May 26

Mom,

That's awesome that Lindsay is so excited to go on a mission! That's so great that sisters have the opportunity to go on missions at a younger age, it's such a truly amazing experience that anyone who has a desire and an ability should partake of. There's really not much to lose by going on a mission because of the experience of experiencing the gospel and Atonement on such a deep level and being able to serve others and put the "real world" on the side for a moment.

Wow, thank you so much for sending the birthday package! I will be in Ganado on one or both of those days, so no worries. Truly, don't send me too much (it sounds like it might be a little too late) but as a missionary I just don't want to make too big of a deal of my birthday so I don't get self-centered or anything of the sorts for the day/week and what not. I got Skot's announcement, he's getting married on your birthday!

Carlyle was sick on Tuesday so we ended up meeting with his less active roommate (which is his cousin, I think) and he's a really good guy too! We met a few more people this week who are really awesome. We met a lady named Arlanya and her boyfriend Brad and Arlanya said she has been thinking about baptism recently and wants to do it, and she even came to church on Sunday! We met them in an interesting but not too uncommon way (in my experience) in meeting solid investigators. It's interesting how the Lord leads us to those who are prepared. We went to the area of her house first to meet a less active lady about two or three months ago as a referral, and she wasn't interested, so we knocked the doors around her house and met Edna, who is awesome. We taught her for a while but haven't been able to catch her home the past few weeks. We went to see if we could find Edna, but then we saw a little boy (about 4-years-old) who said, "Hey, my mom's home!" So we said, "Okay, I guess we'll meet her!"

Memorial Day hasn't seemed too big in Steamboat, I just think those who work are just excited to have the day off. I know the veterans are having some sort of a gathering at the Chapter House today, haha. 

I love you all and thank you for the love and support you continually show me! I hope you have a fantastic week!!!

Love,
Elder Schaelling

P.S. I forgot to mention, this week for sacrament meeting we ended up flying solo. President Yazzie drives a bus for a team who fights forest fires so he was called out to that fire in Sedona and has been gone since Tuesday and will be gone for a while longer and Brother John, the first counselor, was in Phoenix for the weekend, and Brother Nelson had to go to Albuquerque because he was sick, but I think he's back now. Elder Aguilera and I talked and Elder Harris conducted and then Elder Harris taught the Sunday School lesson while we taught the Elder's Quorum lesson and Sister Harris taught the Relief Society lesson. Big day! Hahaha. Luckily, President Curley (from the Stake Presidency) came to extend a call to Elder Harris to be the branch clerk and so he helped us bless the sacrament and we had a visitor from Phoenix who is an in-law up to some one from up here who helped us pass. It's amazing how God provided for us to have a sacrament meeting yesterday!