Best of the Rez Week 5

Best of the Rez Week 5

As I write the wind and the rain are beating at our little trailer house walls and it feels so wonderful to be warm and dry.  I will never complain about Rexburg wind again.  When this dirt and sand blow at 20 to 30 miles an hour, it is more than frightening and one soon understands why there is so much dust inside and out. 
I wish I had a statement that could describe this week—but words can do it no justice.  We have had our wonderful highs as we watched a mission miracle occur, but at the same time we are certainly confused, unsettled and overwhelmed with the tasks that lay ahead.

1) Mission Miracle: Jimmie Tsosie and Rita Price were married at 10:30ish on Saturday, February 19^th.  The wedding was actually at 10 and the groom was standing there about to pass out from nerves, but no bride was in sight.  She showed up a bit late because they had baked the cake that morning and it wasn’t done.  Then we lost the Bishop.  He also had a case of nerves and needed a moment to pull himself together.  Finally, it happened and it was a joy. 
Okay, now for the miracle.  Friday, Elder Parkinson and the young elders went over to get the baptismal font ready.  NIGHTMARE!!! They put some water in to clean it out a bit and then pulled the drain and -- well do I need to explain?  Yep the sewer came up the baptismal drain.  They tried everything and called for help.  The help came but couldn’t get a thing to work.  We called to see if there was a chance of moving the baptism to Chinle (15 miles away).  They would have some big rearranging, but they thought it could work.  Let them know by 9 AM the next day.  Then we were told another plumber was coming at 7 AM and would have ours working by 9 AM.  The plumber showed up at 7 and he and Elder Parkinson worked themselves silly but it was not going to happen.  We called Chinle and you wouldn’t believe it but their entire water main had busted and they had water running everywhere in the parking lot but not a drop inside the church.  Then our plumber figured out what was wrong and started to fix the problem.  He got ours done!!! It takes 3 hours to fill the font and we only had about 2 but fill we did.  Then we walked back into see how it was coming.  The water was absolutely brown.  We checked it and it smelled fine and was basically fresh water but was coming out of the pipe brown.  Oh well, it would look the same in the river.  So while we think it was a miracle that the baptismal font was fixed, we were sad that it looked so disgusting to all the family and friends that we were hoping to impress.  When Jimmie saw it, he jumped back to but Elder Parkinson went in first and explained that when we used a lot of water –the water would turn brown, but that it was okay.  Second part of miracle, he followed Elder Parkinson and in about 2/3^rd of the water needed was able to be baptized.
Third part of the miracle—the big dinner afterwards.  This little lady nearly died when I was told I was on my own for baptisms with all the food and set-up, but several wards members helped out and the family brought tons of food, so all was well.  So in the end it was a huge day with tons of emotions on all ranges of the spectrum, and more work than I could have ever imagined, but it was a huge success.

2) A Senior Couple Package!  So far we have had two packages.  Ty and Gus sent us a picture along with the pictures of when we were set apart.  They are posted on our fridge.  This week we got a Valentine package from an angel in Rexburg that sent us over20 piano books and FLORENCE’s CHOCOLATES.  We were absolutely in heaven. 

3) How close are we to Winslow, AZ?  We got a call Friday morning asking how close we were to Winslow.  Bishop and Doris Erickson were in Winslow (with his brother and wife) on their way over to see us.  What a joy.  Doris was rather ill on Friday, but they stayed in Chinle, and by Saturday she was better.  It was so fun to have seen them.  They didn’t stay but a minute but it was a great joy to be with friends.  Oh, this is cute.  After our hello’s, he said that after I had baked all those pies for an apostle, you would think I would get sent to a prettier place than this.  The poor rez--it is beautiful if you just look out and about but not down.  Or just look at the people –they are wonderful. 

