Jan 14-20 2008

January 14-20, 2008

We may be doing weekly Blogs for the rest of the mission. We are getting so worn out that by nighttime we just go to bed and don’t have enough energy even to write a journal entry.

Last Sunday we forgot a good story. Fernando Thompson, who is a hunting guide for the tribe, had his house broken into just before Christmas. They took his guns, which obviously he would have quite a few, and his son’s video games. When Fernando saw the break-in, he used his tracking skills and tracked the perpetrators to their home. He told whoever answered the door that he knew someone who lives there stole some stuff from him and all he wanted was his stuff back. He said they were disgustingly easy to track. So the next day the aunt came over and returned his guns but not the video games. Casper said the games were all his old ones and he didn’t care anyway. The aunt asked if Fernando was going to call the police. He said he had reported it and if they asked him he would tell them who did it. On the other hand, if they never asked he saw no reason to mention it.

On Tuesday I drove Maxine to Phoenix to take her EMT exam. Robert stayed home and prepared his training for our Staff Meeting this coming Friday. Maxine and I had a nice day, but on the way home she started telling me some problems she and David are having. I spent three hours counseling. I thought that was Robert’s job! Bottom line was I tried to convince her to come and talk to Robert. She has some issues she needs to work through.

Wednesday evening Robert picked up all the scouts, then we took Irene Murphy to Show Low to get her new recommend signed by the stake presidency.

Thursday the Elders were here all day, then we went to Keegan’s ball game. He didn’t have a good game. Our little bowling ball with legs hasn’t changed much since last season, although a couple of games before this one he scored 16 points.

Friday we had our last interview with President Craig. He doesn’t interview the couples at the departing fireside, but he will be in Show Low again February 29. We told him we have an appointment in Tucson that day with Dr. Walsh because Robert wants to see her one last time before we leave, but we could be back on Saturday for a final interview. He said there was no reason for us to hurry back from Tucson, so let’s just say that if we feel like we want to talk to him for any reason we can come in on Saturday. If we don’t come, he’ll assume we’re good to go the next week. Don’t you just love a mission president who doesn’t interfere with your travel time?

After interviews we had Family Service Staff Meeting. Robert did the training on “Parenting” and did a great job. We only have one more of these meetings to go to now. Ken Brown said he has a couple that might be interested in coming to Cibecue. We don’t dare get excited about it, but we’re happy he’s at least exploring possibilities.

On our way home we went to Wal-Mart and bought food and supplies for my next little craft project next Thursday for Ladies’ Night Out. I had made up my mind to cancel this meeting, but so many ladies ask about it I decided I needed to do it. Something about enduring to the end, I suppose. We got home at 7:00 and went to the high school boys’ basketball game. We like the games, but we were exhausted by the time we finished it. I haven’t felt very well this week, and came home with chills and a fever. We went right to bed, but at 10:00 Verbena came over to use the phone. She called us earlier and said her father had a heart attack and they flew him to Phoenix. She needed to call and check on him and then will drive her mother to Phoenix on Saturday.

Saturday was Branch Temple Day. While we were eating breakfast Cecil came by and said he and his wife couldn’t go. One of their daughters was working in Show Low and left her children home alone for several nights. The oldest is 14, but the neighbors called and reported them to CPS and the kids had all been placed in a group home. On Saturday the family got them placed in families’ homes, and Cecil was helping with that. We ended up taking 4 people to the temple…Irene, Betty, Murphy and Juliet. We took the van because I didn’t want to sit in the middle all that way between Robert and Murphy (Murphy’s a great guy, but doesn’t smell very good). When we got to Betty’s, the van door stuck partially open and we couldn’t budge it. Fortunately we left plenty early and had time to leave poor Betty standing in the driveway while we went home to get the truck. So I had a very uncomfortable ride, but Murphy smelled kind of all right and it wasn’t too bad. I was able to hand in the two names we have ready for temple work and get the cards so they can be baptized on the 26th. When they handed me those two names I felt such a warm feeling. It was wonderful. Made the smelly ride all worthwhile. We had our traditional dinner at McDonalds with the McNeils (Wilcocks couldn’t make it this time) and got home about 8:30. I felt much better all day than last night, but still went to bed early. Didn’t even prepare for Primary.

