Best of the West Week 25

Best of the Rez     Week 25     July 4th to July 10th

We will call this week the family bookends week.  On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday morning we had Eric and Angella and the girls and on Saturday and Sunday we had my brother Doug and Jane.  Family is always going to help things out and it was fun to have them with us. 

A milestone reached – Elder and Sister Parkinson and Elder and Sister Byron Webster reached the 1/3 mark of their missions and have one year left to serve.  Elder Parkinson said we should burn something, but we don’t have enough excess of anything to burn so we just made a cake instead.  And just to explain, it is week 25 of the Rez, but we spent a week in the MTC which makes 26 weeks.

1)      Monday was so hot.  We tried to get up early but Brad went out to weed the garden and by the time we got off it was after 10.  We took Eric and Angella and the three girls to Canyon De Chelly. We didn’t think it was a good idea to take all the little ones down, but we started off anyway.  We actually made it all the way to the bottom where to just walk flat to the ruins.  We said we would keep Kaiya and Sarah and they could go on.  A couple came up and sat down on the bench with us.  We asked where they were from and they said Georgia.  We asked what they did and they said music teachers.  I told her that my children had taken Suzuki and she said that is what she did.  I then told her I wrote a book on practicing and she said, “Mommy—you are mommy?”  It was really fun.  She wants the book reprinted and gave me some encouragement. Then they left.  Brad was looking up and the lady had collapsed and her husband didn’t see her so he sent me up to help her.  That was a long trek out as she was in pretty bad shape.  All the sudden Eric is RUNNING up the mountain and asked for water.  I tell him I just gave all we had to this lady (Lyn).  So he runs on up and gets water and brings back for all of us.  Anyhow, we finally all made it and it was really pretty but so hot.  Then we went for Chinese and had a ball.  Eric had to leave for Clovis but the girls stayed for one more night.  No fireworks or flags, just another day on the Rez.

2)      Tuesday the girls left early and we were back to schedule.  I had some of my piano lessons and then we went to teach.  They work nights and we woke them up but I think the lesson went well.  We taught them how to use the scriptures and where everything was—fun.  Then an appointment fell through so we fixed something to eat.  All the sudden we had another first—a monsoon.  The thunder and lightning was flashing and roaring and the rain just poured.  We canceled the 2 appointments that night and just watched the rain.

3)      Wednesday was also calm.  Brad took Brother Draper to Chinle to get his shots and then Sister Tsosie was gone so we went over and cleaned the church.  We delivered Brent a baby present and invited some to ARP.  We found the Tsosie girls and invited them you YW.  We also found a sister that has just been too busy with life for church at Many Farms.  Come to find out her mother is a hand-shaker medicine woman in Pinon and she had been taking her to church up there.  Then Selena came for lessons and she had a burrito with me.  Then I taught YM-YW how to lead music.  They were 45 minutes late because the bishop had a flat tire.  The Tsosie girls came so they got a piano lesson while we waited.  Brad had his first ARP meeting and said they are so good and Nawahine’s were excellent. 

4)      Thursday piano fell through but I ended up doing haircuts instead.  Then the Elders and Brad  divided up the ward roll.  Tivona came for a lesson so I left with her.  She is so excited about playing for her father.  Then I gave a first lesson to a grandmother/granddaughter.  We also taught her a missionary lesson.   Her son was taking from the young Elders so she is going to continue with them.  Her poor little family needs help.  Then we taught 2 in a row across the street from one another -- GREAT!!  Then a no show that really hurt but when we got home they had left a message explaining they were in the hospital with a sister.  We then went to Chinle and had an interview with President Jones.  He said we have changed and that baby steps are enough.  When we got home a family had called and said they had a stressful day and needed a lesson.  That was cute but we were gone till 10 so that didn’t happen.

5)      Friday we had intended to go to Mesa but Marilyn wasn’t home so we stayed.  Even with the ‘dead-eye’ a rabbit made it into the garden and did a lot of damage.  Brad was weeding and the big squash plant moved and really scared him and the rabbit ran right through the fence.  We called around and we needed to get chicken wire -- $55 in Gallup.  We decided to wait till Saturday.  We went over to Chinle and gave Sister Tsosie a blessing with Elder Nawahine.  Then we came home and decided to go out finding.  We were on our first road and Brad’s good friend, Mr. Z stopped us.  He is the Ag man at Many Farms High School and just loves our gardens.  He is Mexican with more energy than 5 normal people.  He said we need to put a fence around our garden because it is better than his.  We asked if he knew about any chicken wire around and he gave us a whole roll.  GREAT!  We brought it back and Curley’s were out working in their garden so we all put up chicken wire—young Elder’s included.  We heard it was Sister Curley’s birthday, so we brought everyone in for ice cream and then we all played Toss Up.  We had so much fun.  It was about the best ever—except I never got one point.  SO FUN!!!

