Life is great in LA (Lupton, AZ) except for the wind. We have had some pretty strong winds. It was blowing so hard the other day, I thought it was going to blow the roof off of our trailer. We were driving home from Sanders and big tumbleweeds were blowing across the freeway. Some places the tumbleweeds are piled up so high against the fences that you an hardly tell there is a fence there.

We were able to give a very special sister the first Temple Preparation lesson this week. She has such a sweet spirit. Her home is very humble, but she is happy. We all felt of the Spirit as we taught her and answered her questions.

When we went out to teach our two young men, Thomas was there but Anderson was not. Owen sent Thomas over to see if Anderson was coming. He was eating, so he wouldn't make it today. We started our lesson with prayer and Thomas removed his ski hat (first time), he also left it off the whole time we were there. We are beginning to see a change in his demeanor. At first he was just being polite, but you could tell he would rather be doing other things. This time, he had his Book of Mormon, looked up scriptures, participated in the discussion, and even gave the closing prayer. When Owen asked him to, he kind of hesitated, but said he would. We are keeping our fingers crossed that he will be to Church on Sunday.

We are enjoying being missionaries and learning to trust in the Lord to lead us to the people He wants us to meet. It is a little scarey for us to knock on a stranger's door and talk to them, but Heavenly Father blesses us when we do.

The first week of January we knocked on a hogan's door. A young girl, Mina, came out and talked to us. She said that she was a member, but hadn't been to Church in a very long time. Her younger sister, Roqui, and her had talked about going to Church, but she didn't know if they would or not. Owen and I were thrilled on Sunday when we saw Mina, Roqui, and their older sister, Cassandra, come to Church. Not only did they come to Church, but they came to our Family Home Evening on Wednesday. The younger sister didn't come, but a young man, Warren, and Cassandra's two little boys (ages 3 and 5) did. We had a lesson and played some fun games (blowing Q-tips out a straw that Natalie told us about). While we were dishing up the treat, the little 3-year-old starting going around to the back of a folding chair, crawling through to the seat, then standing up and jumping off. He was having so much fun doing that. I quit counting how many times he did it when I reached ten and he was still going. I challenged Owen to join in the game with him. Don't you think that would be funny to see Owen try to climb through the back opening in a folding chair and then jump off??!! :) We had sheet cake and ice cream for treats. They LOVED the cake, so we sent the rest of it home with them.

We spent one day in Tohlakai on the RV installing detectors and trying to get their shower to work, plus running back and forth to Gallup for parts. Now if the water pressure cooperates, the Elders should be able to shower. We also had to go to Steamboat to get the broken fans, so the RV place in Gallup could order replacements. Then it will be another trip back to Steamboat to install them.

Margaret and her daughter that are also taking Temple Preparations lessons were not able to meet this week, so we have had to reschedule them. They have come to Church, though, so that is a step in the right direction.

We are meeting new people each week and also trying to keep in contact with those that we have met already. We have been doing some Home and Visiting Teaching since that is part of our assignment.

Thomas didn't make it to Church this week. But we will keep working with him, and I know that the Spirit will help us to be able to touch his heart. Cassandra and Warren came to Church, but her two younger sisters didn't. Then I found out that Mina had gone into labor early Sunday morning, and they had flown her to Albuquerque because she isn't due until March. Sure hope things go okay for both mother and baby. Owen was walking back to the trailer after Church and had two little friends right with him. They wanted to know if he had any treats. I think that is a hint that we need to have cookies or some kind of treat on hand for the children on Sundays. Didn't take the little girls long to figure out Owen's weakness. All they have to do is smile at him, and he is ready to give them anything.

We are looking forward to another full week. We have several appointments, a meeting in Sanders with the Fire Department, a trip to Steamboat, and who knows what else might come up. But we enjoy the variety, and especially do we enjoy the work, and being here among these chosen people.