July 21

Important questions for Matt:

1)  Did Edna get baptized and confirmed?  How did it go?  We have been praying everyday for her.

2)  Were any of her children able to be baptized on the same day?

3)  How is Arlanya doing?  That is very exciting that she moved back to Steamboat, but I hope her employment situation is okay.

4)  How are the two new families you mentioned in last week's e-mail doing?

5)  How did your move to Ganado go? 

6)  What do you live in in Ganado, a bigger trailer? 

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Mom,

I've got answers for you!

1) Edna sure did get baptized and confirmed this week! It was awesome! Also, we had the baptism of a girl named Alana who is Sister Joseph's granddaughter and she asked me to baptize her, so I got in the water Friday night and Saturday night! 

2) Yes, her son Romondo and daughter Raven were both baptized with her. I forgot to bring my camera and we're emailing in Gallup today because we came in for some truck stuff so I'll try to remember to email those to you next week!

3) Arlanya is doing great. She is reading the Book of Mormon a lot (which is a pretty big deal, it can be pretty hard to get people to read) and coming to church and everything! Her date is scheduled for August 23rd. 

4) We haven't been able to meet with the first new family yet, but the second new family still might have some potential! Edna is good friends with them so hopefully she'll be able to be a good influence on them and encourage them to live the faith. 

5) The move went fine, but it took up a good amount of time last week. It took up our entire p-day and we've been continually rearranging this whole week because the Ganado trailer wasn't really equipped for us to come over quite yet. I'm just about all settled in now, so I guess we'll see if I'll be packing up this weekend to go to a new area!

6) Yes, we live in a very nice church-owned trailer in Ganado. It's quite a change. The shower is HUGE but I do miss the camper. 

What's in Branson? I've never even heard of that place. You'll have to let me know how it all goes! Tell the Phillipps "hi" for me.

That's awesome that you got to hear from Tanner yesterday! I had that letter written for him for like a month or two I just didn't know how much international postage was and kept forgetting to check when I would go to the post office once a week. That's cool that you were able to see Bryan. I don't believe he left on a mission at all. Yeah, Brian Allen is serving in Montana right now! I think his mission is kind of like mine, there are some reservations in it and stuff. I think the New Mexico Farmington has the most reservation, and then the South Dakota Rapid City mission has a lot of reservation too and then Montana Billings. A lot of people from the reservation get their mission calls to those missions so they can serve among other Native Americans.

He did get a lot of changes! I've heard of that rule against knocking doors in other missions but we still do it here. That's how we find a lot of our investigators in Steamboat.

Wow! Gentry, engaged? At least he's been home for over a year. I think it's pretty cool how we have neighboring missions. Tell him congrats for me!

I love you all back at home, I hope everything goes well for you guys! Thanks for all the support that you continually give me.

Love,
Elder Schaelling

July 14

Here are the questions that I asked Matt:

1)  How is the weather there now that it's the middle of summer?

2)  Do you have any sort of air conditioning in your trailer?

3)  What did you do on Independence Day?

4)  Do you have much interaction with the Senior Missionary couple?

5)  What new responsibilities do you have now that you're District Leader?

6)  Did you get your "half-way" package?  (It was a package full of halves:  a box of 6 halves of his favorite chocolate Dunford Donuts, half a package of gum, half a candy bar, half a bag of his favorite spicy chips, half a box of cereal, half a sheet of stamps etc.  I'm glad he liked it!)

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Mom,

Edna's baptism is still on schedule for this Friday, so everything should go well! Arlanya moved back! So we are probably going to put her on date for next month and then we also met a new family who just moved back here from Holbrook. He's originally from here and he moved back to take care of his grandma because there was no one else here to take care of her. He is less active, but his significant other is not a member and they have two kids. We also have another family that came to church yesterday. She is less active and her significant other had never been to a church before yesterday, but they both liked it! So there's always good things happening in Steamboat.

1) The weather has actually been pretty nice this week! It got a little hot over the past month or two, but nothing unbearable. Just up in the 90s, I think. I don't have an iPhone or anything that tells me the weather so I don't really know what the temperature has been. I doubt it is any hotter than it usually is in Utah. It doesn't seem as hot as it was in Shiprock last year either!

2) Luckily, we do. However, we are moving to Ganado tomorrow. President Batt told us that he is going to open up a new area in Monument Valley and so he took our camper to put it up there so we are living with the Ganado elders now! I'm sad to lose my camper, it's been a really fun experience to live in one. Maybe I'll just live in one during college up in the mountain and just make a zipline that goes down to campus. Anyways, we are going to have a 20 mile drive to and from Steamboat everyday kind of like I did when I lived in Kirtland in Shiprock.

3) Not too much, just ate a jalapeno hot dog and we did regular proselyting work! It rained from about 5 o'clock for the rest of the evening so the Ganado Fire Department delayed their usual fireworks show until the 5th. 

4) Yeah, we see them quite a bit. We don't work as closely with them as I did with the Pattersons, because they stay pretty busy with their own agenda here. They're really nice people though.

