October 28

Mom,

Sounds like the Halloween party was a success! I'll be glad to return in two years and usurp the title of doughnut race king back from Allen. I'm thinking about putting on some sunglasses on Halloween and being an FBI Agent. #justkidding

1) I have heard that some kids do trick or treat in Shiprock! I doubt we'll get any visitors at our trailer because it is kind of awkwardly placed, but we'll see. We'll probably be moving back to Shiprock on Wednesday or later this week! The trailer is finally finished and the Housing Coordinators will be inspecting it tomorrow for approval. I heard that a lot of the kids go to the hospital housing complex, it's a little housing development for all of the Indian Health Services employees, so a lot of the doctors and nurses live there and I guess they give out better candy than other places. I would guess that there are only a few of the housing developments that have trick or treating going on because some of them would probably not be super safe to be in late at night or the kids might not have tons of success in terms of pounds of candy collected. We have to be home by 8 o'clock at the latest on Halloween. On Wednesday the ward is having a trunk or treat though, so I'm excited about that! I might even try to decorate one of the missionary trucks if I am feeling even mildly creative, but I'll probably get lazy and not do it.

2) The appointment fell through on Wednesday. We had another appointment Sunday after church but that fell through also. However, the mom and son came to church which is awesome! It is pretty hard to get people to go to church, so I was so happy when they showed up! However, I think it was overwhelming to them with how long it is, but I hope they can stick it out and come a few more times so they can see the joy and benefits of church!

3) Thanks! I'll email and ask my mission president today and ask him if I can get special permission to go to deseretbook.com to look at scriptures. Usually we can only access mormon.org, lds.org, and the missionary email.

4) We didn't get to Costa Vida on Monday, but we went into town on Friday to get the tires replaces on our truck before winter so we went to Costa Vida and there were like a million members there that offered to buy our meal. It was so nice. It's weird to leave the rez and go to the city where there are tons of members all over the place and it just feels like being back in Mormonville.

... It is so true that nothing feels better than successfully sharing the gospel. I hope everything goes better with Natalie too and that she can get back to 100% soon! I remember the day that I had the nausea from the pain medication coming back from Jackie and Trevor's during Spring Break 2012. That was the absolute worst.

The PTA meeting sounds really interesting! I miss learning and reading about policy and politics. What ever happened with the immigration reform back in July and August? I heard once that basically everything was tabled for a later time, is that true? It's so interesting (and sad) how much the way you grow up can affect one's future even in the "land of opportunity" that our country has been known as.

Sounds like you all have had a good week! This week the best thing that happened to me was that a lot of the investigators and less active members we have been teaching came to church. As I mentioned earlier, it can be so hard to convince people to go to church and we haven't had really any success in getting people to come to church the past two months or so, but God gave us a miracle yesterday! There were eight less active members there and four investigators. It was funny because usually before church we have to make the sacrament meeting program because no one has a calling to do that, so that's what we spend our Sunday mornings doing, but yesterday the program was already made so we knocked on a bunch of doors reminding people about church and basically none of those people came to church, yet the Lord still delivered! I was so happy. I also had an amazing personal experience while studying the last half of Alma 26 regarding the principles of missionary work. It is awesome to read those chapters of the missionary work among the Lamanites and to be working among the Lamanites in the modern days !

Last comment about teaching the Lamanites. When I read the Book of Mormon and I read of the "incorrectness of the traditions of their fathers" it has such a more real meaning to me and being on the reservation really makes the things I read about the Lamanites and traditions pop out. I'm sure I can talk to you guys tons about this when I get home. 

I love you all and hope that your week is great,

Elder Schaelling