The Best Experience Yet

On Thursday we went on a church history tour with a older gentleman named Brother Holmes. He is a stake patriarch and knows more than anyone about this area.

He spent from from 11 A.M. to after 5 P.M.with us talking the whole time. We told him we would buy him lunch. He did not want to stop, but everyone else was hungry. So he agreed to let us buy him a 99 cent fry, but no drink. So we ate very quickly.

He took us to places we had never heard about, and would say "The marker is here, but it is really a 100 feet to the north, or a few blocks southwest. He helps the church with any history questions about the area. He loves doing tours and is trying to put together a information packet that he can give to people when they come to visit. I think he should write a book about everything. He also knows all about the indians of the area, and how they impacted the pioneers when they were here.

I asked him about his favorite place and he told me it was Hyde Park. When Orson Hyde was about to leave on a mission to England, he moved his family to a area away from Council Bluffs. He had about 80 acres. He built a home there. When he returned, Brigham was there, and they decided to meet and talk about reorganizing the 1st presidency. Brigham had been to the Salt Lake Valley and returned. They talked about just having the 12 run the church. A voice came from heaven and said "Let Brigham lead my Church". People that lived around there came running to see if everyone was alright. They had felt a earthquake. They also decided to build a tabernacle to meet in in Council Bluffs. They built it in 3 days, and Brigham was made Prophet.

On Friday our Relief Society met to make gingerbread houses. Bruce did most of the work on ours. I think I will bring it home rather than put it in the display at the Trail Center. We wil see.

I hope everyone is well. Especially Karen and the girls. Get better you guys. We worry about you. Love Sister Sylvia