Week Ending December 8, 2012

Sunday I had awakened thinking about my seminary students and how concerned I am about them because they don’t have all the programs of the church. I read a talk by Pres. Monson was seeing others as they can become. I had a feeling some of these inactive brethren could be called to lead the young men. It seemed like there was hardly anyone at the church for the meetings. One of the couples for the temple prep class had to go to work and the other one didn’t come so we didn’t have class. The young man we have been teaching came with his parents—that was good.

 The Relief Society lesson was short, so we went to the kitchen to get the meal going. We had probably 40 people and we had food for 80, but it was a good group. I always enjoy the visiting. After it was over the extra food seemed to disappear with the people. Ted and another brother gave a sister a blessing.

I visited with the mother of some of my students. She told me her kids are learning in my class. She apologized for them because they don’t all read the scriptures. Her kids are good kids, so they get the message, but they would do so much better with a little effort. In the evening we went to the stake center for the First Presidency Fireside. It was excellent—a great way to begin the Christmas season.

Just as we were getting ready to go to bed we had a call from our sweet grandma. Her husband had been diagnosed with double pneumonia. She asked Ted to come give him a blessing. Ted called Brother Joe and they went over. The man was very agitated because he needed to deliver his truck load by Monday. He was very ill, but he couldn’t rest. After the blessing he calmed down immediately and was able to sleep all through the night.

Monday, just as we were getting ready, we had a knock on the door. Ted answered and there were two people there. The man identified himself as the man we had met at the supermarket several weeks ago. He and his girl friend asked for blessings for themselves and a blessing on her house. Something was disturbing her sleep. We visited with them and Ted gave them each a blessing. Around noon they left and we arranged to come to her home later. She has a pink hogan that was very impressive. It was 2200 square feet with a large central room surrounded by 3 bedrooms, a bathroom, laundry room, work area, sitting area, and kitchen with eating area. It was beautiful and very well decorated. It wasn’t quite finished, but it was the nicest home I’ve seen on the Res. Apparently, the only requirements for a hogan are that they are eight-sided and the door faces east to welcome the morning.

After we visited a bit Ted blessed the house. We visited a little more then left. There was a very good spirit both when they were blessed in our home and when the blessings were offered at their home. They are really good people and can make a great contribution to the church.

Tuesday we had a call from the Relief Society president asking me to go visiting with her on Wednesday. She had received a call telling her a good friend was in the hospital under hospice care and was asking for her. I suggested we go today, but she thought Wednesday would be soon enough. While I was getting ready she called back to say we needed to go today as they did not expect her to make it until tomorrow. I suggested Ted go with us and offer to give a blessing and she agreed. She arrived soon and we drove to the hospital. The family was gathered there and we met them and offered our condolences. Ted offered to give the sister a blessing and her son agreed. Ted explained to the family members what he would be doing then he gave her a blessing, telling her to be at peace and know Heavenly Father loved her and would welcome her home. We stayed a few more minutes then left, again expressing our love and concern for the family.

The RS president was very subdued and felling a great loss. When she first moved to this area she had just lost a baby and her house had burned down. She drove around the area and felt led to the house of this lady and her sisters. They took her in and gave her comfort for several weeks until she was able to move on with her life. She has been close to the family for many years.

Wednesday we studied most of the day. The light in the living room was broken. When they took it down to fix it they commented we were lucky it hadn’t caught fire. That was reassuring. They put new wiring in it and got it to work again. In the afternoon we taught a young man about the Restoration. He was very receptive. He said he had been reading and praying. His mom had given him Gospel Principles so he had been reading that. We encouraged him to read the Book of Mormon and continue to pray. He has a good spirit about him. He never asks any questions, but I know he is getting what we tell him.

Thursday I studied most of the day. I am having a difficult time organizing the lesson for this week. We are starting the Gospel of John and it is quite different than the other gospels. I am struggling with it.

We had a couple of concerts to attend in the evening for two of my seminary students. We went early to look at Earl’s Restaurant for gifts. When we pulled into Earl’s, a lady asked Ted about church. She and her daughter had left Albuquerque suddenly the night before and were staying with her father in a hogan without heat or running water. She was looking for a place to stay and a job. She said she usually just makes the jewelry as a side business but right now that is all she has. We meet interesting people.

We were able to make it to both concerts—one at 6:30 and the other at 7, about 3 miles apart. There were a few girls in real native dress so that was fun to see. I know the Lord blessed us to be able to attend both concerts—I was grateful for that.

Friday we called on a young man we missed last week. He had not read anything or given much thought to what we had said. We asked if he was interested in what we had to say and he was pretty non-committal, but when we asked if he wanted us to come back and tell him more he wanted to make an appointment. We challenged him to read in the Book of Mormon and to pray to ask God if He exists. We’ll go back in two weeks. After all, the medicine man told him to find a religion. We did some grocery shopping on the way to Toh-la-kai. Two of my students did not come, but there was good participation with those that came. We are moving to 5:30 PM starting next week, which we are looking forward to.

Saturday after seminary we went shopping for some Christmas gifts. We went to a craft fair in Rehoboth that had some beautiful, but expensive, things. We met a lady in the church who was selling beautiful jewelry and another lady who said her daughter was coming home so we invited her to come to institute. From there we went to the flea market. They sold everything there—even puppies. It was cold and really dusty. When we got home we boxed everything up to send. We were tired, but had enjoyed the day.