5) I am responsible for district meeting every Thursday, for reporting our weekly numbers to the zone leaders for my district, and to conduct companionship exchanges with every elder in my district every transfer. Nothing too big! This past week I went to Fort Defiance with Elder Larsen and I actually saved a dog's life! One dog had another smaller dog's neck wrapped up in his chain and then the bigger was chasing after cars and the little dog was turning blue so I jumped out of the car and just like a real rez hero jumped out of the car and saved that dog's life! Haha.

6) I sure did! Haha, I didn't read the note until the day after I opened it up and I was really confused because I was wondering if you just grabbed random stuff out of the pantry and threw it in a box and sent it to me. Then I read the note and I thought it was really funny and clever!

I'm so glad that Jackie and Trevor and the two little ones got to come out to Utah and visit with you guys! I hope they have safe travels back home as well. I never tried out the North Temple Frontrunner/TRAX stop, but it seemed like it would be pretty nice! I never got to ride the TRAX out west toward the airport, either. And no, I never did try Subzero. Where in Layton is it located?

I love you all and pray for you often! Thank you so much for keeping me, Steamboat, and the many wonderful people that are here in your thoughts and prayers. 

With Love and Regards,
Elder Schaelling

June 30

Mom,

I can't believe I'm hitting halfway this week! I'm sure the next half will fly by even quicker. It's weird to think that I'll probably just have two more areas on my mission and then I'll be done. Thank you so much for praying for Edna and her children and everyone else in Steamboat! We set a baptismal date with a young man named Tyler for July 26th, but he didn't make it to church this week so he wont be able to be baptized on that date so we'll keep working with him and see if he is ready for the gospel yet. Being a missionary, especially in this mission has really changed my perspective on the Church and the gospel and missionary work and really everything. I've learned here that you really can't force someone to live the gospel (at least as a missionary). If we baptize people, we need to make sure they are truly ready because there are many people here who are willing to be baptized that aren't really willing to make a lifelong commitment.

I can't imagine 4th of July being too big here in Steamboat! I'll let you know if anything exciting happens, though. I'll probably eat a jalapeno hot dog to celebrate the day, haha. I hope things go well in Layton with the smaller crowd! I'm not sure if I told you guys before, but there is actually a golf course in Steamboat! It is just dirt and sage brush, no grass, but I just think it's hilarious/awesome that there is a golf course here. Maybe dad and I can try it out sometime.

That's so awesome that Aimee is going to be able to sing in the choir for the temple dedication!!! I'm excited for her! I'll be interested to go back and see the new temple. I'll have to go on lds.org and check out some pictures of it sometime.

I can't believe it has been that long since all of those events either. That's weird that Jackie and Trevor have been married for 7 years and also that Jackie is 27! They are all getting old.

Good to hear everything is going well at the ward back home! That's nice of Skot to think of me. Tell him "congrats" on his marriage thing or whatever. District Leader is going fine, not too much has happened yet. I went on exchanges with one of the zone leaders, Elder Christensen, this week and it was a lot of fun. He and I get along great. Great things as always are happening in Steamboat, we found four new investigators and two of them seem pretty solid!

I love you so much too! I miss you all but the mission is absolutely the best thing that ever happened to me!

Love,
Elder Schaelling

June 23

Mom,

Thank goodness I'm staying in Steamboat, we set four baptismal dates this week! Edna and her two oldest children who are living there are going to be baptized on July 12th and they are solid. It's so cool to be able to see people truly embrace the gospel and experience the subtle peace and happiness that comes from living these principles and building our personal relationship with our Father in Heaven through those tools of meaningful personal prayer, studying His holy words given through the prophets, especially in the Book of Mormon, and attending church. If there is one thing I have learned on my mission, is that the gospel doesn't work unless you do all three of those things. We have a lot of investigators who read and pray but they don't attend church, and the few investigators that I've been able to work with who actually do all three at the same time, they truly do receive answers! Elder Carlson during the mission tour, when one of the missionaries asked him if there is anything he wants the members in these remote areas to know from him since they don't have the opportunity to hear from General Authorities very often, he said "Go to church, read and ponder the scriptures, and pray often. The gospel that we preach isn't rocket science." It really struck me the longer I thought about it. Sometimes as a missionary I worry about explaining the role of the Holy Ghost better or teaching the story of Joseph Smith more clearly or do this or that and making it more complicated that it is, but the promise is that if someone will read the Book of Mormon, attend church, and pray to their Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ, they WILL receive an answer and recognize it is the true church.

Unfortunately, Brother Jospeh didn't attend church with us yesterday but thanks to the Navajo audio tapes of the Book of Mormon, we went over with President Yazzie Saturday evening and listened to 3 Nephi 11 and 27 and they talked about the doctrine in Navajo a bit, and it was so awesome to see Brother Joseph so enthralled in Book of Mormon! There are so many people who are so Navajo-minded and I feel bad because I am getting decent conversational Navajo, but I still can't do much teaching in Navajo, mostly just bear testimony and quote some scriptures. I am hoping to work with President Yazzie on translating the first vision into Navajo and maybe some other small things. So, I let Brother Joseph borrow the tapes because I trust him and Sister Joseph to take care of them, haha. 

