Most of us don’t mind doing

what we ought to do

when it doesn’t interfere with

what we want to do.

But it takes discipline and maturity

to do what we ought to do,

whether we want to or not!!

AM I GETTING OLD????

I remember when I was YOUNG and my dad would try to talk to me about what it was like to live in the " olden days ! "   He loved telling us about when he was a kid, and talking about people that I'd never met, but that were significant in his life!  While he was taking a trip down memory lane, I was thinking..."I really don't even care about those people!  I've never met them.... what do I care about what they did and what trials they went through???   I would be thinking to myself... "This must be an old people thing!"   Well.... I guess I am getting OLD because every since I read Vonnie's book about the history of the Mormon Colonies, I have become fascinated by the history of our pioneer ancestors who came to colonize here in Mexico!

A bunch of us decided to take a drive to visit Pacheco on a Saturday a couple of weeks ago.    They have been working on a highway that goes up that steep grade... you remember the one that we used to bounce along for hours on end in order to go to girl's camp every summer!   Almost always, someone would break down and the trip to Pacheco could be an all day ordeal!   Well now there is pavement part way up and it is said that you can now reach Colonia Pacheco in a hour and ten minutes from Colonia Juarez!   

The Gang.....

L to R:  Tony and Chris, Rick and Lynnette, Russell and Kelly, Frank and Cathy,

Dave and Mary, Bob and Jennifer and Ed and Irene

Our bishop was being "the bishop" and brought along a group of fun teenagers to help liven us old foggies up!

It's always fun to come upon this familiar point of interest!   This means you are not far from Pacheco!

If you look closely, you can see the rutts in the rock where the pioneer wagons traveled on their way to colonize Colonia Pacheco!  Imagine what a rough ride this was and the wear and tear on their wagons!

When we arrived at the Bowman Ranch,  (now owned by the Hatch's) the first thing the men had to do was head straight to the orchard to check them out!   This frustrated me... but then I thougt,  "Asking them to drive through an orchard without stopping to look would be like asking me to walk through a mall without stopping to check things out!"   So... we let them enjoy "window shopping!"

After a yummy lunch, we headed off to see what we could discover about those faithful,determined and OBEDIENT pionners who were sent by Brigham Young to colonize in Mexico back in 1885!

This is the remaining piece of a carved stone that was placed to make the spot of the Chapel/Schoolhouse the pioneers built in Pacheco.  

We had fun snooping around some of the old pioneer homes that were built long ago.   Some of them are deserted and others have families still living in them.  Can you imagine just moving to a place in the moutains.... at least a 3 hour ride in a wagon pulled by horses to the nearest town and store.... beginning by clearing the land, and laying out the town... then sawing down logs and making bricks to build a home??   Right off we could tell that Pacheco was laid out just like the towns in Utah are, with WIDE streets, all going north and south, east and west!

We knew that somewhere on a certain mountain side there was a monument built to mark the sight were a Temple would someday stand in Colonia Pacheco.   I tried to find out the background to this monument and got a couple of different stories.  One person told me that he thought Apostle Teasdale had prophesied a temple on this spot.   Another person told me that one of the explorers that Brigham Young sent out ahead of the pioneers had seen a temple on this hill in a dream/vision.  It may seem a laughing matter to picture a temple here now.   But... with the highway being built up through Pacheco... who knows!   With God, nothing is impossible!

Maybe there will be a temple built here during the milenium and many people will work performing the ordinances for their ancestors!   I wouldn't say it isn't possible!

We visited the Pacheco Cemetary.  I loved this old headstone!  It is so cool!  It is carved to look like a tree trunk!   What a labor of love for someone very special, I am sure!   This person must have joined the church in England...   immigrated to the United States... most likely, New York, then  on to Utah and ending up in Colonia Pacheco in Chihuahua, Mexico!   Imagine what this person was willing to sacrifice and do because of his religion!   (Aunt Lanny says this is her great, great grandfather!)

