Hello!

Yaateh everybody!

     Well this week has flown by.  It seems like just yesterday I was emailing you. This past week we sent Elder Taylor to Brazil! He was excited to go but didn't want to leave at the same time.  The AP's came down and picked him up on Wednesday. So, on Tuesday we had a b-b-q and cooked some burgers that we got from a lady in the ward.  He had been waiting so long for his Visa and then it all happened so fast. He had been in this mission for almost four months.  We got a call from President on Monday then he was gone on Wednesday.  So, that made the week a little different. We spent all day tuesday helping him pack then Wednesday we met the Ap's for lunch. Thats was fun because I got to meet them since I missed my flight and didn't get to meet them when I first got here. So now Elder Sharp, Elder Chapple and I are in a tripanionship. We cover St. Michaels, Window Rock, Fort Defiance (which are all basically right next to each other) and then Sawmill which is a small branch about 20 miles away. 

     I have been told that the first three months of your mission are the slowest, then after that time fly's by.  If thats the case I don't want these three months to be up, because time is flying by so fast already!!  I can't believe that this transfer is already half over.  Elder Sharp is most likely going Zone Leader next transfer, so were thinking that Elder Chapple and I will stay here and get new companions.

    We have three baptism's this week.  One is Rodney that Elder Sharp and I have been working with and then the other two are from Sawmill, but we got to teach them twice this week.  We didn't know it but they are actually friends so they are all going to get baptized at the same time.  I have to give a talk on the Holy Ghost, so that is pretty exciting that I get to participate in some way.  We try not to actually baptize people, we like it if someone from the ward does it that the people can relate too.  One of the Elders that was here a couple of transfers ago just went around baptizing a whole bunch of kids. He would just get them to come to church the minimum number of times and then baptize them without them being committed to the gospel. So, now we are having trouble with trying to get them all to come to church. We have so many Less Actives and Recent Converts that don't come to church.  So we are trying to get as many people as possible, but this is the Res. Missionary work on the Res. is a little different, that is something I really learned this week.  To get to some of our investigators we have to go four wheeling. Its's a good thing we have trucks. Well if you can call them that, they're pretty small.  We drive Chevy Colorados.  I never thought I would be driving a Chevy.  It's not just getting to people that is different, but working with the people is different.  Just because you have a set appointment doesn't make it set!  Half the time you get there and find out that they decided to go to Gallup or something.  But when you get into your lessons, the people, for the most part, are very open and willing to listen. 

    Next time we go into Gallup I am going to buy a watch or a ring, I need some Native jewelry.  And Mom I am eating just fine.

Well I better get going. I love you all!

 

Love,

Elder Schmidt