D & C 19:9 I speak unto you that are chosen in this thing, even as one, that you may enter into my rest.

I believe this scripture speaks to me, for I truly believe that I have been chosen in this thing, to be here in Nepal at this time for some reason, the enter into my rest part, I'm still trying to figure out because it has been a busy week meeting with new friends and having new adventures.

Last Monday,we had to have the plumber come and fix the toilets, again.  Of course as usual, they have no tools, no parts, so it takes most the day to get the toilets repaired.

They come so often we're almost on a first name basis

Kent and I went downtown or uptown whichever, I still have no idea which direction I'm heading.  Kent was trying to decide if he should invest in an LCD projector for the Branch.  We took Hitson with us because he had to replace a part in his new phone.  Rukmina told us just to drop him off and he would get home on his own.  We thought it would be a good opportunity to spend the day with him so we all shopped together.  Remember when President Monson admonished us to look up, not a good idea here in Nepal? Whenever  I look up, I end up sprawled on the sidewalk, which happened today.  I was admiring the jewelry stores when I missed stepping off the curb and down I went.  I had about 5 Nepali's come to my rescue, making sure I was okay.  I was fine.  Hitson told me if I had been Nepali, that would not have happened which after today I believe.  We thought we'd take Hitson to lunch while we were downtown and on our walk to KFC we passed a guy lying with his head in the gutter, dead.  No one paid any attention to him, I didn't really believe he was dead but Kent assured me that he was, and everyone just walked past him like he wasn't even there.  So sad!!!  I think this is a pretty common occurrence here.  Needless to say it was quite an adventuresome afternoon, and Kent decided not to buy the LCD projector.

Sights in downtown,

 This guy sells fruit, he walks around town with it on his head and sets up shop on a corner, we usually see them selling coconut, they cut off big chunks to eat and sell it.

We saw this little guy carrying water back to his mother, he was probably about 4.  Most homes do not have running water and so they go to the neighborhood tap

Later that evening we had an earthquake.  I felt it a little and our earthquake alarm went off, Rukmina ran in to make sure we were okay.  It really was no big deal.  I read in the paper the next day that it was a 6.5 earthquake and the epicenter was on the border of Nepal and Tibet. I understand that earthquakes are quite common here.  Now they tell me!!!!

The next day Rukmina and I had to go to town again, she needed fabric and I needed yarn for baby blankets that I'm making for new babies in the branch.  Not too much of an adventure today, we both bought a winter hat for when it gets cold in a couple of weeks.

Rukmina in her new hat vacuuming the office.  We just had the room painted, I'll show you pictures next week.

I'm making baby blankets for the new babies in the branch.  We've just had a new baby boy and I believe there is another one on the way.  I'm also getting the women in the RS to make new born caps for a hospital that we're doing a HBB training for in January.  The Maternity Hospital has 22,000-26,000 births a year, I know our little donation will be just a drop in a huge bucket.  Just so you know, Utah Valley hospital has 4,000 births a year.  That's about 75 births a day.

Kent and I met with Rakesh on Wednesday, he introduced us to the Minister of Logistics.  We will need his signature and approval for our next year's Helping Babies Breath Project.  He was a very nice man and very positive about our project.  It helps to be on the good side of the government, when it comes to approval for projects, it all about who you know.  And we know the man who knows everyone.  We then went to one of the sister's in the branch's home.  We want her or her husband to paint a picture for our living room.  A picture of Christ with Nepali children.  He's not a member and because of that I want to make sure he paints Christ like he knows who He is, like I know who He is.  I took some pictures of Christ  to show him how I want it done.  They live with his parents, just like most Nepalis do.  But what a  nice family.  I've told you how they always feed you when you just come for a short visit.  We were there about 4 hours.  Rajan showed us studio and every painting he'd ever done, I think.  They brought out photo albums, resumes and of course food.
She had a whole cake divided into 4 pieces, hard boiled eggs, bread and butter, cookies, soda pop, nuts.  It was crazy and then they just sit and watch you eat.  We told them to eat with us but they wouldn't
Here are pictures of the whole family.

