Prison Notes

Sunday 17 March 2013

Salinas Valley Prison-Doug Humble and I conducted the morning meeting at Salinas Valley, although abbreviated.  We had just begun the services when a 'yard recall' was issued. Most yard recalls entail all the inmates in the yard returning to their various 'houses'-cell blocks, but this recall was different.  All inmates, whether in-house, in medical, or receiving packages, or in church or volunteer meetings were required to 'dump' out into the yard.  It could have seemed like a fire drill, but of course that was not the case. At any rate, our meeting was terminated.  Frank Christian and Joe Sullivan were in attendance. Geary German was in the 'package' reception line, Michael McLish was awaiting his telephone time and Richard Wyatt was just not there.  I went to his cell front and his 'celly' said he had gone to medical. I looked in the medical area but did not see him.  This is the second week in a row he has been absent and I am worried for him.  Hopefully, we will see him next week.
     Doug and I joined Roger and President at North Yard where President was teaching the Doctrine & Covenants Sunday School lesson #9-The Only True and Living Church, from sections 19-20.  I conducted the brethren present in a hymn practice for our upcoming Branch Conference in late May.  They will be singing "I Know That My Redeemer Lives".  We actually sang A Capella and it sounded pretty good.  They are willing to perform and that is what is important.  We hugged and said goodbye to Dave Hopper who is 'transpacking' to CRC in Southern California.  He has been a regular for several years.  He bore a simple testimony and said goodbye to all the 'brethren.  We will miss him.
    We all met for lunch and administered the sacrament among ourselves.  Roger and Doug returned home and President and I continued on to Central chapel.  7 of our brethren met us and President once again led the discussion on D&C lesson 9.  Afterward, President and I agreed that the lesson was a dud, either because the brethren present were asleep or the material was a little above their capacity to receive.  We agreed that there is a different spirit that accompanies each yard and that we have to be sensitive that difference.
     At South yard, the spirit was felt strongly as we adapted the lesson to the audience of 6 brethren, 2 of which were new inmates.  Brother Miguel Romarlito, of Philippine  descent, is a short timer meaning he will be released this coming June and comes to us from Long Beach.  He is an elder with 5 children-4 daughters and a son-though divorced for 5 years now.  He revealed  he had been a workaholic and that he let his marriage and church activity slip away as a result.  He was very grateful to be in attendance and offered the closing prayer.  We testified strongly of the truthfulness of the 'living church' and of the divine manifestations that occurred with regard to the formation of the church.  It was good to be there.