Blessing Lily

                                                                                                                                      31 Mar 2013

I am not sure that the letters to the grand kids are being read anymore, but this is the last one and I thought it would be nice to include it in the book we will be making at the end of our mission from all the blogs we post while we serve.

  We drove to Utah on Thursday, so we could participate in Lily's blessing.  John, Jamie and kids came as well as J'Lene for the blessing today.  They got permission from the Bishop to bless her at home, since she is at a high risk going into the public.  She will not be able to go to church for several months.

  They think she may have what her sister Landy had when she was born.  She is growing, but still very little.  Beautiful of course. :o}  NO prejudice from Grandma.

  It is fun to be with our kids for a few days.  We will head back on Thursday.

  We were saddened last Monday when we got word that Desbah Tsinnie had died from a heart attack Monday night.  Elder Olson baptized Desbah when he served out here as a young missionary.  He has been helping her and her daughters with a garden.  I had talked to her Sunday night when she came by to pick up her car which she had left in front of our apt.  Her funeral was yesterday, so we were unable to attend.  It was certainly unexpected.

This is the letter I wrote Mar 20, 2013

  I am doing something just a little different this time.  I am not sure if this letter will go to a granddaughter or a grandson as I begin to write some of the thoughts I had while reading an article in November Ensign that has the Conference addresses from Oct 2012.  It will soon be Conference time again and I always anticipate being able to listen to the prophets and those who have been chosen to address us.

  I read several articles tonight, but I was especially touched by Sister Carole M Stephens’ talk, titled “Wide Awake to Our Duties”  She said many wonderful things, but what really touched me was her comments about the trek the young people in her ward made.  The young women had to do part of the trek by themselves.  It was the same in the Tuba City Stake, when they did the trek in 2011.  The men were there, but at a certain point they could not help the girls at all. 

 Some of our young men ran ahead and tried to clear the path as much as they could, but they could not push or pull the carts.  Some of the young men wept, when they watched how difficult it was for the girls to push and pull the carts up the long hill to the top and not be able to step in and help. 

  Just as they did in Sister Stephens’ ward the sisters who reached the top, came back to help those who were still struggling. Many of the sisters had visible blisters and were totally exhausted, but came back to help with strength from unseen angels who lifted and supported them in helping those who still struggled.

  Many did not eat the meager rations that were provided at the end, because they were simply too tired to eat.  They laid down and quickly succumb to the exhaustion they all felt.

 As I was reading her thoughts about the priesthood brethren that lined both sides of the trail, willing and eager to help, but not able to so, it made me think of each of you.  You sweet granddaughters have the power of the  priesthood in your fathers and brothers, who can come to your aid when you need it.  You grandsons have mothers and sister who may at times need your encouragement and support when life gets a little overwhelming. You do not have the restrictions that those on the trek had.  You can rescue those you love by using the power of your priesthood authority.  You girls can ask for help when the trials of life are strewn with rocks or problems that challenge you.

  How grateful I am for each of you and the things you are doing in your life.  Each of you was sent to fulfill a different mission.   You were chosen by Heavenly Father to do much good.  Each day you will face challenges and have to make choices that may not always be easy.  You have ancestors who have gone before you and who love you.  They are close by and are able to guide and direct you.  They know you have been chosen to come at this time and they know what you are capable of achieving.

  We are here to prove ourselves.  We are never alone.  We pray that each of you would love and support each other.  That you would live in such a way that you would always know that even though you are separated by miles and time that you would never forget how much love you share and that you can always count on each other. 

Elder & Sister Olson

First Gardening Missionary Conference 18 Mar 2013

Dear Family and Friends,

  These are just two of the amazing pictures we took in Monument Valley when we went there last month.  I hope we can go back some time and walk around a little more.

  I think "crazy busy" might describe our week pretty well.  The days are long, but we sure get a lot done on those days. You drop into bed dead tired, but you wake up rearing to go again.

  Tomorrow is our first Missionary Conference with the Gardening Missionaries.  Eight of the young Elders are coming also, even though it is their P-Day.  BUT they get to wear their P-Day clothes, so they are pretty excited.

  Not sure how many will come, but about 42 are on the list.  Really don't think we will get that many, but who knows.

  I have spent the last several weeks putting together Gardening Manuals.  This year I added what I would loved to have had when we first got here.  It includes important phone numbers, The Navajo Transit System schedule, which they can ride for $2  all the way from Tuba to Flagstaff, or Kayenta to Flagstaff.  They also have what they call Non-Emergent transportation, which will pick them up and take them to medical appts. as far away as Phoenix and back to their home, at no cost to them.

