Week 16 in Hopi / Ya'at'eeh Kesh-Mesh

December 29, 2014

Polacca, AZ

Ya'at'eeh Kesh-Mesh 

Merry Christmas

It has been a wonderful week here in Polacca. The snow has come and gone everyday this week and it is still very cold here, at night it's sitting around 4 or 5 degrees. Christmas was wonderful, thanks for all of the thoughts and gifts, and it was even better because we didn't focus on ourselves but upon others. We spent the day going about trying to talk to people about "He Is The Gift" and gave people we know pictures of Christ as a gift. The best part of my day was when we went to visit a sister whose sons are all with their dad for the Holiday break. As soon as we walked in you see she just needed a visit. We talked to her for a minute and then gave her a couple of different pictures of Christ (because she's awesome) and she began to cry.

Another awesome thing that happened this week was Leroy's baptism. I've been working with him my entire mission and it has been amazing to see his growth. The baptism was awesome but the even better part was to see the family together again. Leroy's son just turned 8 and wanted for his father to see him get baptized so they decided to have the baptism here in Polacca. This is what gave Leroy the motivation to go cold turkey on all of the addiction that he was battling. On Saturday they were both baptized and confirmed, Leroy by me and his son by Bro. Polacca.

Elder Tippetts, Leroy, Elder Warnick, and Leroy's son and daughter

We're teaching lots of lessons and have a lot of people who are wanting to grow closer to their Father in Heaven. We are both doing very well and I am growing each day. I was told my first week in the mission that this is a advanced level course on life. It is so true, not only have I learned so much about myself, but I have also learned so much about others. I can see what kind of thing works in peoples lives and what doesn't. It's kind of funny as a missionary everyone who doesn't slam the door in your face (there are plenty of them) opens up to you and spills their life story to you. I've heard and learned lots out here. Hopefully I'll be able to apply that in real life.

Well that's it for this week. Happy New Year everyone.

Elder Warnick

(This was a reply to Melissa's email.)

Everyone,

Sounds like you all had a crazy Christmas. So many awesome gifts! I'm glad that you are all having a good break. I am also happy Luke likes my present so much. (He gave Luke an Origami Yoda book, Emperor Pickletine Rides the Bus,--which is Luke's favorite series right now.) I hope that you have all been having good dreams. (He gave all the boys dream catchers to hang above their beds.) You boys all looked so old I can't believe it! Well have a great week.

What A View

The Beginning of the Storm (also the new truck and the nicely insulated trailer)

Hopi Swag

P.S. to It's Almost Here!

December 22, 2014

This week was a bit slow because Friday through Sunday was Prayer Feather ceremonies. Everyone traditional or not was on the mesa involved in it (it's much more cultural than religious). They are an eagle feather that after prayers gives you protection, you put one in your house, in your car, some people even put them on their dogs. Well Anyways just a little insight.

It's Almost Here!

December 22, 2014

Polacca, AZ

 

Christmas that is. Christmas is just around the corner. As a missionary that doesn't mean it's much different than any other day except we get to Skype with our families and even less people will be around than usual (everyone is heading into Phoenix).

But what I'm even more excited about that is happening this week is on Saturday. Leroy, a guy I have been teaching my entire time out here, is getting baptized! He's gone through a lot of adversity and has turned his life around. We are so excited for him to be able to make those covenants with our Father and to see him finally reach the goal that he's been working toward for so long.

I went on exchanges this week and got to go to a Christmas program in Tuba City. It was awesome! It was beautiful to see people mixing their culture with Christmas. I heard a song that some kids danced to. It was a traditional song but it was Christmas oriented. "Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Ho ho hooo, ho ho hooo, ehh-ya ehh-ya" and so forth it was so cool. There was another song as well this was the 12 days of Christmas Rez Style.

     1 sack of BlueBird flour

     2 mutton ribs

     3 pieces of ach'ee

     4 fry breads

     5 Kneel-down breads

     6 bags of Pinions

     7 cans of Spam

     8 ears of steam corn

     9 rez puppies

     10 text messages

     11 bowls of mush

     12 bales of hay

The Branch Christmas Dinner went off with out a hitch. There was a lot less people than for Thanksgiving but it was just as good. Lots of fellowshipping and a cute program by the kids. It was awesome.

