Best of the Rez Week 10

Best of the Rez                        Week 10

Wh-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-sh!  If you remember we were last on a roller-coaster ride.  Greg Hazard, who is on his own roller-coaster ride, wrote and told us about living by the world’s largest roller-coaster.  I actually think we had it beat.  Ours went down a long tunnel, underground and spun and spun before finally coming up—only to learn the switch man didn’t see us go by and forgot to push stop.

1)      I last mentioned that a ward member was upset (way too soft of a word) with the missionaries—both the young Elders and us—the Seniors.   It ended up going between the Mission President, the Stake President and the High Council for about 4 days.  No one told us a thing but we got plenty of rumors.  It was awful!  Thursday I broke and the tears fell for hours.  On Friday we had Zone Conference in Gallup and the Mission President walked up and said, “Oh, that mess is all resolved.  I called to tell you but you must have already left.” 

2)      Did I mention this horrible day was last Thursday, March 24^th?  It started with a lady saying she wouldn’t come back to church because I hadn’t given her money.  I explained that I was a missionary and my job was to help her come closer to Christ; that everyone of the Rez needed my money and I couldn’t pay for everyone’s problems.  She stood there for a long time just looking at me, but now we are friends so I guess all is well.

3)      Next we went up on the hill towards Rough Rock (which is the other direction from Round Rock and Rock Point but closer to Red Rock) for a teaching appointment.  We hit the worst sand storm of our young lives.  Those of you who check the blog should enjoy the pictures.  We pulled over, waited a while, and then turned around and headed back down.  What a scary experience.

4)      We drove into Gallup and got our Little Burro (pick-up) serviced.  Opps - that was not Rez talk.  You do not have a car, van or pick-up on the Rez—you have a ride.  ‘Nice ride’ they say as they walk up to your car or ‘Does your ride work good?’

5)      I felt so terrible that I thought maybe I should get my hair cut and evened out and maybe if it looked better, I would feel better.  It happened!!!! I was scalped!!!!  I did my best to explain and when I saw what she did, it had been done and having one side with hair and one side without, would have looked even worse.  It was not a pretty picture and I spent about an hour walking through Wal Mart’s back aisles bawling my eyes out.  The next morning Sister Meldrum from Tuba City saw me and said, “New hairdo.”  The tears welled up again and she said, “Oh just call it your mission do.”  She was happy as a lark which did help.  Still, I will need months to grow out the sides and years for the back.  Could the day get worse?

6)      YES!  We walked into the restaurant just as the BYU game ended in a tie.  They couldn’t get the right channel until overtime was almost over and I got to see that last horrible minute.

7)      The next day was zone conference with a lot of new people to meet.  Since our first news of the day was that the fiasco was over, it was rather a great day.  Lots of couples spoke and then President Jones gave a great talk on revelation.  Sister Jones, the mission president’s wife and I taught PE together at Provo High School in 1971.  I suggested we do the coordinated jumping jack for the group.  We started but I ended.  I hope the video works to show.

8)      Saturday was up and preparing for our second baptism.  I like this story.  A less active member came to church one Sunday where they announced that the Senior missionaries were teaching piano and basketball on Saturday mornings.  That Saturday he showed up with his two sons, Scott and Darren, for piano.  He went in and played BB.  Then he went home and got his wife and they stayed the whole 2 hours.  That afternoon he and his wife showed up at the house and said that his brother needed help.  After some discussion Elder Parkinson said he would get the Elders and go give him a blessing.  We did a quick recount of the gospel restoration and how the priesthood was restored and Elder Parkinson gave him a blessing.  We left and told the Elders to stay and see if they could make an appointment to teach him.  Well, we baptized him Saturday and his nephew accompanied both songs.  It was wonderful and the water was clear.

9)      Saturday I took some of the young girls to the YW Conference.  Wonderful. Afterwards we got Root Beer floats and laughed a lot.

10)  Then a couple came over for a lesson.  We had taught a first discussion but doing so realized she had no Christian background, so we started at the simple basics.  We took them through the church and explained all the rooms and what happen in each.  They said they would be to church the next day.  They were and just beaming.  They stayed all 3 hours and were about the last ones to leave.  That was very nice.  Oh and all the music was by the youth again, but Scott was late and didn’t get to play his song.  Another primary child playing in Sacrament meeting. 

11)  And speaking of music; Elder Parkinson took his harmonica the other night and played about 5 songs for a family.  Grandpa Joe loved it and now wants to find his harmonica and join in the fun.  It was great.

And that does it for another week—longest yet.  I do hope next week goes a little better.  Things are still not perfectly settled.  One day soon perhaps.  Till then:

The Church is True,

            Smile often,

                        Love you much,

                                    Elder & Sister Parkinson

I think you call this a dust storm.

If it works, it is a video of Zone Conference with

Sister Jones and I showing off the coordinated jumping jack

we learned at Provo High School in 1971.

Bill Thomas and family at his baptism. 

Scott is holding his piano music.

Selena Yoe with her horse, Kelly.  It is 1/2 Mustang and 1/2 Arabian.

Elder Parkinson is going to help her train him.

Selena lives in an orginal Hogan.  The door is rather short.

Elder Parkinson has bashed into it twice so far.