Best of the Rez Week 58

Best of the Rez     Week 58     February 13^th to February 19^th

Greetings to you all.  Week 58 is big because 18 month missionaries serve 78 weeks—so that means we are down to 20 weeks to go.  Everyone is talking about all the things left to do, and yes we have many, but we are praying more for hanging on.  So many things are so very fragile that we pray they are solid enough to last.

1)      Today we decided to have a little fun with the young elders.  After some very fast haircuts all six missionaries headed to Canyon De Chelly.  Two are brand new to the area so we all went and hiked White House.  It was so cold and windy I was not sure I was in for it, but the canyon protects you so it was rather nice. 

Then we headed to Rock Point to teach piano and stopped at Yazzie’s for a lesson as well.  Home, eat, prepare and rest.

2)      Seminary this morning was rather unusual – we held a baptism. For some reason the 2 Draper boys (19-20) wanted to be baptized on the 14^th.  They couldn’t do it in the evening so they opted for 7 AM.  We made it work.  After the baptism we all came for hot chocolate and homemade toast.
Then more Seminary -- it was our monthly meeting in Ganado.  We picked up Roberts and away we went.  Other than the room was freezing the meeting was great.  We made it home just in time to teach piano.  Kaylana was back tonight so I was very happy.

It was RS work meeting and we made Valentine cookies.  We had 8 women show up with about 8 children as well.  Sister Davis had made so much cookie dough that people were taking home dozens of cookies.  We all had a good time cutting out cookies and frosting them. 

We also had ARP which was very good and then ran for a lesson after all this was over.  It was a big day.

3)      Wednesday was too calm after the hustle of yesterday.  After seminary we prepared, did a little exercise, and cleaned the church, taught piano and one missionary lesson but the other people went to the game.  They had canceled YM-YW because of ball games so even the night was slow. 

4)      Seminary, Sister Tsosie in Chinle, groceries, lunch and home.  The little Tsosie girls called and wanted a lesson so we went out and picked them up. EP taught a literacy lesson while I taught piano.  Fun!

Then Yoe’s were coming and they have Timitrius again.  We are so happy to have him back.  We had Chow Mein together and then I taught Selena piano while the missionaries taught Timitrius.  We are going to baptize him next Friday.  Love that kid.  He walked into the house before the others, held out his arms, and said, “Did you miss me?”

5)      This was cute.  Kayla called and said that she couldn’t make it to Seminary because she had to be at school early for student government.  We said we could meet early so she could come.  We decided on 6:45.  They showed up at 6:30 with me washing my hair.  It was really fun and we got great at the numbers of the scripture mastery.

Then it was more work on the church and 6 piano lessons.  I was feeling all bad because no one was showing up and then they all came at once.  Still missed 4 lessons though.

New investigators: we have been trying to get a lady since the first week we were here.  She came to RS to make cookies and we set up an appointment.  It was great.  We went to just talk and get-to-know but they wanted the first lesson as well.  Love the kids!

6)      So much for planning.  I had 6 lessons coming in the morning and 4 in the afternoon.  All 9 showed up at the same time.  I was running those 3 pianos and EP was doing basketball with the rest.  That was intense.

Then Sister Benally cut my hair and we headed to Chinle to eat with the Roberts.  So good and so fun.  Then home to get ready for Sunday.

7)      Yes-sir-ee!  We had 88 at church and still had 2 families (14) home sick.  The first piano player was late but the others did new, harder songs and did great.  McKay Curley played “A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief’ while I read the words to all 7 verses.  I think it went rather well.  The primary was all prepared so I was thrilled.  The youth SS class had 20.  It was a good day.  After church we gave Sister Logan a blessing.  She is really sick with a viral infection.
I had a crock pot dinner and then we collapsed but the phone started to ring.  Sister Curley needed Miracle Whip. 
Sister Martinez and her daughter showed up for a blessing.  That was a very neat experience and I do so hope and pray some good will come out of it.  That family has really been suffering.
Next we headed to Chinle to High Priest meeting.  I taught a piano lesson to a Chinle girl during the meeting and also baked a cake for YW.  Then we headed home to a lesson.  The girl that we expected to teach did not meet with us, but her mother talked with us.  We haven’t seen her for a month and so it relieved us greatly to talk with her.  She hasn’t been to church in 6 weeks, but said she just does not have the energy. She has lost her balance, her appetite, sometimes drools and has no energy.  She has been to Phoenix twice and is headed back.  I hope someone can help her.  She said she wanted to go to church but just couldn’t get ready that early.  I told her to just come to RS but she said she wanted the bread and water.  That really pleased us.  EP is going to ask the bishop if he can give her the sacrament at her home.

