This week I've taken the title of my post from one of my favorite LDS hymns. Have I done any good in the world today, have I helped anyone in need, have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad, if not I have failed indeed. Those words run through my head at night sometime before I go to sleep and I always hope that something we've done as we've gone about our day has made a difference. I know I've said this before but there is much need here in this little part of the world but there is also much love and many people willing to love and give service to those around them and that fills our hearts with gratitude that we are able to be a part of them and to serve with them.
Monday Elder Lindsey and I started out our week making return visits to some of the people we met the Sunday before. We took with us the Mormon Message Video that Elder Lindsey was in "True Christianity" and used it as a sort of introduction. We will just continue to visit with and love these people and pray that someday they will return to activity in the Branch. If they just understood how much they are needed and how much Heavenly Father loves them they would be back in an instant.
Monday is also my day to clean the building but as I am getting things caught up it doesn't take nearly as long. Elder Lindsey spent time on Monday and Tuesday cleaning and organizing the shed holding the snow blower and tools and making sure the snow blower is ready for what must surely come. We had great training at Martin's Cove for this work.
On Tuesday I always do our laundry. The Relief Society President, Sister Barker made sure the first week to let us know that she wanted to share her laundry with us so that we don't have to go to the laundromat. That has been such a blessing as not only does it save us money but it gives Sister Barker and I time to discuss the needs of the Sisters and come up with ideas on how we can help. It doesn't hurt also that she has three sweet little ones who are not yet school age (the two oldest are in school) so I get some substitute grandma time in too!
Wednesday while Elder Lindsey worked with the Scouts and leaders Sister Allen acted as my companion and we headed to the school in Mission to help with the Halloween Carnival put on for the kids who live in the dorms. Because transportation is often a problem for the Natives and because many live out of town some of the children starting in first grade live in the dorms during the week and go home on the weekends during the school year. It was a great carnival with games, snow cones, a bounce house and great little prizes for everyone. I did the bean bag toss and had lots of help from three cute little boys.
On Thursday we headed to Rapid City for a trizone conference with Elder Nash of the First Quorum of the Seventy. It was a spiritual feast as we learned both from the missionaries who taught and from our Mission President and Elder Nash. We never realized how important we as members are to helping the full time missionaries accomplish the work. One quote we loved was "miracles happen when members participate in the lessons." My advice to all of you is...get out there and be part of the miracle.
Elder Nash taught many things but here are a couple of our favorite that we think apply to all of us; Daily diligence is important. The more diligent we are in the work the more the Lord can bless us and obedience is a source of strength. The Lord can work with us if we're obedient.
Because we know our limits Elder Lindsey and I stayed in Rapid City Thursday night. We had dinner with another Senior Couple (Elder and Sister Larson) who are serving in Eagle Butte and were able to compare notes. I found out Sister Larson is also the building custodian! Unfortunately I apparently ate something in the previous 24 hours that did not agree with me and spent the night in an awful state. In the morning after taking a shower I put my pajamas back on with my coat over top, snuck out to the car and we made the three hour trip home with no sightseeing stops along the way. When we arrived home I went to bed for about three hours and when I got up I was finally starting to feel better. Not an easy way to lose five pounds!
Saturday Sister Bush who has lived in this area for almost 50 years spent some time taking us around to some local activities and introducing us to people. We visited a craft fair where one of the members we are working with was selling her handy work, went to the rummage sale and turkey lunch at the Episcopal Church and to a beautiful store that sells Native crafts and art work from the area. The members here are so willing and anxious to help us in the work and we already feel like they are family.
The weather is beginning to change. Friday and Saturday were pretty cold and very windy then today we have temperatures in the 70's and no wind, a sure sign that winter will come and we will soon look longley back on this day.
Today was our first Sunday on a two hour block schedule. The Branch leadership decided that right now we don't have the leadership support to do a three hour block. We meet the first hour as Priesthood/Young Men and Relief Society/Young Women. We have a fairly good size Primary and then the second hour we have Sacrament Meeting. Our Schedule is from 10:00am to 12:00pm. Today's meetings were great and I could certainly see the wisdom in this decision.
Forgive me for being so wordy this week. For pictures Elder Lindsey took a short hike to the hill above the Church and took some pictures of the surrounding area. They will give you a nice overview of our little home.
Today we had a new Branch member at church (a teacher from SLC) who is in the area for two years to teach at the school in Spring Creek. In our conversation he asked me where Elder Lindsey and I live. I said "did you see that motorhome out front?" He was a little surprised but now after seeing these pictures I'm sure you'll have to agree with me...we have a beautiful home.
Our love and prayers to all of you,
Elder and Sister Lindsey
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