February 14th Letter and Pictures

February 14th Letter and Pictures

February 14, 2016

Happy Valentines Day,

            I was done typing this weeks notes and the computer turns off and starts configuration.  Lost all of it.  So this might be shorter than usual.

            It has been a very good week.  We have had a lot of good experiences.  We were asked to talk in our District meeting and teach the Churches information and stand on same sex marriage.  We prayed a lot about this one but it was a good meeting.  We went to Golden Correl after so that really makes my day.   We went to the Albuquerque Temple and that is always a good experience.  Once a month now we are taking members into the Temple it is 2 ½ hours away.  After Sister Vicenti wanted to go to a material store.  It was a little place in a ladies house.  I was wishing Jill was with us.  She would have loved it.  I did get the fleece for the young women to make their throws to give away.  Great day for sure. 

            We were able to meet several new people and visit a lot of others.     Zuni people are so happy to invite you into visit.  Today a few of them came to church .   Some of them bring their children and they love Primary.   We have been working with them and so have the Elders.  Hope they can feel the Love of the Lord that exists in our meetings.  Good examples to all of them.

            I spent a whole day visit teaching.  Vanessa came with me again.    Elder Dattage some times comes in and some times he sits in the truck while we talk to them.   I am so proud of her.  She has lots of hard things in her life but she is such a good person.  She has a brother that drinks all night and then sleeps all day.  It is a noisy house and not a good atmosphere for her but she finds her peach in service.  Sure do love that girl.  We have 12 ladies to visit between us .  We found some of them home and others we left the beautiful cards Carolyn keeps sending me.  The ladies love them.  They are a wonderful way to leave a Visiting Message in their homes.

            One of the best days has been today.  I talked in church and felt so much love for those I was talking to.  Wow they want to learn.  Elden and I taught the Temple class.  Those taking the class ask good questions and are anxious to learn more and more.  The best part of the day was taking the beautiful Young  women posters and values framed that Taylor Forsgren made for them.  I took them into Young Womens and the girls were so excited.  They said she is such a special girl.  They can’t wait to use them to decorate for New Beginnings in a week.  Thank you Taylor for an amazing project.   You have certainly earned your Honor Bee with that one.   I will get a picture for you with the girls for a memory of how happy you made the Zuni Branch Young Women.  They are beautiful. 

            We had so much fun as we received a box from the Johnsons saying that we had been heart attacked.  We decorated our trailer with the hearts and are now fixing dinner and using the table ware with the young Elders.

            We also had another special package from home.  The hands of our Grand Children were hooked together with a string that represented a special hug.  We put those hugs around us and took pictures.  The best it could be if we can’t hug them personally.  We love it also.  Elden loves the back scratcher and I wore the pretty heart to church today.  Good luck for my talk and lesson.  Thanks so much. For the cute ideas and the time you spend making us enjoy our mission more. 

            We hope you get our picture that we sent for Valentines.  It was fun to walk into the little Zuni Library to see Sister Van Jose.  We visit her and her daughter Brittney.  They work there and were taking pictures of people with the fun back ground they had created.  It was so cute.  Oh holidays the vendors come to Zuni.  They set up booths outside and sell flowers and jewelry that you can give as gifts.  We were surprised to see that.

            Friday night at 7:00 we had a visit from President Adams and his wife.  They came to interview the Elders.  It was dark so they couldn’t see Zuni.  We gave them some Zuni bread and some turn overs that they liked.  A short good visit with the hard working President.  They have a huge mission to travel to.  This was their first time in Zuni because we are on the Southern part of the Mission. 

            We hope you all have a great week and know we love and miss everyone.  We thank you for all the texts and love that is sent our way.  Remember that the things we are doing right now in our lives will determine the rest of our lives and our eternal lives.  Each thing we do is important as we share our love for the Savior and serve him.  Have a great week all of you.

            Love, Elder and Sister Dattage

Dad can't get away from cars

 Thank you family for all the Valentines boxes.  So Fun!

 Some of the heart attack hearts from the Johnson. 

 Cute fireplace decoration. 

 Thanks for the hugging hands. 

 Our table setting. 

Oh Yes, Even in Zuni a photo booth.

Water freezes on 0 degree days in Zuni.

 Finished shelf job with Elden's "Two Bosses."

 Zuni's even have snow angels.

 Installing shelfs for a member.

 Nephi breaks his box.  The new elders broke their axe.

New Elders and the 14 Day Love Challenge

January 31, 2016

Hi to all that live in the land of snow,

            Wow we have seen pictures of Cache Vallley and it is so pretty but so much snow.  We have no snow right now but a storm is coming tomorrow.  It will snow and melt in the same day.  Today there is a lot of wind and that creates a lot of dust. 

            We have two new Elders in our Branch Elder Tollifson who has been out 6 months and Elder Huston who has been out 18 months.  They are really hard workers and very friendly.  They will be great Elders.

            This week has been full of good experiences and hard experiences.  The people go through very hard things down here.  We have a little mom with 4 children that we look out for.  One of the children is a member and the others aren’t.  We went to check on them and she had us take her to a relative’s house.  Their father is out of jail and has a restraining order but keeps calling her and telling her he is coming over.  They don’t always feel safe which would be very hard. 

