pictures of Niagra

Christmas Day on the Niagara River in New York

Wow!  What a sight to see the Niagara River from both the Canadian side, and the United States side, in New York.  I like the view from Goat Island in New York best.  We just walked around enjoying the view of the rivers and falls.  We could have stayed all day watching the falls and all the people from all over the world.  Talk about a melting pot!  We heard many different languages as we walked through the park.  Lovely people with families from many different countries.  It was easy to get people to take our pictures.   It is a delightful memory!  A great place to be on Christmas Day!!!

We went to a Christmas party with some people from our Niagara Falls Ward at Bills home where we stay on the weekends on Grand Island.  It was a great place to be!  They even had children there that helped me enjoy Christmas through the eyes of Children!  They were my favorite part of Christmas this year besides skyping the kids on Christmas Day!

We traveled along Lake Ontario for a change of scenery.  It was an amazing sight to see that much water all day as we traveled.  We couldn't see the shore from across the lake for the entire day.  It was a beautiful windy day filled with country roads and beautiful fields and farms as far as you could see.  Lots of amish farms and fields of fruit trees for miles.

We also went through a wonderful town called Niagara on the River .  A beautiful tourist town filled with quaint shops and buildings along their cobble stone main street.  I think Rod loved it as much as I did!  He especially loved a statue of the founding father for a idea for one of his next canes.    Once a carver always a carver!  I love it when people are passionate about things.

Just finished sky ping  Becca , and got to see Carie Ann, our newest granddaughter!  Grandkids are the best thing next to great kids, and we have the best of both!  Love to you all!  Rod & Roxann Barney

josephs birthday at the Sacred Grove

 

Today is Joseph Smiths iBirthday

We woke up to a perfect biking day so set off on a road we haven't riden on yet.  Took a picture of a school house that was made fron rocks from a creek bead,  They would find rocks that would go through  a certain size of metal ring.  Those were the rocks that were taken to the building sight to use to build their homes instead of bricks.  There are several of these homes in the area and thought I would show one,  Pretty impresive architecture,

Today is Joseph Smiths birthday.  On our way home we stopped to walk through the Sacred Grove to celebrate this occasion.  We were the only ones there.  We never tire of being there.  A beauiful place to linger loner!

Tour of the Peter Whitmer Home where the Book of Mormon was translated

Yesterday day we went on excursion to the Peter Whitmer home where the Book of Mormon was translated in the upper bedroom of the Whitmer home, and the place where the Church was organized in 1830.  Wow!!!   We loved our private tour with 2 other couples we serve with, the Battie's and the Jensen's, at the Templle.  We couldn't miss the spirit that was there as we listened of the extrodinary things that occured in that home.  This is where the golden plates were translated, and the Church was organized in 1830.  Read D&C 65:2.  We are getting spoiled at our visits to the restoration sights with our private tours.  I guess that is what happens when you come in the winter months.

We had our Mission Christmas Party last night with all the other Temple Mission couples.  We enjoyed the night playing games, singing Christmas carols, and enjoyed lots of fun and laughter.  They are a great group of friends.

It is raining today!  Everone we meet reminds us that this weather is not normal here and don't think winter is ever like this years weather!  We are enjoying everyminute of it!  

Our favorite gift this year is our families and friends!  You are in our hearts always and in our prayers daily.  Our favorite tecnology is skyping!   To see our families on the other end of the screen is the best!    You will always be our favorite gifts every day of the year.  

The organization of the Church in 1830 at the Peter Whitmer home.

The Peter Whitmer home where the Church was first organized in 1820.  This was one of the first Church Sites we came to when we arrived.  Of all the places we have visited this one  was amazing !

This is the upper bedroom window in the Whitmer Home where Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdrey translated much of the Book of Mormon.  

The Visitor Center at the Whitmer Farm,  One amazing place.  The spirit is very strong here.

The upstairs bedroom where Oliver Cowdry and Joseph Smith translated most of the Book of Mormon

It surprised me  how well they made use of every corner in their small homes.  It was apparent that they were very intentional about the things they had and used in their homes.  Everything had its place and purpose because of the amount of space they had.  The woman's touch was felt in every room, from the fresh flowers, to the bed quilts, and the herbs hanging above the fireplace to dry.   they loved their homes and it showed by the intentional way they lived.

christmas with kids

Today I am misssing my Grandkids because they always bring laughter and smiles into our celebrations through their joyful noise!  Their quick smiles and laughter bring smiles to our hearts and joy into our our celebrating.   I have watched the Family Nativity movie, and them decorating their Christmas Trees over, and over, and over.  I can't get enough of it.

