Monday Home Evening Activites

For about 6 or 7 Mondays during the summer we invited families over to go on a nature scavenger hunt up the wash by Hubbells. We had a lot of fun getting to better know the families in the branch, and hopefully the kids learned something about the plants in this area. Here are some more photos taken on those excursions.






Many of the people we took up the wash had never been there before, but others like Sister Ludlum had special memories of it, like the last time she drove her sheep up the wash from Hubbells Trading Post.



Of course, a cookout afterwards ended the activity with lots of good food and visiting.
One highlight of these events, is when Julianna lost her tooth in the middle of the meal. Luckily she didn't swallow it.

Jeppsons visit the Rez

We had a wonderful visit from Autumn's family the end of September. It was so fun to see all the family, and enjoy Hunter and Peyton. They are quite a busy little team. We can't believe how much they are both talking now. We learned a lot about dinosaurs from Hunter, and how to imitate them!


We met them in Chinle on Wed. ate lunch at our favorite pizza place (cause they provide free pizzas to missionaries!) then drove to White House Ruin on the south side of Canyon de Chelly. It was a very interesting hike down, and the kids did pretty well, except Theron had to carry them back. It was a steep incline, so I used Leah's power to motate me back up the mountain.


Thursday we went on a tour to Hubbell's trading post, to a flea market in Window rock, and then to the local Navajo Nation zoo. It was also lots of fun. That evening we came back and had a cookout with Alta, Corey and Wanda Wauneka,

We sure do love our family, and all the wonderful grandkids we have, and miss them a lot. But we feel our family has really been blessed while we've been gone. Six of our seven children (& spouses) have been blessed with new jobs during the past year. So there has been even financial blessings, besides the gospel centered ones. We so appreciate and recognize God's hand in our family's lives.

Sewing is contageous

This past week, I showed the sisters (and some of the primary kids) different ways to "tie" their quilts. I showed them 5 different stitches: blind tie, back stitch no tie, running square knot, utility stitch, and crows foot. Then we quilted on 4 different quilts.


One of them was made by Alta's mom, totally by hand. She keeps busy making quilt tops all the time, so I'm glad we were able to help finish this for her.


Two weeks ago at the General Relief Society broadcast, they had an afternoon Mother daughter activity, and I taught them how to piece a Court House Steps hot pad.



Several finished the project while we were there. It has been fun to see others get excited about sewing.

Hardy family rallies after tragedy

What started out as a terrible tragedy, has evolved into wonderful blessings for the Hardy families. Sister Serfina Hardy lost her little 7 year old son, Brian, in a tragic accident June 11. Brian's brother, Brandon and cousin, Jarell were with him at the time of the accident, and both were terribly affected by his death. At that time Serfina and her sisters, Virginia and Virgena committed, along with their families to return back to church and to the gospel. They had joined many years ago, but had fallen into inactivity.
They have hardly missed church since then, and even though the sorrow of Brian's death has been hard to deal with, their acceptance and belief in the Plan of Salvation has kept them strong and progressing. They are working to make it to the Celestial kingdom, to be with him.

On Aug. 30 both Brandon and Jarrell were baptized, the first of the new generation of family members to take that important step. The extended family was there in full support, and participated in a very tender and heart felt testimony sharing at the baptism. Today both boys were confirmed. We are so proud of them, and thankful for their faith and efforts to repent and make changes in their lives. It has been a joy to teach these families, and we know there are many blessings yet to come in their lives.

Home Evening Nature Hikes

We've been blessed to live close to a Cottonwood wash adjacent to the Hubble Trading Post. This past summer the Forest service initiated a trail development and conservation project where they planted more trees, and developed a better trail.
So we've taken advantage of it. The past two Mondays we've invited different families to join us on a Nature Scavenger Hunt, and gave them sheets with 10 different plants to find. We had a lot of fun helping the kids find them. We took along a picnic, then went back to the church for water melon. We hope this gives families an idea of things they can do for Home Evening.

Young Singles End of Summer Activity

Our Branch has been blessed to have two young ladies from BYU doing studies and internships in the Ganado area. They have attended church in the branch, and Rachael Bakaitis accepted a calling to help in the primary nursery. She also spoke and sang a solo in church, so she's made quite a contribution her. We cornered them several times to have a young singles party, and taught them to play "spoons", Mormon Rook, and Nines.

Shhhh, we're busy

I don't know how much the quiet books will help keep the little kiddos reverent, but the moms, were certainly quietly busy as they put nearly 30 books together at our work session in August. Most of the sisters made all three sets: The Prophets, The Sacrament and Christ's life, and the 13 Articles of Faith. I think I printed off nearly 55 sets altogether.

What you reap, so shall ye sew!

One of our first miracles here in Ganado was the arrival of a brand new $500 sewing machine. Sister Gill told me we should ask the Church facilities management if our branch could have one, so we asked, and then a month later it came! It is a wonderful machine, and we have put it to good work.

That miracle came after we had tried other avenues for getting additional machines. First Sister Gill brought up a used machine from Mesa, and then I bought another used one in a cabinet from Sister Nez for $25. For from that initial investment, we now have 3 machines.
At both of the last sewing workshops, all three of them were used. I am so thankful for this blessing in our sisters' lives.

Temples bring blessings

We have been so blessed the past two weeks by the great opportunity of going to the Snowflake temple twice to be with sisters we have grown to love, and helped teach some of the temple preparation classes to. On Aug. 9 sisters Shar and Farrah Tsosie received their endowments. Satan had really worked overtime the week before with delays, wisdom teeth painfully removed, a purse stolen (with temple money and tithing, and pain medication) and Farrah's little boy going to the hospital. But the Lord won out, and the green light was on by Friday, so we knew they were going.
We took them down early to get their temple clothing, as well as more wheat (though that wasn't part of the temple requirements!)
The Robrechts, Evie Davis, and the Davis's joined us later. It was a wonderful day. These two sisters are wonderful scholars of the scriptures, and have worked so hard the past year as they have become active again. It has been a real testimony builder to me, so see how much change a person can make, once they commit to the Lord.



The week before, on Aug. 2, Sister Lucy Gorman from Steamboat received her endowments at the temple as well. She is a sweetheart from the word go, and we taught her most of the temple prep lessons. She often drops by to see us, even though she lives 20 miles away.

Losing our neighbors

First we lost Gayle and Lorraine Davis as neighbors when they were transferred to Window Rock, but the move was softened as another wonderful couple took their place. Now 6 months later, the Robrechts are finishing up their mission and heading back to Oregon. We have really grown to love and rely upon them. It was because of them that we were able to carry out several major branch activities, like the Home Evening training, Provident Living Classes, and, of course, branch socials. I don't know what we'll do without their help, and our neighboring branch at Steamboat will really suffer without them there.
It doesn't appear there are many senior couples wanting to serve missions, and even though we have a wonderful new trailer right next door, we're afraid that there aren't any senior missionaries coming in the near future. The church only has half of the senior missionaries they need.
It looks like we will be add "seminary teacher" to our list of things to do, and it is an overwhelming feeling, as we were already pretty busy. If you know any retired teachers, or counselors who could come, please encourage them to call President Beck, our mission president: 623-334-3823. HELP!!