Conference in Ocho

I loved conference.  In fact, I couldn't wait to hear it.  It is like manna from heaven, especially when you are in the mission field.  We, of course, watched it at the branch so that members who wanted to come could.  We went down early on Saturday to arrange the chairs and set up the TV.  The missionaries were there and a few branch members came.  We also had an investigator come.  After the conference, Brian drove me home so that he could go back for the priesthood session.  He had called several of the youth and told them that he would take them to eat if they would come down.  Only three took him up on his offer.  I made two pans of banana cake and some cookies and put together a large pan of funeral potatoes while I listened to the Priesthood Session of conference.  It is a tradition in this little branch to eat between sessions because everyone lives so far away.  The members were told that it was pot luck and I wanted to be prepared.

Sunday we again went down early.  As I was watching branch members come in without food, I thought, "I hope we have enough."  I knew that the RS president and primary president were bringing food but we had over 50 people there and I was getting a little nervous.  When the first session was over, Sister Alexander, Sister McLean and Sister Henry started putting out the food.  As the people went down the line, they were heaping food on their plates and I thought, "we are going to run out."  I even thought earlier that we needed a blessing of loaves and fishes.  Well, we got that blessing because we never ran out.  People took food home and we had left overs.  I was talking to one of the sisters and she told me that they have never run out of food - that there is always enough.  It was a testimony to me that the Lord takes care of the poor. I enjoyed being with the members.

I was watching the face of one of our investigators.  I could see him smiling during the first session.  I asked the elders what he thought about conference.  They said he loved President Monson.  He is scheduled for baptism this Saturday.  

Monday we did the wash and defrosted our lovely freezer.  We left after lunch to run some errands in town.

It was hot but we decided to walk to the different places that we needed to go.  Brian had some branch business that he needed to take care of and we were able to find all the people that we needed to see.  We also had to take one of his shoes to a repairman.  I had checked in the phone book and it gave the name of a shoe repair place but when we went there, they didn't have a repairman.  The owner told us of another place to go.  We did find the person and he glued the sole for us.  When he saw our tags, he mentioned polygamy and Brian told him that he was glad he only had to worry about one wife.  He was very nice.  On our way back, a women in the market place asked me if we would pray for her.  I got Brian and he said a prayer with her.  After returning to our car, we drove out to Huddersfield to see Sister N.  Upon our return, I fixed dinner and Brian worked on branch business.

Today was another busy branch day for Brian.  We ended up going back out to Huddersfield and then back  to the  branch so Brian could spend some time on ward records.  In the process of coming back from Huddersfield, Brain got a call from a young man who was wondering if we had his baptismal records.  We searched for them but could not find any information.  He was baptised in the Highgate Branch so we ended up having to call the mission office to find them.  I think this boy will start coming to church.  After Brian finished, we drove back home for about 1/2 hour and then ran a few more errands.  I spent the night reading and Brian spent the night making phone calls and working on branch business.  

I thought I had better mentioned what we did last Friday.  Friday morning the Whiteheads called us and asked us if we wanted to go to Highgate with them.  We had wanted to see Sister R because she has been sick with the chikungunya so we said yes.  We packed a lunch and Whiteheads picked us up.  They are so much fun and we had a great visit.  They took us to a school that the church had helped in their humanitarian efforts.  The principal took us on a tour of the school.  It is a technical school so they have woodworking, sewing, cooking, and chemistry.  They were very appreciative of what the church did for them.  After we left, we drove to Sister Rs so that Brian and Elder Whitehead could give her a blessing.  We then drove back home.  We called W so that he could wash the truck.  We wanted to make sure that he had enough money to get to conference.

Technical school in Highgate.

Elder and Sister Whitehead with the principal.