August 21, 2012

Hey!

It has been a great week here in Cereal City! I love the cooler weather and it helps my attitude a lot!

We have done a lot of "running."

On Wednesday we went to the county fair in Marshall with Hilde. Her granddaughter was showing her steer. We got to meet Hilde's daughter, son-in-law, and two granddaughters. We have been trying to meet them since last November and they are too busy. I was really overdressed for the fair, but that is what we are to wear missionary clothes wherever we go.

We liked their fair. They had a "ga-zillion" food booths. We ate at the Grange booth. It was delicious homemade food. (We also took elephant ears home with us...of course.)
I especially enjoyed watching the youth present their steers. One very small young man had a very large steer. It was pretty wild. At one point it knocked him down and adults ran in as it tried to but at the downed boy. He got up, obviously fighting tears. His leader gently pushed him back beside the steer. He hung in there. He won first place. We were very happy for him. I think life is like that. We may get knocked down and life may deal us blows, but if we get back up and with the help of God get back in there, we will obtain our goals and win the prize.

Sister Hammer & Sister Hendrickson @ the county fair



Elder Hendrickson checking out the boilers

Hilde & her daughter, Wendy Lewis, and family

Elder H with the Minnie Whinnies

We loved watching the little children work with the Minnie Whinnies. I don't know if the are Shetland ponies or miniature horses or what. But, the little girls like Anni & Kaili dress up in costumes that match whatever music they choose. The littlest ones run around and around the ring leading the ponies. The costumes were adorable. The older ones have routines and skills to perfom.  I took some video of it but it was too long and would not download. Sorry.

A really long tractor

On Friday we went to the church for Sam's baptismal interview with the zone leader, Elder Hall. He is an awesome elder who has previously served as AP. He is mature in the gospel. He went home today. I am sure his family is excited.

Elder H, Sister H, Elder Hill

Sam & Elder Hill @ Sam's baptismal interview

On Friday and Saturday the ward young women went to Sister Laubenguyer's house and attempted to read the Book of Mormon in twenty four hours. They made it through Mormon! We went over to read to them for a couple of hours on Saturday morning. We read for a while, but the last hour we went back to rotating with everyone. Bless their hearts, they were having a terrible time staying awake. I played sound effects like roosters crowing, etc. ever so often. It was really funny to watch those who were sleeping. 

Friday night we had a couple of places we needed to be. We went first to the Fox's house for a birthday celebration for Joe Cooper. He is trying to quit smoking so that he and Sandy will be able to go to the temple when the time comes. We were a little late and were the first ones to leave. I felt a little rude.







Elder H, Bill Fox, Elder Patterson, Elder Snow @ Joe's birthday celebration











Elder Snow, Joe Cooper, & Violet Fox @ Joe's birthday celebration








We then ran to the church. The high priest quorum was having an ice cream social to welcome back Al Demaso. He has been deathly ill for months and has had a miraculous recovery. The family was called in to say good bye several times. We were there one night and Elder H helped his son administer to him. Brad told him that his mission on the earth was not concluded and that he would get well and do much more service. It was cool. He is doing really well today.

Leah & Brian Kinghorn (Brian is the new 1st counselor in the bishopric. He served a mission here years ago, came back to go to college, met Leah, got married, and stayed in Michigan.)



Bro & Sister Demaso

Sunday night dinner at the Fletcher house was, as usual, delightful. Lupe Clay, her mother and sons, along with the elders were also invited. A couple of young ladies who are close friends of Ethan and Kenneth were taught the second discussion by the elders before dinner. It was wonderful.







