December 9

Tim-Tam,

Elder and Sister Watts are fantastic. They are also working with Northwest High School (which is a BIA School, Shiprock High is a local school) but I'm not sure what the third school they are referring to is! Perhaps the high school down in Newcomb, which would be great!

Our conversation is supposed to be limited to 45 minutes, and usually our study schedule isn't over until 10 o'clock, but I can't imagine them not allowing us to alter that for Christmas. I'll try to get more details on it and get back to you! I would love to be able to have the Norris and Phillipps families there too.

I'm sure spending a few minutes in Shiprock was a little different for the Griffiths family than Layton, but there are so many great people here in Shiprock and my heart will forever have a soft spot for this place because I began my mission here. There are many families that I will miss dearly when the time comes to leave! 

We really haven't been able to meet with Leo and Blaire for the past two weeks or so, which is really sad. Things just keep coming up for them at all of our appointment times. I really hope we can meet with them this week. Bryan is doing well! He came to church yesterday. Gwenevere is doing well also, she was all out of wood so we went out to chop down a few trees on a mesa just north of Hogback on Saturday and dropped it off at her place as a Christmas present.

We are decorated at our little trailer for Christmas with a Christmasweed Tumbletree (it's just a really big tumbleweed with lights and ornaments). It sure does brighten up the place! Thank you and Grandma for all of the Christmas-y stuff, it is all going to good use so far.

The Christmas Devotional last night was fantastic and really helped me focus on the true meaning of Christmas and the sacred message we all have to focus on and spread during the next month. I also have loved the commitment left in General Conference by Elder Ballard to touch "one" life by Christmas with the gospel as a gift from us to Christ.

With love and regards,

Elder Schaelling

happy thanksgiving from elder schaelling!

photo dump!

December 2

Mom,

Good to hear the package got to you guys alright! I'm glad you were all able to look through some of the picture and videos, haha. The newer abandoned homes were being built by some company by contract and they ripped off the Navajo Housing Authority (or whoever else was building them, I'm not sure) and they have very poor foundations and things like that. They weren't in livable condition. I don't know a ton though. We were wresting the sheep!

1) Yes, I have already gotten all of the packages! We ended up going into Farmington on Wednesday to get something checked out on our truck, so I was able to pick up those packages. Thank you so much for sending all of those great gifts to me! I plan on opening them on Christmas Day and I'm sure I'll have opened them by the time I call/Skype you guys. Sounds good! I wouldn't be surprised if we tried Skyping from the Watts' place because they have internet at their trailer (not too many people have internet) and they said they wont be doing too much on Christmas. I wouldn't want to interrupt some other family's Christmas morning celebrations too much! I hope I'll be able to see/talk to Natalie and Jackie and their families too!...

3) Thanksgiving was great! We got to spend time with a lot of families... I love all of those families and they are all very hospitable to all of us missionaries! ...

Good to hear all went well for you guys with Thanksgiving! Ahh, Los Gatos Cafe is very good. That's probably the biggest activity/temporal thing I miss being on a mission is eating good food at good restaurants. I love you all!

With Love and Regards,
Elder Schaelling