July 22

Mom,

Since I didn't check my email last week there were tons of emails to read so I only have 10 minutes to write this email. Tell everyone I love them and sorry if I didn't email back. I can write more easily than email, but I hope to respond more next week. I couldn't read all of your emails.

I am in Shiprock, NM! It is on the reservation, but it is called "city-rez" because it is established and whatnot. But I use the term city loosely, because by this standard Brigham City would be a metropolis. My companion is Elder Miller. He is a nice guy from Florida and has been in the area for 4 months and has been on the mission for 18 months. We live in a trailer behind the seminary building by the high school, but it is a really nice one because usually the senior couple who teaches seminary lives here, but we have it since school isn't in session. We'll have to move next month though, but I think we'll be teaching seminary for a couple of weeks until the couple gets here!

The flight here was good, but a bunch of baggage was misplaced and one of my bags was included. They had them rushed that day and we got them in the evening, so it didn't cause any serious problem... I really like President and Sister Batt, they are super nice and I get along with them well. I had more of an opportunity to talk to Sister Batt because President was busy interviewing everyone.

Shiprock is interesting. I have learned some Navajo and have done a lot of service already. I have been doing "man work" rather than "mind work" which is fun: we built a shed, worked on the ward float for the Pioneer Day parade in Kirtland last weekend and chopped down some trees with more service coming up this week! The ward is good, but pretty small. About 100 people come every week but there are over a thousand members on record. A lot of people were baptized without being properly converted or were baptized on the placement program.

We are tracting more than one would think. Dad will probably think that's funny.

20 seconds left, maybe I'll write you a letter too!

Love,
Elder Schaelling