That I Might Draw All Men Unto Me

May 16, 1016

            It is beautiful weather down here.  Warm but much too windy most of the time.  That is typical in May here but it usually comes with a little rain.  We are not getting much rain and it is so dry here.

            We had a fun visit with Ron Liechty and showed him a little around Zuni.  Fun to hear about how Providence is doing.  So many good people there. 

            We have been helping fix cars since the wood has slowed down a bit.    Elder Huston is very good with cars and fixing them so people ask him and he says yes then Elder Dattage gets involved.  People down here go and buy the parts then look around for someone in their family or friends to fix it.  Not much towing a car to a shop to be fixed.  Lots of duck tape for body work.   Also lots of pushing cars and they all just tow them by a strap.  There is a towing company down here and he does some work but most figure out how they can do it alone.

            Lots of good meals by members.  They feed us too much.  They have so little money but they will cook three meats at a time for a meal.  They are good cooks but lots of oil and very heavy food.  They love their food just as we do when we are at home.  We seem to fit in in that area for sure.

            We have been trying to get the post office box numbers so that the less active members and all members for that matter can get the Church magazines free.  Someone gave the Branch money to do this.  We have physical addresses that we have already found but now we have been going to visit them, asking about the magazines and getting their box number.  Some of you remember the magazine drive years ago – well this is a huge one.  It is a reason to go and visit them and they all say they want them.  What a great idea someone had.    The        visits have been good.           

            Our favorite visists have been when we visit the inactive list that Sister Vicenti made with some of the members going with us.    We go about two to three days a week and the people want them to come back.  They are so receptive and some lonely and want to visit with their friends.  This is a wonderful idea and I know that she has put a lot of prayer into her lists and her methods.  Love helping her with this.  Right before mothers day my Sister Wendee gave me about 35 of her famous dish cloths that she crochets.  I started taking them with us on these visits and they love them.  I try to give some two and they say no only one there are plenty of people that need these.  So humble. 

            Friday was our first District Meeting as District Leaders.  I was pretty nervous about it because our last District Leader was amazing.  He is now our Zone leader and does a great job.  We made it through it and accomplished a lot.  We used  the talk from Conference “That I Might Draw All Men Unto Me” as our theme.  By Elder Renlund.  His concept was that “the greater the distance between the giver and the receiver, the more the receiver develops a sense of entitlement.”  This is both physically and spiritually.  We see it down here so much physically.  We have some pretty unique requests from people.  Some we feel we can do and otheres we have learned to tell them no.  Spiritually is teaches us that Our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ are the ultimate Givers.  The more we distance ourselves from them, the more entitled we feel.  We begin to think that we deserve grace and are owed blessings.  We are more prone to look around, identify inequities, and feel aggrieved – even offended by the unfairness we perceive.  While the unfairness can range from small to big, when we are distant from God even small inequities loom large.  We feel that God has an obligation to fix things and fix them right now.  Many people down here really believe this.  He taught us of the importance of attending sacrament meeting each week and partaking of the Sacrament.  In the talk he promised us that you will feel nearer to God.  Natural tendencies to childish whining, disgruntled entitlement and skepticism will leave.  These will be replaced by feelings of greater love and gratitude for Heavenly Fathers gift of his son.  This is an amazing talk and all of it is true.  We have to do our part and be close to Got and Jesus Christ but the blessings are amazing.   I encourage all of you to reread it for you and see what you can gain from this message.

            On Saturday we were going hard again because we had a Missionary Movie night.  We popped popcorn for 2 ½ hours after we borrowed a big popper from the library, made rice krispie treats and set up.  We had 35 plus people come.  We would like to have had 50 but 35 was a good crowd.  Lots of laughing and fun for our  people.

            Sunday was Gallup Stake Seminary graduation.  Brianna Salt graduated so we went into Gallup to support her.  It was a great graduation and lots of kids graduated.  Sister Walker came to church with her 5 kids.  President Walker was on the stand and sacrament meeting went well.  I offered to keep the baby during the rest of the block because she is Primary President also.  What a beautiful little baby born into a beautiful family.  Love this family so much.  They are examples in doing the Lords will.  Their service is amazing.  Lots to learn from this young little family.  Sunday we  were able to take the Punchallo girls to church.  One of them wants to go to camp.  Their mom has been coming but was working and they are down to one car.  They are 21 and 16 and love coming.   We had a funny thing in church.  We thought we had the music so we down loaded it and had our blue tooth there.  A lady came that could play the piano so we didn’t need to I pad.  We turned it off.  When a High Councilors was talking and he was really off on a side kick for sure the blue tooth said machine is disconnected.  It was perfect timing for sure.  It let a little of the pressure of the moment go away.  Also when the other one was talking it said “Power off”.  It was funny because of the circumstances for sure. 

