100th Reunion

Sunday we had the elders over for dinner.  That is our home away from home in the background.

Sunday, after taking the missionaries home from dinner, we stopped at another set of missionaries apartment.  They had some problems at their apartment that we helped with.

Monday and Tuesday we moved some sisters into a new apartment.

Some of our sister's while moving.

"It's no stretch to say that a person has a serious advantage in life if they come from a loving, supportive home. Many people still succeed though they come from less-than-ideal family situations, but having our basic needs met, knowing that our parents love us and learning life lessons at home make all the challenges of day-to-day living that much easier to face. Likely, as an adult you want a happy home for your family."  Mormon.org

As Senior missionaries, we are able to take a short time off for special occasions.  On Wednesday, Elder McOmber and I were able to fly to Upstate New York to go to my family's 100th Bailey Reunion.  We met up with my brother, Bill in Chicago and got to Cindy's in the evening.  It is an all day ordeal to fly across country.

We were able to drive past sights on the way to Cindy and Steve's home.  This is the high school I graduated from.
 

We were able to visit the NY Bailey homestead and chat with Aunt Carol.

Looking across the valley in from of the homestead in NY.  We have enjoyed watching the deer. I have many memories from growing up here.

David  and Cindy.  David's old home is looking real good.  I love the old architecture in this part of NY state. (Near Palmyra).

David's home

This is the place that the home I grew up in used to be.  The Weeping willow trees in the background are ones that my dad planted by sticking sticks in the ground.  They are huge now.

This is the Free Methodist Church that I attended as a child.  I am a convert.  I joined the LDS church when I was 22.  I got a great education in the the Bible here.  We lived next doors.  Mom would dress us up and send us to church.  She rarely went.  I am thankful for the education I received here.

Cindy, Bill and myself at our Great grandparents grave site(on my mother's side-Curtiss). This is in Port Byron, NY, Pinehill cemetery.   I remember 2 sets of my great grandparents.

My parents grave site.

Hailey.  She wishes I brought the cousins.

Steve is a Wayne County Sheriff.  We are sleeping in Cindy and Steve's motor home.  This is also Cindy's new car.

There are many Amish in the neighborhood.  They have many horse drawn carts that drive past their home.

Saturday we were able to go through a museum of Bradford County, Pennsylvania where the Bailey family lived for a few generations.

Great grandma and grandpa Parmenter's home.  I remember the geese chasing me around this home.  Us kids slept in the bedroom at the top of the stairs from the kitchen(back window).  I can still smell the bacon cooking as we cuddled under the homemade quilts.

Uncle Floyd and Aunt Carol.  We loved listening to their stories.  We visited 3 cemeteries in Pennsylvania.

This is the Bailey homestead. My Great Grandpa Nathan Bailey came home from the Civil War to this home.  He had been a POW, had walked home from Virginia and his wife would not let him into the house as they did not recognize him.

This is the grave site of Alvin and Julia Bailey-who first started the family reunion 100 years ago.  I don't remember this cemetery.  Someplace I would like to come back to later.  We would like to do some rubbings.

Becky and Hailey.  We had to play games in honor of my parents, Harlan and Shirley Bailey.

"Today we have our Reunion.  Yesterday was just a fun day of visiting cemeteries.  This is a fun visit and we are proud to wear our name badges, representing Jesus Christ.  We are the only members of our church in our family.  (except for one distant cousin). 

This is no coincidence. God organizes us into families so that we can grow up in happiness and safety, and so that we can learn to love others selflessly—the key to true joy. Within the family is the best place to learn to love others the way Heavenly Father loves each one of us.
God's Church exists to help families gain eternal blessings. We believe the greatest blessing He gives us is the ability to return to live with Him in heaven with our families. We follow our Heavenly Father's will because that is how we earn this blessing."  Mormon.org