Well I met my Grandpa this week... Elder Merrill who trained Elder Hooton and Elder Hooton trained me so he is my grandpa. He served in Polacca over 2 years ago and came back to visit. He was at sacrament meeting and very obviously a former missionary (how many other white men in their 20's come to church on the Rez?) Well we got to talking and figured out a connection. He's a cool guy and it was a neat experience, not very many missionaries get that opportunity.

Well everyone I wish you a merry Christmas. Have a wonderful week.

Love, Elder Warnick

Week 15 in Hopi

December 15, 2014

Polacca, AZ

Well everyone on Saturday I hit 4 months...

It has been a good week out here in Hopiland. We are making some great progress with those we are teaching and with those that we are not.  We should have a baptism coming up here at the end of this month. It has been incredible to see him turn from being a known drunk and trouble maker, to living a completely sober life. Now he doing so much better. I have seen his health and countenance change completely. 

This week we had an experience like no other. A member invited her friend over to a lesson with her son at her house. Then her friend came to church this week, and he was the first one there! He spoke to us after the meeting and very emotionally said that "the way you teach and speak is like you personally know God and Christ. You guys speak with power and the spirit, it is so comforting. I just want to know where I can start." We are teaching him tonight. He is such an awesome guy.

As we get closer to Christmas we are trying as hard as we can to serve others, doing anything and everything from chopping wood, setting mouse traps, and fixing leaky roofs. It actually snowed this week! If gave us a break from the fog that we have been constantly experiencing for over a week now. It had been raining for 2 days straight and finally on Saturday morning it turned into a very heavy snowfall. It was funny seeing all of the people going 20mph when they could have been going a lot faster, but I guess that's just because I'm from Idaho and know how to drive in snow. Well the snow only lasted for a few hours but it was here and awesome while it was. It stayed on the mountains in the distance and makes for some beautiful scenery. 

Now here is something strange, we've knocked into a ridiculous number of southerners this week. Elder Tippetts loves it and they do too. They love to talk about things and places back east that I have no idea about. However it is awesome because we've got a lot of people that we've met this week who we really hit it off with. We also got to have a great discussion with a Jehovah's Witness about our beliefs and about her's. We had a good in depth discussion and came out respecting both sides, we also have been invited back to talk a little more with her about what we believe. The best part is that there was a very minimal amount of bashing and a lot more of just talking.  

Well this week has been great I wish you all happy holidays.

Love, Elder Warnick

Me and Tippetts

December 8, 2014

Polacca, AZ

Everyone,

This week has been different than any other. Elder Hooton is gone now and will soon be home, now it's me and Elder Tippetts. We are both loving it in Hopi and are getting along just fine. He is from North Carolina and he brought the rain from there. He says every time that he gets transferred it rains for a couple of days. Well he was right when we got back Tuesday night it started raining and it didn't stop until halfway through Friday, and ever since then there has been lots of fog. I am blessed to know how to drive in foul weather because some of these Arizonans scare me on the roads. I am also driving if you couldn't guess. We got a new truck just over a week ago it is an awesome color of Nissan frontier and right now it is brown from all of the mud that we have to drive through. We have a lot of things in common and also like a lot of the same things so we are getting along pretty well.

As many of you know it was the christmas devotional last night. It was awesome and really helped give me a spiritual boost for the week. I really appreciated Elder Christofferson's talk during it.  Afterwards we had a good branch social. Snacks and fellow-shipping, you can never go wrong with those.

This week we have really been pushing spreading "He Is The Gift" if you guys haven't watched that yet you should it is really powerful.

We have seen some great miracles this week. One of them is a new investigator named John. He is awesome. He used to be a preacher and was also pretty involved with the Kivas. He got in a car accident that destroyed his body and he has been making a slow recovery during the years. He knows so much of what we have been teaching him and it is awesome. He told us that he knows the true church was taken from the earth and many other things that were amazing knowledge! He has certainly been prepared by the Lord.

Well it was a slow week so not much more happened.

Thanks for all of the prayers.

