BE THANKFUL FOR WHO YOU ARE!!!

We are all Heavenly Father's children and some of us have been born into circumstances better than others. This picture was taken in a small shopping area in KK called Damai. We have shopped here alot since coming to KK a year and a half ago. We like Damai because it has most of our favorite store in one confined area. The bank where we make our car payment, the bakery where we buy our bread and treats, Cons Foods where I can buy "real" cheese, Upperstar where we can have a really, honest-to-goodness salad, Pizza Hut, a hardware store, Burger King just like at home, print shop where we have our project materials printed, Desa where I buy really fresh chicken, Celcom where we can get our phone minutes "topped off", and fresh fruit and vegetable market every day at 4 PM are all in Damai. I guess back at home, you could call this a "Power Shopping Center".

The picture of this little girl and her grandma is one that I doubt you would find at home. Elder Larson and I have seen her at these garbage can practically every time we go to Damai. She is usually in the garbage cans searching for foods and anything that they can use!!! She is small enough that she can be lowered into the bins and then be pulled out. She is really very shy when you try to talk to her, but her grandmother will come up with her hand out and beg for money. Her grandmother's teeth are stained black from the "bethel nut " that she chews. It is almost like a drug and lots of natives chew them. People here cannot join the church until they agree to give up chewing this nut.

The stench from these bins is very strong during the days because it's garbage and it is very hot every day here. We have watched this child and her grandma and they laugh and seem "happy". I often think of how fortunate my little granddaughters are when I see her. How fortunate they are to have been born into their families!!! As missionaries, we are told not to donate money in situations like this. As President Hickley said, " I do not know what the solution is except the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I think it is the only thing that will help them and bless their lives."