MISSIONARY EPISTLE

WEEK ENDING 10/30/16

ELDER AND SISTER ELKINGTON

Heritage Park Branch Family Home Evening was cancelled on Monday because of the weather.  When it rains the road into Anasazi Valley can become impassable.  We were almost relieved when we received word that it was cancelled. But we had already been to Costco to buy food for FHE.  At least we got the word before we prepared the food and cooked it.  As much as we love the FHE we will be relieved when it is over for the season.  It will be good to have a p-day without preparing food for FHE!

We spent a few hours reviewing the list of residents on the Shivwits Reservation with Elders Perkins and Clark.  They are exceptional young missionaries – we enjoy working with them.  Elder Elkington took them to the Reservation to show them where people live.

We delivered banana bread and visited less active members, and then we took boys from the Reservation to scouting. Then on Friday Ethan got to go to a Cub Scout half day activity at Ivins Park.  He really enjoyed it.

Thursday was a multi zone Annual Mission Conference where we heard from Elder Michael Ringwood and his wife.  He related several incidents where he felt prompted to make decisions that turned out to impact people’s lives in a very positive way.  He said there is no doubt the Lord is directing this work.  Some explain such things by saying, “It’s just a coincidence.”  But, the complicated interaction of events that transpire cannot be explained by saying, “It’s just a coincidence”.

We have experienced in our lives events that cannot be explained any way except that the Lord was directing things.

We taught a lesson on Friday to Sister “M’s” grandchildren.  Then on Saturday we took chili and rolls to the Heritage Park Branch Halloween Party and Chili Cook Off.  Two girls we had taught a year ago came to the party. I don’t know who won the cook off, but I do know we were beat by the time Saturday evening came around!

We had to take two vehicles to Church today so Sis Elkington could pick up children for church and then take them home afterwards while Elder Elkington attended the Santa Clara Stake Missionary Coordination meeting.

We love our mission to the Native Americans and we love the people, but we do get tired.  We wish we could have done this a number of years earlier.