Mumford's N.Y. Manhattan Temple Mission: July "endings"

Birthplace of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Sharon,VT

L to R-- Sister Claudia Mumford, Elder Glade Mumford ( both serving as Site Missonaries there)

And E Mumford and Sister Mumford

Our group--

Back row- E Mumford, Elder Richard Holloway,

Front row- S Mumford, Sister Claudia Mumford, Elder Glade Mumford, and Sister Elaine Holloway

Inside the front door of the Sharon, VT Visitor's Center

How did we get to the first of August already?? The time on our Mission seems to be "flying by"--BUT the "time" away from family goes "oh so slowly"😘!! I think we need some "visitors"! The last part of July has been quite eventful. The New York Manhattan Temple has closed for it's "summer maintenance"--from July 25-Aug 8 so the week before the Temple closed (July 16-23) was a busy one. Nothing like a "deadline" to get us humans in gear, right? We even saw fuller sessions on our evening shift and that was so wonderful! I think we set "records" with the amount of Baptistry laundry we got finished between 8:00 pm and 10:30 pm when we were supposed to close. It's so true--many hands (and extra washers and dryers😜) make light work!! So the Temple closed on July 25th--for everyone but the Temple Missionaries and Pres and Sister Bennion. We all met at the Temple at
8:30 am to "clean" the Temple before the "cleaning team" arrived on Tuesday, July 26th. There are
many "tedious jobs" that need special attention and detail that are best done before the major cleaning and that's what we did. And we all worked hard and actually finished a tad bit early from the
estimated 12:30 pm finish. (With the help of "overachievers" (Wilson, Lewis', Thompson😜). But
was great to work/serve with such a capable crew!! Then we spent the rest of that P-day--doing just
that--Preparing for the 1st part of our Temple "break"--a trip to Cape Cod area of MA, Sharon, VT ( Joseph Smith's Birthplace Visitor's Center) and Boston, MA. As we began our planning back in June--it became evident that it would be cheaper to rent a car "outside of NYC"--so we made arrangements to travel from here to Boston on Amtrack and pick up our car there. We left early
Tuesday morning, July 27th from Penn Station (in NYC) to go to Boston. We either didn't "realize" or it cost more for the Express train--but we had the "milk route" train that included 6 or 7 stops. M But we were comfortable ( except for the temps--ice cold to icy cold--in our "quiet car"-- no talking except by whisper and no cell phones!) But we made it in close to 4 hours and "we" didn't have to fight traffic.

Sister Mumford exiting the Amtrack train in Boston

A "hot job" on a beach at Cape Cod

Welcome to the Red Horse Inn

Our "quaint" cottage in The Cape Cod area

Below are some of the sites around Falmouth, MA aka "Cape Cod area"

This was our "room" !!

Breakfast in "The Barn" at the Red Horse Inn

E & S Mumford On "the beach" in Falmouth, MA

I could have stayed an extra "day" or two in the Cape Cod area, it was very relaxing and "beckoned to me". But we had more "miles to go before we slept" so we were OFF TO SHARON, VT. . .

In front of the Monument to Joseph Smith

Inside the Visitor's Center in the "Room of the Prophets"

In the woods behind the Visitor's center--where the Solomon Mack family farm was located

"Stone bridge" on the Farm

At Sharon, VT, the Birthplace of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr.

Site of the home of Solomon Mack ( father of Lucy Mack Smith, mother of the Prophet Joseph Smith

Our group in front of the monument dedicated to the Prophet Joseph Smith

Elder and Sister Mumford at the base of the Monument

It was such a lovely place to be and to have such a wonderful "tour" led by E

Mumford's cousin, Elder Glade Mumford--we are so glad we traveled there. We got to spend the night with them at their Missionary apartment and share a little "catching up" on our families' news and the work of missionaries.We left there on Aug 28th and headed to pick up our "fellow travelers-the Holloways (who stayed the night in White River, VT) and then on

to our next stop --BOSTON!