Love, Elder Warnick

Thanksgiving

December 1, 2014

Polacca, AZ

Everyone,

Well here is transfer news. I am staying in Polacca for at least 6 more weeks. Elder Hooton is headed to Farmington for the last 2 weeks of his mission so today is my last day with him. We are headed to Page today to drop him off, where he will go with another elder to Farmington. After that I am picking up an elder then driving back to Tuba City. Where we will stay the night where he will bed with his new companion, and I will have to wait in Tube for my companion to come in from Kayenta. His name is Elder Tippetts and he is serving in Kayenta. He's not going very far to come to Polacca, he is staying in the same stake. He's a good guy I know him already because we are in the same Zone. It seems like it is going to be a lot of fun.

We had a great Thanksgiving and even got a thanks giving gift from the mission... a new truck! It is a Charcoal 2013 Nissan Frontier. Now we can sneak up on people's houses because no one knows who we are now, except for the fact that we are 2 white guys dressed up really nice.

The work is moving forward again. We have 2 people on date to be baptized. One is a 12 year old boy who is really excited about everything, he also has ADHD and his mom (formerly less-active) tells us that the gospel is the only thing that he can actually focus on. I know that this is the Lord helping him on this path. The other person on date is Leroy. He is working hard to be baptized on by the end of this month. I am pretty confident that they will both make their dates, but I also know that the adversary will be working as hard as he can to prevent them from making it.

This was kind of a slow week so that's all that I have for now. Hope you all have a good week.

Love,

Elder Warnick

November 24, 2014

Here are three pictures from this week. The first is just me standing in front of white mesa. The next is a random lake that Elder Lake and I came across while on exchanges in Tuba City. And the third is Elder Scofield (the zone leader) and I. We were trying to turn our shirts red with the color change setting on my camera but our white faces turned red instead, it was funny so I kept it.

Elder Warnick in front of White Mesa

Random Lake in Tuba City

Elder Schofield and Elder Warnick playing with the camera. The white is supposed to be red. Just picked up their white faces!

Week 13 in Hopi

November 24, 2014

Polacca, AZ

This week was good. I went on more exchanges and the end of the transfer is almost here. Now here is some good news to start this off. After Interviews with President Batt I know that I am staying  here in Hopi Land! It is so wonderful out here and I am picking up on a decent amount of Hopi it's one of the toughest languages that exist (along with Mandarin and Tewa [which I'm also learning a bit of]).

We had our Thanksgiving party this week and over 200 people came. It was a moment like the loaves and the fishes. We don't know how we made that food stretch that far.  We were so busy setting up tables and chairs for the unexpected crowd that we didn't even get to eat before all of the food was gone. 

This week we have had some really great experiences with lessons and investigators. We are teaching 2 very awesome very solid families. Everything is going well with them and it is always awesome to be in a lesson and just have the spirit take over.

Yesterday was the primary program. It went very well. I just love little kids they are so adorable, especially little Hopi kids. I've never seen more adorable kids than our here.

Well we have been very warm in our newly equipped camper. However on Tuesday our pipes in the camper froze then the next day the church pipes froze and broke. But thanks to Papa Ed (Mr. Edwards) (Dallin's Ag Teacher that taught him welding at Kuna High) I know how to solder and I was able to help fix the pipes to the church that same day and we were able to have the water running in time for the church party that night!

I am doing fine out here and I miss all of you!

Love,

Elder Warnick

Week 12 in Hopi

November 17, 2014 

Polacca, AZ

Lolo ma (hello) everyone,

Well I hit three months this week... It's strange to think about.

I thought that it was supposed to be warm in Arizona! This week was cold. We have been waking up to 45 degree temperatures in our trailer and outside the temperatures are below 10 degrees. However the Housing Coordinator, Elder James came out today and helped us with our trailer now it is ready for the winter and we should be good. We put lots of insulation in and did a ton more stuff. He told us that our "trailer is honestly the worst in the whole mission."  Then he told us that we also have the least complaints than anywhere else in the mission. Boy we are awesome!

That's how cold it got inside... it's frost!

This week was the legendary exchange. I was in Polacca with Elder Christensen from Boise all week but Hooton was in multiple areas. We started a legend with this. Now on my side of the week Elder Christensen broke his glasses so we called President and Sister Batt and they said since we are only an hour away from Holbrook to go. So we did. It was awesome there were people!!! We also ate at Carl's Jr. 

