Hello Family:
I'm just a little slow at getting a letter off to everyone this week. We've just been busy and a little tired when we get back to our flat. Christmas here is rather different. This Saturday is our branch Christmas party and that should be very interesting. Tomorrow our branch president will be giving me the list of food items to buy, since we are the only ones with a vehicle in the branch. Oh, the elders have a car, but they are hands off for giving rides and helping out. I'm just glad they are not having a roasted goats head. They are killing the chickens that morning and bringing them all bloody to cook. On Sunday our little branch had 231 people to church. It was very amazing to see so many people come into the church. Every chair was taken and during the meeting they brought more chairs and set them in the isles. There are so many people who want to become a member. I hope it's not a fad! We don't have a Christmas tree and I do hope I can find something for a great Christmas dinner. Oops, the power just went out! We were on such a sweet run for having power. I just hope they fixed our generator and we don't have any more sparks flying inside of our flat. That was a scary night a couple of weeks ago. So I need to hurry to finish this letter. Yesterday it rained, and really came down! It's much needed here. I just pray that our borehole doesn't dry up. I'll have to learn how to carry water on my head. Right at 5pm yesterday a set of sister missionaries ran into the mission office so wet, from the rain outside. We told them we would give them a ride home. Well, it took us hours to go a little distance. It is so crazy. The people here drive like everything is on fire. No thought for laws or rules, driving all over the road and on both sides. On top of that it was raining and flooding on the streets. It was driving us crazy, but we couldn't let the sisters walk home. Finally it was all Elder Hermansen could take and he decided to turn off the main road and take another road to get to the sister's house. We were trying to drive through this little road through some metal poles on the side of the road and the truck didn't make the turn and we ended on this dirt side walk. The drivers side of the car, the tires just sank in to the mud. It was crazy to try to get out. The more we tried to get out the worse the tires sank into the muck. A long story short, we prayed that we would be safe and that someone would come to our rescue. I was outside of the truck and looked up and saw a man named Brother Banda walking towards our truck. It was like seeing an angel to our rescue. He said that he and his wife were driving and they knew they had to come and help us. They have a truck and it was just what we needed. His wife said they both received the same impression that they needed to find us, because we needed help. I was, and still am, very grateful to them for listening and following the Holy Ghost promptings. They didn't even live in the area that we were at. The traffic was something I've never seen before and they found us. We were off the main road by some bushes. Right after they came, here came some zone leaders and their district. The sister missionaries had walked to their area, found the elders and came back to our rescue. With everyones help, the truck got out and we drove home very fast. All I know is the Lord helped us and knew our needs. I'm so thankful, just very thankful!
Our generator is going on and off, I guess it isn't fixed yet. We are getting ready for Christmas Zone parties and devotional for next week. I love to be with all the missionaries, they are so happy and leave me with such a great feeling. Our mission is growing, and our missionary numbers are shrinking.
Thank you all for writing and giving us those tender mercies when we needed them. Sorry to hear about John Allen. He has always been a kind neighbor to us. Hope you have a great Christmas season. Last Saturday, we spent most of the day at the mission office, so when we got home I asked Elder Hermansen if we could go to this one shopping area. I just need to find a Christmas card to send to everyone. Well, Elder Hermansen's prayers were answered. All the stores close at 12:30 on Saturday's, so he didn't have to go into any stores. That was a happy day for him! I just need to take some time off and get out there myself. Elder Hermansen hates to shop, he's very concerned about finding some cold cereal that tastes good.
We are doing well, and don't worry about us! Let us worry about everyone back in the states. We had to send another missionary home today. He's an elder that has some great learning difficulties, so he just wasn't ready to serve a mission. It was a sad day to have to send him home. We just pray that his stake president will work with him and not forget him. The area office has said that if missionaries are too sick to work, they will be sent home. We have about 10, who are on the boarder of being sent home. This is my life in the office lately.
I'm grateful for the gospel and how it changes the lives of people for the good, if they will follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. I'm glad to hear that cousin Lex is getting better. I wrote a letter to Quincy Robinson before he entered the MTC. I'm sure he thought I was some crazy lady. He did enter the MTC with a group of Americans going all to the same mission. He should develop a great bond with them. Ok, the generator is running better. Elder Hermansen forgot to push the choke back in, now it sounds better and the lights aren't flickering on and off.
For Christmas we are going to open up the office and let some districts come into the office and call home and Skype to their families. I believe that's about all we'll be doing. I just would like to cook something good for the missionaries, but maybe I'll have to buy something for them as a treat.
We hope you're all doing well, and you're healthy and happy. Just remember, you all live in the best place on this earth. Hope you all enjoy your families and friends at this time of year. On Sunday, one lady said that they should spend the ward money and buy everyone a Christmas card. She said that she's never had one before and didn't really know what they look like. I was taken back by this comment. I take so much for granted. They asked me to help with the music for the primary program. They must have had 50 kids in senior primary and only 10 of them can read. So trying to have them read the words is impossible. I hope this sunday goes well in church. Let me know about the new stake president in Kanab.
Battery is almost done. I love you always and I'm so grateful for all of you and love you so much. Family is the best.
