Do You Like Pina Coladas?

 Dear Uncle George,

May 20, 1907

Left Far West.  Fare, $.64 cents.  Tried to find someone going to Adam-ondi-Ahman.  Livery wished $1.50 so concluded to walk and carry instrument.  Met Mr. TB Buzzard, who took me to Diahman in buggy.  When we reached McDonald Ford, about 4 miles nw of town, had trouble to get mare into Grand River.  I could see that water had gone into buggy.  Soon got me across and was very pleased to find that water had not reached plates, package of 5" by 7" films.

May 20, 2013:

Do you like pina coladas?

It's tornado season, so I was not surprised to see the flipped over semi on the freeway.  

I was, however, more suprised to see the pay phone in a booth in the middle of the Amish farmland.  I am still a little fuzzy on what that was about.

So, $.64 cents for a ride seems like a deal.  I payed $3.80 in gas (I paid that literally per gallon just today--April 15, 2024), so that was a steal back then.  A $1.50 ride does seem like a lot.  Especially for an open-air wagon Uber.

Why would you take a wagon Uber when you know they weren't playing Backstreet Boys, Carrie Underwood or Maroon 5?  

I did a great turtle rescue (a Missouri thing:  https://www.mowildlife.org/found-turtle), doing my part for the animal kingdom, unlike you, who almost drown a horse.

"Diahman," as the locals called it, was very peaceful.  It was super green, with various shades.  The wind rustled.  The birds sang sweetly.  


1907

2013

Met some people:  full time missionaries.  There are 12 senior missionary couples from all around the country who live there permanently.  Very interesting.

They are farmers and mechanics.  They report to GAs and the First Presidency.  They are not allowed to give tours or talk much about the location.  They do not have farewells or homecomings, but quietly come and go.  Their mission call says they are called to "maintain and beautify" the land.  One of the couples was from Alaska. 

They seemed to take to me.  Elder Joe J. Christensen was coming to visit and they invited me to stay to hang out with him.  Also, President Condy would be there.  I declined.  I was hungry so I was on my way to the Subway in Gallatin for a turkey sandwich and not even a General Authority can make up for a good turkey snack.  🦃

They found my Mini Mission interesting and asked me to come up on some Sunday evening to give a fireside (which I did....they have their own special AOA hymns taped into the standard hymn book).  

Lyman White Cabin 1907

Preacher's Rock 2013

Life is good at Adam ondi Ahman and I am glad you visited the day you did because I got to visit the day I did.


2013

There are markers, pipes and poles all over the place there.  I wish I could tell you more but I don't know.  I only know about the hymn book and quiet mission calls.

So, Gallatin is a few miles from AOA.  There is a gas station and a Subway.  Let me ask you this, though.  When you were there, Uncle George, did the Subway run out of turkey?  Because when I was there, they had.  :(

I missed hanging out with the General Authorities and hearing fun stories all for the turkey sandwich that didn't have turkey.  

No worries!  Exit 61 for the win...pina coladas!  

Love
Valsy

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