November 17, 2011

At lot has happens since the last time I wrote. First of all when I got back Chicken was still on sale for $1.59 a pound so Deborah and I bought about 35 pounds and I canned 35 pints of chicken. That was the first time I had canned any kind of meat it was easy. Then since I borrowed a big pressure cooker from Vicki Hunt we went ahead and canned the 50 pound of ground beef. We split it up and got 14 quarts and 27 pints. So I now have meat ready to eat. It has come in pretty handy for quick meals.

Since we got back from Auburn we have been working on submitting our papers to go on the Navajo and Hopi gardening and Self-Reliance Projects. How this all came about is that sometime in the first of September I was browsing through the web sight seeing what types of missions were available. When I was checking out the service mission sights I came across this mission and immediately knew this was the mission that we should go on. It read

Navajo and Hopi gardening and Self-Reliance Projects (#3069)

Three Senior church service missionary couples to serve for a period of 6 months from March through October 2012 to build self-reliance and improve diets as they help these people to grow home gardens, vineyards, and orchards and learn to preserve and use the produce.

Materials, instructions and technical support will be provided through Welfare Services. Will serve under the direction of the Tuba City Arizona Stake Presidency.

Apartment or R.V. sites are available.

If one or both spouses are experienced with using the new familysearch, they could spend some time helping the members submit ancestor's names to the temple and encouraging them to do baptisms for their deceased ancestors.

It just fit us like a glove. Willard and I talked about it but really hadn't made a decision until when we went to the temple, the spirit prompted us that it was time to get our papers in. The next Sunday we were back we turned in our papers and had our interview with the Bishop. Then we were waiting for the Stake President to call us and the next Sunday passed without a word. So I emailed the Stake President and saw us on Tuesday. Now we just have to wait for the President Justice to contact our stake president who is out of town. But things are moving right along.

This is an except from the Ensign about what the mission is all about it was in the March 2011 Ensign

Navajo and Hopi Nations

The climate and terrain on the Navajo and Hopi Indian reservations in Arizona, USA, and surrounding states is just as difficult as for those in Bolivia or Cape Verde. Yet after hearing about these and other food production projects, the Tuba City Stake president, Larry James Justice, felt that the members of his stake could also benefit from learning how to plant gardens. With high levels of diabetes and obesity among his members—an increasing problem worldwide—he realized that fresh fruits and vegetables could supply the vitamins and minerals that most members lack in their typical diet of corn, beans, and mutton.

In 2009, the stake launched a pilot project with the help of the Church food initiative. Stake leaders and Church-service missionaries began by planting a demonstration garden at the stake center. Leaders used the garden to teach members the techniques that would help them succeed in planting their own gardens—which vegetables to plant, how to fertilize the soil, and even how to prevent birds from eating the crops.

That year, families in the Tuba City Stake planted 30 gardens, and many experienced success. Along with the vegetable gardens, a variety of fruit trees and vines are also thriving on the reservation, including peaches, apricots, raspberries, and watermelons.

Now that members have a basic knowledge of gardening, stake leaders are teaching members other provident living principles, such as how to use and store the fruits and vegetables they grow. Using the pilot project as a model, the Church launched eight more projects in 2010 on Navajo and Hopi reservations, allowing more families to reap the benefits of home food production.

Also there is a web sight that has a little video about it. http://lds.org/media-library/video/75th-welfare-anniversary?lang=eng&query=desolate+land+blossoms#2011-05-17-a-desolate-land-blossoms

We are excited about this opportunity. We are planning on leaving February 20th because President Justice needs someone to come earlier and we will be returning last October.

One other thing that I had fun doing is crocheting me a scarf out of some fun threads.

I have been working hard at getting prepared for our upcoming performances. Trying to get in 2 hours a day. I just hope that my nerve will not win. Here is an invitation to to invite those who read my blog to our Christmas performance for our friends and family. We really have had a great time getting the music ready.