Saturday, August 27, 2011 Culture Mix

Today we were invited to a baby shower of a Samoan family in our ward. Little did I know it would be a SAMOAN party. We had turkey, ribs, chicken, spaghetti, rolls, potatoe salad, music, etc. Man, women and children all attended. We met lots of wonderful people. We home/visiting teach the Masanaia Family. They have 11 children and are expecting the 12th.
Some of the Masanaia family:

This is Pelega Masanai, 9 years old, very out-going.

This is Sharon Masanaia, 5 years old, very shy.

Then we went to Chinatown in Oakland where a street festival was being held. The missionaries had a booth there under the direction of Elder and Sister Mayo.

Elder Lyman and some of the Chinese missionaries:

Behind the booth at the Chinese street fair with Elder Mayo:

And one more: This was on the top of a building. I think its a warning not to rob this business.

August 21 2011

Our week is paperwork, Monday to Friday, and then missionary work on
the weekends. I love the missionary work, and try to keep up with the
paperwork. I do love the weekends though. Yesterday dad and I went
to San Francisco on the ferry and walked down the wharf. I was
impressed with San Francisco. The people were very nice and the
colors of the city were bright. I know why so many artists paint
pictures of San Francisco. We walked from the wharf to Chinatown, a
long walk uphill. It got pretty crowded and I dont think we even got
to the touristy part of Chinatown, so we went back to the wharf and
got on the ferry to come back. It was a very nice day. I even got a
little bit sunburnt on my face. We had our name tags on, and so that
usually started some conversations.
On Thursday we needed a night out, so we went to the Oakland A's
ballgame. We had great seats right in front of the second section.
The usher was a back guy who was very outgoing. He was 71 and his
wife died 8 years ago. He has lost a leg to diabetes, but has worked
as an usher for 17 years. He was born and raised in Oakland and his
kids still live there. He is one of those guys with a big smile and
very friendly. He told us that he was Catholic, but disliked all the
politics. We talked off and on most of the game and gave him a pass
along card with our names on it. We enjoyed the game and the evening.
We go prepared for the cold with coats and blankets.
Today we went to church and practiced in the choir. I sing the alto
part along with a lady who was just baptized 2 weeks ago. Her name is
Beatrice and I thought she was about 70, but it turns out she is 3
years younger than me. (52) The other alto is an older black woman
with eyes that don't focus, who is going back to school to be a CPA,
who is a stalwart in the ward. I like her. Neither of them can carry
a tune, so I get to do that. Actually the song sounded very good when
we performed it in sacrament meeting.
My young friend Christene had a story to tell me. She is the one who
got pushed around by her boyfriend last week. She wants to be
baptized on September 11. Her mother was giving her a hard time about
being religious, so she brought her to the Visitors Center and
apparently her mother was impressed because now she wants to know
more.
Then after church I ran into a couple in the parking lot who wanted to
rent a hall for a party, thinking the church would be for rent. I
took them into the Visitors Center and turned them over to the
Sisters. We came home and ate, took a nap, and were pretty settled
in, when the Elders called to have us come pick up some investigators
and bring them to the Visitors Center for a lesson. We went into the
"hood" to get them. Robert is 21 going on 12, and was high on
something. He had the jargon down, I couldn't hardly understand him.
The other man was in his early 30s and he said he was a
manic-depressive schizo-phrenic. They live in a group home for those
who are "transitioning". From what I don't dare ask. It will be
interesting to see where this goes with each of them. I'm doubtful
that it will go anywhere.
We are back, safe and sound, in our little apartment. It's good to be here.

*********
K'Lyn Lyman

San Francisco trip

The skyline from the ferry.

Trip to San Francisco

The skyline and the Bay Bridge.

Trip to San Francisco

A mans got to make a living!

Trip to San Francisco

You probably can't tell from the picture, but the colors here are wonderful.

More visitors!

Rich and Nancy Skaggs and their family stopped by to say hello. We
feel so blessed to have good friends!

A Missionary Moment

After a long day as a missionary, a night out at the ballgame feels
great, and we did give out one pass along card to the usher.

It Shows In Your Face

You don't have to tell how you live each day,
You dont' have to say if you work or play,
A tried, true barometer serves in the place;
however you live, it will show in your face.
The false, the deceit you bear in your heart
Will not stay inside, where it first got a start.
For sinew and blood are a thin veil of lace;
what you wear in your heart you wear in your face.
If your life is unselfish, if for others you live,
for not what you get, but for how much you can give;
if you live close to God, in His infinite grace,
you don't have to tell it, it shows in your face.
Author unknown

Isn't Life Interesting?

We went to church this morning only to find that the missionaries were
waiting for us. Their investigator, a young black woman named
Christene, got into a fight with her boyfriend when she was getting
ready for church. He pushed her around and against the walls because
she was praying for him. I guess she prayed for him to go away and
finally he did. Anyway she came to the Visitors Center and the sister
missionaries had already got her some clothes and stuff, because she
wore her pajamas to get there. When I came she was in a fetal
position on the bathroom floor. We talked for a minute and then we
hugged and I told her that I would be her mother for the time being.
I guess her mother stopped taking care of her when she was 12 years
old. I learned she was only 18. Her mother had 9 children by various
men, and this girl was taking care of the 2 youngest. By the time we
finished talking and taking care of her, her countenance had
brightened and she looked and acted like one of the missionaries. The
change was astounding to watch. Because she had been knocked around,
and her mother had been beat up, and her brothers had beaten women,
she thought that's the way it was everywhere and that it was her fault
that she was beaten. She was surprised to learn that Dad had never
touched me in anger and that we had been married 37 years. She's
pretty resourceful, so she may make it out of the slum. She wants
what we have, family and respect. She went to church with me and
then we took her home. We are picking her up again tonight to go to a
fireside.
Isn't life interesting?

