We have had one week of warmer weather (meaning the temperatures were above freezing) and the snow has begun to melt. Since the ground underneath is still frozen, the water is running downhill. As we drive along the roads the barrow pits on either side are filled with water, and in many places entire fields now look like small lakes. Some roads are closed because the water on one side is flowing over the road on to the other side. We drove through an area like that yesterday when we took someone home from church. Picture shows the flooding-- You can seewhere the fence was in what used to be a field by the side of the road. We are seeing this all over ND.
The ice has broken up on top of the rivers, and there is wo
rry that the ice, logs and other debris will form dams at the bridges, flooding land behind it, and then when the water breaks through, the debris will tear up the bridge. (The pieces of ice look to be 24 inches thick and some of the pieces are raft size) There will be major flooding in Fargo this week, but Bismarck is in the middle of the state. Nevertheless there are flood warnings for the local area since the small contributories are causing some real problems. Once again we are driving into the western part of ND as a big storm comes into Bismarck. This is a rough spring for this area of the country. Picture shows the broken ice, piled up in front of the bridge.“We are all enlisted….” For the last few weeks we have attended two different branches on the Standing Rock Sioux reservation. There are less than 30 members attending each Branch, the majority of them are middle aged women. One of the branches has about 350 members and the other over 400, but few are active and most unsupportive. It is very touching to hear them pray that their children and grandchildren will be strong and remain active. We drive an hour and a half from Bismarck to get to the branches, but there are two Elders and a Senior Couple who live on the reservation and work there full time.
On Sunday we attended the Ft. Yates branch. It was a great day for them, because they had over 30 people attending. The Branch President is Native American, and his wife was the RS President until Sunday, when she was sustained as the YW President and another woman called as RS president. The Branch President serves without counselors and his only help are the full time missionaries. They have a 2 hour block; one hour for Sacrament meeting, and the 2nd hour for Relief Society/Primary/Priesthood/Young Women. After the meetings there is pot luck on the 2nd and 4th Sundays. The Branch president brings the main dish (he is a chef in Bismarck) and the members bring other dishes. After lunch the members fill plates with the leftovers and take them home. We have supplied our baked beans for two Sundays and we go home without leftovers.
We can’t say too much about the branches since we have only attended for three week but we see that only a few of the sisters come dressed in dresses and a few boys and men in white shirts but the remainder come to church in T-shirts and pants. This seems to be the dress for most attending. We are using surnames such as “Yelloweyes” “Elk” “Baldeagel” and Antelope”, different from Sollee, Condie, and Webb. These are brother and sisters that we will come to know and love. We both have noticed that there is a very strong presence of the Spirit in our meetings and we are both humbled and blessed with the outpouring that seems to be with us all.
We will both assume responsibilities in the branch and if possible we will try to meet with some of the inactive leaders of the past to invite them to join with us once again. There are duties that we can assist our branch president without making him feel intimidated. This is our hope and our desire.
“As Sisters in Zion we all work together…” Saturday ther
e was a Relief Society celebration with both branches, held in Ft Yates. The women attending (20 - about the same number as the original RS meeting) stood to sing “The Spirit of God” as an opening song, and I think it was as thrilling to me as when we sang it with 2000 missionaries at the MTC. Their program went from 10:00 to 3 and included several talks and lunch. There had been a lot of effort in invitations, table decorations, and hand outs. They asked that I be their Key-note speaker which was a great privilege.Two of the sisters are originally from Samoa, and did a Samoan dance during lunch. (We seem to see the Samoan culture throughout the church where ever we go) The one sister went home to look in her book (on the Samoan Temple) and found that it had been written by Carl Harris. She was very excited that his brother was in their branch. And as always, there are connections. We met a 90 yr old woman at the branch in McLaughlin South Dakota who comes from Tremonton and went to the same high school as Elder Harris and my mother. Picture shows Brand Pres and his wife on the top left, flowers from Steve to women, wagon wheel part of my talk.
“There is work enough to do…”Besides our work in the Branch, we have been wearing other hats. We went to Fargo for a conference with other CES senior couples. We learned how to prepare for Seminary graduation and how to order next year’s supplies, got some good ideas for in-service meetings, and enjoyed the fellowship of the other Senior Couples. We have visited a member in the hospital, helped Elders with car maintenance issues, attended Young Single Adult firesides and Institutes. We work in the Bismarck Temple once a week. We had dinner with a woman being baptized this weekend, who’s first exposure to the church came when she lived in Olathe, Ks (where we did) next to friends of ours. (Gaylin and Pam Thomas) This week we are traveling through Williston, Ray and Minot attending the Seminary and Institute classes.
“I’m glad they called me on a mission…”Here are some things we like about our mission: First and foremost – doing all these things together. It’s great to work together on every assignment, to plan, prepare and pray about the same things. Steve tells me that we are finally getting our second Honey Moon, and in many ways that is true. Next, we like the variety of the work we have here—always something different, and very often, something new. Many times our days fill up with the unexpected – the call to go to the hospital, the unexpected visit of missionaries from another town, the request to talk in a ward or branch. We are among wonderful faithful people, and are inspired by them.
Picture shows a white buffalo in the field. They are very significant to the Native Americans. There were about three of them on this field.
We send our love to each of you – our friends and extended family. Thanks for your support.
Elder and Sister Harris
No comments:
Post a Comment