            On the total flip side we have been working on our list of 50 very inactive people and we are making progress.   Sister Maria who we take wood to weekly said she would go with us and show us where some of them live.  She was so helpful.   Some of them have asked for the Missionaries to come over and teach them.  Along with that I have been visit teaching a lot and love some of the Sisters that I go to.   Some of them don’t know what a Visiting Teacher is.  I love that but even better I ask a lady if I could help her with her list because she had never been Visit Teaching and her partner couldn’t go.   We had really wonderful visits plus Vanissa who was my partner loved it.  She talked and encouraged and said she would go any time that I wanted.  She was amazing.  However on Sunday she was so heart broken.  Her mother is living in a safe house for a bit and right now is wandering around feeling homeless.  This is very hard on Vanissa and wants her to come to her house and to get a blessing by the Elders.   Their lives are difficult for sure.  She is growing leaps and bounds in her Church attendance, testimony and her service. 

            The Young Women cleaned the Church building this week and did a great job.  The Branch is now assigning families to clean for a month.  By the way those of you back home – it is one family for one month.  They are signed up until July.  We are the giver of the keys of the building and overseers I guess.  Lots of little callings just happen but I think they are ready to do most everything of their own.  Great members.

            We have offered to drive to Albuquerque once a month to the Temple and take 4 others with us.  Last Thursday was the first time and we had 4 members go with us.  It takes close to 3 hours to drive in there and their sessions start at various times.  We went for the 11:30 session and it was so wonderful.  The members sat after and just enjoyed the feeling and the Spirit they felt in the Temple.  It was a Spiritual boost to us for sure. 

After we went to lunch at a Sweet Tomato Restaurant.  The three women loved it but the men were eating all the bread they could get.   Great visits as we drove in and back to Zuni.  

            We have been introducing the new Elders to the Branch leaders and many others.  They are reaching out to many and today taught a Gospel Essentials class which we sure needed.  They taught their investigators and some visitors in with them.  It looked like a great idea. 

            On the Church website I found this 14-Day Challenge.  I think we need it and it could help most of us.  Just passing this on if you are interested in trying to show actions that show love and caring to all around us

Day 1:  Show patience with someone

Day 2:  Overlook someone’s short comings

Day 3:  Look beyond looks

Day 4:  Resist the impulse to categorize someone

Day 5:  See a situation through the other person’s eyes

Day 6:  Forgive somebody who has wronged you

Day 7:  Don’t cricitize actions or circumstances

Day 8:  Show mercy to someone

Day 9:  Give 10 minutes to really listen to someone

Day 10: Speak kindly

Day 11:  Say thank you to somebody

Day 12: Focus on what you have in common with everybody you meet.

Day 13: Offer up genuine compliments

Day 14: See everybody you talk to through God’s eyes

            I thought I could use so much of this advice and am going to try to make February a very positive one. 

            Right now the wind is blowing so hard – the hardest since we came – hope this trailer can handle this. 

            Love all of you and hope you are working hard at the things that are really important.  I know you have so much snow and are all helping each other shovel.  I even see the little boys out shoveling.  Thanks Jaxon and Kyson for all of your work while your daddy is so busy. So much fun for all of you as you go skiing .  Must be really great or just build a big snowman.  We have laughed hard this week about some of the little things you share with us – Andrew and drying on his clothes, Jaxon, Kyson and Kinnich and the funny things they say,  Maelee at school with her snowman.  Glad he made it back to Utah.  We had so much fun with him in Zuni.  Telling Jodi Elder Dattage needs some macadamia nut treats and finding out that she has sent them that very night.  Wow perfect.  Taylors team winning soccer games.   Receiving beautiful flowers on Ryan’s birthday from Ryan and Alicia and a beautiful card.  They liven up our trailer.  So beautiful.  So thoughtful.  Kinnick at the Daddy Daughter time with cute Samantha.  Loved this.  The kids at the Ice skating rink.  Reagan you look so grown up I had to do a double take.  Beautiful.   Updates on all the kids from all of you.  Love all of you and the people and examples to us you are. 

Love Elder and Sister Dattage

Dinner with the Branch President (President Walker) and his family!  Mya dressed Grandpa up!

Sometimes we are just tired!  

I LOVE this picture!  My Dad can fall asleep in this exact position ANYWHERE at ANYTIME if he is tired enough!  

Wood hauling with the 2 new Elders, Sam and Brother Salt

These Elders trust each other!  One is pouding and one is holding the stake!

 Grandpa and Brother Salt!  He is Grandpa's favorite wood buddy and finds the biggest logs!

Temple Day with branch members in Albuquerque

We ate at The Sweet Tomato!  Sister Vicente's favorite place!!

Fixing the door on Maria's trailer!

 Grandpa enjoying the raisins from the Watrin's sunshin box!

Grandma got flowers on Ryan's birthday!  Somehow when Ryan and Alicia started dating Ryan started sending his Mom flowers on HIS birthday to Thank her for giving birth to him and raising him!  Funny how HE started doing when once Alicia was around!  LOVE Ryan and LOVE HER!!

We sure enjoy our daily thoughts from our family!  This one was SO cute!!!