Best of the Rez Week 20

Best of the Rez       Week 20     May 29^th to June 5^th

Happy Anniversary!  Elder Parkinson and I celebrated our 42^nd anniversary this week. 

You wouldn’t believe this, but the wind is blowing outside around 50 mph.  My vacuum completely gave up, so the FM man is coming to fix it.  Some shingles blew off our roof.  The Elder’s swap cooler is full of mud so that needs fixed as well.  A couple of the ward members didn’t put up their wind screen and their gardens are covered with 6 inches of sand.  It seems like there is always a principle of obedience to receiving a blessing.  I do hope we may all qualify on that regard.

I do think week 20 was a little calm, so get ready for a bit of a Merry-Go-Round ride.

1)      Sunday night we had a really good temple prep lesson with the Thomas’s.  While we were teaching I looked over at Elder Parkinson and saw the dirt just caked by his nose and ears.  When I mentioned it;  Brother Thomas said how lucky we were that we had such a good rain last week and that it wasn’t as dusty as normal.  Okay, so that wasn’t dusty.  I guess I feel lucky.

2)      Monday was garden day.  Elder Parkinson put up the wind screen and planted most of the rest of the garden.  We then headed to Chinle for water and to say good-bye to the Rogers.  We missed them, but we ate at Pizza Edge so we were happy.  Pizza Edge is owned by President Justice of the Tuba stake.  He is a Beleganna that came down several years ago and said he wanted to live where he could help and his family could be an example to others.  He is the Stake President of the Tuba Stake.  He owns these Pizza Edge restaurants and gives a free meal to all the missionaries once a week.  That is nice.

3)      Tuesday we really had a slow day because they still won’t let us in the church so I had to cancel all my piano lessons.  The Rogers didn’t make it away on Monday because so many people kept coming by to say good bye.  They stopped around 11 and a dear part of our happiness went with them.  They have served more than valiantly and have been the best of friends for us.  We will miss them greatly.  I must tell you their story.  They were called on a one year mission to teach seminary at Chinle.  Shortly into their mission, their daughter (late 20’s) went into severe seizures.  They called and said that they probably needed to go home and help.  At that point and time, this mission did not exist and the mission president at the time told them they couldn’t.  Their daughter then went into a coma, and they called and said they were leaving to help their daughter and if it meant quitting the mission—they quit.  The mission president then told them to do what they felt they needed to do and if they wanted to return he would be happy to accept them back.  Their daughter did pass away and they not only did return after her funeral, they extended for another year.  They have been amazing teachers and missionaries – and the best of friends and district leaders.  Our first appointment that night forgot, but they rescheduled.  The next appointment we had a good experience teaching a family.  We had a minute between so we came back to the trailer.  A couple that was baptized last August pulled up and asked if they could come back to church.  That was a sweet experience.  It was her ‘mommy’ that had the funeral where they brought the wrong body.  We were glad we had made the effort to attend the funeral.  After they left we had another good lesson with a lady that we dearly love but have no idea whether she will accept or not.  She wanted a prayer for her daughter so we told her we could give her a Priesthood blessing.  She came over and Elder Parkinson blessed her and they seemed to like that.

4)      Wednesday was a bit of a funny day.  Our friends from Tuba called and said they were coming over to a meeting on the 9^th and could we meet them for a hike into Window Rock.  SURE.  Then the garden missionaries showed up with the trailer and rotor-tiller and wanted to know who needed it.  We explained that no one needed it – we needed the post pounder.  They hadn’t brought it.  The Rez!  Then I mentioned we were coming over for the hike with them the next week.  They said no - it was tomorrow.  We went in and called Meldrums and talk about a funny conversation.  I started and Sister Cain ended and Meldrums never did figure out who they were talking to.  We had scheduled to go out with Sister Tsosie, but she pointed out that it was pay day and everyone would be gone.  We told her we would come and teach her temple prep.  That went well, I think.  She is really trying to figure this all out and who would be sealed.  On the way home we taught Selena a piano lesson but her mother never showed up so we didn’t do a mission lesson.  That night we taught the Wheelers and we always enjoy that.

