Mission Update

I want to get into the habit of doing this weekly--right now I'm three weeks behind.

After our first Sunday in the Meadows ward we were assigned several families to work with. This info is from an email we received from the Bishop.

Alicia Hernandez

* Elder & Sister Casper have been working with the family for a few months.

* Sister Hernandez is a 46 year old sister that is raising her family, the size of which changes from time to time. At the present time  her grown daughter(s) stay with her with their children.  Her 17 year old son has emotional problems and rarely leaves the house and is looking at home school, which is a severe challenge for Sister Hernandez.

*  Sister Hernandez has health problems and is facing hip & knee replacement surgery, but the surgeon is reluctant to perform surgery. I have no idea why.  She also has diabetes, back problems, and depression. 

* She recently quit her job at Apollo Burger because she can no longer endure the pain of being on her feet all day.

* Within the last few months she lost most of her furniture because of bed bugs and other insect infestation.  Slowly recovering with some furniture, but lacks sofas and other furniture.

* Although there are serious problems, she tries very hard.

* She is currently on the housing list which allows her to pay a small percentage of the rent, which is a huge blessing.

* Contact the Casper's to receive more information about Sister Hernandez.

King Family

* Patrick King, 65 year old High Priest, a disabled retiree with back problems

* Amy King, 37 year old daughter of Patrick King, and mother of Andi King.  She has other children, but they are not currently with her.  She has been on some kind of recovery programs.  I failed to ask.  Recently she was hired by Deseret Industries as a Sales Associate.  Amy smokes, including in the house, which is a problem with everyone else.

*Andi King, 13 year old daughter, that is trying to grow up too fast.  Mom and daughter fight (police have been called).  Andi is a go getter, but needs to be at church and establish a pattern of righteousness.  Andi attended church the first couple of Sundays, but has not been for awhile.  Her best hope is to be to church every week and adopt the standards outlined in the "For the Strength of Youth" pamphlet.

Both Mom and daughter need to see what it means to establish a church/Christ centered home.

Rudy A. Tello/Hailey Nan Manning

*A young unmarried couple with an infant that I met two days ago.

* Normally I would not provide assistance with couples that are not married, but there was something about this couple that caused me to reconsider.  I believe they want to change and return to church activity.  He is a member, but Hailey is not a member, but I believe she will be at church.  We talked for some length Tuesday evening.

* Already from our conversation they scheduled a baby blessing with his grandfather. 

* Rudy's mother (I believe it is his mother) currently has cancer (not much time left)

* Rudy works Friday - Sunday 14 hours a day, then is off for four days

* Hailey is looking for a job (as a waitress).  She lives on her tips, as her salary is garnished 65%.  She has been convicted of two felonies, but my take is that she will take the missionary lessons, join the church and change her life.

* I have talked to this family to determine if they would welcome assistance from a wonderful Service Missionary family.  They are willing, but would like you to wait until next Tuesday before you come over.

* Family needs to establish a pattern of church attendance and commitment.

  Our second Sunday included a meeting with the Bishop and all of the other service missionary couples (presently five but one is soon to be released and we are taking their place).  He informed us that a murder had taken place in the ward that week.  A grandmother and her two-month old granddaughter were shot and killed along with an unknown 28 year-old male.  The grandmother was a member and the bishop had just been over to meet her a few days before the incident.  After listening to all of the challenges in the Meadows Ward, we were both overwhelmed and realized we were definitely out of our comfort zone.  We just weren't sure we were up to the challenge.  At this meeting, the Bishop also assigned us another individual to work with:  a man named Innocent, a refugee from Congo, who's baptism was scheduled for the following Saturday.

Our first project was to find a sofa for Sister Hernandez.  We found one on the Inner City Mission website and Craig arranged to pick it up on Monday after work.  He and a collegue   picked it up in Bountiful and delivered it to Sis. Hernandez's apartment.  He described her as a very nice lady who was thrilled to get the small sofa.  He drove his collegue around the ward boundaries and he, too, was overwhelmed with the poverty and slums.

Saturday, September 26, we attended Innocent's baptism.  He is a very humble and intelligent man who has suffered things unimaginable to us.  He has enthusiastically embraced the gospel.  Brother Weight, the High Priest Group Leader, is assigned to be his home teacher.  Bro. Weight told us Innocent was sleeping on the floor with a sleeping bag and air mattress that had been loaned to him.  Sunday Innocent was confirmed.  He was so happy that he literally "beamed."  The Bishop told us he was going to get Innocent a bed and dining from Deseret Industries on Monday, so we could concentrate on other furniture.  

We have learned that Innocent has applied for asylum in the US and his case is still pending in Los Angeles.  We need to find out if it can be transferred here.  He still owes the lawyer some money, and he has a debt for CDL training in Las Vegas.  He presently has a minimum-wage job which doesn't give him enough money to cover his expenses.  We are trying to help him find a better job.  Someone else gave him a sofa and love seat and we found him a microwave, a living room table and lamp.  

As for Rudy Tello and Hailey Manning, I discovered that they are both on parole from the Utah State Prison so I had to tell the Bishop that I cannot work with them.  I was also able to give him some background information that will help him decide how to proceed with them.

We have met Patrick King and he is anxious for us to meet his daughter, but so far that is proving to be a challenge.  I had planned to go to the DI where she works today and introduce myself to her, but Patrick called and said she was getting off early today.  I will try another time.

Sis. Hernandez lives next to Innocent, so we have been to see her.  She is working to get her high school diploma and was excited to learn that I teach adult ed--I agreed to help her with her homework.  I am taking her to night Relief Society this coming Tuesday.

We have decided to try and organize a weekly family home evening for all of our people.  We will try to do it on a Wednesday night when we can get a room at the church.