Robert vs. Saying Goodbye to Hopiland

NOTE:  Robert has a new address on the right sidebar if you want to send him anything!

 

The man that was baptized is in the blue and his wife is on the far left.  I've gotten used to being the tallest person around. 

I was able to plant a 2 and a  half acre field on Saturday....traditional style.  Stab a converted railroad spike into the ground...throw a few seeds in...and keep goin.  That was hard work and actually a very spiritual experience because of the love and care the Hopi have for their crops.

Loloma!!!

Well it just kinda hit me that I am leaving from one extreme to another again.  I am being sent to Blanding, Utah.  Honestly I am not very excited.....I have talked to quite a few other missionaries and other people about Blanding.  There is only about 4,000 people there and about 90% are already members.  They have 8 wards from what I've heard.  I will be in Blanding South.  I am leaving my people....and returning back to all those white people....I about lost it at the pulpit yesterday when i said I was leaving and the entire branch gave a big moan and about 30 people started crying.  I have lived nearly 8 months with the Hopi indians and like I said yesterday at the pulpit...I feel like I am leaving home again. There was bahana visitor at church as well and he said that he served the Hopi back in 62' and he was here for 7 months.  He came and sat by me after sacrament and gave me a big hug and started crying.  Thanking me for helping him remember what it was like to serve the Hopi...then he told me that when President Kimball was over missionary he made a stop to his mission and spoke and told them that all missionaries that serve the Native Americans will be greeted and by Book of Mormon Prophets and people when we step through the veil in the spirit world.  Cant wait for that!!!   I am glad that I was able to have some interesting experiences for my last sunday though.  I got a call after sacrament and it was from the reactivated member we have been working with lately.  We weren't able to call him back so we took out branch mission leader and went over there.  Come to find out that his nephew was killed that morning and since he is the leader of the family he felt obligated to stay home and help every one with the grieving process.  Don't blame him...good guy.  Since the Hopi all live very close to family like next door or across the road if there is one everyone is very connected.  I asked him if he would like the sacrament and he said yes, so we went back to church rounded up some priests and teachers and went back.  It was originally just him that we would be administering to....but he got a call from his sisters next door asking for us to come over.  There was about 20 people there...and they were ALL members.  But inactive,  except for the man we've been working with of course. They all partook of the sacrament and there was a calming spirit in the room and some of the women that were wailing almost hysterically were calm and I'm sure were remembering the time when they were all on placement program in Utah or something and going to church.  I was then asked to bless the home and family so I knelt down and said a prayer.  After the prayer one of the women said that "its sad that we have to have something tragic happen to open our eyes again to the church."  Hopefully there will be about 20 more people at church next week.  An entire family.  That would make my heart feel good.  

As for the baptisms on saturday, they went very well and the man being baptized was a bit on the heavier side so i was asked to help lift him back up out of the water.  It was fun to be dressed in white in front of so many non members and see the expression on their faces.  My time here was well spent I think and hopefully I did some good somewhere.  We handed out about 40 copies of the Book of mormons you sent us so thats good.  As for chris's blessing....he had to cancel due to some problems that came up so it was rescheduled for june 8th so maybe i will still be able to come.  Im sure there is an RM that has nothing to do in Blanding and will be willing to take me. 

Well I have a few more visits to make for my last day in Polacca.  I am basically held to an oath here by many people that I have to come back soon so when we come back through as a family we will be spending a lot of time here.  I m so grateful for the privilege I have had to be here...its gonna be an emotional day today and especially when Im driving away tomorrow morning.  I will see y'all on mothers day! 

Love Elder Christensen

basneywa! Singadee!  eyeamo!!