Visits for South District Conference

November 6, 2010, we visited three families in conjunction with the South District Conference. We had Elder Pratt from our Area Presidency and Elder Juan, an area Seventy from Taiwain as
presiding over the conference. Elder Juan didn't get here until after the visits and Elder Pratt went with another Branch President. We went with the 4th Branch President. Our first stop was to Elder Mae's Mother and Sister and little nephew. His Mom sells bread every morning. When the bread is all sold, she comes home and makes skewer sticks out of bamboo. That is what is in front of her on the ground.

Us with the 4th branch president and Elder Mae's family. Elder Mae, by the way, is doing much better. He was so appreciative of seeing these pictures.

She has done this for years and does it so fast with a very sharp knife. I would have surely cut off my finger! Altogether she makes $150 a month which is actually a little over the average monthly take home pay. She is being blessed for her son's service.

This family wants to go to the temple. The only hold up is the mother doesn't want to hold a church job and come to church all the time. She never told us why, but she wants to go to the Temple. So Scott taught her there was no such thing as a "normal member", meaning one that comes to Church and does no service, they just come and that's it. He is a guard at one of the buildings. I did not see her to District Conference, but perhaps she was there. It was full all the way to the back of the cultural hall.

We went with the branch president and one of our assistants, Elder Matthews to visit a family on the outskirts of the branch. The other Assistant, Elder Hurwitz, went with Elder Pratt. A funny story. He, Elder Hurwitz, was supposed to drive Elder Pratt back to the Mission Home for a quick lunch. We were finishing out visits and would meet them there. They got in the van, and Elder Hurwitz said to Elder Pratt that he, Elder Hurwitz, was pretty nervous to drive the stick. He said he had only done it a couple of times, and I think he was worried about not driving a general authority very good. So, Elder Pratt said he had driven in that kind of traffic that we have here many, many times. Pretty much all his church service. So, he got in and drove Elder Hurwitz to the mission home!

We went down this little path and left to their home.

This family makes shoes and he also is a moto dop (say dope). Meaning moto taxi. He had one tie that he owned. They go to church about once a month. We invited them to come to conference and the Dad showed up. I think he had his tie on that Scott gave him. The young man in the purple shirt is their oldest son and he accepted a tie. Their kitchen is underneath their home. They sleep on the top floor. They showed me the shoes they make. They are very nice ones. She had me try one on. I could see my foot was Ugly Step Sister and the shoe was Cinderella. But I accomodated her and she just laughed when my foot was obviously not going to be comfortable in her nice shoe!

We really enjoyed this family and hope they will come out to full activity and show actions of Faith! Their life will surely be blessed!