Friends at Alamo Days

Shauntee Apachito all dressed up!

Tigger and baby sister Shivaya.

Charlotte and daughter Virginia and her daughter Edith on their family float.

Vera and Sage Baca after selling Navajo tacos all day.

More Alamo Indian Days

Missionaries in our booth.  Sister Clark, Sister Johnson, Elder Gibson and Elder Taylor.  People who stopped by our booth and filled out the survey would be entered into a drawing for a beautiful picture of Christ and a load of wood delivered by the Elders.  The sisters serve in Socorro which is about an hour away, but they are in our small district.

 

Alamo Indian Days

Elder Croft and Junior Secatero

Wood cutting contest.  Lee Tsosie is in the grey shirt holding the log.

I was doing a video clip of these dancers and a lady came and told me that the dancers might come and hit me with a stick if they see me taking their picture!

Bambi II, The Great Escape

Well, I couldn't send this to Mom and Dad directly so I thought I'd post it here and just take it down later. So if its here then gone, that's why.
When we got home today we saw a herd of deer heading up the mountain. Check out the pics and videos below.

Then the girls heard a commotion in the backyard and we found Bambi stuck inside the chain link fence.  And I got it on video.... Its kind of sad.  Just be prepared.

and then it finally breaks through a double door gate...

Baptisms,

 Terri, Norna, Hilbert, Lee baptized in June.

 Norna and Anita in their Native American dress.

 Ruchenda baptized in June.

Anita, baptized in April.

People of Alamo

Jennifer and Ashley the lamb and Brody the dashound, Sadie's family, going around clockwise: Sister and Elder Croft, Ben, Sylvia (daughter), Gabriella (granddaughter), Belem (Sylvia's daughter), Sadie, and Wendy (granddaughter).  Elder Lish and Elder Barrus, both from eastern Idaho and Lucita and her grandboys, Zech and Tigger.

The famous UFO and the Three Mountain Dew

This is a road that goes through an arroyo.  Don't take this road if there is much rain!

Landmarks in Alamo

About 40 years ago on Christmas Eve Ben decided to celebrate by lighting luminaires and putting them on a strange cone shaped hill.  Unfortunately the wind picked up and blew over the sacks, catching the hill on fire.  The townspeople were just getting out of church and saw the hill on fire.  They saw the lights all over the hill and knew that it was extra terrestrials.  Everyone panicked and some even packed their bags and left town.  Ben went to the people and told them what had happened but some were still sure it was a UFO.  The name of that hill and that part of  the community is UFO.

This picture was taken at sun rise, it has a hogan and UFO is to the far left.

one more

More on the VLA

The Very Large Array (VLA) was dedicated in 1980.  Astronomers from around the world use it to study objects from our Solar system to the edges of the known Universe, billions of light-years from the earth.  The telescope array consists of 27

230 ton dish antennas that together comprise a single radio telescope system. 

A Very Large Array

The Very Large Array is an astronomical observatory.  This picture is from the road because I could only take photos with our camera while actually at the sight  because cell phones disrupt the signals on the radio waves.  This one is from the cell phone.  I am learning how to do this, maybe I'll be able to get the really good pictures from the camera soon!  This sight is about 40 miles from our home. 

Be sure to Google VLA and you will be able to learn all about it!

The People and How They Live by Sister Croft

The people here have multiple generations living in each home.  There are some homes here in town and the majority are out on dirt roads.  Every home is heated with wood stoves, so wood is very important.  We have had the opportunity to go wood cutting with a family who generally sells the wood but if there is a family in the branch who needs it the missionaries will get some of that wood and deliver it to the ones in need.  This is critical for the old folks.  The main food at each meal is fry bread and tortillas, with a combination of some meat and potatoes or beans and everything has red or green chilies on it.  Our friend showed us how to make the fry bread and tortillas and gave us wonderful meals from it.  The fry bread and tortillas are made from the same recipe, only the fry bread is fried with lard (!) and the tortillas are heated and cooked on a very hot cast iron flat pan.  (But not fried)  The recipe is basically: 

Fry Bread / Tortillas

3-5 cups white flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups water

I haven't had the cooking experience yet, but we are going to buy the tortilla pan and I will be an expert by the time we come back.

