August 21st letter

August 21, 2016

Dear All,

            Well we finally have a rainy monsoon time is Zuni.  We have rain and mud and then this kind of ground doesn’t absorb the water it just runs off and then many people need sand bags.  They need the rain .  They built a beautiful new elementary school and now there is like a pool next to it where all of the water drains.  It has got to be a real bad thing for the teachers at the school.  The school holds 800 students and the busing is almost impossible.  They are still working on how to send that many children home the same road as the high school feeds into.  One wreck and lots of waiting later they are still working on the problem.

            We have had some amazing visits this week.  Our dear friends the Waacos do not come to church but are getting close to it.  The older lady has liver cancer and Tammy who is about 4 5 to 50 has been worried.  She has been reading the Ensign and found an article about cancer and things happening in the Lords time.  She said she is finally starting to understand all of this and is so grateful for the doctors in Denver and in Albuquerque that are helping her mom.  She is on a liver transplant list and very hopeful.  They continue to pray for the help they need and even better they are so thankful to our Heavenly Father for the blessings they have at this time. 

            Another wonderful visit was with our friend Vanessa.  We so love this girl and want only the best for her.  She has been sick but until this time she has attended church.  Her mother had to leave their home and go to Albuquerque to \live with her sister because the dad and brother in the home were so mean to her.  Vanessa stays and takes care of them.  She loves the church and tries even though this is a very tough situation in her life. 

            We were so thrilled that Gina and her little girl called for a ride to church today.  She is a non member but she said she took the sacrament today and felt amazing.  She said that the Relief Society lesson was on the sacrament and she learned what it meant when she took it.  (I was in Young Womens and didn’t know she was learning and was so happy about what it meant.  We were driving them home and she told us that she has never felt this before.  We talked about the Spirit and recognizing it and how being baptized with strengthen all of them.  She is a very smart lady and loving her opportunities to learn.  She and her little 7 hear old and riding into Gallup to Stake Conference with us next week.  Love being around this lady.  She builds our testimonies every time we get to be with her.

            The other day we were talking to Kim.  We had only been talking a short time and everything went a little crazy.  We got a call to go to Window Rock to help a Senior Missionary couple move into their bran new trailer.  We then got a call from Maria that she couldn’t get to the church and clean unless we could take her, and in the next 5 minutes Vangie called and ask us to take her to the Back to School at the Middle School.  We were unable to even call Kim back because of the many little things we did and when we got back from Window Rock which is one and one half hours away we felt it was too late.  One thing about serving full time it that you never know what you will be doing adjustments.  Different that being home and having all of your time taken with many other good things.  Both are good things to be doing for sure.  Just last night we were at a member’s house and another lady ask us if we could bring dinner to them.  We said yes.  We got a little lazy and picked up two pizzas at the Giant Gas Station.  We love this little family and want to continue to help them whenever we can.

            We also had another different experience.  Miya Walker, President Walkers cute little 8 year old was baptized on Saturday.  We have a very little font that you get to by lifting a door in the kitchen.  We lifted it a few days before and there were all sorts of bugs and it was quite dirty.  We started to scrub it and two hours later it was good.  They pin a sheet to the back of it to cover all of the metal on the upper side of it.  I pressed for one hour trying to get it to look good.  It looked fine but not good when we were done. 

Saturday morning Elder Dattage went over and started to fill the font at 6:00 a.m.  We went over and got the room looking good for them knowing full well that cute Asha Walker would come and make it look pretty.  She has a talent for that.  It started at 10:00.  At 9:40 I decided to look in and see that everything looked good.  I couldn’t believe it but the water had drained down 10 inches. We were so sure it would take forever to get things going again.    By the time they had done the opening and it was time for her to be baptized, it was full enough.   Wow we were so glad.  Didn’t want to ruin a beautiful day for this cute little girl.  It was a great baptism and a good dinner after with their family.  Jodi had sent us a pretty necklace and a cute pillowcase for her to color about baptism.  Thanks Jodi.  She loved them and wore it to church today.    Love this family.  I got to help her Friday morning while she tried to clean.  Love that little baby and love helping with him any time.

            Loved talking to Kyson this week on his birthday and seeing everyone eating steak.  Cute pictures.  Kyson looks so tall land so cute with that smile of him  Love that boy.  Next week Jordon , then Mitch. 

            Today when I taught Young Womens I started to cry during the theme.  I so love Young Womens and the 3 girls there are all special to us.  I told them how much it meant to me to say the theme with the wonderful daughters of God.  They are indeed beautiful girls and have so much potential.  What a blessing it was to teach about motherhood to these girls.  Loved it. 

            Elder Dattage has been helping so many people this week.  Just a lot of little things like rain gutters, weeds, sand bags with the help of the Elders, and tomorrow we are fixing a bike.  Not sure how that will go.  So glad to serve where we can.

            Next week is Stake Conference in Gallup.  All of those that drive offer rides to the ones that can’t.  They want to go but many do not drive or have cars.  Looking forward to this conference. 

            We are still keeping very busy and hope we do to the day we pull out of Zuni and head to Cache Valley.  Good luck to all of those that are starting school this week.  Study hard and have fun.  Also to all of my teacher friends – you are making a difference.  It is hard but so important.  So proud of all of you.

            Hope all is well in Cache Valley.  Appreciate the updates I get from family and friends.  You are all amazing people and serving your friends and family and the church so well.