1-12-2020

Well, it is another week. Many things have happened as following up on Cherry Creek, the building was completely destroyed, I mean completely destroyed. The members are devastated. It was such a tragedy. There are so many people who have had so many wonderful memories there. We heard of people just getting together crying with each other. However it seems to me that "and I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and their a little and blessed are those who harken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, we have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have. All the people quit going to church, (they wouldn't drive to Eagle Butte to church) The branch president went to church several times and no one showed up and so they finally just closed it down. I guess they said: "We have enough" Perhaps I am wrong but it looks like if these people want the church back in their lives they will have to earn it. God doesn't spoil his children. And if we think we will all have a trouble free life we are just kidding ourselves. I was thinking the other day that I have probably read the Book of Mormon 40 to 50 times. when we started reading it this year I found in the first verse of the Book: "having seen many afflictions in the course of my days". So even the prophet's have problems. Notice when Nephi was being tied to the ship or when he was tied up on the road back from Jerusalem he didn't ask to have his afflictions taken away. He asked for strength to deal with them!! We must need to go through things to teach us the lessons of life. then when we have learned them we go on to the next until we become perfect enough to return to God.

Friday we were working in the lunch line as we usually do. Sister Morgan noticed a boy who had come though our line. There are two lines, I work on one and she on the other. She said he had come through her line twice and that made twice he had come through mine. I mentioned how hungry that kid must be to a worker in my line. She said; "oh some of these kids will not have anything to ear again until Monday. so they try to eat as much as they can on Friday's so they can make it without too much trouble. She said some of the teachers put money into a pot to buy food for some of the kids so when they go home they will have something to eat. Then they bury it deep in the kids back pack so the parents don't find it. Because, if they find it, they will take it and sell it to buy alcohol with the money.

Today, Sunday we went to Cherry Creek to church. Church was held in Gloria Belmonte's home. Sister Morgan and I talked in church. Sister Morgan talked on the Book of Mormon and I talked on Cherry Creek, the history, the burning of the church, and why things like that happen. (The adversary see's things are gong to happen positively for the people and he doesn't want that to happen) Anyway it was a good meeting. We only had 7 natives and us 4 missionaries. Looks like we are going to start over. BUT, we are ready!! We have a couple of really good missionaries, Elder Brown and Elder Anderson! We are blessed.

We did have two miracles in one day this week.  Last week we took a cake to this lady and we met with her.  Her sister wants to be baptized.  They seemed very excited but they didn't make it to church this week.  Hopefully next week.  We also took a cake to a lady who said her son wants to be baptized.  There is so much work to do.