Nov 9

November 9, 2006

Last night at the dinner Janet (can’t spell her last name) asked us to take her to Whiteriver today to pay her electric bill. Many of our readers might be familiar with the US Postal Service, but some of Cibecue’s residents apparently are not. Truth is, she waitied too long and didn’t have time to mail the payment before they shut off her electricity. She also wanted to apply for low income housing in Whiteriver because she is planning to leave her husband. The really amusing part of this is that the whole conversation took place right in front of the poor husband. That was a bit uncomfortable. Nevertheless we felt that she had a legitimate need and so took her over there this morning.

As we stopped to check our PO box, Robert saw the couple that was drunk at church last Sunday. He saw them as they were going into the grocery store that’s attached to the post office and followed them in there. They were clear at the back of the store (hiding perhaps?) but he tracked them down and told them he was sorry they had missed the dinner and hopes to see them at church again. They told him they’d be there. Again…we’ll see.

Janet is quite a talker and we spent 2 hours giving her marriage and family counseling, during which we also learned her entire life story along with her husband and most of the town. She claims she is leaving her husband because he won’t quit drinking. She got the bill paid, picked up the housing application and a rap sheet (known to others as a background check) and divorce papers. We’re not sure whether or not this was a good day’s work.

Got back to Cibecue and decided to take our walk. We thought about going this morning, but didn’t. Then we said let’s go the minute we get back home, but didn’t. Then we said let’s go in an hour, but suddenly changed our minds, grabbed our shoes and left. We had a job list from the employment center we picked up Tuesday in Snowflake and had intended to drop off to a lady at the health center on Tuesday, but didn’t, then thought we would on Wed and didn’t, so we finally grabbed that paper and headed to the center. All of this has a point, because when we got there we met a man named Eric Ivins who “just happened to be at the health center at the very same time we came.” He is an active member who has a temple recommend and wants to get to the temple, but is currently living with a relative near Phoenix. He literally dragged us into another waiting room to introduce us to his mother, who used to be active but isn’t coming out any more. She also has taken the temple classes but did not get a recommend. We walked outside and talked to Eric and the mother, Thelma, came out after a while. We had a long discussion with both of them, invited Thelma to take the temple class again, and said we’d come by her house and visit with her about it. Eric is concerned about the young people of Cibecue, justifiably, and would like to be involved in some sort of youth program. We see a potential scout leader here.

We continue to be amazed day after day at how the Spirit works. Janet agreed to let the missionaries come and teach her the lessons again. Thelma just happened to be in the health center when we arrived along with Eric, because we wouldn’t have talked to her if Eric hadn’t been there. It goes on and on. Experience after experience of being led by the Spirit. It’s just amazing. A million coincidences that lead to positive contacts. How could a rational person believe that these are really coincidences? It defies logic that it could continue to happen without some sort of direction.