Then back to the YW new beginners.  15^th ward would have died.  It was just a meeting with the YW President and Bishop speaking.  However, they had a wonderful dinner afterwards.  It was rather a pleasant experience for us.  When we came there were the 2 Curley girls and the 2 Benally girls in YW.   Tonight there were Tinisha and Kaylana (their brother [care taker] was our first baptism), Selena and her mother (our second baptism), Nicole and her mother (her brother was our 10^th baptism), and Keshawa and her friend (our 16^th baptism).  That was fun to see. 
Our evening class didn’t show so our tired little bodies could just come home to recover.

So ends week 58 – another landmark event.  All in all, it was a very good week.  And thank you for a day off tomorrow so we can recover from it.

The Church is True,

            Love one Another,

                        With all our love,

                                    Elder and Sister Parkinson

Elder Bankhead and Elder Giles going to White House.

Elder Shreeve and Elder Openshaw.

A great picture of White House of Canyon De Chelly.

Wow!  We got a new camera!

Another view.

And here we are, still going.

Elder Shreeve, Elder Bankhead, me, -

Elder Giles, Elder Openshaw.

Best of the Rez Week 57

Best of the Rez     Week 57     February 5^th to February 12^th

I am totally confused.  Living this week was positively dull and seemed like nothing was working; but how can that be when you have 3 different baptisms during the week? 

1)      Monday’s have been taken over by the elders.  They use to go to Nawahine’s to internet, but since Nawahine’s went home (boo hoo) we have the joy of the elder’s interneting in our home.  That takes a good deal of the day.  We went over and worked in the church but it was a slow day.
Then we went to Rock Point and taught piano.  Fun!  Our lesson fell through since they were in the hospital with their father.    Then we tried others but really had no luck. 

2)      Cold today—more snow.  After seminary we prepared and then went to Dale Mitchell’s.  I taught piano while EP went with 1 set of elders to teach in Round Rock.  ARP didn’t show but we had a nice lesson with Logan’s.

3)      After seminary we headed to Gallup for supplies.  Good trip.  Home for piano.  Then the Scott boys were interviewed for baptism.  We play a ‘Chutes and Ladders’ game with them that we invented with baptism questions.  They had a good time with that.  We double scheduled and sure enough, while we were still at Begaye’s we missed 4 piano students.  YM didn’t meet but the YW made candy cane hearts and Susan’s little scriptures.  We had a good time.

4)      Seminary and then Margaret was sick so we took a break ourselves.  I was supposed to teach Selena piano and the elders wanted to meet the Mitchell’s so we all headed to Valley.  On the way Selena called to tell me she had to stay after at school.  Mitchell’s were not home so we thought we would try another Yoe home.  They have a guard rooster.  After we talked to Sister Yoe we walked back to the car.  I walked around the back to see what was happening just as the rooster was charged EP.  I screamed and EP jumped back into me and pretty well flattened me.  The elders were sure laughing.  The Yoe’s all had quite a time retelling the story as well. 
Then to Round Rock for Yazzie’s.  More of the same!  We rushed back to Brandi Clah’s baptism (finally after 3 tries).  I gave the talk on baptism.  Small and simple baptism but nice night.

5)      Friday was pancakes and scriptures at seminary.  Kayla and I got a 100% on our scriptures.  We went out to Dales for literacy. 
I am in charge of a dinner for zone meeting on the 24^th so I called to make assignments.  That was interesting.  New missionaries would ask what they were supposed to be doing.  I couldn’t tell if one couple had just arrived or were just leaving so I asked which was correct.  She asked how I got her number.  I told her she was on the missionary list.  I asked if I had gotten a wrong number or something.  No—she said, we were supposed to leave for Tuba City (Rez) in February but they had just received a call for Norway.  They were really ticked.  It was one interesting call.
One by one every piano student canceled.  We finally decided to celebrate and called Roberts and went out to eat with them.  That always brightens our day.  We say that we are each other’s sounding board.  Anyhow, it was a fun night.

