I was full of questions:
1) So where's (Elder) Waldo? Sorry I'm sure it gets really old for him, but I couldn't resist!
2) Seriously, where is Elder Waldo from?
3) Where is Elder Varela from?
4) Do you live in a trailer in the church parking lot in Bluff?
5) How is it being in a threesome? You are surely having a multi-cultural experience working with Tongans, Mexicans, Native Americans, the occasional Caucasian and whatever other of God's Children have crossed your path!
6) What is the cultural make-up of Bluff?
7) What are your first impressions of Bluff?
8) How was your first Sunday in your new ward (or branch)?
9) What took Edna to Steamboat if she grew up in West Valley City?
10) Is Elder Aguilera still in Steamboat?
11) Did you stop in at the Mission Office or Mission Home on your way to Bluff?
-------------------------------------
Mom,
I am glad to be in Utah! Bluff sure is a lot different than any other part of Utah I've spent time in, but it is a super awesome little town. That's awesome that Dad met a guy from Monument Valley! That's where the camper trailer from Steamboat was moved to. I actually just ate at the Twin Rocks Cafe Saturday night, it's a pretty awesome restaurant! There's a really nice (and really expensive) steakhouse here in Bluff, too, but I doubt Elder Waldo and I will ever go there because there's no sense in using a quarter of our budget on a dinner haha.
So far being a zone leader has been interesting. I feel super unprepared because I was only a district leader for that one transfer and I really have no idea what I'm doing, but with enough faith and hard work I'll be able to continue to find guidance from the Lord!
I'll sure miss Steamboat but being in Bluff has been great so far. All of the work we've done over this past week was on the reservation, so I still haven't taught a white person on my mission yet but I'll probably teach one this week or next week or something.
1) Haha, good one mom. You'd be right to say that you're not the first to say that to him... or the second.
2) He's from Glendale, Arizona.
3) Elder Varela is from Moreno Valley, California. However, he actually just got emergency transferred to Kirtland so it's just me and Elder Waldo now. Elder Varela was an awesome companion for the week we were together, though.
4) Yes, we do. It's a really nice trailer! It's a brand new one that the church just put in last year I think. They used to have a camper here, but now it's the trailer. I almost wish it was a camper instead, though. Haha.
5) It was great, but it definitely was different! We could visit single ladies since there were three of us (if it's just two of us, there needs to be an adult male for us to go into a house), but the teaching dynamic is a lot different. I have already learned a lot from Elder Waldo and Elder Varela though!
6) Bluff itself is mostly white, but there are a decent amount of Navajos who live there though. But our proselyting area also covers down to the state line so we cover a good chunk of the reservation, and that's where most of the work comes from. We actually cover two branches, Bluff Branch and a dependent branch in an area called Toda'a'kan (not positive on the spelling) on the reservation and they are both very small, with less than 10 local members attending. The church is not very strong in Bluff, it's almost comparable to a Park City or something (a LOT smaller) with the liberal and environmentalist attitude of the locals and all of the Priesthood leadership comes from Blanding, where the church is very strong. There is a historical site called the Bluff Fort from the Hole-in-the-Rock pioneers where there are 10 senior service couples who help out with the branch, but don't do much proselyting other than supporting us and going to the occasional lesson with us. But they feed us a lot and all the senior couples are super nice and awesome. Most of them are from various places in Utah.
7) Bluff is a really awesome small town that I probably wouldn't mind living in if I ever have the desire to live in a small town like it. Everything is Mom & Pop, not any chains or anything! Not even the gas station. It's a really pretty little place!
8) I went to the Toda'a'kan meeting which was held in a little preschool building, it was awesome! They only have a two hour block here, and to be honest, it was pretty nice haha. I finished church and I wasn't even tired at all!
9) Both of Edna's parents are from the reservation, one by Window Rock and one in Steamboat, so she moved back after high school because of various reasons. She has only lived in Steamboat for about 8 months, she was living over by Window Rock beforehand managing a gas station but she ended up needing to move.
10) He sure is! He's with one of the elders from my MTC district, Elder Acaylar (he's Filipino), and I'm sure they are going to have an awesome time. Elder Acaylar is hilarious.
11) I did, and I am back in Farmington right now for a meeting called MLC, Mission Leadership Council, where all the zone leaders and sister training leaders meet together with President and Sister Batt and the assistants to talk about stuff.
I love you all and I am glad you had such a great time visiting Oklahoma! I am excited to be able to check out all the other Indian Reservations throughout the rest of my life traveling and seeing the different tribes. It is a pretty awesome place to check out! I'll be excited to take you all on a tour of the Navajo Nation and we can even stay in one of these nice hotels in Bluff!
Love,
Elder Schaelling