I even cooked dry beans and put them in my taco soup last week.

Speaking of food, we had potluck Sunday on the 24th of Feb.  We had a great turnout!  A few even waited in the parking lot until church was over and then came in to eat with us and their families. 

Everyone loves to eat cookies!  Alot of times when we visit homes we will try to take treats.  That is what the senior missionaries are all about!  We are given names of less active families and we go for a visit.  We try to help in whatever way they need us to help.  Sometimes it is to fix something, sometimes it is to give them a ride somewhere.  Sometimes we read the scriptures with them, but usually for the elderly it is to visit and talk and we always try to have a prayer with them.   

More to come!

Housing Update by Sister Croft

Well, we have been here in Alamo for almost a month now.  It feels better now than then.  When we arrived on Saturday night we walked into a house that had no heat and no usable stove.  We found out a few days later that the fridge worked but never got below 50 degrees.  Thank goodness we had a small electric heater to keep us warm the first day or two.  We would sleep in the bedroom with the door closed and the heater on.  There is a wood burning stove but the pipe that connected to the ceiling was not connected.  So Monday morning we headed to Socorro which is about 60 miles away.  Thank goodness Elder Croft really is McGyver and he was able to fix the stove pipe and we were able to have a fire that night.  He had worked on the furnace but couldn't figure it out and was ready to call the furnace man.  The next morning he got up and said that he had not checked the thermostat.  That was the inspiration that was needed and we were able to get the furnace fixed.  He installed the thermostat and we've been relatively warm ever since.  We got a new stove and the land lady swapped out the warm fridge for one that is noisy but it keeps things cold!  We got a carpet cleaner and cleaned all the carpets and Scott installed towel racks in both bathrooms.  There were none.  It seems as though someone got really mad and went through and trashed the house.  There are three broken windows that are now taped up, a door is off its hinges (been put back on) and there are multiple holes in the walls.  But things are pretty comfortable now.  Can't complain!

Lambs Eat Oats and Dogs Eat Lambs

Actually, mares and does eat oats and little lambs eat ivy - but I couldn't help myself!

Mom and Dad helped someone (?) enclose a lamb pen with wood to prevent dogs from getting at the lamb.  Is there a lamb in the photo? Or "Did the dingo eat your lamby?"(reread that in an Australian accent) Mom and Dad feel that it looks more traditional with the additional fortification.  Anyone else care to toss out an opinion? Personally, I think you've got a Rustic Art Nouveau thing going that homeowners in Park City are going to love. 

Sister Croft standing next to a newly redesigned lamb pen - c/o the little lamb protection agency
 Nice Carhart, Mom!

Wow, I don't know about you guys, but the later it gets and the more I post, the funnier I get! Holla at me in the comments section if you think so too!

Prayers of the Faithful

So this is what happens when a Branch President prays for help with the drought.

Big fluffy snowflakes  February 25, 2013

Picnic and a Walk at a Canyon on the Reservation

Mom and Dad had a chance to go on a picnic with Collier and the younger missionaries (Barrus and ____)
They traveled to a canyon on the reservation and after a picnic and a walk, they went home and visited a few families.
I received the following in the email from Mom's phone:
"We went up a canyon and had lunch with the elders and Collier.  We made a few visits when we got home.  Everyone here has at least 5 dogs that love visitors."

Great pic, Mom and Dad!

Going on a walk after the picnic lunch.  Seems funny for men in suits to be wandering out in the desert.  I imagine them hunting for aliens (MIB) or something really serious. 

Communication!

We all should have received an email like this...

We finally have communication.  Our address is: 

PO Box ZZZZZ

Alamo, NM 87825

 

Our land line number which is good for when we are home is:

ZZZ-ZZZ-ZZZZ (I pulled the numbers because this blog is still public)

 

We now have internet!  We will see how skype is here!

