A funny exchange at the hotel reception desk in Lima Peru.
Janae:  (handing over passports and knowing there is no sound to say Janae in Spanish): Can you say my name?
Receptionist: Janae (in quite good English)
Kay: Can you say my name?
Receptionist:  What is your name?
Kay: Que
Recptionist:  What is your name?
Kay: Que
Receptionist: Que?
Kay: Si, Que.
Receptionist: Que.
Janae: like Por Que.
Frances: I think this is the Spanish version of Who's on First.

                                                                KAYS NAMETAG

Branch Art Activity (Art walk)

The primary was in charge of a branch activity.  We called it a Branch Brunch.
When everyone arrived we had them sit at the tables and draw a picture of Jesus, a teaching of Jesus or a parable.  Pencils and white paper were provided and we went around inviting  young and old to draw their creations.  Any really good ones we would get permission to put on the ward bulletin.

RS room

 We had other pictures of Jesus around the room.  After 20 minutes, we sang a song together (hymn books) and separated into 6 groups stationed around the building.  Each group was given a map to follow... for 6 segments.     6 art presenters were given an instruction sheet with 2 paintings (photographs) they were to be familiar with.  Read the scriptures related to the paintings and talk about it asking questions to each group for 5 minutes until the bell rang.  I added some symbolism and some questions to ask... why is his hand pointing that way, where is he looking etc.  We skipped the paintings that were not of Jesus.  We included the branch President with the art in his office.   Because it was Easter we gave  each person a treat bag and a small treat at each station. .

President in his office

Missionaries 

Kay's station is the hallway

Foyer

Foyer

 We ended with a brunch serving mountain man casserole (egg, potato and sausage) cinnamon rolls, oranges, bananas (cheap this week) and milk.  It was really nice and well received.

Sam is baptized

I got an email the other day saying our friend Sam was being baptized   Sam is a single student in his early 20's and was taught by the missionaries. Several Sundays ago,  I thought we had a threesome and planned for 3 for Sunday dinner, it turned out we only had 2 Missionaries but they were sitting by Sam.  I thought he was the new student in the branch and asked him but no he said  he wasn't a member... yet... cool.   I asked him if he would like to come to dinner after church.   He said he wasn't sure but accepted and we had a great visit.

Kay and I were impressed at his deep thoughts and his questions.  He loved talking to Kay and told the missionaries later he felt honored to be able to talk to Kay. He thought Kay was a general authority or something.... he is.... an authority on all general subjects... I like to say.  The next week Sam wasn't at church but had been "handed off " to the singles ward where he was doing well and we were invited to his baptism a few weeks later.

In the baptism email it asked if anyone would be willing to pick his mom up in Lincoln one hour away so she can attend.  I knew we couldn't attend (Temple shift) but there are several temple workers from Lincoln who maybe could help out.  I called 2 supervisors, got several phone numbers and figured it all out.  I started by calling his mom to confirm she wanted to come and was able to talk to her about Sam and how much we enjoyed him and how deeply thought-ful he was.  She was very nice.  Then I called 3 people to arrange a ride and gave each the phone numbers and had my temple supervisor calling people.   I figured if all else failed, I could drive her home.

About an hour later I got a call from the couple who were driving her that said she cancelled and said she would drive herself..... WHAT? after all that work and effort on my part... I thought maybe she didn't have a car.   At first I was a little miffed but I thought about it and thought about the conversation I had with his mom and how positive that was.... This was the only way I would have spoken to his mom and I think she needed to hear my words about her son.... also the people on the other shift came and introduced themselves to me, so all that was good!  Sam was baptized and I was able to see him at Stake Conference last week.  All is well.

Read the Book.

Kay home teaches a woman who is about our age and had a stroke at church.  Kay is her home teacher and has been helping her.  Three of her four children came  to be with her and have been nearby. None have embraced the church. We have observed her children and their love and concern for their mother. We went home teaching and Kay spoke to her children about her love for them and her love for the church and the Book of Mormon.