Also, thank you so much for the Thomas S Monson movie, it has been able to help Edna. As we were going over the baptismal interview questions with her the only one she was kind of shakey on is that she was talking about how it is just weird for her to think about the fact that there is a prophet today so we had her watch it yesterday and she said she enjoyed it! Sister Harris (the senior missionary) watched it with her and she said that Edna laughed during it and Edna says she is feeling better about it. Please pray for Edna and her kids!

Keep reading Preach My Gospel! Probably focus on the lessons in Chapter 3 because understanding those really helps you organize the doctrines of the gospel so much better and see how just about everything relates back to those three things, the restoration, plan of salvation, and gospel of Jesus Christ, and Chapter 9 on Finding people. There are some really good parts of Chapters 4 (Pray with Faith, Learn to Recognize the Promptings of the Spirit, and Relying on the Spirit) and 5 (really just all of this chapter) that could probably help members also. 

I absolutely agree. I hope that I am able to find the elect and to help them build their foundation on Christ, but truly the reason why it is so essential for every young man to serve and, in my opinion, every young woman who is able to and has a desire to serve. There is truly nothing to lose by going and the things you will gain will give you a sure foundation to build on for the rest of your life, if you don't become "normalized" and worldly again after returning home. I will be forever changed because of this experience.

I hope you all have a fantastic week! I love you all so much! I am so grateful for the blessings of the gospel and the restored truth which we have in these days. These things we have are precious and we must be willing to share them with all of our fellow brothers and sisters. Look for those whom the Lord is preparing through you or those he has prepared and help them to recognize the things we share as a source of light and peace for them! 

Love,
Elder Schaelling

June 16

Mom,

I am doing great! Nothing changed, Elder Aguilera and I are staying together for a fourth transfer! I am very surprised, I thought I was for sure going to be moved haha. I even bought less food than I usually do at the beginning of the month so we came to Window Rock this p-day so I can go get a few things at Bashas. However, I did get a call from President Batt to serve as the district leader for our district here. It is Steamboat, Ganado, and Fort Defiance.

no prairie dog roast yet. The word for prairie dog in Navajo is "glǫǫ' ." Perhaps we'll get with President Yazzie next p-day and roast with him.

That's awesome you were able to go see Kaleb give his homecoming talk! I hear some crazy stories about the church in Africa. I once heard a story about a very large group of people who had essentially an entire stake or something of the sort organized that met under the name "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" and had purchased all the necessary supplies from the church to run meetings and whatnot without an official church presence. The church later came to the area and ordained the men so they could officially become a stake of Zion and have the priesthood and whatnot. Amazing! I can't imagine those stories like Kaleb shared either, it is truly amazing that people would have such a strong testimony especially before truly receiving the long-lasting fruits of the Gospel that are born further down the road of discipleship.

This week we had a mission tour with Elder Carlson of the Seventy and his wife. Almost half of the mission gathered in Chinle on Friday (the other half gathered in Farmington the day before) and we got to be instructed by him and Sister Carlson, along with President and Sister Batt. It is so nice to be able to see them. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be in this mission that is lead by President and Sister Batt and for the love that they so fully show to us. Elder Carlson was a four-star general in the Air Force and was a really awesome guy! He is even a convert to the church. He was pretty funny and spoke to us about many things, but one thing that he spoke about was D&C 88:36-39:

 36 All kingdoms have a law given;

 37 And there are many kingdoms; for there is no space in the which there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in which there is no space, either a greater or a lesser kingdom.

 38 And unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions.

 39 All beings who abide not in those conditions are not justified.

He spoke about how only by obedience can we become justified in our current state and rise to the next kingdom (which I like to think of as a state of being). Only by obedience to the Lord can we rise from the current fallen, carnal state, to a telestial state to a terrestial state to a celestial state, etc. It does make sense, as I have progressed in my spiritual development and become "justified" in my current state and risen to the next kingdom I have felt how the weaknesses or worries of my previous state no long effect me. Just an interesting thought. 

President Batt spoke about "leaving and believing" with our current investigators who aren't progressing. If they aren't keeping their commitments to read, to pray, to attend church, etc., then they aren't progressing and they aren't ready at this moment in time. Even, he said, when we do stop teaching those investigators they will often realize the spirit missing from their life as  we aren't visiting them as often anymore and they will then sometimes chose to keep their commitments. We then had a lesson with Brother Joseph on Saturday about us not teaching him anymore since he hasn't attended church and he came yesterday! I hope it went well for him. We'll hopefully see him tonight. 

Things are pretty awesome in Steamboat. I like this place a lot. It's so relaxing. I feel like it's the small chill beach town of the reservation where everyone is funny and everyone knows each other.

With Much Love,

Elder Schaelling