6)      Saturday my piano didn’t show so we went out finding and GPSing.  We got a new GPS and the church wants all 15 million members GPS so we went to work.  We got a lot done and even found a few home to visit.  We went up to Round Rock also and had a nice visit with a member there that attends the Tsalie branch.  His father-in-law is the Branch President so we aren’t going to talk him into coming here.  His garden was great and they are so excited about it.  We headed home and kept checking Doug and Jane’s location for supper.  They drove right on by, but we finally connected and had a nice supper and visit.  After supper we had a lesson that they invited us for and it was great.  We then drove Doug and Jane around a bit to see the sights of Many Farms.  Impressive to say the least.  Home and just good old wonderful visit.

7)      Sunday I was really scared because my new little piano student hadn’t showed up for lessons but still wanted to play.  They came early so I ran over and practiced with them.  Then I realized that the music teacher from Chinle was the high councilman.  I probably should have had my advanced students play. Not so—Kaylana (10 year old) was wonderful and Tinisha did fine.  Half way through the sacrament Tivona and her family came in.  Whew!  She played wonderfully as well.  We asked all the youth to come sing the Father’s Day song we had prepared but couldn’t do until we had the children there to sing.  It went great!  The music teacher was very impressed and made them feel special.  We are also very proud that we have a new Priesthood holder and he passed the sacrament for the first time.  He bought a new white shirt and the Elder’s got him a tie and he did wonderful.  It was his wife we baptized a couple of weeks ago and he has just loved learning.  We are now hoping our last act as missionaries will be to take them through the temple.  Then Sunday School and Primary.  I am about to think this ward is jinxed.  You get something set up and they don’t come.  Neither Primary counselor came so we were a bit unorganized again but we finally pulled it off.  We had a pretty good attendance with some returnee’s so we were happy.  The minute we walked in the phone was ringing and a member wanted a blessing.  He has been on a month drinking binge and was not feeling so well.  Doug went with Brad.  We had a nice dinner and then we went up and drove through Canyon De Chelly.  So pretty.  We had to rush back to a lesson.  Good!  Then the drinker/blessing man asked for them to come back.  Doug put on Elder Parkinson’s other name tag and out he went as a missionary.  When they got home we drove out to see a couple that keeps saying they will come back but don’t to reschedule.  It was great to take Doug and Jane on an authentic Rez road.  Fun! And then home to relax and chat with family. 

And so ends not only the week but the 1/3 mark as well.  Brad keeps saying we are now adjusted and can handle this place.  I assume he is right, but I am not sure you can ever truly adjust.  We are eating from our garden almost daily so that is fun.  Ahh, the good life!

The Church is True,

            Monsoons are amazing,

                        God be with you,

                                    Elder and Sister Parkinson

The first tunnel of the canyon.

McKenna's Gold was filmed here.

The other group was coming up and they

didn't feel so good.

The girls take a rest on the way down the canyon.

A family shot in the canyon.

And looking back up at Grandma and Grandpa.

Kaiya and Mommy go down.

Actually a double click will show everyone.

Are we there yet?

Eric and Brooklyn pose at the White House Ruins.

Angella made it all the way too!!

The girls found a monument.

Grandpa's new Harley Davidson hiking hat.

Grandpa, Grandma and Sarah at Spider Rock.

I do not have a caption for this one.

Anyone want to add one?

I can't wait to be a missionary!

Angella asked the missionaries to look like the

were good friends.

Sarah just ate the missionaries up.

Grandma is holding her instead

butting getting everyone in the picture.

The west side of our trailer after the monsoon.

Kayla and Kelsey (back) show how tall our corn is growing.

Kayla and Kelsey show off our radish's and peas.

The Jolly Green Farmer looks on.

Kayls pulls the first radishs while her mom,

Sister Curleylooks on.  She is in her garden.

The Happy Gardeners!

Sister Curley's birthday party --

around the Parkinson table playing toss up.

Opps, cut off her son, McKay's, head.

Ask Elder Searle which one is

red and which one is green!

Elder Read had the game won, and then got a little greedy

and had to go for a higher score.  HE LOST!

A Rez Sunset

Elder Clinger and Elder Parkinson

head for their appointment.