Eating at Carl's Jr.

Elder Christensen

But that's not all. We were driving around killing time until the eye doctor opened again when we came across a couple of elders tracting. So we put on sunglasses and covered our name tags with our hands and followed them. They kept looking back at us and they knew it was a mission truck (a white Tacoma with New Mexico plates) but they don't know who it was. Hopefully they think that is was the Assistants to the President checking up on them.

Elder Christensen and I also got to eat dinner on the Mesa! We went to the feast with a member of the branch and we ate! Just like you do anywhere on the Hopi reservation, but we got to eat deer and elk Hominy stew. It was awesome!

This week was the Phoenix Temple dedication. It was so hard telling people that they can't come to church this week. ): But it was such an awesome experience. We also watched the last half hour of the cultural celebration. There was one part of it that was awesome. At the end the kids all sang 'Called to Serve' and all of the missionaries in the Phoenix Mission marched out carrying flags of where they are from and they stood there as the song went on. It kind of moved me, just thinking about how awesome it is to be on a mission.

Elder Hooton and I also did a lot of tracting this week (our mission is one of the few that still knocks doors as a regular activity). We love walking around on dirt roads and trails trying to find people to talk to...especially when it is 20 degrees with 16 mph winds. But I really do love it out here.

Tracting

Elder Hooton Tracting

Tracting with an awkward face

Well that's about it for this week. Kwa kwai (thank you) for all of the prayers!

Love,

Elder Warnick

Random Mountain

Rare Patches

Sheep

Death by Pizza

November 10, 2014

Polacca, Arizona

The first thing I have to say this week is never ever get the Little Caesar's Pretzel Pizza. It is disgusting. We got one last week and both got sick from it. It doesn't even have pizza sauce on it but cheese sauce instead. Just thinking about it makes us sick.

Well this week was really slow for us. We were hardly able to get any lessons. One day we had 8 set appointments and we ended the day with 0, they all fell through. It is really hard on the Rez, since a lot of natives just go with the flow and don't plan for things. Our senior couple is great but they don't know their place yet. There is a culture barrier between the US and the Rez and then one between Canada and the US so they are still trying to figure things out. They also don't keep appointments. We were supposed to go to a lesson with them and they weren't there to pick us up. We talked to them later that night and found out that they were in Winslow. We can only hope that they can figure this out with time.

We gave a blessing this week to a 15 year old girl whose family we are really close to, just before she got life-flighted to Flagstaff. Her Pancreas, Liver and Kidneys had shut down. She got to flag (Flagstaff, AZ) and all that they had to do was remove her gall bladder and then 2 kidney stones. Thank goodness, it was very scary for a time.

Well this week I broke a promise that I made to myself over the summer. I swore never to paint again. But this week I painted 2 houses. I guess that it is a talent or something that I must share with the rest of the world. A professional painter who we were doing this with actually commented on how good I was at painting and said if I ever need a job that he'll hire me on the spot. So yeah...

We have gotten our cold nights figured out. We have insulated the trailer better and have even more ideas on what to continue to do to make it winter proof, so no need to worry about that anymore. 

Now the funny story. Elder Barrett asked a brother for his last name. This brother then looked at him and said, "Wow that's the exact same thing that my ex-wife asked me. We all lost it. Boy oh boy the people out here have quite a sense of humor.

Well that's it for this week Love you all.

Love,

Elder Warnick

Canadians and drunks (not realated)

November 3, 2014

Polaaco, Arizona

Well they are here! The Barretts our new senior couple! They are from Alberta Canada and are awesome. They are very missionary minded and ready to go out with us and to help us wherever we need it. They got here on Friday and have already fed us 3 times. We are in store for some full days ahead. However is is scary to drive with him I glanced over at the speedometer and he was going 120 miles per hour! I thought we were going to die. Then I realized that his truck is in Kilometers per hour and that he was only going 70 the speed limit. Thank goodness. It is still kind of unnerving though.

The winter months have started and It is getting cold here in Polacca. When we woke up this morning it was 43 degrees... In our trailer. Outside it was 26 degrees. We are trying to figure out how to better stay warm and we have some ideas. It doesn't help that they disconnected our heat though so all we have is a space heater. But We'll make due.