Elder Jeffery R.Holland wrote a Christmas Message to the studentswhen he was president of BYU,

"I wish for you some contact with a child. . .to see the awe and wonder and wide-eye delight with which a child greets Christmas - and Christ."  

I think I will go to the Primary on Sunday to get my "Kid Fix" this week.   They always bring a smile to my face, laughter to my soul, and joy to my heart.  I guess that is why I taught preschool for 27 years.  They gave me a perfect reason to laugh out loud more than once each day!  There were always lots of fun stories to tell at the end of each day.

Hope you come across a child that makes you laugh out loud today!  Then count your blessings again!

Thanks for giving me my best Christmas Gift Ever!  Great Kids & Grandkids!

Love to you all,

Grandma Roxann & Grandpa Rod

40th Anniversary

40 years go by in the blink of an eye !   celebrated on our way to our new Ward Assignment to the Niagara Falls Ward.   It was a beautiful drive made easy with the help of a GPS!   Found our Ward house , then checked into. motel along the river.   Could not see much in the dark but went for ice-cream and drove around the town.  Found an ice skating rink with kids skating that brought back memories of skating on our pond  in Salem !  It was a blast from the past!

Loved our Ward !   Everyone was so welcoming to us from the minute we walked in!  They  had us share our  Testimonies ,  and by the time we left we had invitations to dinner, and  were invited to sing in the choir, and the stake Patriarch offered us to stay at his home on the weekends so we wouldn't  have to get a hotel to stay in.  but most of all we felt a great love for the people.  dinner was wonderful!   Mike is a Chef and has cooked for  Elon John,  Bon Jovi, Chicago, etc.   we loved our visit with him and his son.   it was a great day!!!

Monday we decided it was perfect weather to go get our fandom bike!  So we rode to a bike hop, tried it out on the Eerie  Canal and went back home for a ride through town!   it is great!  Happy Anniversary!

We send our love and gratitude to our Heavenly Father for this wonderful experience we are having and know that He is watching over all our loved ones at home!     We pray for each of you daily and feel safe knowing we are all safe in His  protecting care!

Love to you all,

Elster and Sister Barney
Mom  and Dad
Friends and family

This week has been fun.  We took an excursion with the group of Temple missionaries to the Eastmon Kodack home.  It was out of this world!  I added some pictures but they don't do justice to it.  It was a grat day with everyone.  They also had a gingerbread house contest, and added some pictues of them to share.  Thought you would enjoy the,.  I call them Houses with charn!

After we went to a retraunt called Sticky Lips.  It was a great place for barbequed pulled pork, and ribs.  A new favorite!!

we were assigned to attend the Niagra Falls Ward and will  be going there each Sunday for church at 9 am each week.  I is about 2 and 1/2 hours one way so will be a long cmmute but are looking forward o meeting the memberes there,  All the missionary couples talk about how much they love their ward assignments,  We can't wait to get started!

We are loving pictures from home.  It is the next best thing to being there.  Love our new granddaushter Carie Ann Christensen, just wish I xoould hold her and smell that wonderful new baby smell.  Brett assures me she smells wonderful.  I keep all the pictures and watch them daily.  The next best thing to being there.

Take care of eachother and know ou are in our prayers daily!!!  Serving here is the BEST!  Words can't describe how wonderful it is to serve the Lord100%.  Everyone we meeet is a gift to cherish,  We count our blessingsa fronm the Lord each day and are overwhelmed by the miracles we see ech day that touch our hearts.  My favorite is seeing the sacrifice of the people who come to the Temple often at great sacrifice, some come from 2 hours or more away each week.  We take our close proxcimity to temples back home for granted!

We send our love to you all, and know you are being taken care of.  Miss you all and know you are being watched over and blessed.  We feel that each day in our hearts!!!

Elder and Sister Barney
Love to everyone

Commorah

Hill Cumorah 1  Yesterday we took a drive to the hill Comorah!  We were the only ones there at the time and as the pictures attest, it was a beautiful fall day.  

We hadn't been there long until a man came up the  hill and we visited with him.  Soon we looked at his bage he was wearing, and got big smiles on our face as we connected him to his daughter Lori Pond, and Sheila Shumway who we worked with at the Provo Temple for years.  We took up conversing with him of his daughter and what great friends we are. It was a perfect start to the day!  He is a sight missionary with his wife for 2 more weeks.  Happy we ran into him before they leave.  

We enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner with the other missionaries at the Palmyra Inn eatind a delectible meal, and playing the game "To tell the truth".  You allknow that I am a horrible at lying, and get the details all mixed up!  But your dad is great at telling tall stories and was the hit of the evening with all his tall tales of surviving in the wilderness the night of a storm by killing a dear and gutting it and climbing inside the deer to keep warm in a terrible snow storm.  Of course they all bought the story and he turned beet red with laughter to the laughter of everyone,  I ended up telling storyies that were true that could fit with the topic.  Oh well, that is me.

Totally enjoyed working in the temple on Sat, but after working a 9 hour shift, going out to dinner with all the workers after, with a bad back weather day, I totaly was ready for a bengay backrub, and sleeing on a hot rice pack. Needless to say I will never go to the temple without ibprophen!

Church was wonderful!! A great ward with lots of sight missionaries.  They spoke during Sundayschool class, and we had combined priesthood and Relief Society mtgs together.  A supper ward!

Hopefully I will be successful at putting the pictures on to this email.  

We send our warmest wishes for everyone back home!!!  And are praying for our new granddaughter tomorrow!  We are praying for her safe arrival!!!   And waiting for the good news.  

   love and miss you all,

Rod & RoxNN BAARNEY

We have arrived!

Wow `  What beautiful country.  I love this land with its beautiful country farms and  country style homes.  Everything is green, with beautiful well kept yards.  They  love where they live and it shows by the way they take care of it,

We moved in yesterday, but not in the place we thought it was.  Even better!  still 2 bed rooms and when I walked through the door, was greeted with lots of red.  Loved it at once!!!  Hopefully I can send pictures.  We have neighbors behind us, under us, and to the side of us.  All in the same building.  It feels like home  already!

We went on an excursion with the other missionaries yesterday on our pday to a Jello Museum of sorts  There was the cutest spunky 91 year old lady that was so endearing as she told of the history of Jello.  Jello should put her on television!!!

 Then we were off to lunch at an old train depo  now restraint.  Great food, and fun to visit with the other missionaries and hear their stories,  Then back home to unpack the car and move in  We are loving  every minute of this this!!!  We love you all and send our hugs & kisses to the family!

Now I will try to get the pictures.  Have a great day!

  

Our MTC Experience at the Salt Lake City Temple

     We began our MTC experience gathering with 18 other couples going on Temple missions all over the world from Washington DC, Palmyra New York, Navoo Illinoise,Tijuana Mexico, and Montevodeo Uruguay,  Boston, Massachusetts, and London England.  Many of the couples had served several missions,

     Our trainers were Richard & Kathleen Walker who served as the President & Matron of the Salt Lake Temple in 2009.  Kathleen is the daughter of President Hinkley, my favorite Prophet, and had the spunk and personality of both her mom and dad.  They were delightful to listen to.  One minute they were telling stories that made you laugh, the next moment, stories that made you cry. 

      Each day was spent in participating in the different ordinance a patrons.  Tuesday, we all gathered to participate in an endowment session.  As we were walking to the chappel I was thinking about the day that Rod & I had been married there 40 years ago this coming month, and was impressed that Rod and I would be chosen to be the witness couple.  As we walked iinto the room the Bro. asked if we would be willling to do that for the session.  I was not suprised but Bro.Walker mentioned that they had never choosen one of the missionary couples before. It was a Sweet Tender Mercy for me that day! 

       We enjoyed getting to know each other at lunch time where we were fed like kings.  Meals, and our temple clothing were provided by the Temple which was a great service because most of us had our clothes packed in our cars to drive to our missions after our week at the Temple MTC.                          

        The last day was my favorite as we were taken on a tour of the Temple to places most never get to go.  We went to the baptistry, up the spiral stars to the Holy of Holies, the solemn assembly room

where the Priesthood gather, the baptistry, under the road tunnels, and the room where Elder Talmage wrote the book, Jesus the Christ.  Most impressive of all was the knowledge that they built this temple when they didn't have the equipment we have today that would make it easy.  What a choice experience for us to be taught by those who have shared so much with us who are embarking on this wonderful mission adventure.  I hope we never forget what a priveledge it is to serve the Lord.  The least we can do for our Heavenly Father who gives us all His Son to bring us safely home.

              

Mission Call

We have been called to serve at the Palmyra New York Temple. We are serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for one year. We've sold our house and 8 acres, and have packed up 30 years of memories and are anxiously awaiting our new adventure. We enter the Temple Mission MTC in Salt Lake City on November 14th. We depart on November 20th for New York. Praying for good driving weather and for those we are leaving behind.