Week Ending January 26, 2013

The people have a habit of coming late--"Navajo Time" they call it. There were only 19 people there when the service started Sunday, but there were almost twice that many as the meeting wore on. We had the last temple prep lesson for one man. He has been staying for all three meetings in the block which is huge progress. He is a good man. We will go to one couple’s house on Tuesday to do a make-up lesson. It seems we do more make-ups than regular lessons. The other couple was not there. 

I taught in Relief Society. I felt that I was prepared, but the lesson seemed flat. After I finished the president shared her feelings and did more in five minutes than I had done during the entire lesson. I was very touched by her testimony. Afterward we discussed the Relief Society night meeting. It was moved to the week of Valentine’s so we could have a branch party. Those of us that had been working on a branch party talked with her to offer our help and we will abandon our efforts to have a separate party. That is the way it is supposed to work—she just had more faith than I did.

Our neighbor Barbara is moving to Georgia and has been packing her truck for over a week. It was parked right in front of our window. She was in the last stages. I watched her try to get a couple of boxes up on the top level of the piles in the truck while balancing on the ledge. I felt like we should go help her. When she came out to put the car on the trailer she was having some difficulty. I put on my boots and went to see if I could help. The instructions were not clear and she was having trouble with the trailer hitch. It had come loose when she drove the car on the trailer, so it wasn’t locked properly. It took a while, but between the two of us we finally got it to hook up right. She had to move her truck a smidge a couple of times and it finally lined up. She used a crowbar to move the trailer the bit it needed to. She is one gutsy woman.

Then I helped her put the chain on the back of the car to keep it on the trailer. I didn’t do anything, but I suggested a couple of different ways to do it until she found one that seemed to work well. She wanted to leave, so I wished her well and left her to finish packing the car so she could leave. About half an hour later she knocked at our door. She had a small pin made of beads that she had made. She wanted to give it to me as a thank you gift for the help I’d given. I think I mainly gave her support and that might be what she needed most. She’s a sweet lady and she has a long road ahead. I pray God will help her.

Pin from our neighbor

It was a beautiful day. The temperature got up to about 60 degrees. Yesterday at the temple I left my coat in the car. I complain when it is cold, but I don’t give thanks for the wonderful days we have. It has been beautiful the last couple of days and it makes the cold nights bearable. I am grateful for that.

Tuesday we visited our sweet grandma. We challenged her to hold a home evening with her family and commit all of them to getting ready to attend the temple and be sealed. She would really like that, but she is the only one that can make it happen. We told her it is time to put things behind her and not let them keep her and her family from returning to Heavenly Father. She was in some pain—she and her granddaughter had hauled dirt to fill in some of the holes in their driveway. Ted gave her a blessing before we left.

I studied most of the day. The next lesson is on the Crucifixion and Resurrection. There is so much that can be said and so little that should need to be said. I really hope all the students can grasp the importance of these events in their lives. I also need to give a basic assessment to the students. I think I will give it this week.

In the evening we taught the makeup lesson in the temple prep classes. The parents were the only ones home and it was good to have the discussion with just them. This will complete the series for them. I offered the idea that we could go with them. They have already been through the temple, but I think they may be more comfortable with someone beside them. Since their daughter will be going on a mission fairly soon, they need to move ahead.

Wednesday when I turned on the shower black water came out. It quickly turned to gray and then was clear within about 30 seconds, but it didn’t give me a really comfortable feeling about washing in it. I’m not sure what the next problem we’ll have with the shower will be, but I really can’t wait to see.

I went visiting with the Relief Society president. We spent our time with a lady in the branch. She is having spells of confusion and disorientation that are of a concern to her. Her mom is also having some issues. They are both discussing their funeral plans. That was sort of sad.

After we left their home the president invited Ted and me to go to lunch with her at Denny’s. We called Ted and he met us there. We enjoyed a good visit. I showed her how to make the frilly scarves—easy. She is such a sweet lady and has such a good spirit about her.

