Better late than never – Happy Easter, everyone!

This week wasn't so full of emotional highs and lows as last week was, but still a good week. Decided we better check on the last two trailers that we haven't visited for awhile. So Tuesday we headed out for Tsaile and Chilchinbeto. Relieved that they had no serious problems to report. However, on Saturday when we were coming home from Farmington, the elders in Steamboat called and said that two of their three CO monitors had gone off. Last week one went off. Good clue that there might be a problem. So we headed that way, pulled the furnace, had it checked in Gallup today, and it definitely had problems, and will need to be replaced. The joys of living in an RV (definitely adds a little stress to Owen's life.)

Our Branch had a pot-luck dinner and Easter egg hunt on Wednesday. One lady had asked if we could give her, and her husband, and grandmother a ride. When I went to pick them up, there were nine people that crawled in the van. There were still several in that area that didn't come with us. We had a lot of people show up – friends and family of the Branch members. Many of the people we had not met before. Now we just need to figure out where they live and go visit with them.

Owen and I hid a whole bunch of plastic eggs, including four golden ones. Whoever found a golden egg, got a stuffed bunny. I think everyone enjoyed the hunt, because we had two men, a teenager, and a two-year-old win the bunnies. During the hunt, Jay would walk around and yell, “I see a golden egg.” All the kids would come running. While they were looking for it, he would move to another area and shout it out again. Finally they realized that he was teasing them. It didn't take them long to fill their baskets and clear all the eggs out of the yard. I think everyone enjoyed themselves and it was a fun evening.

We have completed the lessons for Temple Preparation with three of our sisters. One had her interview with the Stake President and is good to go. So we will be planning a temple trip in the near future. The other two will have their interview with the Branch President this Sunday.

The Headstart teacher had asked us to come in and read an Easter story to the children. So I found a cute little story about a bunny who didn't want to share his Easter eggs. After the story, I asked Owen what he had in his box. He showed them a treat bag. I asked him if he was going to share them with the children. He said, “No. I don't want to.” So then the children and I had to tell him how if he shared, not only would it would make us happy, but it would make him happy, too. I guess some of the children got the message, because later in the day we saw one of the little guys. He came running up to us and said, “You gave me some candy, and I'm sharing.”

We had a Zone Conference in Farmington on Friday, so most of our District decided to stay over and visit some ruin sites nearby. The Conference was good. We enjoy hearing from Pres. and Sister Batt. Pres. Batt told us that faith is a principle of action. You have to take action in order for faith to work. Miracles happen as a result of our faith.

They introduced six new couples and a single sister who are joining our ranks. There are ten couples that will be going home before the next conference. Two of them are from our District. We will be sad to see them leave. When we get together twice a month, it gives us a chance to get to know each other better and to draw closer to each other. But their replacements already have their assignment, so that is good.

One sister said that they were celebrating their 50^th wedding anniversary in October. She said that their kids are sending them to Hawaii to celebrate their anniversary. Then she added, they don't know it yet; but they are. That got a good laugh from everyone.

True to form – our District sat down in the hotel lobby that evening and played games. I am sure some people wondered what that many missionaries were doing in one spot.

The next day we headed out to Aztec to tour the Aztec Ruins. Amazing! They are over a 1000 years old. The one complex was three stories high and had 400 rooms when the early Pueblos lived there. They believe that they built in the Chaco Canyon area first, then moved to the Aztec area. From there they moved to Mesa Verde. These ruins are not built on a mountain, but out on open ground.

We also went to the Salmon Ruins. They aren't as well preserved as the Aztec ones are, but still very interesting. Good place to go visit if you are ever in the Farmington area.

After Stake Conference on Sunday, Owen had the opportunity to ordain a man to the Melchizedek Priesthood to the office of an Elder. The Branch President already has his eye on him for a Branch Clerk. That will be good for him to get a calling right off the bat.

Things never seem to slow down around here. We just think we might have some free time, and then someone calls or drops by and we are off and running again.

A couple of thoughts in closing: “Going on a mission is better than sitting around and watching your birth certificate expire.” “A missionary is someone who leaves their family for a short time, so others may be with their families for eternity.”