Robert vs. Tewa

 Traditional Tewa meal.

And homecoming football Rez style.  Hopi high school vs Many Farms.... I have chosen to be a Hopi.  We smoked em 60-0.  Good fun!  Literally everyone goes to the high school game so we decided to go where the people go...

Loloma!- Hopi 

 

No more ya'aat'eeh for awhile.  Wow okay let me pick up the rest of my brain that fell on the floor from all of the questions give me a sec.

 

I email from the church's family history center which I live like 50 feet from the church so its nice not to have to drive forever to go to church.  My trailer is very nice! Yes we have running water and electricity and a washer and dryer so we are pretty spoiled. We have propane heat so we again are very spoiled so we are taken well care of don't worry.  My first Sunday was pretty interesting! They did fast Sunday this week because they didn't before General Conference.  I have had 3 fast Sundays within the last 7 weeks.  Our stake president, President Justice is a fire to be reckoned with.  He took up the entire testimony meeting literally to tell the people here to get it together and we cant be lazy anymore.  He literally said that.  It was good and a lot of people were motivated I think...for the better.  Yes, I did get some pants before I left..its the "new missionary" look with the khaki color.  I really like them and its nice with all of the dust because you cant even tell they are dirty or not.  I also bought a bigger knife...just in case.

Okay so I actually don't live in Polacca, I live in Tewa.  Which is right next to Polacca, gosh there is so much information to talk about my mind is gonna explode.  My area is the entire Hopi Reservation and there is only 1 or 2 gas stations and like 1 or 2 little convenience stores.  We have to drive about 20 miles to get gas in Keams Canyon.  The villages that are in my area consist of...(pronunciation test)...1st Mesa, which inside that is Sichomovi, and Walpi.  2nd Mesa, which inside that is Shongopovi and one other one.  There is also Kykotsmovi, Hotevilla, Bacavi, Oraibi, old Oraibi, Jedito, Coal Mine Mesa and a few more.  There is no Sonic so I don't know where that is, it might be hidden.  We go to Tuba city which is 1 1/2 hours away for district meeting on Thursdays and we do our shopping at Bashas.  Which is a glorified gas station store.  Love it.  YES!! I have a camera and I have taken over 100 pictures already so be patient please.  The members here are very nice, the Hopi people are called the "peaceful people" (makes sense because they are direct descendants of the Anti Nephi Lehi's)  They even have a burial of weapons ceremony.  So history time!  The Tewa people were nomads and they were being killed by other tribes and then one day they came upon the Hopi people and since the Hopi people didn't fight and the Navajo's were raiding them they literally hired the Tewa people to fight for them in pay for food and stuff.  So that's why the Tewa and Hopis are such good friends here and they literally live right next to each other.  The 2nd counselor on the stake presidency lives here and he speaks fluent Hopi, Navajo, and Tewa.  He teaches us every Tuesday for an hour or so about the cultures and languages.  There is so much history here its insane.  There are also many do's and don'ts that we have to be aware of so we don't disrespect sacred sites and the culture.

I think I need to take you guys here someday, you will be in reverence at the spirit that is here.  We are allowed to go up on the mesas where all of those little villages are but we have to be very respectful.  We cant go knocking on doors, only if we have been invited up.  They even have some hopi cops up there to protect the sacred village of Walpi.  There is no running water or electricity there, plus that is where they have some of there Kevas or Hopi temples.  There are 2 huge pillars of stone that are the "HOPI TRADITIONS" and if they fall then they will basically join the church according to tradition so I have to admit sometimes I pray that they will fall down.  Since we are literally in the middle of nowhere and there is nothing to do.  We can come back and email a bit more.  We are privileged to be out here and I am grateful that Presdient Batt trusts me to be 1 of 2 missionaries that serve in the ONLY hopi branch in the entire world!!!!! I get to be here to serve the descendants of the people of Ammon.  I am very honored and understand there is a great responsibility on my shoulders.  The work here though is slow, there hasn't been a baptism here in almost 2 years, and that was a 9 year old.  I need lots of prayers and I will try my best.  I will send pictures now and maybe write a bit later if we have time.  We have to drive to Tuba City to get this big gardening project going and get lots of supplies. 

 

Singadee!!!-Tewa  (be strong, take courage) literal translation.  Cool huh?

 

Love Elder Christensen