6)      Saturday started with a baptism.  We baptized a sweet little 16 year old girl named Tonira Begay.  When the elder went to place her under the water, she shot straight up screaming.  It was so funny.  It took over 10 minutes to talk her under. 
The Benally’s cancelled piano so I had more spare time. 
At 7 we had our baptism for Cooper and Cameron Scott.  They are so cute.  Cameron was first and he has autism.  He got a little nervous and was asking a lot of questions.  EP talked to him very calmly –he said he was ready and all went very smoothly.  He came up just beaming and said, “I got nervous.”  Cooper did great also.  Their sister Thelma played the piano for the baptism and she did great also.  It was a very fun night.  We had root beer floats afterwards and everyone had fun.

7)      Sunday came all too early.  I got ready and ran around trying to pick people up but no one was around.  Attendance was down again.  Tonira ride broke down so she could not make it in to get confirmed, but the other 3 were confirmed in Sacrament Meeting. Primary and YM had local teachers so we were beaming.  The piano was not perfect, but 10 year old Scott Thomas tried to play both hands of ‘I Believe in Christ.’  He can do it slow but couldn’t do it as fast as they sang.  7 year old Darren Thomas played 2 songs and did just fine. 
Primary was fun and then we came home and collapsed.  We slept forever. 
Selena had to miss her lesson on Thursday so we decided we would do a piano lesson with her and a temple prep with her mother on Sunday afternoon.  They came just as we were eating so we all had supper together.  That was fun.  Sister Yoe is very excited about the temple, so that was fun.  Lessons went well.We had nothing else scheduled and nothing seemed to want to work.  We just took it rather easy.

And thus ends week 57.  Our two little boys that were baptized were just darling and very excited.  We actually thought we were going to marry their parents that night as well but the father wanted to wait and make it a bigger affair.  Hopefully that will be next month and then we can baptize the father.  Progress is hard to define or see but I am going to feel that some progress is happening here on the Rez. 
The Church is True,

            Happiness is an inside job,

                        Our love,

                                    Elder and Sister Parkinson

Selena and her mother, sister Yoe making hearts.

Sister Curley making scriptures.

Kayla is working hard.

President Curley and McKay helped too.

This is our missionary board for 2011.

It is now full and we took it down to start again.

Irwin Scott, Cooper Scott, Cameron Scott, Thelma Scott,

Anabel Mitchell, Elliot Scott (back), Kaden Mitchell (front),

Georgia Mitchell, Tucker Scott, and Ardella Mitchell.

Add Elder Giles, Us, Bishop and Elder Bankhead.

                       

Best of the Rez Week 56

Best of the Rez     Week 56     January 30^th to February 5^th

We all knew that we couldn’t stay as high as week 55 so it was an expected glide down to Rez earth this week.  Still we had 2 wonderful events that brought us great joy.  Now if we can keep pushing till the end.  I mentioned that I was in slow down mode and this was my rebuke:

“Slowing down? Slowing down? Now is the time to sprint to the finish! Come on coach -- what is this "slowing down" stuff?”

I guess it is time to shift into high and see how well we can finish these last 5 months.

1)      Seminary, then housework and preparation.  It was Sister Tsosie’s 71^st birthday and she loves peach cobbler so we had her over for her favorite.  All the elders walked in as well, which tickles her to death so we had quite the little party.  We must have sung 4 times as we sang every time someone walked in. 
At 3 we headed to Rock Point to teach piano.  We literally rushed back to Many Farms and had a great lesson with April but her sister didn’t show.  Then we rushed to Round Rock where we got stood up.  We went over and got in a quick lesson with Yazzie’s but Wheeler’s still didn’t make it home.  We also got stood up for our 8 PM.

2)      Brother Watts came to seminary today but he was really late.  Still we had a fun visit with him.  Then we taught Dale Mitchell literacy and went over to Chinle for lunch.  We had piano, gospel literacy, ARP (we showed ‘Finding Faith in Christ), and a great lesson with Logan’s (recent converts).  Good day—only one piano fell through and everything else happened!

3)      Wednesday was payday—so it was slow.  Seminary was great because we showed  the ‘Elijah and the widow’ video.  We didn’t make any appointments but had a lot of interviews for Bishop during YM-YW.  I cleaned the library until it was time for missionary correlation meeting.   