We love you and hope all is well for you.  We miss you!

Love, Mom and Dad

Hopefully you received that email. If you didn't, comment on this post and I'll get in touch with you with the correct phone number and PO Box.

Hauling Wood - a Croft Talent

February 16, 2013 (a little behind on the posts)
So of course Mom and Dad have been placed in the right mission. They spend quality time hauling wood. Many of you know that growing up in the Croft home meant that many Saturdays each year, no matter the season, would be spent hauling wood. Maybe it was because we just got a fresh batch of wood, maybe we were just moving one wood pile from a shed to another shed, or moving it closer to our house, or moving it further away from our house, or moving it from the inside of the garage to the outside of the garage, etc.

Mom says of that day, "We have two trailers and three chain saws with 8 people working to fill the trailers.  Collier made burritos with pork and red chilies and home made tortillas.  So good but so hot, my lips are still burning!"

The red hot chili pepper burrito

Elders working hard or hardly working?

Collier Nelson takes a break

Filling a trailer

Elder Barrus hauling wood

A load of wood to be proud of...

The Albuquerque Temple

The Albuquerque Temple with Elder and Sister Croft as well as Collier and his mother, Nora

A view of the Temple as they were leaving - Updated 2.25.2013

P-Day and a boy named Tigger

The oldest church in Magdalena (how old?) 

Well, Mom and Dad were able to have a P-day on Monday. Which means they had a preparation day. In other words, a chance to relax a bit and get things in order for the coming week. They explored the area by truck and on foot. They found the oldest church in Magdalena. (Pictured above) They said it was good to get out and get some exercise.

Monday evening they were able to hold a Family Home Evening with a family in their area. Lucita prepared dinner for everyone, they had a lesson, discussed a scripture and then, of course, played a game. Mom says that even Elder Croft played charades!

Lucita is the grandma, Tigger is 3 years old, and Zach is 8

A Tale of Two Baptisms

Well, since Mom and Dad aren't sending me any content with which to post to this blog, I'll just go ahead and fill it with my own. After all who doesn't love to hear about me?

This past weekend, our oldest daughter, Ava was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.The baptism was held at 3:00 pm at the Seattle Stake Building in Burien, Washington. Ava was really excited to get baptized and has been trying really hard to make good choices and do the right thing in the weeks leading up to this event. She was just glowing the whole day. That morning Grandpa Stan, Jamison, Larissa, and Baby Boston flew in from Utah. They were in town to get ready for the auction next month so it worked out well to have the baptism that day. From our local crew, Allison, Eric, Kera and Cam as well as Tucker, Misha, Harli, and Bentley were all able to attend. Matt had Army and Brenda had to take Grace and Rae to their skiing lessons. Several other friends and good neighbors attended. Ava was really brave because the water was not warm at all. Her only request was that she didn't have to get dunked in cold water. Not sure what happened with the warm water, (Evidently someone is supposed to arrive 2 hours early and turn on only the hot water until it has drained the hot water heater, then wait around for it to warm up and then turn it on again) but she survived. After the shivering and the shaking from hypothermia subsided, she was able to smile again and said that she felt really good. We are really proud of Ava for making such an important choice in her life. We were also grateful for all of the friends and family that were able to attend. Those not in attendance were missed but you can check out the pictures below and give Ava a big hug the next time you see her.
Now, Mom and Dad also had their own baptism to attend. A lady named Valerie and her two youngest sons were baptized the same day Ava was baptized! Check out the picture below. I'm sure we'll hear more about this in the near future when Mom and Dad get internet...(hint, hint)

Justin, Ava and Kelly prior to Ava's baptism on February 9th 2013

Ava and Justin just before the service started

Valerie and her two youngest sons were baptized on Saturday February 9th 2013.

Pictures!

A view of the house

Mom in front of the Alamo Chapter House (not sure what a chapter house is) With their actual house in the background.

Sunrise on the way to Zone Conference in Albuquerque 2.8.2013

Sunset in Socorro - (pretend you are looking out the window of a moving vehicle)