Arizona Connection

Spring on the reservation is nutty!! Last night we had a snow storm
after a day of incredible winds. We woke up to 5" of snow this morning.
Then the sun came out and most of it was gone by this afternoon. The
same thing happened last Sunday. The winds were so strong, there was a
fog of orange dust and sand clouding our view as we traveled home from
Stake Conference in Page. That evening it started to snow. Crazy!! We
traveled 150 miles today to interviews with Pres. Beck. We took the
elders serving in Kaibeto, about 20 miles north, with us. The Sr.
couples provide a potluck lunch for everyone at these meetings. In three
weeks is our Zone conference and Elder Bruce C. Hafen of the Quorum of
the 70 will be a visitor. He will not just be a guest speaker but will
be a trainer on the Atonement. All the missionaries were given copies of
two of his Ensign articles and a page of questions with the answers found
in those articles. It has been marvelous to gain a deeper understanding
of just what the Atonement can mean for us, beyond cleansing from sin.
Did you realize that the Lords grace is the enabling power that makes it
possible for us to overcome ourselves and progress. He is lifting us as
we put our lives in his hands. That is what faith is for because he
can't help us until we exercise faith in him, believing He will be there
to lift, and strengthen in every area of our lives. We are looking
forward to this visit to be taught by one who understands this doctrine.
We finally bought a Navajo blanket or rug. We visited a little old lady
who way sitting and weaving at her loom. She is a member but hadn't been
back to church since her husband died three years ago. Her son was there
and helped us communicate. She showed me how she washed, dyed, hand
carded the wool then spun it into yarn on a long spindle. This was a
true Navajo blanket. The others I had seen were finer and more
professional but the yarn was bought at the local craft store. As I
looked at this one I purchased I could see pieces of twigs woven into it
because the carding didn't get them all out. That made it even more
genuine. It is a horse blanket but since I don't have a horse, it will
go on a wall. She and her son are coming back to church. He has an
alcohol problem and we hope to get him help to overcome it. We now have
a Sr. couple in the mission from the LDS Social Services who provide this
help.
We hope all is well in your home. Love to all.
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