24 October Update

It's been awhile since I've updated this blog, but much has happened to Pam and I. She has pretty much taken up residence in Denver and I'm here in Monroe. But I have made a weekly trip and have had an opportunity to visit with Pam and the family and most importantly to see little Benjamin and his parents Alex and Cynthia. Pam has had a great time with little Alex and they have developed a very close bond. Here little Alex is in his halloween costume and he is obsorbed with the character "Optimus Prime." There's not much he doesn't know about cars and transformers which are his love!
On my last trip I crossed over the San Rafael Swell during a thunderstorm at about 7:00 am and the sights were pretty spectacular. That whole area takes on a whole new look when everything is wet and lightning is popping off all around you. The clouds and sunrise were beautiful.





I know it is very frustrating for Alex and Cynthia to see little Benjamin looking so healthy and well and yet he is very sick. This past week they took him off food again to give his colon a rest and to see if the antibiotics will kill the infection. If it does then they can put him back on milk again and probably go home soon. If not they will operate and install a colostemy bag for a couple of months until the colon is completely healed. That is obviously not the option we want to happen. Next Monday, the 27th of October is the day of reckoning. Please prayer for a miracle for this little boy.




Since these pictures were taken Benjamin has had a blood transfusion to replace blood that has been taken daily and his color is much more normal now. He is such a handsome little buy and Pam loves to hold him over his shoulder and in her lap for as long as Cynthia will let her. His beautiful hair and strinking eyes make him so handsome. Alex loves to see his brother and her are some pictures of him at the hospital with cousins.




Little Alex misses his mom a lot and it's nice when Cynthia can go home and spend a night in a normal setting with little Alex and big Alex.

I had an interesting phone call Monday evening last. When the stake reorganization appeared in the Church News a lady in Arizona recognized my name and called me several times and finally Monday we connected. She was a little 10 year old girl when I was in Australia on my mission and me and my companion taught her family and they were baptized and remained faithful and very active. There's now a posterity of 42 in the Edwards family, all active members of the church. What a wonderful visit. Leonie, that is the name of the little girl, wrote a letter to President Hinckley in 1997 when her mother said he was coming to Adelaide for an area conference. She detailed their families conversion and it is printed in the book Discourses of President Gordon B. Hinckley, page 388. it certainly was a pretty amazing experience for me a 3 month old missionary - a defining moment! Well all of you have a good week and pray for little Benjamin.