Dixon

So it is the last Sunday of April and it looks like the weather in Cache Valley, LaCrosse and Chubbuck is pretty good for this time of year.  High 50's and low 60's sound like Spring to me.

We have been really busy with the Jornada down here.  It is a bigger event that we thought it would be. They have let the group "Smiles for Guatemala" totally take over a Stake Center here for about 10 days and they use every room in the building for medical, barbershop, photographers, hygiene instruction, optometry, x-ray, dentists, endodontists, oral surgery, recovery, sterilization, check-in and check-out, (I am sure I have forgotten something).  We left our apartment at 7:30am the past two days and walked in the door at 9:00 pm. Today, Sunday we told them we couldn't join them for their church and outings because of our commitments at the CCM, so we left the apartment at 7:30am again.  After the CCM we attended a big devotional with the Jornada group and lots of families of future missionaries and then were suppose to attend a banquet for the group.  Instead, we decided we needed some down time and headed home at 6:00pm.  The next three days will be just as hectic a schedule, then Thursday we will get some time off.  It is fun to meet all these people and help as many young men and women as we can get their mission papers ready to send in, but I think by Thursday we will be ready for a slower pace.  

Here is a picture of the gym with 22 dentists and 5 endodontists, 

the little waiting area for the kids waiting for a dentist,  

and part of our lunch table. We make our own sandwiches.  I had a piece of bread yesterday with Nutella and a sliced apple on it.  It was pretty good!

I want to share with you a little about a young man we met here. Sometimes when I think I have it tough, I think of some of these kids we have met down here and I decide I have Nothing to complain about.  

Dixon Pacheko

   Dixon is a young man that Elder and Sister Oyler met the first day they attended the branch they were assigned to when they arrived here on their mission.  Dixon’s mother was killed when he was very young, so he doesn’t remember her at all.  His father remarried a couple of times and had lots of problems, while Dixon was still very young his dad died from drinking.  He was passed around from house to house growing up.  He lived with various people in his ward and with an aunt for a while.  He does still have a grandmother that is living but had never seen her until the Oylers took him to meet her.  She lives in very humble circumstances and has not been able to take him in.  

    I am not sure when Dixon decided to go on a mission, but I am pretty sure it was after meeting and getting to know the Oylers.  They helped him get ready for his mission.  When their children came for a visit at Christmas time they brought some clothes he would need, a hand me down suit that was altered a little to fit him better, some shirts etc.

   Dixon spent a few days at Christmas time staying with the Oylers here at their apartment and interacting with their family.  He does know some English, but not a lot. Still though, he got along great with the family and since he doesn’t really have a family of his own he became quite attached to all of them.  

   Coban Guatemala is the Mission he was called to and he entered the CCM in January for nine weeks to learn the K’ekchi (Q’eqchi) language and how to teach the gospel.  He writes to Dave and Susan Oyler every week, calls them Mom and Dad and signs the letter, your son.  That is so touching to me.  I think it was meant to be that they find each other.  I would not be the least surprised if he ends up coming to Utah and attending BYU after his mission.  

   We had the opportunity to get to know Dixon because we live next door to the Oylers and then because we serve at the CCM we were able to interact with him there.  He is a fine young man who has had many struggles in life, but has learned to rely on the Lord.  I can’t imagine how it would be to not have any parents or siblings and to be passed from family to family during those critical years of growing up.  He has his struggles, but he is on the right track and with the Lord and the Oylers behind him I think he will be OK.    

This picture is of Dixon and his grandmother, the second is of Grandma and her home.  Humble to say the least.

This is a great week to be thankful for all our blessings, family and the shelter of our nice homes.

Love you muchly,  MOM/Grammy