As some of you already know I met a kind of relative this week. He is my mom's cousin's husband's dad. We came over to talk to us about our area just because we were missionaries and then we got talking and I realized that I knew the people he was talking about. It really is a small small world. (I hope you all sing that song to yourselves now)

We were shopping and on the way out of Bashas this week we saw a drunk getting arrested (alcohol is illegal on the reservation). He tried to struggle and when we were about 5 feet away (no joke) the officer swiped his feet out from under him and slammed him on the ground. It was quite a thump. And the guy just laid there after that, he couldn't  move.

We also had stake conference this week and it was awesome. Our broadcast from Salt Lake included Elder Cristofferson and President Uchtdorf (who used to live in Arizona). It turns out that there are 96 stakes in Arizona. We are in a blessed area. The church is also now starting a self reliance program in Tuba City. The first in North America.

We have found quite a few new great investigators this past week. So many that we had President Batt call us and congratulate us on it. Well thanks for all of your prayers. I love you all.

Love, Elder Warnick

Miracles, Pocahontas, and Hairy Pigs

Well our investigators who were all having a hard time are back. they are no longer drinking and the other is our of Jail. We are trying to see them more and more but the adversary is working hard and trying to make them doubt.

This week we were in a gas station when the cashier asked us if we have any pamphlets that we give out. Naturally we said yes and that we would be right back. She in turn left the register followed us out to our truck and then we gave her a restoration and a Plan of Salvation pamphlet as well as a Book of Mormon. She seemed really excited and we can't wait to see her again. Little miracles from working like the Lord wants and talking to everyone that we see.

October 27, 2014 

Polacca, Arizona 

Here is a funny thing when we teach about the restoration we have a lot of  natives forget Joseph Smith's name and they all call him John Smith. No this isn't a big difference but it always makes me thing about Pocahontas. I shouldn't laugh but I do.

We went to the Hopi High football game on Friday. Let's just say that they could use some coaching and some work in the weight room. They lost 0-56 and didn't hold Red Mesa to 4 downs ever. Every possession Red Mesa scored. It was painful to watch.

We ate a pig this week. Bro. Crowfoot had a freshly butchered pig (there was still some hair on it) from his inlaws when we went over to eat on Wednesday. The pig's name was Kevin (like Kevin Bacon) and was the best pig I've ever tasted. Food is interesting on a mission you think you won't eat well but everytime you go to someones house for a meal they say "I bet you never get to eat steak' or "ribs". Let's just say I've had ribs 5 times in the past 2 weeks. I never thought that I would be tired of them.

Here is this week's miracle. We got tied up in K-town because it took us an hour to get out the door of one guys house because he likes to talk (really he does we didn't get a word in for an hour). Well because of this we were an hour late to an appointment and missed the man we were going to go see, but because we were late we got to talk to the baby sitter. The same girl who we taught a couple of weeks ago and didn't get her name or address. Now we were able to find her, teach her again, and set up another appointment to go to her house. The Lord works in mysterious ways.

Oh I'm also serving with and Elder Christensen in my district now. He is from Boise and graduated from Borah. He also knows the Hainsworths really well., It was fun to talk about home with someone.

Well that's it from Hopi this week. I love you all!

Elder Warnick

White trash whiteboard in our trailer

Dance

Millennium Falcon Kite!

Partly cleaned off chimney sweep

Sick new tie and dog fight weapon

I'm a MONKEY / Week 7 in Hopi

October 20, 2013

Polacco, Arizona

 

Well everyone I'm a monkey. A district leader monkey... We got a call Friday night and knew something was up because it was President Batt. He gave us some news. Both Elder Hooton and I are staying in Polacca! And then he called Elder Hooton as District Leader, and because of that I have my title (the companion of the DL is called the District Leader Monkey).

Well this week has been a lot better than last. We hardly had any lessons, but we have been able to get back in contact with most of those investigators who we lost. And good news our other investigator gets out of Jail today! Hopefully he will have been humbled by this experience and will be willing to commit to baptism.