Coby Fletcher

Our big project this last week has been Betty Reece. It has monopolized most of our time. She is a lady who moved here from Florida about four months ago. She has been ill and has not been to church. Her living arrangements became difficult. We found a  place for her to live and moved her there. The first night she decided to leave she could not go to Sister Miranda's house as they had not yet met to see if the dogs would get along. (There are three dogs and two cats between the two of them.) We had to take her to a motel because she refused to spend one more night where she was. The next day we got a call from a social worker yelling at us for leaving this sick lady alone in a motel. First of all, she was not sick when we took her there. Second of all, we don't know this lady and are really not making her choices for her. She had a panic attack and the motel called the paramedics. We did not know at the time what had been going on for the last four months. Then we spent a lot of our days packing up her things at the first place she lived, which filled a u-haul trailer when she arrived. She had food storage to be given away. She had many, many totes of fabric. We took all of that to Mickey Baldwin who does lots of quilting for charity. We gave away tables, flowers, a file cabinet, a vacuum, a lamp, and lots of clothes. We have made doctor visits, etc. Today, with the help of the elders and Sister Fletcher and her daughter, Ilianna, we loaded up our vehicles and took them to UPS to ship back to Florida. She shipped twenty seven huge boxes of things. It has been a difficult time. There is a lot of anger on both sides and we did not want to include the ward members in this very unpleasant situation. It was very negative. It's a long story. She had our phone number. She called us for help and we just took care of it. We are pretty sure we will never know the complete truth about what happened in those four months. Now we are trying to book an airplane flight for her and her dog, Bitsy, back to Florida. We will take her to Grand Rapids to catch her flight and, the hope is that her son will meet her at the airport.







Elder Snow, Elder Patterson, & Ilianna at UPS

Betty & Elder Hendrickson



Elder H, dog walker, with Bitsy





This week is the 20th International Balloon Festival here in BC. It is really fun to see the balloons filling the sky. On Monday evening. we were coming home about 8:30 and saw a balloon that was about to land. We hurried around, following it the best we could and  were able to see it right after it landed on a high school football field. We saw them let the air out. They are so large and then fit into small trailers. Amazing!







Tonight we had dinner at the home of a wonderful young couple who have three beautiful children. She is a recent convert to the church. He has not yet decided to be baptized. The elders were going there, but they requested us. I am not sure why. But we had a nice visit. He is a recruiter for the air force here in BC. He is really outgoing and we enjoyed our visit.  We would love to see them go to the temple. (I always jump the gun and go straight to the temple in my mind.)

The balloons were all over the sky. We arrived at our apartment to find the sky filled overhead.

I know this is already long. But I want to reflect a little on some things that I have on my mind.
Education. School is starting. I love fall. I love going back to school. I have been blessed by the opportunity to learn. But there is a lady who is taking the lessons with the elders who cannot read. She is around fifty two years old. She wants to read the Book of Mormon and can't. She is determined. She has signed up for a class five days a week and is learning to read. She says that she may be on a kindergarten level, but she loves it. She is really happy. She has the Book of Mormon on Cd's and follows along in the book as she hears it. She is literally learning her ABC's and the sounds of the letters. Have any of us had to deal with the inability to read? It is not an uncommon problem.
I am also saddened by the people here who are stuck in factory jobs that are really difficult, because they have not finished school. They are smart, hard-working people. But they have no control over their lives. The factory can mandate overtime. They often work ten to twelve hour days. They cannot refuse to stay, even if they have plans. They don't know ahead of time if they  have to stay. They can be called in on their day off with no warning. They cannot plan. These jobs are hard on their bodies and their minds. Some like working in these places, but many feel trapped. In today's world, they are thankful just to have a job. But they do not necessarily feel hope for the future. I see people who make great resolves to go to school and break out. It takes a lot of strength and a lot of help.Some succeed. Some fail.
 The trailer park that Sandy and Joe live in has trailers where raw sewage is running out under the homes. It is not the only unhealthy park. But people are trapped in there. The owner knows they have no where to go. If the government steps in and closes them down, these people have no place to go.  I am saddened by the struggles of people just trying to have food to eat, not luxuries. I am counting my blessings.
I am especially saddened for people who have never been taught right and wrong. How can a woman know she deserves to be married to a kind and loving man instead of living with a jerk, if her mother did not have that experience? Can she be held accountable to the same degree as those who have been taught that a loving home is possible? And then how can her children break out of that trap? Only through the gospel can life get better. Only through the Atonement of the Savior can we be saved.
Our Father in Heaven has given us much. Are we using it to help others?  Many around us are drowning. We need to share the gospel. We need to help those who are less fortunate. And sometimes, the "fortunate" have needs that no one sees. We all need to step up and help one another.
We are  thankful to all of you have helped us in our lives. Thank you for the good things you do. We are coming upon the holiday season soon. I hope we will all count our blessings for we truly are a blessed people.
I hope I have not been "a Johnny Raincloud" on your day. Life is good.
We love you! You are in our prayers.