January 14,2013

Yaa'tee'h

This week has been pretty good.  It's been hard work and some good fun, too.  We had a tri-zone conference this week which was awesome.  We got to learn from all the zone leaders and President and Sister Batt, again.  Sister Batt left us with a challenge to update and keep our area books in better condition.  We have a lot of paperwork and filing and all of that to get ours in order. We have also been visiting  a lot of people this week.

The Book of Mormon class that we hold 3 times a week has been going really well.  The people that come every time are starting to really ask questions and to learn and grow.  It is beginning to fill their hearts and not just be a church they "go to."

On Wednesday we went out to visit  a lady.  She had us help her catch, tag, mark, and rubber band some sheeps and lambs.  That was way fun!  We were using shepherd's crooks most of the time then we decided we should just run them down and catch them.  That was way fun!  We have dealt a lot with sheep and goats out here.  I am starting to not notice the smell of them anymore.

I had an experience this week that really taught me about prayer.  I had been praying for some things to happen.  I got the answer to go ahead and try.  When I did, I realized that it wasn't going to happen but I also saw that it had answered another prayer I had asked for.  I really learned that God won't always give us what we want but He will always answer our prayers, and lots of times He will hit two birds with one stone  answering many prayers with one answer or through one act of our own faith.  "Faith isn't always saying to the mountain 'be moved' and it gets up and walks away.  Sometimes it's asking 'Where is the shovel?'"

Love,
Elder Alex Huff

"Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven."

December 10, 2012 (sorry they are out of order)

Hey everyone,

This week has been pretty cool. But also a time of a lot of reflection. It is kind of weird to think I will only have 18 months left on Christmas day, it is kind of a scary thought, it doesn't feel like I have been here that long at all. But I am glad to be working out here among these people. 

We have really started picking up the work. This last Sunday we had a meeting with a committee formed in our stake that leads a program called Remnants of the House of Israel, which right now is dealing specifically with the house of Israel on the Navajo reservation. When they described the program and how we as elders would fit in the spirit hit me like a sledgehammer saying that this was what our work will be from here on in. It was so powerful, I can't wait to get this program really rolling and bringing these children of our Heavenly Father, less actives, actives and nonmembers, into a branch or ward that will truly bless their lives and is self sustaining. 

We have also seen miracles as we truly strive to reach all of our goals, whether personal, companionship or area goals, as we prayerfully set goals God will take care of it after all that we can do. Just like He promises throughout Nephi.

 I am so lucky to be here and to serve here.

Love

Elder ALex Huff

'Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven'

January 7, 2013

Hey,

Well, it has been quite a while since I emailed so I'm not really sure what to say.  The call home was nice.  We didn't have the ability to Skype so we didn't but it was really nice to talk with my family.

The Nez's , one of the family's in our area, gave us some pretty cool Christmas gifts.  They gave me a Pendleton blanket that is black and way cool, and a hat that is kind of like a stocking cap. but it is way fun as well. Grandma sent me a bunch of candy.

We are working hard talking with everyone we can and just trying to serve.  It is hard work here but there are really bright things, too.  Like watching as an active member comes to an understanding of the gospel and begins to do her own member missionary work.  It is so cool to see.

New Years was alright but New Year's Eve was pday and they told us to be in at 7 so we didn't get much done that day I can't really think of anything else so I guess its just Happy New Year to all.

Love,
Elder Alex Huff

December 17, 2012

Ya'at'eeh

This week has been very different.  We spent a lot of time splitting wood. As we split wood at the part-member less-active family's home the mom asked us if we wanted chicken and we said yes.  She told us to take the grey rooster.  She tossed it in a cage and put it in the bed of the truck!  And we drove off with a live chicken in the back!  Elder Chavez had a lot of fun butchering and cleaning it.  But now we have a bunch of chicken in the freezer.

Elder Chavez also made a bunch of Peruvian food called lomo sartado which was very good but different than I normally like.  It was way good!

We have been working hard and trying really hard to not just teach and convert investigators but to teach and convert members as well. With some it is really working and it will be something I think most elders on the rez will doing from here on in.  It is such a blessing and a step forward.

We are getting a senior couple sometime which will truly help.  They do so much good and are such a blessing to the work and the elders.

We had a bunch of snow this week and it has been pretty cold.  I actually started wearing my over coat.  The good thing about the snow is that its not so dusty any more but some of the bad things are that we get mud all over us and our truck. A lot of it!

It has been a good week with much in work and service for the people.  Its crazy to think I will have been out for six months on Thursday.  Time passes differently when you are anxiously engaged in a good cause   And this is the best cause any of us can be a part of.

Merry Christmas.

