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Show Tuesday, April 4, 1995 2A Emery County Progress COUNTRY LIVING Divine ranchin By Hazel Owens Guest writer Welcome to Emery County, and especially to Ferron, Joe and Pam Kuefler. You have made a lot of people happy since you moved to Ferron, Utah, almost a year ago with your four lovely children and your many horses. At first, I wondered about the horses- - why would a Pastor for The First Baptist Church of Emery County have 25 or 30 beautiful horses? I thought that he just loved horses as my husband. Bob, has loved horses all of his life. Although Bob doesn't ride any more, he still has a few horses. Now, amazingly, some ofBob's horses were kept for the very same reasons that Pastor Kuefler kept horses for 15 years, and still felt the need for them when he became a Pastor in Ferron. It was just recently, when I interviewed Pastor Kuefler at his ranch two miles southeast of Ferron, and actually saw what was happening out there that I understood what fine things were in store for our area: for Emery County, especially for young people, and for the entire family. Bob was with us as we looked over the ranch and listened to the plans. We also met Joes partner, Bob Toomer and his charming, talented wife, Penny who plays the piano at their church. (They hadn't had a pianist for three years... what a joy to their singing group.) Bob Owens, always the stock-ma- n and rancher as well as retired undersheriff from Las Vegas, had much in common with this new young Baptist Minister- - not just their love of good horses, but how the training of horses and the interaction of horses and youth they had worked with over the years seemed to follow a similar pattern. I could also understand and truly appreciate why pas- tor Kuefler had printed at the bottom of his personal stationary the words, "Always willing to talk about the Gospel of Jesus or good horses." There are times when interviewing people for the Country Living articles that only their words can truly tell their story. Once again I would like to quote, as I have done before, perhaps adding a comment occasionally when I feel so impressed. "Since accepting Jesus Christ as my personal Savior over 15 years ago, horses have played a major role in my ministry. "After Bible College training, the Lord led me to a youth camping ministry. Camp in the Mojave Desert of California. While here, our first son Jonathan age nine, was Iron-woo- ATTENTION Persons with Allergies Asthma Brent R. Burdett, M.D. & & Asthma Clinic Comes to Price, Utah on a regular basis for the diagnosis end treatment of allergic diseases. He 590 E. sees patients at 1st No., 5, Price, For an appointment further information call If Ut. 84501 . 9o0,O0o5 you have questions regarding your need to see a specialist, please consult your own physician. - . to born in Bar stow in 1985 as well as our first daughter, Sierra age seven in 1988. "For over seven years there I worked with, helped develop, and received much training in using horses as a tool to work miM writh young people. "It was there, during those years, that I believe God began to give my life direction. It seemed the more I learned about the Bible, the more I understood horse training principles, and the more I trained horses, the more understanding I gained of Bible principles. God has used this, coupled with exposure to literally thousands ofyoung people over the years of youth camping ministries, to develop a unique life's ministry of utilizing horses to help people understand the principles of God's dealings with us in our own personal lives. "I had the opportunity to relay some of these principles to last year's graduating class of Emery High School at their baccalaureate service. (While Pastor Kuefler was speaking, I could just see the horses going round and round in the circular corral, and what happened when the pressure was released. Bob was nodding- - he understood perfectly what the Pastor was indicating, and I understood too!) "In the spring of 1989 we moved from Camp Ironwood to Redmond, Utah, to direct camp Utibaca, a Christian camping ministry located near Ephraim Canyon in the Manti-LaSMountains. During the five years that we directed and helped to develop that camping ministry, we also networked with several other ministries, hauling our horses to thelndian Reservations of Arizona and New Mexico, Montana and back to California. "While we were in Redmond, our little Kathryn was bom in 1990 and in 1992 came our baby Joseph, now a very busy . "Having filled the role as youth pastor for three different churches, combined with 13 years in the youth camping ministry, I've become increasingly aware of the challenges r c;vi'.fl SO asked Pastor Kuefler the meaning of youth pastor and he explained that "pastor" also means "shepherd.") Pastor Kuefler then continued, "In the last few years my wife and I have been continually involved in family coun- today ." (I Carpal, Labor, Salat Tax Included Cash Discount $8o Cash Discount f $0010 mm d- Multicolor sculpture ONLY $16.00 yd. Cash ADDITIONAL COST - Completely I natal ad RUMBA NEVER CINDERELLA POND For Standard Installation at Sculptured Plush .MORTENSEN'S QUALITY $14.40 int yd. Completely Inttailad COPPER GLOBE 4 colore to chooaa from Cash Discount 10 V v- - w - that young people are facing Only $26.00 yd. 15 - -- i t I'v - ''' Vf- '' 5 - - Wagonwood Park colon to chooa from. f ,r v Solution dyad $9.00 yd. 10 'i i V'fr. - ' f ONLY Tight, hard twiatad, multi or plain color pluth. , . . NYLON : if? v 1 1. f cX . riN'STOCKTCARPETSl KIMBALL DRAW Pam and Pastor Joseph Kuefler. Photos by Hazel Owens The Kuefler family, left to right: Kathryn (4), Sierra (7), Jonathan (9), baby Joseph, wife al Board Certified Allergist From Intermountain Allergy d, ' f x y rf . it seling and God has burdened us (guided us) to deal with training entire families. About the first of last year, 1994, God called us to Ferron to pastor The First Baptist Church of Emery County. This has been another tremendous year for us as we are now able to pastor and train entire families with biblical principles. "We can now begin to see what all of the last 15 years have been about as they have prepared us for the ministry here. "God has supplied property, tremendous horses, saddles, vehicles and other equipment to facilitate this type of total people ministry. "The Ranch, as our people call it, is located out on Dutch Flat Road two miles southeast of Ferron. Here we are creating a place for people to enjoy fellowship, time with their families, a time-ou- t place to relax or values... or whatever else it can be used for to help the people of this unique and special community. ish "We are trying to integrate as much of the history and heritage of the area as we can into the planning and development of the ranch. Wagon Wood Park, j ust inside the front gate, is already scheduled for much activity this summer." (This park is named for the very last stand of ash trees originally planted to provide wood to build and repair wagons and wagon wheels for the early settlers.) "The string of saddle horses has been kept busy most Saturdays with the nice open winter weve enjoyed out there, and we hope to soon have our team of draft mares working and offering hay rides. Were having a chuck wagon built to facilitate and dutch oven dinners. "The list of plans goes on and will be available as the Lord enables us. There is to be a bar-b-qu- es Christian Cowboy Poetry gathering scheduled for Saturday, June 24. There will be activities there throughout the (Continued on Page 2B) CANYON VIEW STUDENTS OF THE WEEK Ty Wakefield, Tim Justice, James Rohde & Nancy Jensen have been chosen as Canyon View Junior High School's students of the week Ty Wakefield, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lond Wakefield, has participated on Canyon Views football and basketball teams. He I -- umI. J- u II I .Itn'M W "pMK H-- H- I1 ! . r rr- . ! p- I I I - . r 1 1- - also enjoys playing baseball and golf. Ty plans to enter the field of sports medicine. Tim Justice is the son of Mark and Kathy Justice of Huntington. His interests include all sport activities. He enjoys school, his friends and teachers. Tim is a leader and has a talent in bringing out the best in others. James Rohde is a wonderful kid. We are very proud of him. His plans for the future are to go to college. His interests and hobbies are hunting, riding his motorcycle and exploring. Nancy Jensen has a lot of good qualities. She loves to make people laugh. She likes to be active and is full of excitement. She is a hard worker, but sometimes likes to kick back. When she is older she would like to work in the medical field. Sponsored by Canyon View Junior High V |