Served me right! The Stake Presidency showed up today to sustain and set apart Byron Collateta as the Elders’ Quorum President. We’ve been worried about Byron but he seems to be bouncing back. Glad they didn’t visit Primary because I was making it up as I went.

First we heard the Stake Presidency was coming was when President Bonito banged on the back door at 9:00 and asked, no, told Robert to drive up and check on Byron and make sure he was coming to church. I know in some wards and possibly even branches one might be able to assume that a man called as Elders’ Quorum president would most likely attend church on a regular basis. But out here in CBQ we can’t let a little thing like inactivity stop the issuing of callings. We just call them and hope they show up occasionally. So Robert went up there and rousted him out of bed and told him he needed to be in church today. Byron was and he not only got set apart but he taught the Sunday School class.

I had quite an experience in Primary. First of all we were having a great day until Myrna’s son, Rico, came in. He promptly called one of the girls a b….. and told another one she was ugly. He is so uncontrollable. I’m convinced he’s going to end up a gang leader…he’s way to smart just to be a member. I had two kids there who are 12, so at the appropriate time I sent them downstairs to their YW/YM class (the girl bounced right back because Maxine hadn’t shown up yet). Rico said he needed to leave too because he’s 12. He’s not and we all knew that, but all the other kids started yelling, let him go, let him go, we don’t like him here. So I did. I don’t like him there either because he is so mean the kids all clam up and won’t talk or sing or do anything. When he left they told me to lock the door so he couldn’t come back. I said no, that wouldn’t be kind, until he opened the door 3 times and yelled something or threw something. At that point I said, “You know, I think you guys were right”, and locked the door. Colette Henry said, “We told you. You’ve got to learn to trust us.” Rico’s cousin came with him, but he was one of the 12-year-olds so he went downstairs when he was supposed to. I don’t know if he actually went to a class. He’s staying with Rico because he’s from the family that CPS is involved with.

Finally I put on a video because I couldn’t think of anything else to kill time. I sat down on one of the little chairs and some of the kids gathered around to talk to me and some of them watched the video. Colette said she wanted to take piano lessons and I told her sorry, but it’s too late now. She asked why and when I told her we wouldn’t be here long enough to do lessons now she got the most shocked look on her face and said, “Why won’t you be here?” I explained that missionaries only stay for a while and our time is almost over. By this time they were all standing next to me hugging me and touching my hair. They were all saying stuff like, “You can’t leave us. Who will teach us? Who will sing with us? Nobody ever sang with us. Roma will probably teach us and we don’t like her. All she does is read. She never sings or plays games. Can’t you stay with us longer?” By the time Primary ended we were all in tears. I don’t believe I’ve ever felt a more powerful outpouring of love (and I personally don’t think the candy I gave them or the money I paid for them to say all those nice thing detracted from the sincerity of the moment at all).

I can’t believe I thought they were all such monsters and now I just love them. It will be hard to leave everyone here, especially the kids. But for the record. We still want to come home and are practically ready to count hours instead of days (48 days left in case you’re wondering).

Tonight we decided to go over to the church and walk. We've only walked one other Sunday in all the time we've been here, but tonight we wanted a little shot of exercise. When we got to the church we discovered that back door by the girls' restroom was open just a crack. Perhaps Bonito left it that way when he came to our back door this morning, or perhaps someone else (like my gang leader) left it open a crack on purpose. One never knows. Nevertheless, who knows what might have happened if it had been open all night? There are so many break-ins around town right now. We just love all the little "coincidences" that keep happening.

Robert still has an 8:00 appointment for counseling tonight. Ricky just called and said they need milk for the baby but Robert said we didn't have any we can take them. The baby is two years old. He'll live without milk for a day. Yesterday Thelma couldn't go to the Temple because she had a killer toothache. She called and asked if I knew any remedies for toothache and I said lots of Tylenol. I called Backie and she gave me some ideas. When I called Thelma back she said she couldn't go over to the hospital to get the tooth looked at because the car was out of gas and they don't have any money. Being the kind, compassionate person I am I told her if she has any way to find a ride over there she should do it because that tooth could make her seriously ill. Fortunately for her, Mr. Compassion showed up this morning to pick them up for church. When we were walking I asked Robert how much money he gave them. He refused to answer on grounds it might incriminate him. Actually I was a little relieved. I would have felt guilty if she died.