Love,
Elder Alex Huff

November 26, 2012

Hello everyone,

This week has been awesome. We met a guy on Saturday and he wanted us to come back and help around the farm on Tuesday  We came back and he wasn't there but we met his dad. By the time we had finished helping his dad, the guy had come back and we were able to teach him. 

The next day he called us and wanted us to come out and butcher a sheep. So we got right out there and by the end of the day I had my first experience with Navajo mutton and intestines. It was pretty good. Both he and his mom invited us out for Thanksgiving which was a nice surprise. We hadn't planned on having one this year. We went out and I worked on building a fence and leveling land and driving fence posts while Elder Chavez helped out shima(the mother). We had lunch with their whole family and I am really hoping that all the time spent will turn into a golden investigator family. They are just an amazing family. 

Other than that we just tracted and tried to visit everyone we could even with the holiday. Holidays are the hardest time to tract and teach because most people don't want you there, but we did our best.

Training has been different and hard but I think I am figuring out how I should do it now and we are starting to hit our groove with how we teach best together. It has been a huge learning experience and will be cool to see how it changes in the future. That's pretty much it.

Love

Elder Alex Huff

November 19, 2012

Ya'ateeh Shakis's(not sure how to make that plural)

This week has been a crazy week. I got my brand new companion on Tuesday morning, straight from the mission home and MTC. It is really odd to have a trainee as a companion. It takes a lot of work to adjust. His name is Elder Chavez and he is from Peru where they are building the temple. He moved here when he was 7 and lived in Bountiful since then. He reminds me a lot of Brandon sometimes. 

We have spent a lot of time hogan hunting, which is pretty much what tracting is once you get out of the nha(government housing) around here. Just pick a dirt road and see what's down it. Not the most effective way to find but we have started teaching 3 new people this week, which is really cool.  

After we washed the truck we went up the mountain to do service again and it is all muddy again. Just not as bad as it was last week. We spoke in Sacrament Meeting and I will be teaching Sunday school again next Sunday so that is good. 

I can barely remember what happened this week it has been so crazy. I know that the gospel is true and that the Lord is running this mission and this companion ship, as it should be.

Love, 
Elder Alex Huff

November 5, 2012

Ya'a'te'eh

This week has been good. We have been working hard, and still having fun, which is how it seems to go most of the time. 

My companion Elder Eging has been in the area 8 months now and has been 13 months of his mission on the rez, so he says funny words all the time like 'sit on the floors' or 'lets go chop some woods'. Its almost like he's barely speaking English now. 

We started teaching the children of this less active family this week. Even if people never come to church they always want their kids to be baptized. We taught them twice this week and the kids were at church. It sounded like part of their family will be there next week, I hope that us teaching the girls will bring the family back, because they are just wonderful people. 

I got the chance to teach Sunday school again this week, which is still an odd experience  No one really ever wants to answer questions so there will be times when I ask a question and sit and wait for an answer and no one will answer so i just end up saying the answer and some other stuff. I do kind of like teaching it though, it gives me a way to serve the people and also to express some thoughts that I wouldn't any where else. 

We are starting another scripture study class during the week on Tuesdays Thursdays and Saturdays which will be really good. We will start with the Book of Mormon and go from there on. I am so excited about this because I know it will be a blessing to these people if they are able to understand the scriptures better. I have found a true love for the scriptures and the doctrines out here and I simply want to share what I know and what I have gained with everyone.

I know that I have a Father in heaven who loves me and knows me perfectly. My Savior and My Redeemer is Jesus Christ, who died and now lives for me. And I know that they have put me here for a reason and I will work until they tell me 'it is finished.'

Love, 
Elder Alex Huff

October 29, 2012

ya'ate'eh

This week has been interesting. As I wrote last week I was out with food poisoning, and the really hilarious thing was that on Monday night a member brought us dinner. I got a burger and Elder Eging got some octopus. He was sick until Thursday  A rough little while for us out here. 

We did get to meet with some people who we haven't talked with for awhile. One of them even came to church. He was there for part of our Sunday school lesson. After we finished it he came up and was asking about the lesson. He wanted us to come over on Saturday and talk about it with him. Which was really awesome. 

On Friday night we got a call from our Sunday school teacher who wanted me to teach the lesson. Talk about kinda short notice, but said yes. I just prepped and gave the lesson like it was in the book, with my own Alex flair. It went really well I think, the Lord blesses those who rely on Him to teach. 

Other than that we just went to work. We did wake up one morning to find that our truck was scratched up by what looked like paws but there isn't anything with paws like that out here so that was kinda weird. We really have just been working and getting ready for this next week. We should have a really nice week.

love

Elder Alex Huff