Love MOM, Joy
I'm just a little slow at getting a letter off to everyone this week. We've just been busy and a little tired when we get back to our flat. Christmas here is rather different. This Saturday is our branch Christmas party and that should be very interesting. Tomorrow our branch president will be giving me the list of food items to buy, since we are the only ones with a vehicle in the branch. Oh, the elders have a car, but they are hands off for giving rides and helping out. I'm just glad they are not having a roasted goats head. They are killing the chickens that morning and bringing them all bloody to cook. On Sunday our little branch had 231 people to church. It was very amazing to see so many people come into the church. Every chair was taken and during the meeting they brought more chairs and set them in the isles. There are so many people who want to become a member. I hope it's not a fad! We don't have a Christmas tree and I do hope I can find something for a great Christmas dinner. Oops, the power just went out! We were on such a sweet run for having power. I just hope they fixed our generator and we don't have any more sparks flying inside of our flat. That was a scary night a couple of weeks ago. So I need to hurry to finish this letter. Yesterday it rained, and really came down! It's much needed here. I just pray that our borehole doesn't dry up. I'll have to learn how to carry water on my head. Right at 5pm yesterday a set of sister missionaries ran into the mission office so wet, from the rain outside. We told them we would give them a ride home. Well, it took us hours to go a little distance. It is so crazy. The people here drive like everything is on fire. No thought for laws or rules, driving all over the road and on both sides. On top of that it was raining and flooding on the streets. It was driving us crazy, but we couldn't let the sisters walk home. Finally it was all Elder Hermansen could take and he decided to turn off the main road and take another road to get to the sister's house. We were trying to drive through this little road through some metal poles on the side of the road and the truck didn't make the turn and we ended on this dirt side walk. The drivers side of the car, the tires just sank in to the mud. It was crazy to try to get out. The more we tried to get out the worse the tires sank into the muck. A long story short, we prayed that we would be safe and that someone would come to our rescue. I was outside of the truck and looked up and saw a man named Brother Banda walking towards our truck. It was like seeing an angel to our rescue. He said that he and his wife were driving and they knew they had to come and help us. They have a truck and it was just what we needed. His wife said they both received the same impression that they needed to find us, because we needed help. I was, and still am, very grateful to them for listening and following the Holy Ghost promptings. They didn't even live in the area that we were at. The traffic was something I've never seen before and they found us. We were off the main road by some bushes. Right after they came, here came some zone leaders and their district. The sister missionaries had walked to their area, found the elders and came back to our rescue. With everyones help, the truck got out and we drove home very fast. All I know is the Lord helped us and knew our needs. I'm so thankful, just very thankful!
Our generator is going on and off, I guess it isn't fixed yet. We are getting ready for Christmas Zone parties and devotional for next week. I love to be with all the missionaries, they are so happy and leave me with such a great feeling. Our mission is growing, and our missionary numbers are shrinking.
Thank you all for writing and giving us those tender mercies when we needed them. Sorry to hear about John Allen. He has always been a kind neighbor to us. Hope you have a great Christmas season. Last Saturday, we spent most of the day at the mission office, so when we got home I asked Elder Hermansen if we could go to this one shopping area. I just need to find a Christmas card to send to everyone. Well, Elder Hermansen's prayers were answered. All the stores close at 12:30 on Saturday's, so he didn't have to go into any stores. That was a happy day for him! I just need to take some time off and get out there myself. Elder Hermansen hates to shop, he's very concerned about finding some cold cereal that tastes good.
We are doing well, and don't worry about us! Let us worry about everyone back in the states. We had to send another missionary home today. He's an elder that has some great learning difficulties, so he just wasn't ready to serve a mission. It was a sad day to have to send him home. We just pray that his stake president will work with him and not forget him. The area office has said that if missionaries are too sick to work, they will be sent home. We have about 10, who are on the boarder of being sent home. This is my life in the office lately.
I'm grateful for the gospel and how it changes the lives of people for the good, if they will follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. I'm glad to hear that cousin Lex is getting better. I wrote a letter to Quincy Robinson before he entered the MTC. I'm sure he thought I was some crazy lady. He did enter the MTC with a group of Americans going all to the same mission. He should develop a great bond with them. Ok, the generator is running better. Elder Hermansen forgot to push the choke back in, now it sounds better and the lights aren't flickering on and off.
For Christmas we are going to open up the office and let some districts come into the office and call home and Skype to their families. I believe that's about all we'll be doing. I just would like to cook something good for the missionaries, but maybe I'll have to buy something for them as a treat.
We hope you're all doing well, and you're healthy and happy. Just remember, you all live in the best place on this earth. Hope you all enjoy your families and friends at this time of year. On Sunday, one lady said that they should spend the ward money and buy everyone a Christmas card. She said that she's never had one before and didn't really know what they look like. I was taken back by this comment. I take so much for granted. They asked me to help with the music for the primary program. They must have had 50 kids in senior primary and only 10 of them can read. So trying to have them read the words is impossible. I hope this sunday goes well in church. Let me know about the new stake president in Kanab.
Battery is almost done. I love you always and I'm so grateful for all of you and love you so much. Family is the best.
Love MOM, Joy
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