We all know and LOVE the Lunt family....  Aunt Ora, Aunt Maurine, Aunt Marza, Aunt LaRee and Aunt Chris' dad, LaRue, were all raised in Pacheco!   A few years ago the Lunt Family placed this new heardstone on their family's grave.

If you look closely, behind that strand of bare trees, you can see the old

Lunt Homestead.  We really wanted to go there but it is said to be owned by some drug people now, so we didn't get too close!

On the way home, we stopped to check out these beautiful white,

chalky rock formations!

I wonder what caused these formations???   I felt bad that the teenagers were no longer with us by the time we reached these cool rocks!   They would have loved climbing all around the place!

This is what is left of the old Wilson Homestead!  (Frances Memmott's family!)

You can see the remnants of an old water wheel!   So cool!

 

Tony and Chris brought there bikes along so we took turns coasting down the highway on the way home!    You had to use your brakes a lot and the whole time I was wishing I had a helmet!   It was really fun!

So... there you have an abreviated tour of our trip to Pacheco.   Seeing the place where our pioneer ancestors built a life literally FROM SCRATCH was very humbling!   It made me wonder, "What have I sacrificed for my religion?   If my Stake President came to me today and asked me to go back to Pacheco and start rebuilding the town there, would I have enough faith and determination to do it?   Would I be willing to sacrifice my nice life here in Dublan to follow the directions of my church leaders?  Is my testimony strong enough to see ME THROUGH THE TRIALS AND CHALLENGES THAT LIE AHEAD?   Somedays I have a hard time just being kind to a beggar...  accepting a calling to serve, or following simple directions from our prophet.  It is true that trials and difficulties make strong character and keep us humble!  I am afraid my life has been too easy!   This makes me wonder...

What could be in store for us in the FUTURE???

Will we rise to the challenge the way our pioneer ancestors did???

YEP!   I MUST BE GETTING OLD!  I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS HAPPENED, BUT I HAVE BECOME VERY INTERESTED IN THE GENERATIONS WHO CAME BEFORE ME!  I GUESS IT HAS TO DO WITH REALIZING YOUR OWN MORTALITY AND WONDERING IF WHEN YOU ARE GONE, IF YOUR LIFE WILL HAVE SOME SIGNIFICANCE TO YOUR POSTERITY....   WILL THEY WANT TO KNOW ABOUT ME AND WHAT MY LIFE WAS LIKE??    So, you young people, don't roll your eyes when we want to tell you about life back in our day!  Just be aware that this is part of the process of life, and YES, IT WILL HAPPEN TO YOU TOO SOMEDAY!

I told you we were desperate!!!

The search for wholesome entertainment in

Dublan continues!  

This week we tried a Gall Bladder Cleanse!

This newest form of entertainment took up a whole 8 days of our time!

   The process was a diet of nothing but fruits and vegetables for a whole week!   To start out each morning we had to drink a cup of water with a Tbs. of Colosan mixed in !    During the day we also drank a quart of apple juice with  1/2 a teaspoon a malic acid added, lots of water and piles and piles of yummy (this is doubtful!) fruits and vegetables!

Here we are.... all smiles!   We had no clue what was in store!   We thought this was gonna be one fun girl's party.... a sleep over and all!

On day 7 we met together to support each other through the "funnest"  part of our cleanse.... the production !!!  At 4 p.m., as scheduled, we drank our first does of Epsom Salt water. Now this stuff is like, VERY YUCKY!! Actually, YUCKY is an understatement! I shiver just thinking about it!  The only way to get it down is to plug your nose and chug-a-lug!

As soon as you get the awfull Epsom Salt water down, you rub a lime on your lips and inside your mouth to take away the nasty taste! This helps a lot! Unfortunately this process has to be repeated THREE times at 2 hour intervals!

Finally, at 10:00 p.m when you think the fun can't get any better, the real FUN begins! It's now time for the 1/2 cup of Olive Oil mixed with 1/2 cup of fresh Grapefruit Juice! Down the hatch it goes.... then quickly, as instructed, into bed you go, lying flat on your back..... not to move for at least 1/2 an hour! Hopefully you are now "down for the night" .... dreaming of all those precious stones you will rid your body of in the morning!