In the afternoon I studied some more. Our appointment cancelled because the husband wasn’t going to be home. They are trying to move into the apartment next door to us that our neighbor just moved out of. They said there was about $2000 worth of work needed to get it in shape. In the evening we went to visit a lady in the branch. When we got there she was out doing her laundry. Her mom was home so we visited with her until the lady got home. We visited for a while and she asked us to come every week to read scriptures with them. Her oldest daughter is almost 8 and would like to get baptized soon. She lives with her grandparents. Her grandpa had a stroke recently and just came home from the hospital. Ted offered to give him a blessing. After he had finished the blessing and we were on our way out, I asked the mom if she would like a blessing. She is struggling with finding a job and getting back to her husband in Phoenix where he is also looking for a job. She was receptive to that so Ted gave her a blessing as well. There was a good spirit while we were there and I am very impressed with the lady. She works two jobs and is going to school to be a legal assistant and eventually a lawyer.

Thursday I studied and prepared for talking with a young man in the branch. We spent some time coming up with a list of several questions to ask to determine where he is and what his needs are so we can be of more help for him. At his home in the afternoon we explained that we had been coming for quite some time and needed to know how we could best help him. We suggested that we could continue to share our thoughts and important scriptures with him and he thought that was a good idea. We talked to him about several principles and he indicated his testimony had grown a great deal while we had been coming. We seemed to have a good connection. I asked him to turn to Moroni 10 and we read the entire chapter. I stressed that each of us is given gifts so all can be benefitted as we share and serve each other. We also discussed the promise of Moroni and his invitation to come to Christ and then his last testimony. There was a really strong spirit as we read and I know he had felt a strong witness of the book. I have rarely felt such a strong witness of the spirit. It was an amazing experience. After we were finished I shared my testimony then we had a closing prayer. When we asked if he would like us to come next week, he said “no”. It really surprised me and I didn’t know quite what to say. We thanked him and left.

When we arrived at institute it was starting to rain. We were early, so it gave us a chance to set up our new room. When the time came to start, we had only one student. I went to the old room in case anyone went to the wrong place. When I returned to the room we had 5 students besides the missionaries—our largest crowd ever. We had a good lesson on the lost sheep, lost coin, and prodigal son. It went well. Only two students stayed for games, but we had a good time playing Farkle. As we headed home we were surprised to see that the temperature in the car displayed at 44 degrees. I hadn’t realized it was that warm. It is starting to get muddy again as the ground thaws.

Sunrise in Fort Wingate

Friday we walked to the church to exercise. It was warm enough that the ground was soft and a bit squishy. We had a tricky time on the way home and had to walk at the side of the road. It had rained during the night and was a bit wet off and on during the day. I planned to do a basic gospel assessment in seminary, so I made some cinnamon rolls for the kids. As it happened, I had only three students. I had asked a student to be class president last week. This week he told me he didn’t want to do it. He said he has been president in several classes and does a good job, but he doesn’t really want the responsibility. I asked him to think about it and let me know next week.

On the way home we stopped at Little Caesar’s to get pizza. We ate a couple of slices in the parking lot while it was hot, then drove home to finish. The place was really busy. It’s amazing to me that with so few places to shop in town there are tons of fast food and eating places. It is crazy that so many people eat out so much of the time.

Saturday we did assessments at seminary. I had six of my students there. One student had returned from a band practice in time to be there. That impressed me. And everyone was there for the beginning—I believe that has only happened once before. The assessment took most of the students the full hour. A couple finished early and had to wait for parents.

The stake was having a youth activity right after seminary. Because of the rain they had moved it from McGaffey (up the road from our building) into our building. There was also a big rain storm expected later in the day they wanted to avoid. I encouraged my students to stay, but I think the only two did.

 

At home I spent the day mending some furry slippers I have. I patched the soles so they could be used again. They should be warmer than what I’ve been wearing. It rained off and on during the day and I was really glad we were inside.