4) Elder Parkinson also spoke at his first Navajo funeral.  It was really sad because Sister Benally had told us a lady was expecting us to come.  When we asked for directions they gave them to us over 10 miles off.  Well, we found the lady almost 2 weeks later and the day after her uncle had died.  If we could have made it in the beginning we would have probably heard that her parents and uncle were members and could have met them.  However the funeral went well --after starting 55 minutes late.  Don’t say Navajo time, I had one in my family that started just as late.

5) Modified Responsibilities:  The other day I actually got out our call and looked at it again.  It said that our responsibilities would be modified as needed.  We are getting an understanding of what that means and are working hard to get a handle on how to organize our lives to accomplish even a part of our duties.  Our number one duty is to refind, reteach and retrain.  We are missing about 350 people and are working very hard to make contact with them.  Some are very happy to see us, but the 2 main reasons for not attending church are no transportation and too busy.  As we search we also find investigators and when it seems better for a senior couple to teach we teach the discussions (right now we are teaching 3 young girls in one family, a young boy in another family, a wife in a part member family, and another wife in another part member family, and 2 other non-member families.)  We also fill in church assignments as needed.  Right now we are the Youth Sunday School class teachers and I do the singing in Primary (1 hour straight).  We are also the home teachers/visiting teachers for the ward, along with a few other are trying to help us out there.  There is also a keyboard program where we are to teach piano lessons and help prepare them in that way for church service.  I now have 14 piano students.  The Zone Leader is calling for “activities,” and we are playing basketball on Saturday and sometimes on Wednesday evenings.  We also show a movie once a month for FHE.  In the warmer weather we will be doing a softball team.  They have also asked us to GPS every member, active or less active.  We spend a lot of time driving around trying to find people and then mark the spot with GPS.  So, in case we had a second to ourselves, they have now asked us to be the early morning seminary teachers for this ward.   I am going on faith on this one, that the Lord will help us accomplish all that we can and maintain our health.  It is wonderful that senior couples can take naps.

6) For a side light bit of news, I must explain our egg.  When I was moving in I found this crazy looking egg.  I read the directions and it said that it was a microwave egg cooker.  You can put up to 4 eggs in a time and a little water in the bottom, and TA-DA – medium boiled eggs.   We love it.

7) Okay, I have been too serious today, so I must tell a funny story.   There is a dear little lady in another area that was getting too crippled to make it to her out house.  So the Navajo Nation said they would build her a bathroom.  They came and laid down a cement pad, put a toilet, bathtub and sink on it, built the 4 walls around it and left.  They never put in a septic tank or even cut a hole in the cement under the toilet.  She uses it for a storage room. 

8) Finding Joy in the Work.  After the marriage, baptism and dinner yesterday with all the ups and downs that went with it, I was almost exhausted as I walked back home.  Elder Parkinson asked if I had seen who had been talking with him.  I had not.  It was the bride’s son, who had called Elder Parkinson over twice to tell him that they wanted the lessons for his wife so she could get baptized also.  I had no idea that words could bring such joy.  I still collapsed, but the dreams were sweeter than you could ever imagine.

The Church is True,

                Eat well, Exercise, and Serve Valiantly,

                                With much love,

                                                Elder/Sister Parkinson

The happy couple serving the wedding cake!

Jimmie Tsosie and his baptism picture.

Egg Cooker with lid on.

Egg Cooker showing the eggs inside.  And yummy cookies at the side.

A windy day at Canyon De Chilly.  Valentines Day!

Elder Parkinson at my pagent arena.

A bigger view of the arena.  It is truly amazing.

Just another AMAZING rock formation.  We are surrounded!

This on has an opening.  We didn't have time to hike up there

but that will happen before we return.

Elder Parkinson, Bishop Erickson and his brother, Kay from Star Valley, WY.

A Valentine Box (from and angel). 

You may notice most of the chocolate is gone.

Elder Parkinson gave in and paid $5 for this bread. 

We tried to serve it to a friend and they said

it was too expensive for their taste.

Our dear Sister Tsosie (not related to the groom).

This little darling walked infront of the bride throwing out rose petals.