5)      Thursday still no piano so we headed to Window Rock.  The Cain’s have served there for 21 months so we assumed they knew where they were leading us.  We got lost twice.  We never did make the actual window but we had fun.  Then we headed home.  As we came in the Elder’s came in with us.  Then the Rickin’s came in (Elder Richin’s wife  use to be married to a BYUI professor and lived in Rexburg.  Does she ever look happy now!)  They are our new District leaders and they had a bunch of stuff for us.  While we were all talking the RS president came in.  What a houseful.  That afternoon we had a good lesson with the Price/Towne’s.  Cross your fingers there.  Then Brent came to us with his little boy.  Can that little kid ever cry but we made it.  I thought we were supposed to go to Begay’s but Brad looked it up and had it for the next night.  I collapsed.  Our Gospel Doctrine teacher was out in the yard so Elder went out to talk with him.  While he was standing there Begay’s drive up in a panic because they were late and thought we had left.  OPPS!  We told them we thought it was the next night and to make up for it we would bring treats.

6)      We started our Friday with strawberry pancakes with the Elders.  They surely can eat.  Then we finished planting the garden while I taught 6 piano lessons.  We now have our schedule for reading the Old Testament for next year so we started that.  We haven’t been able to reach the lady that had her baby die by phone so we went to find her.  We found her family but she wasn’t there.  Then we went out to teach Begay’s.  They are way out against the mesa.  They do not have electricity except for a generator and that wasn’t on—so it was a cool experience.  It was a good lesson.

7)      Saturday we had a great call.  Last year on June 4^th, we were eating in our favorite little place in Ririe.  Lee Sutton was there talking with us and he was mentioning when his anniversary was and his daughter’s birthday and when a nephew was born.  I said, “You are good Lee.  Now ask Brad if he can do that well.”  Brad got the most nervous look on his face and lifted his arm up to look at his watch, only he didn’t look.  Finally, he made contact and saw the date and said, “It’s my anniversary.”  I thought Lee Sutton would die laughing.  Well, bright and early June 4^th, Lee Sutton called to tell Brad it was his anniversary.  What a wonderful thing.  We had a great chat.  We then got ready for any piano or BBall but no one showed up.  We cleaned the yard and burned all the tumbleweed.  Afterwards we turned around and looked and noticed it really didn’t make the place look any prettier.  Oh well.  We taught an early lesson to the Wheeler’s and then headed for Chinle.  We went out to eat at ‘Garcia’s’, which is not like the Mexican chain.  It was so good and we had a great time.  A teacher was there from Tsalie and he was teasing us about how to get a black name tag.  (He has a friend that is LDS).  The restaurant gave us a free dessert and tried to write 42 on it.  Fun day.

8)      Sunday was a bit of a letdown.  We only had 33 to church and none of the people we were working with showed up.  But, Brother Wheeler passed the Sacrament and did a perfect job.  That was fun.  Oh and evidently another custom – they shaved their 1 year old girl’s head so her hair would grow back in thick and nice.  She looked kind-of funny but still very cute.

And so another week passes on the Rez.  Elder Parkinson said he really unloaded in Bishopric meeting about what has got to happen to get this ward working.  We will have to see if anyone listens.  I have never seen such a place with so little commitment and so little desire to serve and care for one another.  I am not sure you will believe this, but at one time we have over 1000 people on our ward roll of which we have an average attendance of 45.  Of those 45 we have 8 people in the ward holding ward positions (and a 9^th in the Stake Presidency).  I pray every day for those 8 valiant people that serve; I am afraid they may give out. 

We love you.  We hope all is well and that the flooding won’t happen or harm you.  We are on fire down here and breathing both smoke and dust as the winds are around 50 mph again today.  JOY!

The Church is True,

            Come What May and Love It,

                        Our prayers are with you,

                                    Elder and Sister Parkinson

Our last good-bye to the Rogers. 

She already had her jeans on so I had to share my skirt

The Code Talker Monument in Window Rock.

The Meldrums for Alberta, Canada. 

The Parkinson's. 

And the Cain's from Moses Lake.

We took our own picture as we celebrated our 42nd anniversary.

Thanks for the help, Lee Sutton.

Our Navajo Wedding Bands.

Our anniversary cake with the 42 on it.

Can you see it?