San Carlos Week 2-Roads? Where we're going we don't need roads.

We have WiFi!!  Once we went back to SCATUI to see why no progress had been made on our internet, we got a different lady and she said we only had to take over the previous tenant’s router and it could all be done from their shop--so competent service is all a matter of talking to the right person.  We had internet within an hour. We attended our first FHE in Globe for the singles and it was interesting. It mostly was the missionaries--only two ward members, and they keep it short and sweet then on to the pot luck. Today (Monday) we are headed to Mesa to shop and attend FHE held once a month for just senior missionaries. 

Tuesday I helped branch member Sister Martin cook six little cakes to take to the sisters with January birthdays. Good thing we didn’t know ahead of time where some of them lived because we were off-roading; places where Quinn said he wouldn’t even drive his pickup. This is the procedure when you go to anyone’s house:  1) drive up to the house, 2) anywhere from 3 to 8 dogs come out and bark at you, 3) honk your horn and wait for someone to come out of the house. If no one comes, 4) honk again. I don’t know if it’s because we were in our car and they didn’t recognize it, but nobody came out of the houses. You DON’T leave anything--even a note if you can even get to the door through all the dogs. We were having a bad time of it, but eventually we handed out all the cakes--not necessarily to birthday sisters.  That night was pot luck for Relief Society which they have EVERY Tuesday. I made a crock pot of “cowboy beans”. Most people were calling it chili, but whatever. Sister Shorten came to the meeting late, but she brought fry bread. There was a mad rush to get a piece and apparently the best way to eat fry bread is with beans, so my beans soon disappeared. The bread was yummy.

Our 10 kids showed up for seminary again and it went well--especially the Rice Krispie treats.  I think I found something they like to eat. We had our first meeting at the detention center.  I was a little intimidated when 14 inmates came through the door in orange outfits, but they were respectful and some did participate.  We started with the Godhead, the Savior, and the pre-existence and you could tell who had heard the information before. I let Quinn do most of the talking since he has experience teaching in a jail setting, but I will try to help more next time.

The people here have a real testimony of priesthood blessings.  Quinn has been asked to participate in six blessings so far (I may have lost count).  The hardest one was for a premature baby born Saturday morning. We got a call from Brother Boni-the baby's great-grandfather.  He had already blessed the baby because he couldn’t find our phone number, but it just so happened when he reached us we were on the road that goes to the hospital, so he wanted us to come.  We got there and they were prepping the mom and baby for helicopter rides to Phoenix. Brother Boni wanted Quinn to say a prayer for the baby, so we formed a circle around its bassinet and he prayed.  Then the mother came back from the restroom and they let her hold the baby before she was to depart on the helicopter. Brother Boni was insistent that the mom get a blessing, so he gave the anointing in Apache and then Quinn sealed the anointing and gave her a blessing (by now we are in the hall leading out to the helicopter pad).  We hear from the great-grandma that the baby is doing well--she was 31 weeks and weighed just over 3 pounds, and the mom should be discharged soon.

We attended stake conference adult meeting Saturday night and went again Sunday morning in Globe.  Elder Torres-a regional seventy presided. He was very good and Pres. and Sister Andrews were speakers on Sunday too.  We fed the missionaries and had a good visit with them. After they left, we had our first visitor asking for food. Luckily we had left over bean soup and bread sticks.  He ate outside the front door (we’ve been told not to let strangers in the house, but they didn’t want to come in anyway) then he knocked and asked for seconds. When he left, he said he would come again so our food must be to his liking.

 Our humble abode.  No lawn to take care of.

 The living room.  I have started sewing a wall quilt for that big empty wall.  We were advised to NOT go out after dark, and there is a lot of dark this time of year, so sewing fills the time for me.

 Looking from the living room into the kitchen and dining room.  We use the white board for teaching seminary, but the floor right there is especially creaky, so I think next week we will try teaching in the church on solid floor.

 I spotted this beautiful red bird two mornings in a row.  I mentioned it to Sister Martin and she said cardinals migrate through this area.  I keep looking for it again, but instead, I spotted a road runner.

 We attended the Gila Valley Temple on Friday.  It is about an hour away.  It is small and we had a large group, so lots of folding chairs were brought in.

I have enough hair for Brother Boni's gift!