            What a great week at home.  We had so much fun trying to keep up with all of our children and grandchildren.  We are so glad they still involve us in their activities from a distance.  Lance and Ryan were at a tow shop and we got lots of great pictures there, Jaxon had a 5 year old birthday.  We are so grateful for this cute little busy 5 year old in  our family.  His birthday looked fun.  Lance wore an old baseball shirt of Elders because it was a baseball party.  We sure did laugh at that.  Kendal played her last soccer game – and danced beautifully.  Thanks for that video.  I have watched it twice already.  Jordan danced and looked so beautiful.  Hunter and Taylor went to Senior Ball and they must have been the most handsome and beautiful  ones there.  The pictures with them and dates were so fun to get.  Looked so fun.  So glad Hunter used our big table at home for part of his date. 

I text our Hayden and lot and love to hear from from him.  He is doing so well in school and extra things.  Proud of him also.  Reagan did her school play.  We absolutely loved the pictures of her.  I can only imagine how well she did.  She has great talents in this area.  Samantha is busy getting ready for her camps at her house and they will be amazing.  Andrew is loving his new basketball birthday present.  He is good.  Maelee is always busy with school field trips and starting t ball with her mom as her coach.  Emma is  a delight as she tries to do all of the things all of the kids do.  Love her pictures.   Kinnick, Jaxon and Kyson’s pictures of the stuffed animals in Jodi’s tub was the best .  They must have been busy filling that entire big tub.  So funny.    Loved the boys pictures of their soccer games.  They look like they are going for it this year.  So happy all of you are going to Salt Lake for the race for Jason.  Our family is so sup portative that it just makes my heart full.  It is a mother’s desire that her family will love each other and help each other.  Since we have been on this mission we are noticing from a distance all that goes on with the way they support each other.  Love and miss our friends also.  Here good things from you.  We appreciate you calls, e- mails and texts.  You are great people who have influenced us before we came here and now many people down are influencing us in so many different ways.  They are so grateful and talk about ways to help those who are poor.  It is very humbling to me to watch them .   This Mission is a blessing.  We are busy as can be helping all of them and hope something lasting will happen as they go to the Temple and build stronger families.  It is our blessing to be here and we are very thankful.  We are even thankful for our little trailer because we have learned to enjoy it a lot. 

            Thanks to all of you for the lives you are living and the service you give to friends and family.

            Love,  Elder and Sister Dattage 

           

            

Special thanks to Aunt Wendee for making all of these dish clothes for the people of Zuni!  So many stitches.  Love them!  Thank you Wendee!!  

 Working with big trees and just 2 saws!  Plenty of weight training going on here!!  I just wait!

Our friend the snake lives in our front yard!!  AHHHHHH!

 Some things never change!  Dad has added plenty of butter!  He is cooking this meat and potatoes for President Walker and his family!!  

We sure miss Dad's cooking on Sundays!!!  

 Thanks to Ron Liechty for the salsa!  Elder Dattage is loving it!  Note: I am jealous!!  Ron Leichty makes the BEST salsa!!!!!

The cards Carolyn sends monthly have opened doors!  They love the message and design on the cards!  Thanks Carolyn!

I love these Mother's Day flowers!  Using the lights from the Watrins with them!  So Pretty!!!

Loved the cute candy bars from Jodi's family!  The Branch had a good laugh!

 Grandpa using Kinnick's bug catchers!  Thanks Kinnick we are bug free!!

Popcorn for movie night!

 Marie broke down again!  Another repair job!!

 Dad doing his usual!  Telling the kids how to do it!!

The Elders ran in the color run!  Wwe just cheered them on!

Special Trip to the Temple

May 8, 2016 letter

Hi All,

            Happy Mothers to all.   Zuni is so windy this time of year and rain and of course that causes mud.   We have had a great day here.  The 16 Primary Children sing the same songs to mothers as they do at home.  We had a real neat thing in our Sacrament Meeting.  President Walker ask a non member who comes to church some times with his member wife to speak.  He said yes and today he stood up at the pulpit and talked about the love he has for his wife and his mother.  It was amazing.  He then went to the Gospel Principles Class and stayed to all meetings.  Wow there is power down here some times.  Also Sister Hattie has been coming to church for three months now and she was ask to say the opening prayer.  She said I might not be ready but President Walker said I think you are so she did it and did a very great job.  There are a lot of things that happen to give people opportunities in little Branches.  So few people and it takes everyone to help.

