1/8/2011

DEAR FAMILY AND FRIENDS JAN 8, 2011,

 

 

TODAY IS SATURDAY JANUARY 8TH AND THE SUN IS OUT AND WARM AFTER MUCH RAIN AND FLOODING IN THE AREA.  EVEN SOME OF THE TOWN WAS FLOODED AND TRAFFIC HAS BEEN A MESS GETTING THROUGH TOWN.  THE N3 GOES RIGHT THROUGH TOWN AND THAT HAD STANDING WATER ON IT FOR THREE DAYS.  WE WERE UP IN NEWCASTLE FOR A ZONE ACTIVITY ON MONDAY AND INTENDED TO STAY OVERNIGHT WITH THE SENIOR COUPLE THAT LIVE THERE, BUT THE HOT WATER VALVE POPPED JUST AFTER WE WENT TO BED AND BEFORE THE WATER COULD BE SHUT OFF THE WATER WAS POURING FROM THE CEILING AS THE HOT WATER TANK IS IN THE ATTIC.  WHAT A MESS WITH WATER EVERYWHERE AND WE HAD NO PLACE TO SLEEP SO OFF HOME WE WENT ARRIVING HOME AT 2 AM.  THE NEXT DAY WE WENT BACK FOR A ZONE MEETING AND LUNCH WITH THE OTHER COUPLE BEFORE RUSHING BACK FOR A MEETING WITH THE BRANCH PRESIDENT HERE IN LADYSMITH.  HE IS NEW AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER SO HE CAN GET HIS FEET ON THE GROUND.  WEDNESDAY WE HAD A FUNERAL TO GO TO OUT AT EZAKHENI BRANCH, BUT FIRST THE SISTERS HAD TO DRESS THE BODY.  REMEMBER THE FLOOD, WELL THE FUNERAL HOME ALTHOUGH NOT FLOODED THE ROAD OUT FRONT WAS SO WE HAD TO PARK AFTER DRIVING FOLLOWING SOMEONE ELSE TO GET THERE SOME DISTANCE FROM THE FUNERAL HOME.  IF THAT SOUNDS CONFUSING IT WAS.  THE FUNERAL HOME ITSELF WAS SOMETHING ELSE, BARBARIC TO SAY THE LEAST WITH NO REVERENCE FOR THE DEAD, OF COURSE THAT IS FROM MY EXPERIENCE AS A FUNERAL DIRECTOR MYSELF.  THE FUNERAL WAS TO START AT 10 AM WHICH STARTED AT NOON.  SISTER HUDSON PLAYED THE PIANO AND I STAYED OUTSIDE THE BUILDING.  JUST AS THE SERVICE ENDED THE SKY OPENED UP AND IT JUST POURED DOWN FOR TEN MINUTES AND EVERYONE GOT WET, BUT BY THE TIME WE GOT TO THE CEMETERY THE SUN WAS OUT AND IT WAS WARM.  AGAIN WORKING AT A CEMETERY MOST OF MY LIFE THIS WAS A NEW EXPERIENCE TOO.  MUD EVERYWHERE AND WHEN THE GRAVE IS COVERED THEY MOUND THE DIRT AND PLACE ROCKS ON TOP WHICH MEANS NO GRASS JUST SOFT DIRT AROUND THE GRAVE.  I COULD SAY MORE BUT THAT WILL SUFFICE.  THAT EVENING ABOUT 9:30 THE MISSION PRESIDENT PHONED AND SAID THAT THE MISSIONARIES HAD AN ACCIDENT AND WANTED ME TO GO AND HELP OUT.  I WILL SENT SOME PICTURES OF THE CAR THAT THE MISSIONARIES WALKED AWAY FROM WITHOUT A SCRATCH.  THE LORD WAS WITH THEM WETHER YOU BELIEVE OR NOT IT WAS A MIRACLE THAT THEY WERE NOT HURT.  I DIDN'T GET A PICTURE OF THE CAR ON IT'S SIDE, BUT IT WAS A MESS.  THE ELDERS ARE UPSET AND ARE QUESTIONING IF THEY SHOULD STAY ON THEIR MISSION OR GO HOME SO WE HAVE HAD SOME HEART TO HEART TALKS THE LAST FEW DAYS.  WE WILL JUST MOVE ON AND USE THIS AS A LESSON WE CAN TEACH AT A LATTER TIME IN LIFE AND HOW WE ARE WATCHED OVER AND SOMETIMES WE DON'T KNOW WHY.  WELL THE CAR IS PARKED AT OUR HOUSE UNTIL THE MISSION FIGURES OUT WHAT TO DO WITH IT.  YESTERDAY I WORKED WITH ANOTHER BRANCH PRESIDENT WITH HIS RECORDS AS MOST DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE COMPUTER AND I KNOW JUST KNOW ENOUGH TO GET BY OR SOMEHOW CAN MAKE IT WORK.  WHEN WE LOOK BACK AT THE WEEK WE SEE THAT WE ARE SOME HELP TO THE MISSIONARIES, BRANCHES AND THE MISSION PRESIDENT.  IT HAS AND IS A GREAT EXPERIENCE SERVING IN THE MISSION FIELD AND WE ARE GLAD TO BE HERE.

 

AGAIN WE SEND OUR LOVE AND BEST WISHES FOR THE NEW YEAR AND HOPE ALL IS WELL WHERE YOU ARE SERVING OR LIVING YOUR LIVES.  MAY YOU SEE THE LORD HAND IN YOUR LIVES AS WE HAVE SEEN IT THIS WEEK HERE IN OURS.

 

WARM REGARDS,

 

ELDER AND SISTER HUDSON

 

P.S. SISTER HUDSON DID GET TO HELP DRESS THE LADY AT THE FUNERAL HOME AND DID WELL WHILE I SAT IN A HALLWAY ON A STAINLESS STEEL CHAIR.

P.S. SISTER HUDSON WAS GOING TO HAVE A MIGRAIN BUT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.  THE RELIEF SOCIETY PRESIDENT AND HER COUNSELOR WASHED THE BODY AND I HELPED DRESS.  THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME AND I WAS REALLY CONCERNED BECAUSE THEY DON'T EMBALEM AND THE LADY DIED THURSDAY.  I FOUND  OUT THEY DO KEEP THE BODY IN THE REFRIGERATOR.