Monday - Tuesday, June 10-11 -meeting DGH fireside

Monday was a day of catch-up for the three days we were gone to Lady Smith.  We spoke with the stake presidents involved in our fireside in August and since they had not come up with a topic and we needed to let David Glen Hatch know the topic, so we came up with Discovering and Using your talents. They were okay with that, considering the self-esteem issues many have about teaching and having callings.


Then we got a call from the area office asking about the fireside. We told them we had it figured out and I passed on my idea about the title. They said that was great and they would go with that. Later on we got an email from the area office and this is what it said: "We have chosen a title for the firesides,

Peace, Power, Possibility – the Role Positive Music plays in our daily lives.”

I had already told the stake presidents that the title would be "Discovering and Using our Talents."  I suppose they might recognize this title if they try hard enough...Ha.

Tuesday we had a meeting with Lotus FM to discuss the wheelchair giveaway on the 20th. Lisa showed us the room where we are bringing the chairs and recipients and told us she had gotten donations from some Indian restaurants to bring in finger food. We offered to bring the paper plates, cups and napkins and we discussed the program and who was speaking. They wanted to have one of our speakers doing a live radio interview while the other one talked to the recipients. That way they get a clear sound. We told them that would be great. 

We called TJ from the wheelchair company to make sure that he would get all the chairs there the night before and the day of. He said there would be names on the wheelchairs and they would show the recipients how to use them. Lisa will call the recipients and tell them where to park. I read these applications and I'm pretty sure that most of them will have a difficult time even getting there, so it will be interesting to see who shows up to get the chair. Right now our two stake presidents have been asked to speak and a counselor in the stake presidency. Hopefully at least two of them will come. We are also expecting Clive Reddy and Sipho Duma, our two PA people and perhaps Bishop Sabela (who just wants to come). The humanitarian couple will also speak and of course Lisa from LotusFM. I'm looking forward to the whole experience.

The following are just a few of the recipient's stories:

"18 years old, Cerebalpalsy Quadraplegic also suffering from Scoliosis - Needs reinforced chair because of his weight. His mother says he is her ray of sunshine, that nothing gets him down. He touches everyone he meets with his bubbly personality."

"83 years old, had stroke and is unable to walk – Need chair for wife to get him up and around – otherwise he stays in bed all day and gets bed sores. He would like to be able to sit outside."

"Husband is a stroke patient caring for his wife who has to have dialysis three times a week and has to have help walking and getting in and out of car. Husband has to leave her in car when he goes somewhere, because she cannot walk far."

"Car accident in 2000 caused brain injury and left me paralyzed on left side. The portion of the brain that controls balance and mobility was damaged. Cannot walk – Regardless of my disabilities, I am still intelligent and can gain employment if I have a chair to get around. Seeing the same walls of my home and not being able to get out of the house is not good. Please help me!"

"Below knee amputation on left and above knee amputation on right. Colostomy done in 2003. He cannot afford a wheelchair and the government says he is too old (over 55) for prosthetic legs which were his dream, but a wheelchair would give him his independence to move around in and out of his house."

As you can see, it is really sad situations. We gave chairs to ALL who applied. How could we say 'No' to anyone?About 44 more chairs will be given out before August.