Moulder Memories: Fledge on a ledge

This big story this week is the famous Salt Lake Falcons. No, I'm not talking about a sports team, they are peregrine falcons the world has been watching via the video cams installed in the nest box built for them up high on the northeast corner of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. Four eggs were laid in early January, they hatched the end of May and we watched with awe last week as they all fledged out of the box. The last and smallest of the bunch was not on purpose, literally falling out of the nest box but there are so many volunteers all around the Square that all is well. I thought I would share some pictures from volunteers who have posted on the internet. Their pictures are much better than mine.

Mom and her eggs.

Four hatched babies.

Three left in the nest box watching big sister go out on her own.

Big sister fledged and landed safely on a ledge of the Church Administration building. Volunteers got a ladder and picked her up so she could be checked out and banded. She didn't fight them at all.

That was some big news last week. Volunteers are still out watching for them. The biggest worry is to keep them out of the city streets until they have better control over flying. I don't think they are yet hunting for their food so they are still being fed by their parents.

We had a short week with the 4th of July off. It was fun to get to see family over the holiday. Edison is growing and changing his appearance each time we get to see him. He is starting to make deliberate sounds and cooing a little. I just love this grandparent thing!!

We have made some strides at work, moving ahead with more countries and finishing up with all the new format changes that were suggested. It seems the more we do the more we get noticed and the more changes are needed. Though it can be frustrating, it is also a good thing because it means the work is moving forward. We are very happy serving here and are excited to meet our goals before we have to go home.

Today at church our Branch choir sang a Sally Deford song: Lift Up Your Heart. It is such a beautiful song and we have been practicing it for a long time. They did a great job. We had 35 people singing today. After the meeting the Branch President asked me if there were people not from our ward singing in the choir today because we had so many in the choir but the chapel was quite full as well. We had a lot of visitors today. Summer is here and it lends itself to having family visit the missionaries. I was so proud of the choir. They always respond so well and express their love of the music. It is a real pleasure for me to be able to direct them.

I decided to record a story that was shared in our devotional last week. I was very touched by this story, perhaps it will touch someone else too. It supports my belief that there are no accidents in life...
The following event took place in a ward in Salt Lake City in 1974. It occurred during sacrament meeting and was told to me by a regional representative of the Twelve who was in the meeting.
A young man, just before leaving on his mission, stood in sacrament meeting and bore, in essence, the following testimony: "Brothers and sisters, as you know, during the past few weeks I have been awaiting my mission call. During the time I was waiting, I had a dream. I knew it was not an ordinary dream. I dreamed I was in the pre-existence and was awaiting my call to come to earth. I was filled with the same excitement and anticipation that I had before I received my mission call. In my dream, I was talking to a friend. He was a dear friend, and I felt a special closeness to him, even though I've never met him in this life. As we talked, a messenger came and gave me a letter. I knew it was my call to go to earth. In great excitement my friend and I opened the letter. I gave it to him to read it aloud to me. The letter said:
'You have been called to earth in a special time and to a special land. You will be born into the true church, and you will have the priesthood of God in your home. You will be raised with many advantages and many blessings. You will be born in a land of plenty....a land of freedom. You will go to earth in the United States of America.'
My friend and I rejoiced as we read my call,and while we rejoiced, the messenger returned. This time he had a letter for my friend. We knew it was his call to earth. My friend gave me the letter to read out loud. The letter said:
'You have been called to go to earth in circumstances of poverty and strife. You will not be raised in the true church. Many hardships will attend your life. Your land will be fraught with political and social difficulties which will hinder the work of the Lord. You will be born in Costa Rica.'
We wept, my friend and I as we read his call and my friend looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, 'When we are down on earth, you in your choice land and me in Costa Rica, my friend, please come and find me.'"
Then this young missionary, with tears in his own eyes said, "Brothers and Sisters, I have received my mission call. I am going to Costa Rica."

There is more to this story. About a year after this sacrament meeting, the Bishop of this ward received a letter from the missionary in Costa Rica. The letter had one sheet of paper in it, and on that sheet, written in inch-high letters were four words..."I found my friend"
(---from the journal of Floyd Hill)

There are many who would say this is just a nice story, but I know that these events happen. There are so many similar happenings all around the world as the gospel is taught, as family history work is done, as sacred ordinances are performed. I know that we are doing a great work and than there is a higher hand in it all. We are guided and directed and if we stay close enough we can have the promptings and confirmations that tell us that we are not alone in the work, that we made promises before we came to the earth that we must keep, that there are members of our family who will help us get through this life with our missions accomplished if we will stay close enough to the Savior. I love this work. I love being here and feeling the spirit of this place where miracles happen every day.

Here are pictures from today of the cabin vegetable and herb garden. My how it has grown. Tonight's sunset was also sweet. Enjoy!

Look at those carrots coming up!