Dear Family and Friends,
I know we stayed busy all week, but we can't always remember what we were so busy doing, perhaps it is "old age forgetfulness." ;o} Elder Olson walks in and writes in his journal the minute he gets home. He also carries a pocket notebook, which he writes in faithfully.
The Seeley 's did come earlier in the week and answered some of our questions about some of the things that are happening in our gardens. There is a gray tinge to some of the things and Elder Seeley explained that it had something to do with the humidity, but I can't find where I wrote it down, but I know it is some place safe. :o} the note that is.
We have a winter squash that is over 36" long and well over 30 pounds. I don't have any scales here, which is a good thing. ;o} All the winter squash is growing like crazy and I have learned to truly love yellow crookneck squash fried in butter with onions, garlic, and mushrooms.
Tomorrow we our going to Inscription House and have a lunch with the Howard's and some of the other gardening missionaries. That will be at 11, then we have a dinner here at 4.
I guess the most interesting thing was the dutch oven dinner that Elder Olson put together Friday night. We had bought a roast and he was suppose to put that in the dutch oven, which he did, but he also added a pepper, potatoes, carrots, etc. The etc was what was interesting, beets with the greens attached, a squash, and a cucumber. Elder Olson tends to think very creatively, but his creative thinking doesn't always go together in the "pot". It actually turned out well, but the cucumber had to go the way of all earth. There are some things that I cannot eat, which included boiled cucumber.
(I just checked the blog and it looks like the pictures appear differently than they do on the draft, but you should just be able to go top to bottom.) The top left picture is Arlene Begay, Lou Goldtooth, her respite provider, and our hero, Elder Olson. The picture to the right is her garden with the watermelon hanging from the fence. We encouraged them to put it in an empty milk jug, with the handle cut at the bottom and the top front cut out. That way you can slip the melon into the jug and hang the handle on one of the fence wires, the melon continues to grow inside the jug and it won't pull itself from the vine because of the increasing weight. That is called "In ja nuity" Brother Nez's favorite explanation for his creativity. You would all adore Brother and Sister Nez, they are two of the reasons it will be difficult to leave here.
Another reason it will be difficult is Gloria Babbitt, bottom right picture. I know I knew her in the pre earth life, because I feel so much love for her. She told her daughter Mary, who in turn told me that she wants me to take her picture and have it "made big" and put it on our apt wall.
She also wants me to dress in traditional dress and have our picture taken together. To know her is to love her. She fell in her garden the other day on one of the vines, but she did not let the watermelon she was carrying get damaged. Now we say she fell hard for a watermelon, it must be true love.
She was in the back seat of the truck of Martin and Mary the other day and we got that picture. Later Loretta Strong came by and Elder Olson saw a lady in her back seat. He looked and looked and figured it was Gloria's sister, perhaps her twin because the lady looked so much like Gloria. Well, it was Gloria, but Elder Olson didn't realize it. Gloria laughed for two days over that. Martin and Mary say that the garden has brought her new life. She is happy and laughs every day. She has called Elder Olson "her baby" in Navajo, but always her son.
I think I wrote some of this on facebook, but chalk that up to old age too.
The man I wrote about earlier, just came by and asked if he could sleep in the back of our truck. We hesitated just a little, then he said, "I will work pulling weeds, I just want somewhere safe to sleep." It is one of those moments when you think of all the things you take for granted, like a safe place to sleep and a bed to sleep in. We couldn't image sleeping on the truck bed and we aren't allowed to have him stay for a variety of reasons, but we did find a safe place for him and furnished him a sleeping bag. We fed him and I find it difficult to write the emotions I feel for this son of God, that most of the world had forgotten as a child of God. Elder Olson just said, "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief."
Even though we are within a 1,000 miles of our "safe" home, it is like we are in another country at times where people don't have the luxury of knowing where their next meal is going to come from and where they will sleep safely. This area is filled with good people, but the poverty at times is overwhelming. Please remember to thank God for all that you have, for you have been greatly blessed with the gospel, with education, close family and friends and people who care and are willing to help.
Be grateful that you can kneel by your bed and thank God for all that He has blessed you with and continues to bless you with. We love serving His children and count each of you as a blessing from God, and thank Him for all your prayers in our behalf.
We can feel of your love and support and pray that God will continue to bless you and yours in only the way God can, with peace, love, and forgiveness especially within the walls of your individual homes and families.
Elder & Sister Olson
Gardening Missionaries
Tuba City, AZ
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