The youngest daughter was leaving today so we went over to the house and Kay spoke with her and explained to her, her mother's love for the Book of Mormon. Tiffany is a librarian and appreciates books.  Kay showed her one of his collectible Books of Mormon and then, explaining what the book is, and how important it is to him and her mom, gave her and her brother copies of the Book of Mormon with a charge to read it, he also gave her $100. if she promised to read it. She promised. He didn't tell her mom as he didn't want her to get in trouble with her kids.

Sleuth

At church today a Branch Presidency member came up to me and I said "prayer?" he said "no, music" so for the second time in  my life, I lead the music in sacrament meeting. Not too scary in a branch with 35 people at the beginning of Sacrament meeting.  One song was a little tricky but I got  through it.
I noticed one of our primary teachers looking bad... kind of sad?  I just couldn't put my finger on it.

After Sacrament meeting, she was teaching her class and took her class to another one, giving her children to the other teacher and was heading out the building.  Tricia caught her and sat her down and decided she was having a stroke.  She couldn't answer simple questions.

The branch president took her to the emergency room and our job was to drive her car home for her.  We couldn't find the keys but Cathy found them in the car with the car on... but not going.  It was dead.  I jumped it and the oil light came on, the engine sounded horrible and it a puddle of oil under it and  had no oil in it. I Turned it off!  The engine was seized.

She had been in an accident 10 days earlier with damage to the front passenger area.  After sleuthing, under the car, Kay decided she was in another accident, probably that day.  We drove around and around looking for a puddle of oil and found a sign down.  Upon close inspection we found 2 of her car parts there and lots of oil.   We drove back to the car and found two dents where she hit the sign.  It was a little confusing as this accident was on top of the last accident.

We called the police and filed a report showing them the accident site and the car at the parking lot.

We then went to the hospital to visit our teacher and tell her about the car.  She did have a stroke and couldn't remember even going to church let alone running into a sign.  I gave her daughter the insurance information so she could contact the agent.   I am pretty amazed Kay figured it out.  The insurance should cover it with her deductible which is better than the nothing we were thinking.

Simon Peter Anderson is blessed byCaleb Anderson

letter to Janell from Kay

 "We just blessed Caleb's baby Simon Peter Anderson. The audience laughed a little when they heard his name would be Simon Peter.  Not many names get a reaction from people.  Simon is cute and a good baby. everybody likes to hold him.

the blessing was simple, heartfelt, loving and spiritual.  Caleb put me in charge of the binky.  Simon was fussing a little before we started then calmed down as soon as we started.  I opened my eyes during the blessing to see how he was doing and Simon was wide eyed and starring at Caleb.  His stare was so intense that I wondered if it was intentional or just random and would he lose interest and look around at all the others holding him or have his attention drawn to the binky, which was no longer in his mouth.  I was amazed to watch as Simon stayed wide eyed and completely focused on Caleb the entire time. His eyes never left Caleb's face until the blessing was finished."  Dad, Kay

Janae - Bishop Steele was watching from the stand and was amazed at Simon staring at his daddy the whold time, all during the blessing.

New adventure

I received a call on  my cell phone Thursday from the Winter Quarters Temple asking if Kay and I could visit with a member of the Temple Presidency after our next session.  I told him we should just make an appointment now so we did for the very next day, Friday after the 6PM session.  Hummmmm I wonder what he wanted...
After the session we went into his office and he extended a call to be ordinance workers and set us apart single handedly (apparently that is not a word but works for me).  We had several choices (lowoin the totem pole in my book...)
Friday evening
Saturday shift 1
Saturday shift 2
Saturday shift 3

We chose Saturday shift 1 from 7AM to 1PM and that was the very next day so there we went.  It was fun and will be lots of memorizing.  Kay passed off several things... I will need more study time which is built into our schedule.  On our shift there are several people who travel 1-2.5 hours to get there.  We are 10 minutes away.. Lucky us.

I was a bit worried about Kay. He may find it difficult to serve in the temple because of his illness.. he gets sleeping sickness as soon as he sits down in a church or temple but he seemed to be cured today.