Our Gall Bladder Cleanse was a huge success and yes... I actually have pictures of the stones we passed!   But out of respect for those who have a weak stomach, I will not post them!  Let me just say, that it feels GREAT to know that all those little (and a few, not so little)  gems that were hiding inside your gall bladder, just waiting to cause you great pain and anguish have now been eliminated from your life!    You may not believe this... but I FEEL like I am now "the picture of health!"   What... with my foot bath and now my gall bladder cleanse... (not to mention a whole week without any SUGAR, FLOUR or MEAT!) what could possibly be amiss inside my body!!!

WHAT'S NEXT????

Big Bear's FOOT BATH!!!

So.... you all know how desperate we are for entertainment here in the Colonies!!

Well, last week a new form of entertainment came to town!   This latest craze is called a "Foot Bath!"   Now this " Foot Bath " is a very interesting process and during the past two weeks many Dublan citizens..(and even a few from Colonia Juarez) have participated in the excitement!   You start by arriving "muy estiloso"  like Big Bear did... all decked out in his rolled up jeans, socks and flip flops!!!  If you're gonna get a "Foot Bath" you gotta look right!!

The next step is to submerge your bare feet in very hot water...as hot as you can stand!    This opens up the pores in the bottom of your feet and prepares them for what is to come!!  (or should I say, "come out!")  A little electrical aparatus is placed in the water and one is also connected around your wrist.   These two things send electrical impulses through your body and soon amazing things start happening!

Ever so slightly the water begins to change colors

 "What the heck is going on here?" is what Big Bear seems to be thinking! (It looks to me like maybe that thing is sucking urine out through his feet!!)

     The technician tells us that toxins and impurities in your body are being released through the bottom of your feet!  There is some serious competition going on here to see who can produce the dirtiest water!  Who wants to bet that Big Bear's water turns black... from all the cokes he drinks??? 

What'd I tell you???   I think I even see some carbination on the top of the water!

Things are quickly going from bad to worse and Big Bear starts to reqret his decision to participate in this "FUN!| 

Eeeooouuu!!!   YUCK!  What might be lurking below the surfice of this water???? And to think I sleep in the same bed with the person who has all this "gunk" in his body!!!  

   The procedure is over after only 40 minutes of sitting with your feet in the water!   This is humiliating, embarressing and down right gross!

Oh... but it feels, oh, so good to get all that gross stuff out of your system!!!

When the procedure is over, the technician takes the water outside to dump it while she explains to you what all the things in your water are!   The good people here in Dublan have produced cholesterol, gaul stones, parasites, arthritus gunk, toxic metals,  candida and even a few worms!!!       Who's next????

THE BEST MOTHER'S DAY!!!

I was "overnighted" a mysterious little package from Utah on Friday with strict instructions to "not open until Mother's Day!" So...this morning at 4:00 a.m. I couldn't wait any longer and got up and opened my package!!! 

Darron and Shauny are expecting a BABY in December and to say that this Lita is EXCITED

would be a HUGE UNDERSTATEMENT!!!!

This daughter in law of mine... Shauny, was born to be a MOM!   Whenever the family gets together, this is how she can be found.... always holding a baby or a small child or two!!   Her motherly instincts are oozing out of her and her life would never be complete without children!   Darron is EVERYONES FAVORITE UNCLE and makes each little neice or nephew feel special!  

 We are so thrilled with this Mother's Day news!

So....YEP!  MY BABY BOY IS EXPECTING A BABY...

a soon to be DAD!   THREE NEW GRANDBABIES ON THE WAY in 2010!  NUMBER 16 (Angie's baby BOY) #17 (Ashley's baby) and NOW #18... Darron & Shauny's BABY!

(Normaly I would complain about ANOTHER DECEMBER BABY....

BUT NOT THIS TIME!!!)

LIFE IS GREAT AND THIS "LITA" IS ONE VERY HAPPY GIRL!!