 

The Best of the Rez -- Week 4

The Best of the Rez Week 4

Are we there yet?  We actually were to leave on our mission on February 7^th so when I woke that morning my first question was “Are we there yet”.  Then on Saturday evening, the 12^th, the night we should have arrived at Many Farms, I asked if it had been good to have arrived a month earlier and had we done any good that first month.  I do hope we had and definitely there have been some great high points but the first lesson of a missionary is learning how to deal with disappointments as well.

So some of the best of the rez week 4:  I have tried to make you laugh a little!  Oh and I looked up the correct spelling for white person in Navajo – Biliganna.  Any other words you want to know?

1)      Best Laugh:  We went to our first district meeting in Pinon.  The missionary couple there, Elder/Sister Parkin, only had one week to serve and emotions were rather mixed as they looked forward to going home and were very sad to leave the people there they had grown to love.  As Sister Parkin stood up to greet us she said, “Okay all of those of you in Depends, just take them on out with you.  The chapel won’t be cleaned till Sunday and they will stink by then.”  I nearly died laughing.

2)      The Extremes:  Everything seems more defined on the rez.  The sky is more blue and larger, the sun is brighter, the dirt is redder, browner, and sometimes even blacker, the smells (especially of wood burning stoves) is stronger, the cold is crisper and the warm is hotter.  And the sunsets are absolutely beautiful.  The sun was so bright the other morning, Elder Parkinson said we would go walking for our exercise.  When he went outside it was below zero so the Wii won again.  We love Wii fit plus.

3)      Best Fun:  We had our party here for our Sunday School class.  Eight of them showed up and it was just a blast.  We played 100 (or whatever Mark Bates calls it) and Toss Up and Wii.  We had a great time—so fun.  And we had lasagna, salad, chips and dip, veggie tray, root beer, dump cake and ice cream with candy on the side.  We played for over 3 hours, and afterwards, Elder/Sister Parkinson slept hard.

4)      Best Comfort: Our mattress pad came.  OHHHHHH the JOY!!!! I cannot believe the difference in not having your bed attack you all night.  But our new memory pad foam does stink so we are sleeping with lots of Vicks in our nose so we don’t get sick from the smell.  You get one joy and a pain jumps in beside it. 

5)      Best News: Captain, Dr. Eric “C” Parkinson graduated from the Air Force Officers Training School in Alabama and is now home with his family.  They will move next week to where—New Mexico, Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis.  It will be the closest we have been to them for a long time.  Congrats Eric and Angella and girls.  We are sure looking forward to having you close.

6)       Best Tactic:  Our main responsibility is to seek out Less Active members that may not have been to church for years.  They left us all these cards with the wonderful addresses on them and then we try to find them.  Elder Parkinson’s best tactic is to find a name of someone in some direction and then stop at about every house on the road, and asked if they know where the man lives.  Then he will say we are missionaries of the LDS church looking for members and are they a member.  Amazedly enough, some are!  If they are not members he asked if they would be interested in learning and we have about 4 new families willing to listen—which most are turned over to the Elders.  Hope they can keep up to us.

7)      Best Biliganna Trick:  We had our dear Sister Tsosie and some of her family over to dinner this week.  I did not have room for all the food on the little table so I keep the meat and gravy to the side.  After they dished up their food, I asked for their plates back.  When they looked at me I said, “Old Biliganna trick, give them food and then ask for it back.”  I am still wondering if anyone but me thought it was funny.

And Elder Parkinson stopped a guy to ask for directions.  Then man went on and on and pointed exactly to where the person lived.  We then drove off in the other direction because we didn’t have time to go there that day.  As we drove off, Elder Parkinson cracked up laughing about the guy saying, “Stupid Biliganna—asks for directions one way and then drive off the other.”  We have no idea if anyone else thinks we are funny, but we are laughing a lot down here.

