March 25, 2026

 

Jyllian Christensen, daughter of Kerry and Lacey Christensen, announced that she has gotten a call from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to serve as a missionary in the Indiana, Indianapolis, Mission. She will begin her Missionary Training on July 8 and will be English-speaking.  She is super excited  as her plans are now going to move forward rather quickly.  Her decision to serve came when the age for young women was lowered and it could be a reality this much quicker. 

After months of rehabilitation time in Lehi, UT, following a heart attack, Nate and Dana Olson are back home in Mink Creek. The Olsons were spending Christmas holiday time with their children in Utah when Nate was stricken. The community feels like celebrating to have them with us again

Carson and Shalayla Christensen got bit by the cruise bug that has come to several Mink Creek residents. They enjoyed the warmth of the Mexican beaches and ocean as well as the hospitality of the Mexican people.

The Elders Quorum presidency has added Matt Rhees as the new secretary. Matt replaces Danny Christensen who was recently called to be the ward missionary leader.

Danny's call was just in time to join the youth of the Mink Creek LDS Ward who participated in their BAM week. BAM stands for Becoming A Missionary and these few days gives the youth a taste of what a missionary's life is like. The kickoff was a Sunday night testimony meeting where they were assigned to their companionships and what zone they would serve in. Some of the youths were assigned the extra responsibility of being a “zone leader” and everyone learned the schedule for coming days of this event. Each morning started with a 6:30 devotional session via Zoom. The youth and leaders went to the Eccles Ice Arena in Logan, for fun, but also as an opportunity to meet strangers outside of our local circle, a necessary part of a missionary's life. The Mink Creek youths were combined with the youths of the Riverdale wards for this active week.

March 17, 2026

 Happy St. Patrick's Day.  Mother Nature is sure trying to wear green.  Weeds and spring flowers way ahead of themselves.  Can't help but wonder what will be coming up.  Saw a tractor in the field today.

Several Mink Creek residents made the trip to Boise to cheer for the Preston Indians at the Idaho State Basketball Championship tournament. Most of them have been attending the PHS games the whole season so this is just taking their enthusiasm to follow the team. It has been a great year with much thanks to Coach Jones and the team.

Richard Free managed to recover from his most recent health issue so that he and his wife, Vickie, could make a trip to the Philippines for a lengthy vacation. There was plenty of motivation involved when it came time to cancel the planned trip. The Philippines was where Richard had served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints quite some time ago and it is the first time for Elder Free to return to the lands of those years of service. According to reports he is doing very well in the warmth of the tropics and having the opportunity to rekindle many fond memories with Filipino friends.

It was a four generation celebration for the blessing and naming of Carter McKay recently. This tiny boy is the son on Andy and Brittany McKay, the grandson of Paul and Terrie McKay of Mink Creek, and the great -grandson of Layne and Karen Erickson, also of Mink Creek, all witnessing the occasion. This event took place in Preston. Carter's family history lines on his mother's side also take him back to Mink Creek with great-grandparents, Elmer and Loenza Oliverson

The snowmobile bunch are continuing making the trip to the northern canyons, postponing their closing day as long as possible. It makes one wonder how there can be enough parking areas for them and their outfits near accessible snow depth for the machines.

Marching On, March 11, 2026

 

The young men of the community and their leaders spent an evening at the wood workshop of Clare Christensen. The project for that night was to make their own wooden mission plaques. These will be finished at a future time, when each young man is called to serve as a missionary somewhere across the world and these plaques displayed in the church building while they are serving.

Jenny and Phil Christensen have retuned from a vacation in Mexico and have returned safe and sound. The recent upheaval among the drug cartels of Mexico occurred during their vacation. The Christensens managed to relax and soak up lots of southern sunshine before returning home.

The Young Women's organization attended the Legacy Branch in Preston at the Franklin County Medical Center, Transitional Care. It was fun getting to know some of the residents. There is a lot of history that comes to light with these activities. They shared a trivia game and then asked questions that allowed all ages to share memories and experiences from their lives.

The community activity night for February was a throwback to days long ago. The Activity committee dubbed it as “Silly Songs and Chili Night.” The food, obviously was potluck chili and desserts, with instruction to those attending to bring one or the other to share. No two chilis were the same, one more chance for creativity. The program consisted of any and all who were willing to come up with something along the silly line in theatrics and song. Costumes were encouraged but not necessary. This evening did not disappoint, around 15 numbers were performed. Two of them performed and then gave instructions for the audience to learn the basics. One of those was a Swedish folk song about frogs and pigs. The night was bursting with creativity and all ages could perform. There was laughter, music, and food, a perfect party.

Mother Nature is in charge and when she decides to go full-speed ahead, that is what happens. Early spring plants that wait for warmer temperatures are answering the call to rise and it is happening. This past confusing season now has green shoots popping up, totally ignoring that our calendars claim it is only March. The winds however are coming in true March-style. Warm jackets and kites can be part of the agenda.

March 4, 2026

 

Conner Iverson, youngest child of Kurt and Margret Iverson, has received his much anticipated call to serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He will be serving in the Mexico, Mexico City West Mission, Spanish-speaking. Conner will enter the home mission training on June 4 and then transfer to the MTC in Mexico City later in the month.

Jesse and Annavelynn Wilcox and their son Desmond recently returned from a cruise. Based in Florida their activities took in several items connected with the Kennedy Space Center and checking out NASSA. There were lots of fun aquatic events included and lots of learning. It was not part of the plan, but they brought home a flu bug of some sort, not intended as a souvenir. All three are now recovered we happily report.

There has been music in the air when the Young Women's group invited the Young Men group to a dancing activity to learn some line dances and cultural dances. The instructors were Greenlee Christensen and an adult leader, Jillian Iverson, both of whom have experience in the field of dance. There was a good turnout and claimed to be “one of the best” combined activities in the community for quite a while. That indicates everyone had fun and learned new things. There is nothing quite like new dance steps for one's social repertoire.

The mail has brought seed catalogs and local home greenhouses are getting ready for the approaching season. Not sure what to expect—will it be spring, or has spring sprung and maybe it will be winter. After the strange winter where it should still be snowing, any local green thumb has to feel a bit in suspension. There are rumors of crocus and early tulips, daffodils already.

It is turkey time and you need to be aware during those speedy drives through Mink Creek, on your way to get to work or wherever on time.  Those critters do like to graze near the highway.