Mission Updates December 13, 2015
The spring at El Morow.
Sister Dattage at the top of El Morrow.
The ruins at the top. Dating back to the 1600's.
Dinner after the hike.
Elder Dattage at the top of the white rocks.
Working on the wood pile.
Dave a less active member in the blue and Jess a nonmember after hauling wood.
Elder Blazzard showing how happy Elders are when they receive Christmas from home.
home
Elder Dattage dropped the roast on his shirt and on the floor. Oh well what the Elders don't know....
Elders don't know....
Right next to missionary work Grandpa's favorite thing is watching re-runs of Hunter wrestling
Mount El Morrow in the back ground. Elders and Sister Dattage waiting to hike.
The El Morrowmissionaries going on a hike.
The pile of ashes after the first two days of cooking for Shaliko. They are considered sacred.
considered sacre
The pile of ashes after the first two days of cooking for Shaliko. They are
considered sacre
Pile of wood to cut for a nonmember. Look like Grandpa Glens piles.
Jordan's daily message asked for a Selfie, so we sent one.
Better picture of elder Blazzard's happiness.
Salt family when mom graduates.
We will be home in Zuni for Christmas. Lots of love.
December 14, 1015
Dear All,
What a
great week this has been. First of all
thanks to all of you for the many pictures, texts and such this week. It just makes the week so much better.
We started
the week by visiting El Morro National Monument which is about 45 minutes from
here. It is beautiful and a place where
many of the Spanish explorers passed by and some of the Indians also. On top there is a place that has been excavated
and shows rooms where they once lived.
Tiny, tiny rooms mostly underground.
We are lucky to have all of things we now have to make our lives
comfortable. The hike was
beautiful. We went with about 20 plus young
Elders and Sisters and a Branch President and his counselor. Lots of fun energy from the young ones. I
think it reminded Elder Dattage of his years with YSA wards and Stakes.After we
ate hot dogs and treats. I think it was
very beautiful and fun to do. Not a hard
2 or 3 mile hike at all.
Of course
we had the usual wood excursions. We
supplied wood to the widows that do not have anyone in their family to
help. The wood is stored at the Salts
and we can get it for them. However
Brother Salt and Elder Dattage and I seem to be the ones that add to the supply
so there is always plenty. The Young
Elders come a lot and they always get to split it for the people.
The mutual
girls had lots of fun. They made
decorations for their trees and for their friends trees. Most of them were paper but pretty. I tried but of course mine didn’t turn out
very good. The boys played board games
and again 3 of the 5 came. They had a
few treats and had a great time.
When Elder
Dattage went for wood on Friday I didn’t go.
I was busy with making treats for a Relief Society get together and for
a District Christmas Party. He went with
Dave Lasiloo who has been less active and his sisters son who is a non
member. That is such a good chance to be
around them and to share testimony while they all work. We have spent a lot of time with Dave and his
family and he is a great man. So willing
to share the wood he gets with anyone that needs it. Hard working man. So glad to meet people like him.
We have so
many opportunities to visit with people in Zuni about the gospel. We mostly visit with those that are already
members but have become less active which is such a blessing to us as we visit
with them and bear testimony. We try to
help them remember why they became members in the first place. They know and they are humble as we
visit.
We were
blessed to go see our friend Sister Salt be pinned and to receive her
Associates degree in nursing. This
family is an example of caring, hard
work and love to all of this branch. We
are so happy for her and know this will bless her family as she takes her tests
that she has to pass then gets working.
Saturday
was our District Christmas Party. We had
to travel about 90 minutes to be there.
It snowed but the roads were fine.
We had a great dinner and laughed a lot.
They also talked to us and strengthened our testimonies so we can continue
to serve our Heavenly Father.
Today is
Sunday and we had a very special
day. We and the young Elders have been
lead to a few less active families and have visited, hauled wood, stopped by
and just told them how much we love them
a lot. The Lord is softening their
hearts. We and the young Elders have
challenged them to come to church
Today the Lalio mom, dad and Logan
came to church. They have been very
active but became less active, then the Pinto family came in. Some are members and some are investigators
and they all came. On top of that we
have been trying to visit a lady, Sister Lonjose about 7 or 8 times. We took her daughter in law home from work
last week so she wouldn’t have to walk home at 9:00 in Zuni alone. Elder Dattage went wood hauling with her
husband and with Brother Lalio last week.
When Relief was about to begin I saw that I was sitting alone and was
talking to them about missions and giving the closing prayer. I sure wanted to stay in the front but know I
should go back and sit with the Sister sitting alone on the back row. When it was over I introduced myself and she
was Sister Lonjose. She was once very
active and was so happy to be there. She
and Sister Pinto said please come by
this week and visit again. Wow is all I
can say. The people want to be there and
they are making changes because of the strength that this Branch is
gaining. We have a wonderful Branch
President. The people love him and his
family. He accepts and loves
everybody. The youth love him because he
is a friendly good guy. He and his
counselors are blessing lives. Brother
Hooee who was less active after many years of activity is not a counselor in
the Branch Presidency. He reminds me of
my dad Farrell. He is legally blind but
he carries a very strong magnifier. When
he takes charge he has to really use it and rely on his memory. He is
a very strong member as is his wife and daughter. I watch him and think of my dad and his
magnifier and how he kept going. Brother
Hooee doesn’t lelt this keep him down.
Lesson to me for sure.
We just
received a branch calling (I think mostly Elder Dattage) We are the wood distributers. I call from the Branch President. )
Perfect!
We have
enjoyed our birthday cards giving.
People are happy to receive them.
There was one that we couldn’t find the brother home so we finally left
it. At 11:30 at night we got a
call. I think Elder Dattage thought he
was off on the tow trucks but it was him thanking us and saying this was his
first ever Birthday card.
We have our
usual ups and downs While I was typing
this Elder Dattage was putting the roast and potatoes into the cooker over and
dropped all of it on the floor. It was
hot and he got it all over his shirt, suit and the floor. Oh well we live in a small place and it was
an easy clean up.
The Elders
have transfers this week. I had no idea
until we came here how much that means to them.
They found out we are keeping both of them for one more transfer. They are working so hard and hope they can
continue to help those in this area.
Love your
great communication. Pictures of our
Denver Fans, our swimmer, our math student of the trimester at South Cache, our
cheer leader, our maker of such a cute Christmas Village
I hope all
of you know that you are the reason we are able to enjoy our mission and to
work so hard. We want to do all we can
to set an example for our kids , friends and grand-kids. We are so lucky to be here.
I want to
close with a quote from President Monson from the Ensign this month:
“Let us have ready hands, clean hands, and willing hands,
that we may participate in providing what our Heavenly Father would have others
receive from Him. …..There are feet to steady, hands to grasp, minds to
encourage, hearts to inspire and souls to save.
The blessings of eternity await you.”
We are
learning and have learned that the little things are so important. We live in a small place that is very
humble. The people are happy and humble. They love what is important and that is the
Lord and living so they can return to him again. What a blessing all of the knowledge we have
today is. Love all of you,
Elder and Sis. Dattage
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