Week Ending April 6, 2013

Easter Sunday was a beautiful day. We had a good crowd at church, about 55 when they were all there. After Sunday School we had our Youth Conference class. After meetings we home taught a lady at the church. The branch is just starting home teaching. We had a good visit with her. Another lady was supposed to let us teach her, but we went too long and she had to go. We went to her home later in the evening and met her daughter and grandchildren.

Monday I spent time putting things together for those who will substitute for me while I’m away in two weeks. I put together the handouts and videos I would like them to use. I also spent time typing my notes from when I taught the lesson before for Toh-la-kai since they always get the lesson 4 weeks after Ft. Wingate. I spent a lot of time cleaning. It’s nice that our home is so small so it doesn’t take a full production to clean it.

Tuesday I spent a lot of time ready the instructor’s manual for seminary and also the institute manual which always offers a lot of good quotes and insights. I have found with Paul’s letters that it helps to read the manuals first so I’m more aware of what he is teaching when I read the scriptures. It has helped to take this approach.

We have had amazing weather the last few days with highs in the 70s. Just to keep us on our toes, today it snowed. It only lasted for about 45 minutes, but it was strange. The temperature was actually 45 so it did not make sense that it was snowing. It was very light and melted on the sidewalk, but it stuck to the ground in a few places.

Wednesday the temperature was below freezing when we got up. Ted had to scrape the windshield when we went to exercise—something he hasn’t had to do for a few weeks. I spent quite a bit of time reading manuals and scriptures. In the evening we went to read with a family. The mom is really intent on learning the gospel. There is a good spirit in their home, so I know the Lord wants to bless her. The daughter told us she is getting baptized on the 20^th. She is really excited.

We headed to seminary and found the building was full of men cleaning carpets and floors. We had to redo the room for seminary, so we set about doing that. When it was time to start no one was there. I called one mom to see if they were coming and she had forgotten about it. I was trying to text the other family when they walked in the door. The lesson went well, but it would have been nicer to have more people there because of the activities I was including in the lesson. I have learned that I need to be very flexible. When the manual suggests group activities, we usually end up doing things in either ones or twos. This activity was supposed to be 5 groups. It turned out that I assigned each of the three students a chapter in Romans, gave one to Ted when he came in, and I took one. It worked out.

Thursday we weren’t able to reach the people we’d planned to visit so we worked at home in the morning. We went to the Iyanbito Senior Center at lunch time and visited with people there, mainly a lady from the branch. She was working on a puzzle when we got there, so I went over to help. There were several pieces missing and several that didn’t belong in that puzzle. I told her it would be better to throw it away and get a new one. She told me they couldn’t throw it away because it was donated. I told her it was not donated to me so I just might throw it away and donate a new one. She said it is good for the mind to work on puzzles that way because you have to really think about it. Interesting thought.

She also had some beadwork necklaces she showed us. They were like beaded medallions with charms hanging on the front. They are very pretty. We got one that had a man on a horse (end of the trail) on the front. She told Ted he could wear it as well as me. I think that’s a little odd, but the men do wear heavy necklaces here. The lady we were with bought a couple from her as well. She gave us a discounted price. I don’t think it was as discounted as some I’ve seen, but I like to support the people here in their efforts.

Lunch was ribs of some kind. It tasted pretty good to me and we enjoyed the visit. We sat at a table with a lady that couldn’t speak English so we just visited with each other and responded to her hand signals, but it was good. Our friend thought she was trying to ask for our empty bones to take home but it turned out she wanted the barbecue sauce.

I arranged to hold another seminary class this evening because the family had forgotten about the one last night. I wish I could get all the kids together again and just teach once, but I would rather do this than have the kids totally out of the program. Last night the missionaries also told me that they are supposed to teach a missionary lesson to all the seminary students. They were going to substitute for me while I was gone, so that would be the perfect time for them to do that. I’m happy about that because I really wanted to teach Ephesians and that’s where we would be that week. I hope next school year is a little smoother about changes and scheduling.

Friday I made bread and cookies. I had wanted to make bread for us for a while, but we always had some so it didn’t make sense. I made a loaf to take to a family this evening so I just kept one for us. I spent most of the day finishing my lesson for seminary tomorrow. I knew which parts I wanted to emphasize, but I needed to figure out how much time to give each one and how to fit it together.

Baking bread and cookies--yummy!

In the evening we had seminary at Toh-la-kai. All four of my students came and they were only 10 minutes late so we were able to get the lesson in. I thought it went well. One of my students had something going on behind his scripture cover so I asked him to put it on another desk. Other than that I think it went OK. Two of my students told me they wouldn’t be here next week—nice to find out in advance. The other two said they weren’t sure since it’s Spring Break. I told them to please let me know before Friday if they weren’t going to be coming. I told them, “If I find myself next Friday standing here in this room all by myself, I will be very sad.”

I also told the ladies who had agreed to substitute that the elders needed to teach a lesson and that would work well while we’re away. I thanked them for their willingness. One was a bit relieved about it, I think, but the other told me she really enjoys doing things like that and would be happy to do it any time I needed her. I wish I had brought all my materials for the lesson with me and I would have had her do it anyway.

Saturday after seminary we dropped our stuff at home and drove to the stake center for General Conference. The speakers were good. I felt rather sad to see how weak Pres. Boyd Packer is. 

Flea Market--Wheels

 

Flea Market--saddles

Flea Market--tires of every kind

During the break between sessions Ted and I went to the Flea Market. (You can get almost anything at the Flea Market.) I got some Fry Bread and enjoyed it, but it is definitely tricky to eat while walking around. We were looking for blankets to match the pillowcases we’d been given at Christmas. The vendor who carried the blanket only had small child-size blankets in the pattern we were looking for. He told us to go by their store where he was sure they would have some. The store was also out of the pattern we wanted but we had a good visit with the girl who worked there. She is Palestinian.

Fry Bread is good--we didn't drink coffee

After conference was over I came home and left Ted to stay for Priesthood Meeting. Afterward he went to eat with all the elders. I was worried because he was so late. I thought they’d forgotten him. I went home and ate dinner, and worked on my crochet project.