Letter from November 29th

 November 29, 2015

Dear All,

            This has been a very unusual week.  We have of course done service but lots of unusual experiences also.  Our District ask for a service report and I estimated about 84 hours this month including cutting, chopping, splitting and delivering wood, fixing tables, toilets,  clearing weeds, hauling garbage, cutting down wild trees and bushes, helping members rip out and remodel their bathroom, cleaning chimneys and covering air vents, cleaning the church and other small things.  We also feed families and take lots of treats to families. As well as feeding the Elders on Sunday for sure.

            Two nights this week around 9:00 we are just thinking we were done and some one calls or shows up.  One night Brother Hooee needed someone to help give a blessing and the other night was good also. A 16 year less active boy that does attend Mutual

Knocked on our door.  He was coming home from school after doing some night classes.  He had no way to contact his mom and it was cold.  We live a mile and a half from the school and he lives 2 miles at least from us.  We took him home.  On the way we met his mother who was worried about him and heading to the school.  Got a good visit with the family.   They can’t give up their Zuni ways 

            We really cleaned to church this week.  We even used Magic Erasures I had – did all walls, washed curtains and much more.  These ladies love their building and are willing to work hard to keep it nice and clean. 

Funny story.  We visited an elderly Sister that has been away now came back to Zuni.  She reminded me of Grandma Gayle.  As we came in a health care provided was leaving – so we got to see her medicine and hear how she felt.  She was fun but as we were leaving she said, I am so hungry so we ask her how we could help her.  She said, “The Helena Deli “in town have really good chicken and a side salad and it goes good with the chili hot sauce to dip it in.  I told her we would go get her lunch and she said I shouldn’t have sugar but I want a coke – now Sister she said not a diet coke a real coke.  She said I told my health care giver that we have good delis here with good food.  We had a great laugh when we went to do this for her.  We may be doing that again.  Zuni has a deli (kind of) in the Giant Service Station, in another gas station and at the Holana which is the grocery store.  People line up at lunch and dinner and buy their food out.  At breakfast most of them buy their food from someone sitting in a car and selling breakfast burritos out of the window for $2.00 a piece.

            So we had a very different Thanksgiving Dinner.  We actually had 5 people invite us to dinner.  We thought we would be having the Elders to dinner until right before Thanksgiving.  When we found out we would not be we decided to go for a ride and see some of the things that are in New Mexico.  We actually stopped at McDonalds twice that Day and no turkey for us.  It was a great day anyway.  We did miss out wonderful family for sure but we did our best and enjoyed ourselves. 

            Saturday  our District was invited to the Daltons which is about 90 minutes from where we live.  They were going to watch Utah State Play BYU.  We decided to go and we all brought finger foods.  We had a good visit with some of them and ate way too much fun , yummy food.’  We stopped and got a little Christmas Tree to put the fun ornaments on that Jodi and Jeff sent us.  How fun this tree is going to be.  We will send pictures to all of you when it is finished.

            I talked in Sacrament meeting about family and gratitude.  I talked a lot about the gratitude I had for our family and what amazing people you are.  How unselfish you are and how you are trying to live good lives.   I also used the parts in the “For the Strength of Youth “Pamphlet about gratitude and families.  I love that book and hope all of you have one in your home with little kids, teen agers or any age.  It is so amazing to me the wisdom in that book.  Love it so much.   After that I had been asked to do sharing Time in Primary.  I went upstairs and the only person that came to help me was Brianne Salt who is a senior in High School.  She had been asked to do a 20 minute activity.  I said no problem the two of us can do this and I just prayed that I could fill in the extra hour or so.  Some how it worked really well.  I did the opening, lead the music – yes everyone I led the music,  Brianne did her activity then I turned my sharing time into a lesson.  We played a fun game with it and even had time to color a picture.  I was so glad that things worked out for us.   I was so grateful for the experiences I have had to teach children in Church and in Primary lately because I could use these experiences today.  I felt very blessed to have this opportunity and to have the Spirit help me so much as I was working through this. 

            We have had ups and downs in our Branch this week.  It is their time for Shalako.  I will write and tell you guys about this.  It is two week of different things that the Zuni people do.  They have mud heads, different Gods and many things.  They build those houses and much more.  I am a big worried about all of this and how we can  not be apart of it.  Also they close their stores for 4 days and nothing opens.  It is very complicated and confusing.  Yes Jodi and Kim and families it is even more political than the Sham Battle.  It makes me love the Sham Battle for sure.  We will be find but it will be a very different time for us.  This is a village steep in old traditions and believes.  They can’t seem to see beyond most of them.  Very hard for them.  The members are wonderful and we are trying to work very hard with the less active members to help the core of this Branch.  Love them a lot.  Sometimes when we are with people I feel the Spirit so strong and feel like the right words even come from my mouth for a change because they are not my words.  What a blessing a Mission is.    

            Love our family at home.  You are blessings in our lives as you continue to grow and Love the Lord.   Kinnick thanks for the wonderful picture.  We hung it by our table.  Love every and all pictures you guys send on the phone or by mail.  We are lucky to have all of you.   We sure pray for your health, Spiritually and safety as you move ahead with your lives.  I feel we have been blessed with the best grandkids ever.  We loved talking to each one of you on Thanksgiving.  You are all so fun, kind and caring for us and for each other.  Have a really great week in school and keep in mind who you are and what you stand for.  You are all Sons and Daughters of our Heavenly Father.  I love the Young Women theme where it reminds us just who we are – girl’s daughters and boys sons of their Heavenly Father.  What a beautiful blessing it is to me to know and believe that.  I love you.  Never forget who you are and the potential you have in this life.  I want you to know that it is a blessing to be a member of this Church of Jesus Christ.  Because of it we are stronger, smarter and understand so much more of what Heavenly Father wants us to know.  Teach your little children all you can while they are home with you.  The Scriptures are so important in their lives and guide posts for them  You are the best.

Love your children with all the love you have because they are so special and are growing so fast.     When we get back it will be a different group of grandkids that have became even better than they were when we left if that is possible. 

Love you,

Grandma and Grandpa

 Adrianne Ann Salt out getting wood 

 Sunset in Zuni.  Beautiful sunsets every night. 

 Beautiful picture of Twin Buttes. 

 Elden and the Elders out drumming up business. 

 Vivian, our neighbor, wishing us a Happy Thanksgiving. 

 Look what Gallup is getting. 

Christmas in Zuni.  We love our Cache Valley tree.