The boy  came out  and removed it, and then consoled them : “Of all the animals that needed to go, this was probably the best one.” 

They both felt bad about what had happened and wondered if they would be forever remembered not as the missionaries that built the fine bathroom, but the two that killed the cat!

One of the challenges is material and we will be going back to Billings tomorrow for more.  Not only that, there is a budget we have to stay in and it isn't huge, coupled with the fact that there as shortages of everything (post covid). 

Sister Gabel and I went to help setup for a reception in Shamut, Montana which is about a 20 minute drive.  The ranch managers son is getting married in the Meridian Temple this week, and the reception is over the memorial day weekend. So we drove to this tiny town and found the community center and went inside.  It was full of 100 year old heavy tables, benches like you’d expect to see inside of a dugout, church type vinyl chairs (large and small) of every color.  On the left were a set of small bleachers and a tiny stage on the right that didn’t have a curtain.  I wondered how they’d possibly make this look like a reception center.  Most of the sisters from the Relief Society began arriving and then I knew that it would be possible.  The seven of us went to work moving tables, benches, etc., and a country theme began to reveal itself.  They were allowed to setup a week and a half early and it cost them less than $100. I am thinking that this is going to be one of the funnest receptions I’ve ever attended!!

Friday, May 21st

We woke this morning to wind and snow.  It is 7:04 and 26 degrees.  With the windchill, we are at 12 degrees.  I am wishing I had brought my fleece lined blue jeans!  Tuesday we were 85 degrees and slathering on the sunscreen.  I understand that Montana has only two seasons:  Winter and June.  I think this is true as the heater kicks on every few minutes.  The house we are staying in is about 100 years old. It reminds me of my grandparents home that I visited in my childhood.

While the guys worked on the bathroom today, we went into Harlowton and packed the Head Start program as they are relocating.  Afterwards, we volunteered at the library, which is very spacious!  People pop in all day long just to visit and swap tales with the librarians.  Sometimes they come with their pooches, which they allow.

Tonight we are having a couple fro the ward over for dinner.  Apparently, the Brother Swickard helped set up the Polynesian Cultural Center back in 1962.  I will share what I learned on a later post.   

Saturday, May 22nd

Today would normally be our day off, however we were out of supplies again the the local lumberyard didn't have what we needed so we drove the 100 miles to Billings for supplies. We stopped and picked up specialty items at a Plumbing Supply and then went to a store called Habitat For Humanity where we found a vanity, several new sinks, and tile for the shower Elder Gabel will be working on this week. When we left we showed our badges and mentioned that we were service missionaries and asked if they could give us a discount.  The man knocked $86 off of our bill, which was very helpful considering our budget limitations.  They helped us load everything into the truck and then we bowed our heads and gave thanks for the blessing.  We hit Home Depot, Lowes, Costco and Winco and then stopped for dinner at Paneras.  It was nearly 4:00pm and none of us had eaten, so we ordered and tried not to wolf everything down.  Then we hit the road for home sleepily. Wes was able to buy his ice cream and it made it the hundred miles home (it was only 40 degrees outside so that helped).  He was ONE HAPPY MAN to have a huge bowl of ice-cream tonight.  I think he was having withdrawals!  Tomorrow is Sunday and we look forward to a day of rest and meeting with the Harlowton Branch.

Harlowton and new-ness

May 16th

Sunday we met with a small branch of about 35 (including us)!  Everyone was so welcoming and we felt loved!

Sunday afternoon we took a walk on the ranch (discovered this old underground cellar), and saw about a dozen white tailed deer and a huge black wild Turkey.  We have also seen

sandhill cranes, eagles, woodpeckers, badgers, pheasant, and owl.  When we got home tonight, there was an enormous owl in the tree beside the old house we are in, hooting!

A river runs through the property.  It is called the Musselshell River.  From here we can see the Crazy Mountains which are covered in snow and beautiful.  

These cows are spooky.  Even when I stand at the kitchen window, they get all scared and take off running. I think someone told them that people like me will eat them!

 

May 17th

Today we got up early and headed over to one of the ranch houses to see what they needed in the way of plumbing. We listened to the Sister talk about frozen pipes on her washer when it drops to -25 below zero. Wes and Elder Gabel discussed the things she needs and then we left for Billings, Montana to locate the necessary supplies.  There is a lumber yard here, but they didn't have what they needed. Cowboy boots and spurs are the norm here and tomorrow we are invited to a branding.

Billings is about 100 miles away.  We chased all over trying to track down the materials we needed.  Finally, finished up around 2:00pm., and needed to get back as we were all invited over to Sister Budge's house for dinner.  We were starving and I was excited as it is our 45 wedding anniversary today.  We laughed so much and had a great time. The meal she prepared was fabulous and she served a cherry-cheese cake for dessert.  They treated all of us like family!

Sister Budge is a widow.  She and her husband were bee keepers for years.  They donated the land next door for the chapel.  Her mind is as sharp as a whip (and definitely sharper than mine).  She is 86.  Below is the baptismal font for the church, which is in her home.  Those too large to be baptized do it in the river.  They had a convert in February who was baptized there. The couple we are serving with are the Gabels'.  They are wonderful and we are blessed to be serving with them.  On the end is Sister Budges daughter, Lisa and her spouse. 

Tuesday 18th

Today we unloaded the supplies for a basement bathroom and then Elder Himle installed a toilet in the bunk house. This was a top priority as the family has company coming for the wedding reception and needed that done ASAP!

Then we headed over to the branding.  It was hot (40 for a high this Thursday).  It reminded me of the West Jordan rodeo!  Afterwards, there was food for all and four tired missionaries headed back home. 

Preparing to Serve

 

Before embarking on our adventure, we needed to figure out what we should take  with us.  Last time, we packed for summer as we were heading to Hawaii.  This time, we would traverse several seasons!  We were assigned to start  in Montana, which only has two seasons (Winter and June).  In six weeks we will be moving to Oklahoma. 

The couple we are working with in Montana arrived ahead of us and have  been texting us and telling us the things we might want to throw in.  For instance, the bedrooms in these old ranch houses often have only one outlet... so a multi-outlet plug might come in handy.  They also said that the locals all talk about "When the mosquitos arrive", so they encouraged us to bring lots of repellant.

We were set apart by our wonderful President Page.  We came home and wrote down some of the counsel we received in our blessings, assured that he relayed the will of our Father in Heaven in his wise counsel.

We were excited and just wanted to get to work, so why were we scheduled to go to four days of home MTC training ?  Others asked us why this was required for a non-proselyting mission-- and didn't we do this before we went on our last mission?

However, after only a day of training we received  the answer,  and additional nuggets of truth. Professional safety videos, reminders to see and uplift others and to seek the Lords help...We were also encouraged to lengthen our shuffle! 😂

One of my favorite things that was said was by our trainer's mothers:  "Children are like the fingers on our hands.  We love all of them, but the injured or hurt one receives the most attention."

May 15th, 2021

Today we left for our mission!  We woke before our alarm and loaded the last of our belongings into the trailer and turned our faces north toward Montana! The birds were singing beautifully outside, as if bidding us farewell! We enjoyed the beautiful scenery, and by 3:30 pm we pulled onto the ranch.  The Gabel’s welcomed us and helped us unload our belongings... then we jumped in the truck and did a ranch tour.  Saw deer, antelope and sand hill crane (and lots of cows and some dogs).  We inspected some projects and then enjoyed a lovely dinner prepared for us.