4)      Seminary was great—we had a hands-on with Elijah and the priests of Baal.  So Fun! It was Elder Giles birthday and he wanted a treat like Sister Tsosie got.  We had all 4 over for pancakes.  Also fun.
We had planned on going to Gallop for supplies, but the snow looked not so good.  I checked my email and Chuck Porter had a message that he was close.  We called and arranged to meet them in Tuba City.  That was GREAT!  We had a really fun visit with them and ate at Denney’s.  All too soon it was time to come home.  We drove straight through Many Farms and headed to Round Rock with Yazzie’s.  That lesson went well and then we tried Wheeler’s again but they were not around.  Home—and we had to bake another treat for Elder Giles’s and had the elders back for another treat.  Finally they left and to bed--so tired.

5)      Friday was French Toast and scripture mastery clues.  We are getting lots better but I still cannot remember the numbers.  The roads were muddy so we didn’t go to Brother Mitchell’s.  School was out for Chinle so I had the Benally’s come in for piano lessons.
When I came back from teaching, Brad said that something came today that I would like – it was on the table.  I went over to the table and he had his coat laid out covering the surprise.  (I really thought that was cute.)  As I lifted up the coat, there were 2 bolo ties and eleven necklaces, 2 bracelets and 1 pair of earrings.  The mission home had written us a letter about Fred Roundy from Cuba, New Mexico; a 93 year old widower that loved to make jewelry for missionaries.  We were supposed to write to him and tell him what we wanted.  I wrote and asked for a bolo tie and matching necklace.  Well, we got it (and I absolutely love it) and a whole lot more.  He sent a little letter about himself and his wife and how he loves to collect rocks and make jewelry but if he charged for it, God would take his talent away.  He does it for the smiles it will bring and did he ever get some here.  We were just beaming.
Then the afternoon piano showed up but 6 didn’t show.  Still felt like a long day. 

6)      Saturday I had one new student which was fun and then the day was long.  On pay day week end you never plan anything.  EP was SICK!  I mean he was really sick.  He never got out of bed.  Sister Davis came and we did some visiting teaching stuff.  That night Sister Wheeler came over and we did her RS lesson.  She was very excited when she left.  That was fun.  EP was so sick we didn’t even eat that day. 

7)      That leaves Sunday.  This is cool.  EP was still sick but he was up and out of here about 6:45 AM.  The Bishop, President Curley, Brother Simpson, Bishop Yellowhair and Brother Begay from Chinle, and all the missionaries went to the top of the mesa and rededicated this ward for the teaching of the gospel and home/visiting teaching.  Our stake president wanted every ward to do that, and I do believe we are one of the first.  It was cold but EP said it was a very nice experience.  It really set the tone for a nice Fast Sunday. 
Church was down to 65 but the Primary and RS was staffed with natives teaching the lessons so we were happy about that.  Between payday and the super bowl our numbers dropped off.  We were too sick to really do much.  Finally EP got out of bed and said we had to try, but in all our travels we only got in one home and they just sang the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ for the game so we left early there and came home.

The week seemed to end a bit flat but with Chuck and Linda coming and the gifts from Brother Roundy it was a memorable week.  Ground hog day brought the snow so I do not know where our weather is going.   We are so thrilled about the progress the little ward is making but we hear people may be leaving and worry for the stability in the future.  Please pray for Many Farms.

The Church is True,

     The Lord needs Valiant Servants Everywhere,

            Our love,

                        Elder and Sister Parkinson

Elijah vs priest of Baal sacrifice.

(The jelly beans are Elijah and the priests.)

The happy birthday breakfast.  Elder Giles is in the back,

then Elder Shreeve and of course, Elder Openshaw

is the one in the hat and Elder Bankhead.

Chuck and Linda Porter at Tuba City.

We are almost as happy to see asphalt as the Porters.

Three rock necklaces from Grandpa Roundy.

Four of the turquoise necklances from Grandpa Roundy.

Remember he is 93 years old.

The white necklace is pearls and the bolo tie

is petrified wood.  The other necklace is mixed color rocks.

And this is what we actually asked for:

A turquoise bolo and matching necklace.

Double click on this to see it really good.

A picture all together.

The Re-Dedication on top of the mesa.

(l-r) Elder Openshaw, Bishop Begay, Anthony Wilson,

Adrian Simpson,Bishop Benally, Elder Shreeve,

Elder Giles, President Curley, Elder Bankhead,

and Brother Rudy Begay.

This time Elder Parkinson is in the picture

and President Curley is taking the picture.