8)      Best “How stupid can we look” moment:  Since you cannot drink the water the local grocery store will sell you 3 gallon jugs and then you can go in and fill them up for 25 cents a gallon.  We really weren’t sure how to do it, but a nice young man tried to explain it to us.  We thought that since it was our first try, we would fill up our gallon jug for the car up first.  It just so happened that the machine was a little off and giving 1 & ½ gallons for a quarter so I am holding our gallon jar and all the sudden water is just pouring out everywhere.  Elder Parkinson is hitting every button on the machine but the water won’t stop.  We spilled 2 quarts of water all over with about 30 Navajo’s standing there wondering who let us on the rez.

9)       Best Fry Bread:  We stopped Sunday afternoon to reschedule an appointment and then walked back to our car.  One of the girls from the house—an investigator that we taught the 1 discussion to last week—came running and asked if we wanted a fry bread.  OF COURSE!!!  It was our first fry bread and I think you will agree when you see it—it was amazing.  We loved it.  They wanted us to stay for Navajo Taco’s but we said we needed to run so they are going to cook for us when we go back on Wednesday to teach.  They were all so excited.  We just love Sister Sam—she is a complete gem and thanks us so much for the spirit we bring to her home. 

10)  Best Discovery:  The Schwann man comes to the rez every Tuesday.  He has the same catalog and same prices as anywhere else.  That is cheap for here.  Yum yum!

11)  Best Moment So Far:  We had a very special moment this week confirming to us that we are to be serving in the Many Farms area.  I don’t think I have ever felt better than that at any moment in my life.  I do not know if it will ever happen again in the next 17 months, but WOW, does it ever put everything else into perspective.

Okay, and one final thing—A monthly contest.  We are going to hold a contest and give Navajo prizes to the winners.  So contest #1

There is more tumbleweed down here than any other aspect of life.  It is everywhere.  It can even block a fence and then catch the sand behind it until the sand is as high as the fence and you could walk right over it.  So:

Who can come up with a money making way to use tumbleweed?

The Church is True,

            Stay Healthy and Safe,

                        Love you all,

                                    Elder and Sister Parkinson

This is Ardawn Bitsinnie and her son Shubie.  She is one of investigators. 

They came to Sunday dinner.

Elder Parkinson really scrubbed up "Little Burro"

and the next day we woke up to this.

Our wonderful Schwann man with a few pizza's and ice cream for us.

The Elders on their first trip after the car wash and snow storm. 

Mud is pleantiful on the rez.

This one is mostly for Eric and Sarah (they have a Corgi). 

Dogs out here are not always so cute!

Here is the water trough that we spilled 2 quarts of water with our first attempt.

We took a new road the other day and found an original hogan. 

Doesn't it look comfy?

Here are 2 of my piano students -- Scott and Darrin Thomas. 

Since they do not have a piano,  they practice on the table. 

( I told them to Smile for Sister Andrus) 

Sister Sam with our first fry bread (and 2 of her granddaughters.) 

Sister Sam actually went to the Indian School in Brigham City, Utah.

Can you say, "I am happy!" 

You put a little salt and then dizzle honey on them. 

Wonderful!

Blog= 1- Sister P= 0.  I tried everyway possible to rotate pix. 

Sorry but this is some of Sister Sam's darling grandchildren playing dress up on the rez.

We do not have the right type of camera for sunsets,

but with the rez sunsets, you really can't miss.

BEST of the REZ Week 3

Best of the Rez

1)      Best Find Ever!  We were going through a housing district that is going to be demolished.  We were not having any luck but there was one number on our list that had a car so we gave it a try.  Elder Parkinson came and said she wanted to meet with us.  It is a dear lady, Sister Margaret Tsosie who has been a member most of her life.  After her husband had his funeral in the church she didn’t want to go back.  Her hands are completely crippled but she sews like a dream.  She came to church this week and we are so hoping they will give her a job.

2)      Best Storm.  Yep! We got to be here for the record setting low 2 nights in a row.  It was 24 below zero and our water froze up for two wholes days.  Oh the joy of a hot bath.  I will never take that for granted again.

