A new year is here. What new adventures will it hold? Where will we go? Whom will we meet? If only we had a crystal ball, then we would know the answers to all those questions. But, then again, I guess it would take all the fun out of it.

We went to dinner on New Year's Eve with a couple of other senior missionary couples. That was enjoyable. We didn't even stay up to greet the new year. I wonder if that has something to do with our age. We woke up on New Year's Day to over four inches of new snow.

It was pretty cool to have snow for Christmas Day and also New Year's Day. We had around four inches each day. The District was going to get together on New Year's Day in Blue Water. But, with the storm, and all, they decided to cancel and wait for a better day. But, the three couples thought we would get together at one of their homes in Tohlakai and spend an afternoon together. We ended up having to go to Gallup to help out a couple of members. Then our two girls wanted to come over. So the rest of the day was spent visiting and playing games with them. Never did make it to Tohlakai. I guess they had so much fun that they wanted to come again the next day. But, one of them had to go help great grandma do laundry, so we only had the one. Owen gave her a lesson on painting with acrylics and got her started on a painting on a canvas. It will be interesting to see how she finishes her picture.

We were able to start the missionary lessons with a new investigator this week. That is always exciting. Our other investigator is still progressing. We kind of ran into a snag during the holidays, though, because of the weather and other obligations (like gathering wood, appointments, family gatherings, etc.) So we are hoping to get back on track with him.

Between the holiday, having stomach flu for two days, the first of the month (Navajo payday), the muddy roads, the snow, and people not home, all made for quite an interesting week. A number of our appointments were canceled, or the people weren't home when we went by. So we will hope we have better luck this week.

We have been told by the locals that you don't want to go to Walmart in the middle of the day, around the first of the month, or on a Saturday. According to them the Walmart in Gallup is known as 'Navajo Heaven' and is the busiest Walmart in the world. When we do go, we always try to go first

thing in the morning. On the 2^nd we ended up going around 6:00 at night. Oh my goodness! They truly know what they are talking about. There was a steady stream of cars pulling into the parking lot, hard to find a parking place, no baskets, and elbow-to-elbow people in the store. I hope we don't have to do that again for a while.

Another time when we were at Walmart (in the morning), Owen decided to try feeding the pigeons. When he first started, there were only three that seemed interested. But after he got back in the car, all of a sudden it seemed like about 50 pigeons showed up for the free handout. I had to laugh. Most people go to the lake to feed the ducks, etc. We go to the Walmart parking lot to feed the pigeons. I have decided that my life has been pretty easy in comparison to some of the people here. I always had a mother and a father in my home that loved me and cared for me. I have always had a roof that didn't leak over my head, enough money to pay for my needs and some wants, plenty of food to eat, a warm coat, all the clothes I needed, and running water so I never had to carry water from a well. I have always had a furnace to keep me warm in the winter, never had to worry about chopping wood or feeding the wood-burning stove, had electricity that never got turned off because I couldn't pay for it, or had to run an extension cord from someone's home to mine in order to have electricity. I have never had to hitchhike because we had a vehicle and gas to take me where I wanted to go, and good roads to drive on without fear of getting stuck in the mud. In spite of all their hardships, I have never heard any of them complain. They are truly amazing people.