            Elder Dattage is a great Visiting Teacher.  Sister Vicenti has her visiting going so well.  Before we were here they didn’t visit teach but she has worked so hard with her sisters that they are now going.  We go with them to any home they haven’t been to before and introduce the teachers to the people.  Most of them know them because they went to school with each other years ago.  Any way we do a lot of visiting and we love it.  It makes a big difference when we take some one from the Branch with us because they relate so much to each other.  We will be going with two groups this week.

            It is our first District Meeting we are in charge of this Friday.  We have been putting it together but still not done.  One good thing is that we got the District Leaders Instruction Meeting done last week.  Our Zone leader and all District leaders for Senior Couples  in our Mission came to Zuni.  We had a good meeting then after that we walked to the bakery where Jim Pewya showed them how you take 88 loaves of bread from one big outside oven.  They loved it and ask how to build one.  I am not there yet but it is amazing for sure.  After we went to the only restaurant we have called Chu Chus.  The food was less than average for sure but we had a meal for them.  They drove around Zuni a bit and then headed home.  Some of them were 3 plus hours away and needed to get going home. 

            Also next week on Saturday we will do another Movie Night.  We have most of that ready but still have invitations to take out.  Thank goodness Jill can make them and we just have to copy them off and cut and deliver.  It takes a lot of time and we have to finish tomorrow.   We hope for a big group of families.  Lots coming up for sure.

            Saturday was the best day .  Sister Brenda Pinto went to the Temple to receive her endowments.  Wow what a great day. We love her and had the blessing to teach her the Temple class lessons.  She always was interested in the lessons and had such a desire to go.    I was so happy to be her escort and she was so ready to do this.  11 people from the Zuni Branch came to Albuquerque to be with her on this day and go through the session with her.  That also made her happy.  The Temple is as nice as the people in Logan.  Just making her feel loved and caring about her time spent there.  After we all went to get dinner and then home.  It was a very full day.  It takes us between 2 ½ hours plus to get there and up to the Temple.  Sister Pinto and I had to be there at 7:30 so we left at 4:30.  Sister Vicenti road with us and she did iniatory  I was with Brenda Pinto.  It was a very special day and will be one of the high lights of our Mission.  Another good thing was that Maria that lost her mother hadn’t been to the Temple in a long time and she came with us also.  She loved it as she is having a very hard time without her mom Grandma Potato Chips.     

             I had a great visit with Maxine Peterson this week.  She filled me in on how our Ward is doing.  Thanks to her for the call.  It was better than anything to face time our family today.  The Elders talked to their moms first and loved that time.  Then we called our family and face timed them.  We a great talk.  Each cute little grandchild.  They are all so different but so wonderful.   Busy doing good things in their lives and having fun .  I am proud of them as students, good friends to others, athletes, dancers , soccer players, golfers, even proud when the little ones sing their Mothers Day songs in Primary.  Oh Kim I just remembered that must have been you leading them.  Wow I bet they did a good job.  We had fun handing out chocolate Heresy bars that said Mothers on the front that Jodi and her family had put together.  They loved them and we think a few kids got their hands on them because everyone was taken.  That is fine that is why they were there.   I love the Grandma bracelet the family sent me.  It is beautiful and I already wore it to church.   Being a parent is so important and my grandkids have amazing parents and I am so happy they have the good Spiritual, happy homes they have.  Love all of them.  

Love this MOther's Day apron made by my Grand kids.  Also love the bracelet and fun picture they sent.  Love them!

            Sister Dattages dream come true.  Sunshine and flowers.  Love them!

 Albuquerque Temple with Marie (shorter lady) and Sister Pinto.  What a wonderful day!

Some of the branch members that went to the temple.  

Side note:  I have been to the Zuni branch 2 times.  I am guessing there are probably only around 20 endowed members.  So 1/2 of the branch showed up to support Sister Pinto.  Imagine if we could garner that sort of support around here!  What wonderful things could happen!!

