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 December 25, 1970 La Conner, Washington December 25, 1970 Another month has flown by.   It does not seem like Christmas is already here.   W. left Nov. 27 th .   …             I think the joy of the holiday season is making me feel a little more charitable. My new companion is Elder A.. W.   He is a fine fellow.   We’ve gotten along very well from our first meeting.   He’s a farm boy from Amalga, Utah.   He’s simple and straight forward.   Elder W. has many good traits, but is not an expert in much of anything.   His strongest characteristic is making the best of what he has available.   This attitude carries through not only with personality resources, but to practical situations.   He’s forever repairing the bus, etc, with apparently inadequate tools. Elder W. loves the Lamanite people.   He is very happy with his assignment here.   He does    ...

Lummi Art: Salmon   November 24, 1970 Slowly I am beginning to feel accepted by the Indian people.  It takes a long time.  This last weekend was an eventful one.  It began with the funeral of M. C.  She was an old Swinomish, 92 years old, and one of the last of her race.  Her last few years were hampered by crippling injuries.  She was sort of an invalid. Elder W. and I had been getting firewood for her for a few weeks.  Another accident put her in the hospital—there she died.  Friday evening her funeral dinner was held at the community center.  Elder W. and I got there at 4:00 and helped prepare the tables.  We also helped serve food; and cleaned up afterwards.  We set the table for the banquet for the next day.  That evening we met I. O. wife of P. O.  They were the stake missionaries that opened up the Lummi (Reservation) over 15 years ago.  (Percy is deceased now).  She expressed her love for the Lamanit...

  November 3, 1970 Elder G. was mistaken when he said my trials would never be as rough as Lewiston District Leader Companion. La Conner and Elder W. are something else! I feel like something is trying to discourage me from working with the Lamanites. It’s been havoc since I left Moscow. When I arrived in Anacortes there was nobody to meet me and my baggage had been lost. Everything was confused. (Transfers took place a day early, on Thursday). I was finally located in La Conner at 12pm Friday. Saturday was enjoyable. We worked at an education media fair. I got to see Elder H. and Elder T. Elder H. and I had a long talk. It’d like him as a life-long friend. La Conner is a trial. Its’ a small town with nothing to do. There’s not even a bus to Mount Vernon. And Mount Vernon nothing much either!..... The teaching aids in the Lamanite program are beautiful. Eight lessons are in the plan. Each has a f...

  October 13, 1970 Brother B. talked about stewardship at his “Living Prophets” Lecture last Wednesday.(Institute) Stewardship is a responsibility for something we do not own.   Scripturally it is mentioned in         D& C 72, 100 and parts of 70.  God has given us stewardship over three important things:  our bodies; our minds; and our spirits.  It might also be noted that actually we “own” nothing (except for our intelligence, and we’re not sure about that.)  Our bodies have been called the “temple of God.”  In the creation our Heavenly Father created our Spirit from intelligences (Heavenly Mother played her role too.) Intelligences are: 1) matter; 2) eternal; 3) not created; 4) cannot be destroyed; and 5) have agency.   Even Christ was owned by the Father and he turned his agency over to the Father. “Whose I am, even the Father.” (D&C 19:1) It seems to be an everlasting principle that our ego must be satis...

  October 20, 1970 It seems that all of my entries are inspired by a change, and this one is no different.   I’m leaving Moscow to enter the Lamanite Program. The past ten days have been busy ones.  Saturday, the 10th, M. received her final discussion.  She was eager to be baptized.  The date was set for Thursday, Oct. 15 th .  M. had to overcome many problems but  her desire was deep and sincere.  On Monday we brought her some Postum.  No longer would coffee stand in her way.  M. came to us very lonely, and she found warmth and friendship amongst the LDS students.  Watching her grow was a choice experience. M.C. was taught rapidly.  She would have been baptized six days after the first, on Oct. 10, but she insisted on letting Brother G. baptize her.  All along she knew the things we taught were true.  We taught her in three settings. Thursday, October 15 th , both M. and M. C. were baptized.  I baptized M. ...