Our 2 Year Mission

We have had the missionaries living with us for 2 years now.  We have completed our 2 year mission and someone else is getting the privilege of having them live in their home now.  Today it is moving day.  We bade them a fond farewell with a delicious breakfast including 2 breakfast meats.  Just about nothing beats 2 breakfast meats.  They have rallied their fellow missionaries to help.  Now we have what seems an endless stream of young men coming in and out.  They are going up and down the stairs.  They are opening and closing the door.  And they are carrying suitcases, boxes, couches, and various other items.  It seems they have gathered quite a bit of "stuff" while living here the past 2 years.  So it might be an all day process.

During our 2 Year Mission we have had 

13 different companionships living here.

We've enjoyed having most of them -

 ummm . . . 

I mean,  all of them!

Ring of Fire

The weather is getting warmer and it is scorpion season.  Doug went out and sprayed but we usually do some hand-to-stinger combat with the little critters too.  They live along our block fence usually hiding in the cracks.  But they come out at night.  And we get out our black flashlight and go scorpion hunting.  Doug smashes them thus instantly lowering the population.

The set of missionaries currently living with us had not yet been on a hunt with us or seen the eerie glow of the scorpions as the black light shines on them.  So on Tuesday they were invited to join us on a hunt.  Stephanie and Scott were also invited to join the hunt.  And there were some sightings and a few killings and one that got away minus his stinger.


Now, there is a tale about scorpions that goes around, especially with the LDS missionaries who serve in this area.  It is called "The Ring of Fire".  The story goes that if you surround a live scorpion with fire that rather than burn to death it will instead sting itself, thus committing suicide.  We have heard it from every missionary (the count is 15 right now) that has lived with us.  And they swear that they heard it from a missionary that is serving here and they should know because they tried it and that is exactly what happened.  The missionaries always want to try it themselves.  So Doug told the Elders that he would try to catch one so they could try the Ring of Fire themselves.

Little did I know how quick and close and personal this next capture would be.  I had some luggage in the den.  My shoulder bag was sitting over on the floor too.  Yesterday I looked over and saw something move.  Upon close inspection there was a scorpion dancing around on my shoulder bag - the one I would be using in just a couple days.  Yikes!  I moved the bag and sure enough the scorpion moved too.  It was pretty lively so I was a little scared.  But I got a jar and lid and tried to catch the little critter.  But as I would move or turn or roll the bag over the scorpion would quickly relocate itself to the underside of the bag or in a crease in the bag or on the side of the bag away from me.  As the scorpion moved I would let out a small scream, curl my toes (even though they were inside my tennis shoes), and scoot back.  Then I would regain my courage and make a new attempt.  But that little sucker was too quick and me too timid.

Pretty soon I could hear the missionaries say, "Sister Selin, is everything OK up there?"  I asked them if they wanted to catch a scorpion.  They were all in.  It didn't take them long to put on their shoes and get a jar and were ready to rumble.  They were a little braver than me - no screams but they did approach at arms length.  It took them several tries at moving the bag and trying to get it into the jar - it eventually fell off the bag and attempted to flee on the carpet.  When those scorpions are on the carpet they almost disappear because they blend in so well.  But with 3 sets of eyes we were able to keep it in our sights and the jar eventually slammed over the scorpion and became a temporary holding cell.  I have no doubt that this set of missionaries will attempt to create and witness and testify to the truth of the tale called, "The Ring of Fire"!

Fourth Visit to the floor of the Grand Canyon

Wow!  I just completed my fourth visit to the floor of the Grand Canyon.  It was awesome!  I loved it!  I only hope it isn't my last.

My first visit was a hike and backpacking trip to the Grand Canyon was in June 1987 - some 25 years ago.  I was about 4 months pregnant with Isaac.  That didn't stop me.  I went with the Glendale Stake Girls Camp adventure trip for 5th and 6th year Young Women.  We slept on the south rim the first night, we hiked down to Bright Angel campground the second day, we hiked up to Indian Gardens the third day, and then the rest of the way out on the fourth day.  There were at least 3 girls from my own ward.  One girl on the hike with us did not make it out on her own - she was helicoptered out.  The helicopter would only take her out - her backpack and all her "stuff" was divided up among the rest of our group and hauled out.  I was lucky - because I was pregnant they did not ask me to carry any of her stuff out.  I was glad too.  But I have often thought about how much I loved that trip.

Note that I didn't take any pictures

 on my first trip to the floor of the Grand Canyon. 

 But this is Evan trying on my pack

 as I made preparations for the hike.

My second visit happened about 20 years later and was a different experience.  I rode one of the Grand Canyon mules, Biddy* was her name, to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and stayed in Phantom Ranch.  I didn't have to carry a pack.  I didn't have to abuse my feet on the way down and my leg muscles on the way up.  I didn't have to carry my food or cook it.  It was a wonderful trip with great friends.  I will always remember this trip very fondly. *Biddy was in a mule train that we passed while hiking just a few days ago.  

Why can't I find a picture from my mule trip? 

 This is a picture I took of Biddy while hiking a few days ago. 

 I'll keep trying to find the right picture. 

 But I must move on!

My third visit to the floor of the Grand Canyon was another very different experience.  It was a hike and backpacking trip.  It was a Thunder River trip from the north side of the Grand Canyon.  This hike was a lot more adventurous and so much more remote. We each carried waterproof headlamps plus a spare light source, a wet suit, some rope, and a pool noodle with us for this adventure.  All this would allow us to get to the headwaters of the Thunder River - up to the cave opening, through the running water, up into a deep dark cavern, swim through water, then on land, water again, and finally sign our names on a register at the headwaters to prove we had made it. The pinnacle of the trip came on the first day.  We gathered up our special equipment and hiked to the place where the spring/waterfall that shoots out of the side of the Grand Canyon called Thunder River.  We skooched around some very high rocks and ledges to get to the mouth where the water shoots out.  Then we spider crawled (feet on one side wall of the passage and backs on the other side - we moved first our feet and then our backs - you would have been amazed at me) into the cave.  Back this far into the cave it was dark - very dark.  Then we came to a high climb which is where my trip ended.  I was the shortest one there and needed a boost - but they had left me to last.  After one terrifying attempt and near fall into the rushing water (I thought I might be swept away by the swift water and shoot out the canyon wall) I told them to go ahead without me.  I was worried that I might  never see them again so I made my way out of the dark cave, spider crawled back across the water to the very high rocks and ledges, and finally to our packs.  Whew!  What a relief.  The rest of the trip took us to a remote camp site the first night where the only living thing we saw was mice.  Then we camped on the shore right next to the Colorado River the next night.  On our walk to the river we saw a bighorn sheep - that was awesome! The next day we hiked much of the way out and camped there.  Then out the next day.  A very adventurous hike that my friend is thinking of doing again - will I go?  Not yet sure - but I'd love to make it into that cave and to the register to sign my name.  Maybe I'll bring a rope ladder!?

And this last hike was my fourth visit to the floor of the Grand Canyon.  It was much like my first trip.  Only we stayed both nights at the Bright Angel campground and hiked the entire way out in one day.  We took a strenuous hike the second day to a great and isolated viewpoint called - Utah Flats.  That was a scramble up and butt slide down - but the view was AWESOME!  The trip out took 5 hours.  I made some new friends.  I liked most of them.  The weather was perfect!  The views were stunning!

So even though my Grand Canyon adventures may be over

 I have wonderful memories from 

all four of my visits 
to the floor of the Grand Canyon
that will be with me  

for - ev - er!