3)      Best Music.  I did my top hand thing for RS and ran out to see when Primary wanted me.  As I went by the chapel I heard something very familiar.  Tyler Benally after 2 lessons was accompanying the Priesthood singing “Praise to the Man”.  I stood and listened for all four verses.  Everyone there was so proud of him.  That made my day!!!!!  I now have seven piano students and more asked today for lessons.  (Anyone want to send me some beginning piano books?  I am using the simplified hymns and the chalkboard.)  Next week in Sacrament meeting two are schedules to accompany hymns.  They are only one finger of course, but the mission president told me it would be better for them to play one finger than a concert pianist missionary to do it.  Since I am not a concert pianist—I was very happy to agree.

4)      Best Lesson!  We are picking up a couple from the last missionaries—I’ll call them the Matt/Annie family.  Matt is not a member but Annie is.  He is basically ready for baptism and has said he wants it, but they are not married.  We had them over and Elder Parkinson was talking about the fact that they were ready and knew it was the right thing to do.  Yes, he agreed.  So Elder Parkinson said, “Well then, we need you two to get married.  I have baked a cake here and the Bishop is waiting outside, so let’s get it done.”  Matt nearly swallowed his tongue.  Then Elder Parkinson said, “Just kidding but here is the calendar, pick a day and let’s not be turning the page, February will do.”  They picked Feb. 18 for marriage, Feb 19 for baptism, and Feb 20^th to be confirmed.  Then we played Wii and laughed till we were sick.  Wonderful day!

5)      Best Price Ever?  We drove out to the Round Rock area which is in our ward and went to their trading post.  We needed milk so I suggested we buy it there.  A gallon of milk was $6.49.  We bought a Snicker and went without milk for a day.

6)      Best Addresses of the Week!  We are in a valley surrounded on all four sides by beautiful mesas.  There are red mesas, black mesas, a bit of green down low, and some purple way off.

So addresses of the week:

A)     Against the mesa  

B)      Try by windy  valley to back dumpster
Haven’t found either of them yet

7)      Best News.  I am not waking up every night with headaches.  Since the MTC I have only had 1 long headache and 2 smalls and both during the day so I can sleep at nights.

8)      Best Activity:  Elder Parkinson taught a basketball clinic Saturday morning.  While he played BB I taught piano lessons.  He had a gym full and a lot more coming this next week.  He and the Bishop were completely worn out by the end.  I looked at them and said I am in between a Navajo and a Bellagani (white person) and you are both bright red.  Who is who?  The Bishop announced from the stand today that Elder Parkinson could hardly walk after it was over but forgot to mention how he was sucking air as well.  It was great fun and I bet it grows a lot.

9)    Best Class -- We were pulled out of our Sunday School class the first week and told to teach the youth --HURRAY!  We had six and we instantly loved them dearly.  We told them if they could grow to ten we would have a party.  They did it today and it is party time on Friday :).
Don't they look wonderful?

10)    Best Souveniers -- We ran into Chris Pinto at a home yard sale trying to find the Bishop.  We love his sculptures and his rock painting.  We will be going there often.  We have also asked him to try a nativity scene.  That is one way of introducing the gospel.

The Church is True,
      
     Stay Healthy and Eat your Roughage,

             Love you all,

                      Elder and Sister Parkinson

Our dear Sister Tsosie and some of her sewing. 

The record breaking cold--but you cannot see 24 below zero and frozen water pipes.

The roads in the housing addition in town.  I wonder why all the cars are broken down. 

                     Elder Parkinson gave us our first address.  It works, so far we have had one delivery--How to Raise Chickens for Dummies.  

My first rug from this dear, sweet old lady.  When we snapped the picture she wanted $10 more!

Our first Trading Post where we bought Jessie's Birthday present and a sand jar for our pens.

The Round Rock Trading Post where we did not buy milk.

10 Student and a new record.  Love the smiles and they are the greatest!

Chris Pinto and some of his work.  He loves to work infront of you so you know it was not done in China.