> Is a "9-ring" circus 3 times as busy as a 3-ring> circus? That is what it felt like during Church trying to> keep the grandchild of a member quiet with only paper and> pen which I provided. We did well, but it took everything I> could muster; then teaching the same grandchild and 2 non-> English speaking children a song during Primary; then moving> on to Gospel Doctrine with the same grandchild and paper and> pen, again. I think Church was really nice but I was tired.> > > We drove to Dunedin for a Zone Conference which turned out> to be just interviews... so we took advantage of the> situation and ate lunch at an Indian restaurant and invited> the owner to sit and visit with us. He was> "turbanned", had his grey beard wound in a knot> tucked under his chin and wearing several gold rings when he> shared with us a most interesting story. He is a Shek (?)> (very devout) and told us about a dream he had one night of> Jesus Christ. Prior to the dream occuring he had been to the> doctor for a weeping sore on his back that would not heal. > His wife dressed it daily but for months it persisted with> oozing pus and no improvement. The doctors were unable to> help him with it. In the dream, Jesus asked him 3 times if> there was anything to be done for him. Finally the 3rd time> he replied "only because you keep asking, yes, I have a> persistent wound that won't heal on my back." > Christ placed his hand on his back and he was healed. In> the> morning it was healthy flesh on his back where the> infection had been. True story. We asked if was a Christian> yet...and he said "No," so this is to be> continued...> > Now that we had been filled spiritually we went for> something wild and crazy. We knew that in a wee town> outside of Dunedin there was a dairy (think 7-Eleven) that> sold really great ice cream with hot chocolate sauce (hot> fudge sundae.) We knew because one of the families who> travels to Dunedin from Invercargill to District Conference> twice yearly, stops there with their children to top them> off before arriving on Saturday for the conference sessions.> With the bit of information we had we scoped out the town> of Milton and discovered only two dairies. I had a> delicious but small soft vanilla cone and Jack had an> expensive chocolate cone. Indications were that we were in> the wrong dairy so at the other end of town, 6 doors down> and even on the same side of the street, was the> "Granny's in Heber City" dairy. Well, yours> truly had, for the first time in her life a second cone on> the same day; not only that, it was within 10 minutes of> finishing the> first one. But it was worth it. The cones were 1/4 the> price and 4 times the the ice cream...that makes it a 16> times better deal. Each scoop was the size of two fists> together...Jack had a double and I had a single. Jack says> he learned from me to not wad his napkins but instead to use> one side at a time but the mess he made of himself, his> mouth and hands was no evidence that he had actually learned> how to use a napkin, except in a wad. We laughed and had a> good time. > > One of my service projects is teaching a Filippino how to> rive...Factoring in her poor English skills, zero> understanding of turning, steering, or going straight> coupled with the only car she has ridden is with her husband> who learned to drive with only one lesson and is a hazzard> on the road, it is a miracle we didn't crash. However,> at 3 miles/hour we are always okay. MOre than once we were> heading for a ditch, tree, lampost and she continued> straight for it, sometimes steering in to it. Maybe it is> poor teaching on my part. I will visit that possibility> next time... I had no concept of how much is absorbed by> just riding in a car for 16 years before learning to drive. > > Yesterday in the middle of a cold and gray rain storm we> received a bit of sunlight from our Bountiful Ward. Some of> my darling Primary children had spent time learning of> serving others, like King Benjamin taught in the Book of> Mormon, and had written and drawn things for us. It> brightened everything significantly. Thank you for learning> of service and making us feel so appreciated, missed and> loved. Your thoughts warmed our hearts. We love you and> miss you!> > We are planning a "summer party" for the branch> but our South Affican member is wondering when it will be> summer, so we dropped the "summer" and are calling> it a party! It will be in February...whether it is summer> or not.> > Love to you all,> Love, Sister Sloan
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