*********
K'Lyn Lyman

More Visitors!

Ron and Cynthia came to Oakland to see a "Giants" game for his birthday, so they took us to dinner. We had such a great visit! We wandered around Montclair in the shops and then had dinner at Crogans. We saw our apartment and walked back to the mission home to get their pickup. It was good to be with them. We are within 2 hours now. I hope we see them a lot!

Who is more fortunate than us?

Our Bishop from Fruit Heights visited us and brought some wonderful
fruit leather. We had such a great visit and feel so very fortunate to
have such good friends. This is a picture of President Wade, Bishop
Meyer, Elder Lyman, and Sister Lyman.

I Forgot

I forgot to tell about the baptism we attended yesterday. This was a young woman who said she wouldn't be baptized because her father was a minister and he had baptized her so she didn't need another baptism. Her husband has been a member about a year. They have a 12 year old autistic daughter. The husband has diabetes and as a result has lost one leg. He has a beard down to the middle of his chest. When he raised his hand to baptize his wife he had tattoos all up and down his arms. The missionaries kept the doors shut until he got down in the water because he had to take his leg off to get in the water. 2 other missionaries had white baptism clothing on and helped him get in the water and helped with the baptism. Afterwards they shut the doors so he could get out of the water in private. While they were getting dressed another set of missionaries gave a lesson on the doctrine of Christ. One is a Korean elder and the other is a black Elder from Los Angeles. Only in Oakland would you find a one-legged, tattooed man, baptizing, being assisted by two young men in white, and witnessed by a Korean and a black Elder from LA. By the way, the person giving the opening prayer is our resident hypochondriac, who has confined himself to a wheelchair, but was good enough to get up and say the prayer. (Just a little sarcasm) I'm sure he really is sick..... Just part of the "Interesting Day"

Pretty interesting day.

Sunday, August 7, 2011
Rick Holmes was here with us and that was very enjoyable. First we
went to choir practice. I was the only woman, and mat and Rick were
the only men. After choir practice on the way to the Gospel
Essentials class, mat was asked to teach the lesson. He had about 1
minute to prepare. It was on charity. Actually there was lots of
class participation, so it turned out well. Lots of investigators.
Then the Elders asked me to sit by Christene, a black young woman, and
it was her first time. I also met Janice Webster who had just moved
into the ward. Also Tuki, a new member who owns a Thai restaurant.
Another lady was there who was in levis, and her phone kept ringing,
and she was drinking a red bull while listening to the Relief Society
lesson. Sacrament meeting was very good. It is the gospel in it's
simplest form. The testimonies were all well done and to the point.
The large Samoan family that we home teach came to church, and even
the father came, which was great. We gave the kids who have birthdays
in August some licorice. 4 of them. Then we came home, ate some
tomatoes and foccacia, and took Rick to the airport.

Because we had some time, we called a man who had been investigating
the church, but hadn't come today. His name was Lawrence. He lives
with his mother in a pretty nice part of town. He is pretty high up
in the Masonic Order. His mother is a deaconess in the Baptist
church. She was delightful to talk to, 85 years old. We didn't stay
very long.
Then we called the other 2 families which we have, both are single
sisters. We went to see the one. This is definitely "the hood". We
went through an iron gate which was 10 feet tall, and up some rickety
stairs into the room. The door was open. 2 girls, 10 and 8 were
there and a granddaughter who was 2, and the mom, a big black lady,
pretty tough. Life has been hard on her. You could not see the
original color of the carpet because of all the stains. There were
holes in the walls, which had not been painted for 20 years. We sat
on a couch that had no back cushions. As we were visiting it came out
that her husband died when the youngest girl was 1, and her 15 year
old son was murdered a year ago. Then her oldest son came home.
Apparently he had dropped off his daughter for a "few minutes", and
then went to Sacramento for 3 days. He and his mother got into a face
to face shouting match. He said the F word about 50 times. Meanwhile
the 8 year old and I kept reading from the Childrens Friend. In
looking back, we think that because we were there, the son didn't get
physical with his mother. After about 15 minutes it calmed down and
we left, feeling lucky to be in one piece, with a car that was still
there when we came out.
Pretty interesting day.

*********
K'Lyn Lyman

Farmers Market

This Saturday we went to a Farmers Market. Here are some pictures:

I saw some of the strangest veggies:

Beans, Mexican Eggplant, raw peanuts, and prickly melons and cucumbers.

August?

This is Elder and Sister Lyman attending an outdoor theater
presentation of "My Fair Lady". It was a great show and was neat
watching the fog roll in. We had sweatshirts, hoodies, and blankets
and enjoyed the show.