 Lunch after the temple trip

Outside the Albuquerque temple with Sister Pinto

Rose Park (branch member) sitting down and makiner her pies at the Pewya Bakery.  Jim Paywa's daughter is helping her.  

Seniors at the Pewya Bakery after DLC

Sister Dattage's caption for this photo was "Poor Wood"  

Newest member in our branch.  Cruz John Walker.  So Cute!

Note:  This is Asha Walker.  Her husband is the branch president and a dentist in town.  She is the Primary President in the Branch.  This is her 5th little one!  This family is such a perfet example of devoting their entire life to serving our Father in Heaven.  

Fun with Carolyn and Steve

April 24 Letter

Dear Family,

            This may be a bit short but we had a great week.  Lots of things to do.  We were ask to check if we could do the Gardening Program here in Zuni.  We had told them that there is no water but we were willing to look into it.  The Zuni water department said no that no water can be used to water gardens unless you catch it in barrows and water your garden.  They said that it is the law as well as Zuni tradition. 

            We had good visits with Rose and John.  They teach us a lot about the history and the people in Zuni.   Lots of great visits with less active members. 

            On Tuesday we took Vanessa Weekooty to the Employment center in Gallup.  They are offering her some schooling and also some opportunities to work in a school as a teacher’s aide.  She is home all the time now and wants to better herself.  Within two week she may be working as she works through this with the people.  Love helping her as she is one that really tries

So excited we got Pam Lasiloo to go visit teaching with us.  This is her first time and she did great.  She knows the people and they like her.  Lots of challenges and she just makes people happy to be around her.    She will go on her own now that she has seen how easy this really is.

            On Wednesday night there was a race in Zuni.  They have wellness races once a month here.  All of our runners home would love this.  They have one you can run, one you can walk and one that you just sit and move your feet if you are really old.  We went to watch the Elders and others – next month I will walk it – no sitting and moving feet.  When it was over Vanessa the girl we had taken to Gallup for employment handed me her shirt and said I ran this one for you.  I just thought that was so nice because the shirt is one she would wear a lot as they have so little.  Also one other lady – Marie gave us her shirt.  I traded it for big so Elder Dattage could wear it. 

            So much fun to have Carolyn and Steve come for a few days.  We went to Chaco Canyon to see the dwellings there.  It was beautiful.  We hadn’t been there and seen the ruins before but we loved it.   We shopped in Steve Colemans store and on the Old Route 66 in Galllup for things for her to take home. We went on the District Activity to Rock Art Ranch and they came with us.    We saw a museum of old things that pioneers used.  Really old sewing machines, saddles – you name it , it was there.  They we hiked down and saw the Petri glyphs on the walls of the canyon.  He had uncovered a keeve and had build logons and such.  This took much longer than anyone thought it would.  All day and until about 10:00 that night.  A lot to see so it was interesting but a little too long for my likes.  I was glad they got to meet our District and the great people we work with each day.  Sunday was Church and after we showed them around Zuni.  Church was great because they got to meet our members.   Great members and they were happy to have a visitor in our Branch.  We drove all over Zuni and by the Corn Mountain, up where we sometimes get wood.  We also walked over to the Pewya Bakery.  It wasn’t open but Jim came out and talked about his bread.  Great.

            One of the really funny things was on Sunday night, Vangie called up to take her to her friends to do her laundry.  Carolyn and Steve were in the truck riding around with us at the time so we picked her and Kendale her son up.  As they were getting  in a very drunk person climbs in.  She lives above them and needed a ride about two blocks down from her house.   When  she got in she called Steve Bernie Sanders and Carolyn Hillary.  She laughed and laughed.  When we went to let her out (She was in the back by Carolyn)  Carolyn got out first and she got out but fell to her knees.  As she did that her bottle of whatever she was drinking fell out and she laughed and said it is only water.  Still on the ground she looks up and says praise the Lord.  We are trying hard to keep from laughing so hard – even though it was pathetic.  They got to see the good and the bad of Zuni for sure while there were here.  They left early Monday morning and we went about doing what we had planned.  What a great time for all of us.  They slept in the trailer two nights and we just made do.  Lots of reminiscing for sure and bragging about our families, children and grandkids.

            We sure love all of you.  Have a great week and keep us posted with the fun, adorable pictures we get.  Love all of them.

            Love,

            Elder and Sister Dattage

            

 Petrglyphs at Rock Art Canyon

Rock Art Canyon with Hillary, I mean Aunt Carolyn!