  I also had one of the sisters drop off a few copies of their phone book, which I will give to the new missionary couples that have already arrived.  One is out at Cameron and another in Dennehotso.  They are already settling in and getting to know people.

  We spent time in our own Demo Garden and getting the flower bed between the two apts ready for planting.  The weeds are growing, so you know it is getting close to planting time.

  We had some amazing gardening experiences this week, but I want to get the pictures on my computer so I can put them on the next blog post.  I will try to get to that after the meeting tomorrow and the Demo on Thurs.

  Deana Benally is going to do a demo on what happens to the soil after it has had the fertilizer, Humate, and manure added.  She fills two jars, one with what you find when you go out into the areas that they want their gardens, and the second with the soil after it is prepared.  It is very interesting to watch what happens when she adds water.  She will do the same demo on Thurs with the new garden participants.  The huge plus is that she will be able to present in both languages.  She is an amazing young woman.

  It is late and I have to be up and going pretty early.  I will say that I got just a little sun this week and Elder Olson got a lot of sun.  He even gave a Temple Prep class this afternoon about how faith can bring about miracles in your life.

  He is now able to move his arm fairly high and it appears that he is on the mend.  Thank you all for your prayers.  We still believe that God is truly a God of miracles and we have witnessed many.  We are grateful for each of you and your love and support.

Elder & Sister Olson

Elder Lame Duck and Sister Olson

Dear Family and Friends,

  The pictures above didn't come out like I added them.  The middle one should be last since it was taken most recently, but I guess you can figure it out.  This is Darrell Maloney, who I have talked about before.  He has made a huge change in his life.  You can see how much he has changed over the last year.  He has become a good friend and always stops in to see us when he is in Tuba.

  This week has been quite the week.  Some of you may know that Elder Olson hurt his arm on the previous Friday.  His shoulder and arm swelled up and he was in so much pain that I wanted to call 911.  He had blessings, massages, hot packs, cold packs and miserable nights, but he actually touched his nose with a finger on his right hand which was quite an accomplishment.

This is the email I sent to our kids earlier this week which might help explain where he was in behaving himself.

I wish I had video of your dad 2 nights ago when he was literally writhing in pain and I was ready to speed dial 911.  I cannot say he is well because he can only lift his right arm to his belt line and even that is difficult, so what do I see when I drive into the parking lot.Lame Duck is lifting the ramp with his left arm and planning to run the tiller up into the bed of the truck.

I did stop the truck, put it in park and turned if off before I flew over on my broom to ask him just what he was planning to do.  I hated to react if he was innocent, but all of us know him too well.  He did let me run the tiller up the ramp. ;o} but only after major threatening.

Last night he tried to sleep in the bed, but that didn't last long.  We make a squirrel nest on the couch with pillows and blankets propping up each vital body part, head, back, legs, and right arm of course.  I made sure he was tucked in very well.

  This morning he is up and I see the bed on the floor, he discovered that the back cushions come off as well as the seat cushions.  He had made a very nice bed and only had the heat up to about 90 degrees.  The arrangement made me instantly think of what you kids would do for sleeping arrangements. ;o}

  I wanted to take pictures, but got side tracked.  He was in so much pain two nights ago I did not know what to do.  There is a place for "pride" but not when you appear to be dying.

  We so appreciate your prayers in our behalf..  We know ward members are also praying and they had a Stake Temple Day today, so he is on the Temple Prayer roll in several Temples.  How grateful we are for what we know.

  One of the sisters gave us some Arnica which seems to have helped a lot also, plus Arnicare creme and Deep Blue Rub.  He is scheduled to see the Orthopedic surgeon on Wed. afternoon, the same time the folks from SLC are coming.  Looks like we will have to miss that meeting.  I will keep you updated.

  

We had another fun evening in the Family History Center getting Brother Barlow's family tree started.  We are learning a lot about Ancestral Quest.  Sister Norris and I are learning right along with everyone else.  It is fun to see them learning and growing just like we are.

There are several families involved in the Temple Prep class and part of their assignment is to come to the Family History Center and work on their family tree.

It has been fun to see how much they know when they say they don't much of anything.  They take group sheets home and bring them back or someone walks in and says I know that name and adds to what they already have.  We never ceased to be amazed by who ends up there together and find out that they are connected.  Coincidence, I don't think so.  The Lord truly does work in mysterious ways, His wonders to behold.

When the add Sister Barlow's family their kids will have quite a tree started.  On the one census we had his grandfather and his two wives with about 10 children.  It was pretty exciting since Brother Barlow's direct line ancestor was the youngest child on the census.

Hope you are working on your direct lines and adding to your children's tree.  You will be amazed by what and how you find information.  It can be quite a journey.

Elder Lame Duck and His first wife, Sister Olson ;o}