6-21-19

We are just keeping on.
Sunday their was a sister who wasn't walking very well and Sister Morgan asked her about it. She said her knee had been bothering her for a long time and it has really been hurting for the last little bit. Sister Morgan has the same problem so she said she had an extra knee brace and offered to go get it for her. She rand and got it and gave it to her. We were over visiting her sister and she was there. She had the knee brace and she said she was feeling quite a bit better with the brace. It didn't mean much to sister Morgan until she remembered packing our stuff up and thinking "I really don't need two knee braces i'll just leave one home, and then she said oh i'll just take them both, who knows!!

We attended Zone Conference in Aberdeen S D. It's a 3 hr and 45 minute drive. we arrived just a little before 9:00 only to find out we were an hr late, time change. But we make it and it was really good. I am understanding that missionaries that are going home are struggling quite a bit. They spend some time each conference helping them learn a little better how to adjust. One topic I thought was really interesting was; missionaries going home to incorrect traditions of the fathers or "family" . Missionaries go home and families aren't completely living what the missionary has been teaching. He gave an example of when he was called to be stake president. He and all the leaders were being interviewed for the possession. He was called to be the stake president. One thing everyone was asked who they think would make a great stake president. Most everyone in stake leadership said they felt one of the stake presidents counselors should be called. President Howell (our mission president) only got 2 votes. He asked the general authority why the counselor shouldn't be called. He had only been a counselor for about 3 years and everyone loved him and thought he would be great!!
The general authority said hes family has some incorrect traditions carried down from his fathers. He gave an example; He said every sense he was a little boy the whole family would go hunting on opening day (deer) which was always a Sunday. It was only one weekend a year but it wasn't exactly in keeping with the sabbath. And for that reason the general authority felt impressed to call President Howell instead of the one everyone thought should be put in. You know for a long time I have felt we as a family use Sunday's to do traveling because kids need to be in school the next day or we need to be back at work. I have decided to try and keep the sabbath day a little better.

Today we have a person who hasn't had a septic system for a month or so. They are a great family and try hard to do what's right (members). She has been praying for a long time that they can get it fixed. (a tornado moved through and took out their garage and hit the septic and messed it in, caved it in or something) She was pretty discouraged and was complaining to God a little because he hadn't been taking care of them very well. We'll this morning we heard about her miracle. They had been on a list of over a 1,000 people (who need septic's) and they were  847. This is a whole new world. The tribe pays for the septic's and so everyone in town are put onto a list for things like this. It is a pretty crazy thing. They could have fixed it themselves but it would have cost between $7,000 and $14,000 and they are living paycheck to paycheck. Oh yes I was talking about the miracle; they were just put in front of the other's at the number 1 possession! they will have it installed in 2 weeks!

Nice huh!

Gloria's sister's funeral was last night and this morning (wake last night) we attended and set though about 3.5 hrs of talks, songs, and all of that. Gloria introduced us to everyone in the congregation which was nice. But the good news is her son who was suppose to have his leg cut off because of the frost bite got another opinion and it looks like they might be able to save the leg.

One of our elders is going home in 2.5 weeks I asked him today at our lunch serving job how his interview went with President Howell. He said it was fine etc. Latter in our conversation he said he came out with about 30 elders and only 12 are left. I asked him what happened to them. He said their is a lot of anxiety and depression! This world is getting harder and harder!!

Their is way lots more going on but that's all i can think of right now. I'll try and update more often!!

Oh one other thing. Ian had been working in the 12 step program with the people we replaced. He had visited with him a few times and given him 4 sandwiches, homeless,  no job, alcoholic, etc. He had never come to addiction class with us but was doing pretty good with the people we replaced. Well he tried to commit suicide over the weekend. We learned about it Tuesday from a person who works in the courts. Looks like he will be released in a few days and hopefully we can start helping him more. Pray for Ian!