YEE-HAW!! THE MARRIOTT BARBECUE

We were invited again this year to attend the Marriott Western Family Picnic. It was held on Sept 11, 2010. This is an event sponsored by the church and organized by the office of International Relations for the church. Sis. Ann Santini is the director of this office. The purpose of the office is for building relationships with Ambassadors which leads to opening missions all over the world. Most of the functions are very formal. But this picnic is aimed at having the families of the Ambassadors come and enjoy an old fashioned American Western barbecue.

Each year they invite us to host a specific Ambassador and his family. This year we were asked to host South Africas Ambassador. They were a beautiful family with one young son.

Another thing they ask of us is to bring some of our cowboy missionaries to teach roping to the families. We have a number of missionaries who are from ranches and know how to rope. This year we had 4 Elders come: Elders Williams, our assistant who is rodeo champ at Cattle cutting, knows how to rope really well. We also had Elder Shupe who is a rodeo bull rider. Elders Lawson and Lee also came to help.

Jay Jensen, in the Presidency of the Quorum of the 70 was there and met the elders. They have all kinds of fun activities which our granddaughter Dakota loved. The drive to the ranch is absolutely beautiful.

The Marriott Ranch Sign

Our 4 Cowboys-- Elders Lawson, Lee, Williams, and Shupe
Elders Williams and Lee with Elder Jay Jensen and his wife
Ashlee, Dakota and I on a old fashioned covered wagon.
Jay Jensen speaking.
The South African Ambassador at the lunch table
The Washington DC Mormon Orchestra performed Western music

DakotaAccomplished artists to pictures. This is the wife of the Ambassador
Teaching a little boy to rope
Roping barrels
Arts and crafts
More roping


A wagon ride behind miniture horses.
The big tent. This was before the event started
Dakota is having a great time
Elders Shupe and Lawson with their ropes

Ashlee tries roping

Showing me the tiny horses.


The cows on the ranch. Dakota wanted to walk right up to them.
Part of the Marriott Ranch
More of the ranch
The entrance with this old rock fence that goes forever around the property.

The old rock wall
Both years we have seen this incredible sight. Richard Marriott rides his bike from Dulles airport to the ranch on the morning of the rodeo. This is about 45 miles. No wonder the Marriott are successful. Great Examples.

Beautiful farms on the drive to the ranch