Sister Rempp with the mom

Rajan, Elder Rempp and the dad

The painting above is a copy of one of Michael Angelo's paintings that Rajan has painted, I wanted to make sure my picture of Christ looked different that Michael Angelo's picture of Christ

Brother, Sister and Mala (she's a returned missionary, so cute)

Me, Kent, Rajan and Mala

On Thursday, we caught up and followed up on e-mails and I crocheted while Kent worked on the computer.

Thursday we had a breakfast meeting at the Radison Hotel.  The place we usually meet had road repair going on so we thought we'd meet somewhere else.  Very good, they even had tenderloin that morning, it was a little pricey but a nice treat.  We planned our calendars and made some branch plans. A good, productive meeting.  We enjoy being with the Rempps.

On the way home Kent decided it was time for a haircut.  Since I hadn't been to the barbers with him before I went and took pictures.  Remember this haircut cost about $1.00

You don't want to cough or sneeze while he's got this straight edge on your neck

This is the best part of the haircut - the head message.  He makes all kinds of interesting noises with his hands as he pounds on Kent's head.

We then came home and I had to start getting ready for Church the next day.  I have to help with singing time in the primary so I had to get a few things ready and we were having our first YM/YW fireside and I was fixing homemade chow mein.  Never had done that before, but it was yummy!

Saturday, was church, I hurried and took a taxi home so I could get ready for the kids who would be there in 45 minutes.  

We did it!  A youth fireside, ages 12 -18 and their leaders.  This was a first for this branch.

Kent taught a great lesson on being a Child of God

They were all excited that this would be a monthly occurrence.

Sunday we spent the day at READ Nepal Leprosy clinic.  We went to check on the chickens and help Raj with a surprise birthday party for Elsie.  She is an amazing member of the church from Canada.  She just turned 78.  She also pays for Raj's medications every month which are very expensive.  On her 75th birthday she hiked to Everest Base Camp, 28 days of hiking, and camping.  She is an inspiration to me.

Raj had asked Carol and I to bring the balloons and cake.  We ordered a cake from the local grocery store. They needed to know how many kg.'s we wanted - who buys a cake in kg's?  We just want a big cake, they needed to know the kg's.  Carol guessed 5 kgs. a little over 11 pounds.  It was the worst cake I'd ever tasted, wet on the bottom, YUCK!  The Nepalis liked it.  We'll make our own from now on.

These girls are cooking lunch for the party

While we were there, people were coming in to be treated, for leprosy.  This little woman was sitting off on the side, looking very sad.  She was talking with Raj's wife and Kent over heard her talking, he's starting to understand a little Nepali.  She was telling Nermiah that her husband had died the week before.  Kent told me to come and sit with her.  When I did she just fell into me and sobbed.  She was so sad.  I wanted so much to tell her that she would see her husband again. She just hung on to me and cried.  

You can't really see her face, I thought she was an old woman but she is only 50.  She has a 15 year old son, who was at school.

She then went into to be treated by the doctor for the wound on her foot.

Sorry these pictures are so graphic, but can you even imagine the pain.  She walked to the clinic.  Carol and I went in with her to have her foot looked at.  She had a fever and was shaking.  We held her foot and her hand as the doctor told her she would have to stay there for the night and then go to the hospital the next day, where she would have to have her leg amputated to her knee.  She would have to take a taxi to get to the hospital but she had no money.  Nermiah said she would go with her but she also had no money for a taxi.  Carol and I gave Nermiah money to take a taxi with her the next day.  We promised this woman that we would come to the hospital next week and see her.  When we were leaving she cried to us "Annu, Annu" which means "come".  We assured her that we would come and see her.  We we so worried about her son, he showed up and little later and we tried to make sure that he had a place to stay while his mother would be in the hospital.  She will have to stay for 2 months.  

We will go and visit next week and take her food, she doesn't need to pay for the hospital, just her transportation to get there and then the hospital doesn't provide food for their patients.  It is the responsibility of the family to bring food for them.  We've asked Rukmina who is the RS president to come with us when we go.  I pray that she has family that will help her.  She felt so hopeless.  I felt helpless.  I wanted so much to share with her the hope the gospel and the Savior brings to us, I can't.  Someday...................

I can't end my blog on a sad note so this is what we come home to frequently....these cute neighborhood boys.  They like giving Kent a special high five that he taught them.  They love to practice their English, we love to practice our Nepali.  They love having their pictures taken and always thank us when we do.  They are God's children and someday they will know it.