Nov 13

November 13, 2006

So far it’s been kind of a quiet day. There are several funerals/wakes going on around the area so everyone seems pretty preoccupied with that. We had two Cibecue people die last week of liver disease from heavy drinking, and a young married man with a wife and 2 small children committed suicide in Whiteriver. Elder Remington has been asked to speak at the funeral tomorrow. He is very nervous as has never spoken at a funeral before and this would be a tough start.

Janet called this morning and wanted a ride to WIC. As we were leaving Bettina Begay, director of the Indian Health Clinic, was walking by. She’s a member and when we told her where we were going she said, “Tell them to walk. There’s nowhere in Cibecue that’s more than 3 miles away.” Robert decided the women of the world are considerably more hardhearted than the men. Yesterday Bonnie called and asked me if we could loan her $20 to pick up a prescription. I told her we’d love to help but there’s a mission rule that we can’t give anyone money. I said only Pres. Benito can give out money from the church so perhaps she’d like to call him. I don’t know if this is a mission rule, but it honestly is a church rule. We were lectured daily in the MTC about never ever giving anyone money no matter how desperate the need seems to be.

We went to Whiteriver to visit Joseph Tessay in the jail. Robert goes in while I lock the truck doors and read. Nice arrangement, I think. He had a good visit with Joseph and we gave him “Chicken Soup for the Latter Day Saint Soul.” Never mind he’s not a Latter Day Saint…we have high hopes.

Back in Cibecue we picked up Elroy and took him and Skyler (their 2-year-old) to WIC, as the office was closed for lunch when we went earlier. This time the lady had gone home early. Guess we’ll have to try again tomorrow. The Elders aren’t coming so we don’t have anything else planned except trying to get some study time. Robert wants to start the ARP group November 28 and we have yet to get past Step 1. Tasha Lupe stopped by and gave us a CD her husband made with his gospel music group. They’re a very nice family, but we doubt we could steal them from the Assembly of God church. Our music just isn’t as stimulating.