May 10, 2015

Dear Family,

We are happy to have spoken over the phone with several of you today, or shared messages by other means; and are hopeful that mothers have had a special day.  Thanks for kindnesses extended to Marilyn.  She appreciated the cards and gifts and phone calls.  I remember a college professor commenting, when only positive could be found of a topic, “well that’s like motherhood, nothing bad can be said about that”.  And I would add, not enough good either. 

The sacrament meeting program today honored mothers, with the customary singing by primary children.  It was very nice.  Many wonderfully faithful members attend this ward.  We are enjoying the association and are learning from each meeting and acquaintanceship.  So many travel such great distances for each meeting.  Perhaps it is that they are in such a minority in each community that binds them together so closely within their “ward family”.

I have little to report regarding work progress this week as I was (along with about 80 percent of the other missionaries in our group) ill, and eventually quarantined.  Most meetings that would gather us in a small room together were cancelled for the week.  The sisters did not go to the indexing center, rather worked from their home computers.  Still many are not feeling well.  One couple has been diagnosed with walking pneumonia.  Others, who have become discouraged with the length of their illnesses, are going to clinics for help.  We are hoping the bugs will soon fly away and leave us alone. 

Jobs (especially maintenance projects) and stacking up.  Depending on weather patterns we may get to some this coming week.  One more urgent need is a repair to a leaking pressure tank in the water treatment plant.  I think this is a priority.  I believe I mentioned a week ago of some of the other projects.  Parts are here for many, just waiting for time.  Between rainstorms it is usually back to the mowers – necessary to not get behind.  It would be awfully difficult to catch up if the grass got too tall.   I am anxious to get the ground work ready and begin constructing the greenhouse. 

Marilyn has been doing so well with her indexing.  I know of her concern before coming and her feelings of apprehension.  She had not done very much before coming.  Now she is genuinely immersed and really enjoying the assignment.  She is still doing obituaries.  We joked the other day that one of the incentives to my eventual trip to the doctor was her indexing an obituary of an individual whose services were conducted by the McCracken Mortuary.

We had a surprise visit from an old missionary friend from Guatemala years.  Although we had never been companions we were friends and have had occasional contacts in recent years.  He had been travelling on the east coast for several weeks, visiting the communities of his ancestors.  His family has been very involved over the generations in leadership of the church.  Two of his cousins and his older brother either are currently or formerly of the Quorums of the Seventy, his grandfather (LeGrande Richards) an Apostle, both his Great Grandfather and Great, Great Grandfather Apostles and Presidents of the Quorum.  His Great, Great Grandfather’s brother was Willard Richards who accompanied the Prophet Joseph to Carthage Jail and was the only unwounded after the terrible attack by mobs.

Our garden, planted only a week ago tomorrow, is surely sprouting quickly.  So far the fence we erected is keeping out the critters.  All is so green and lush around the valley.  The farmers, crops, planted just below our apartment have immerged very uniformly (and quickly too).  The new born calves are romping in the fields close by.  The songbirds, so vividly and uniquely colored are delightful to watch.  Little hummingbirds are just outside our windows on the columbine plants.  Spring here is just beautiful.  We understand from those who have been here longer that each season is likewise glorious in its only special way.

This week will mark two months here.  The time is passing so remarkably fast.  Busy days and pleasant association with those whom we are blessed to be with help with this.  We both feel so very grateful for this wonderful blessing we have been given to be involved here.  As the summer travel season begins we assume we will see even more visitors from our home town.  It amazes us so often how many drive up to where we are working and strike up conversations, which usually lead to the discovery of common friends somewhere previously known. 

We thank Marsha again for the blog she has been so faithfully and proficiently been sharing.  We encourage you to follow it.  We sense its great potential to bring our family ever closer together as we become better acquainted with those whose placement in our family tree has made ours not only possible but our present standing also more easily understood.  We owe them tremendous credit, gratitude and honor.  We feel that Marsha deserves our repeated thanks for her effort; and we suspect she would appreciate input in terms of stories we are aware of too.

Please keep in touch, and know of how much we admire and love you all.  Until next week, hopefully with more to report of resumed activity in what we have enjoyed in previous weeks’ involvement.

Love and best wishes,

Marilyn & Kevin, Mom & Dad, Grandma & Grandpa