I was supposed to speak in church again yesterday but it didn't happen. We had the whole Stake Presidency there and they released our Branch President, President Funk. Now the President is President Wallace, he is a white guy who is a Judge for the Tribe. It will be different because he doesn't really know the people or the culture as well as Funk (who has lived here for 35 years). It will be good though. There is a different level of organization, he really wants to get people to the temple, he has hope the the Hopi people will come to see the light, and he is really excited to use us and to work with us as much as he can.

I saw my first real road runner this week. They are quick little buggers. This week I also saw some Kachinas (well the Navajo ones I don't know what they call them). We were eating at Pizza Edge in Tuba City when there was a knock on the window and there were 5 kachinas. They opened the door and then the workers there gave them a sack of flour. The Navajo fair was going on so that explains their presence. All of the kids in the restaurant were terrified though, they thought they were the Yetis (the discipline kachinas), and if the kids were misbehaving they could have been spanked by them.

We did a lot of service this week. We chopped woods (as the natives would say), we dug a 40 foot trench for a propane line in super hard Arizona soil. And we helped put in a stove (everyone uses wood burning stoves for heat). When we put in the stove I finally got be a chimney sweep. Ever since the first time that I watched Mary Poppins I've wanted to do it. Well let's just say that movie makes it look way more fun. But the blackness of the face it completely true. (I'll send pictures next week, my camera is dead so I can't hook it up to the computer).

This week has been really fun and I can't wait to spend more time here in Hopi.

Love,

Elder Warnick

-

Cops and a High Girl

October 13, 2014 

Polacca, AZ


Well everyone this has been a much better week in HopiLand. It is getting cold, and am am thankful for suit season (we have to wear suits or sweater from conference to conference unless it is above 70 degrees). I have a cold because of how chilly and windy it gets during the day.

Well this week I got to on exchanges in Tuba City again, this time with Elder Lake. We had an awesome time. Going to Tuba is nice because it is a city, but I was reminded of how "Rezzy" it was when we saw 3 horses running down the sidewalk of the main street being chased by a 12 year old native in her Pj's. 

While in Tuba City we knocked into a guy who was very rude. He said "I don't associate with the LDS, respect my religion." and he slammed the door. We then knocked on the door again to give him a card with our number on it. He then said "you are disrespecting my religion" we asked what religion he was and he said "none and I am calling the Cops" This is where my fiery attitude got us in trouble, Elder Lake and I can both get a bit hot headed... So we told him to call the cops. (they can't do anything to us because we're white) Well he slammed the door again after throwing something at me, we stuck the card in his door and walked away. He came our and ripped up the card threw it across his yard and got on the phone. We continued to knock at other people's doors for a good 45 minutes in the same cul-du-sac and the cops never showed up. It was a funny, freaky experience. and now I know I have diplomatic immunity. And I remembered that Navajo cops never come to anything... I also need to keep my emotions in check...

I have a couple of sweet pictures to send out but I forgot my camera... I have a sick new tie and a dog fighting weapon.

So Elder Hooton and I went to teach a Less Active, when we got there the door was answered by a babysitter. She let us in and then the Less Actives 30 year old daughter came out, she was high. She was so high that her dad got a babysitter for her kids while she was there. We sat down and began to Teach the babysitter who seemed interested, and then the high girl came into play. She has never listened to us except for once when the Tree of Life caught her eye. She began to teach the  other girl about the tree of life and to cuss her out at the same time. She then told the babysitter (who is about her age) to leave and so she went into the other room (we're trying to find where she lives). Well anyway the high girl continues to teach us about our doctrine and then told us that we should teach the people in the jail. We tried to tell her that we are trying to get it worked out so that we can but she stopped us and told us that we don;'t try we do, that Jesus didn't try that he did. She told us that Jesus sacrificed and asked if we are, we said yes implying the 2 years, but she then asked us "do you have nails in your hands, no. Are you on a cross, no." Later she taught us about how we worshiped ALLAH and then gave us a $200 Kachina Drawing, that we are returning to her father because he seemed mad when it happened. We can't wait to go back and see how she acts when she down to earth.

We have some awesome new investigators who live in K-Town and they are super interested. We started to have a lesson with a guy who was burning outside, and then his girlfriend came out and told us to come inside. We then had a lesson with Him the girlfriend and the girlfriend's less-active Grandmother, who has a solid testimony.

Now here's sacrament meeting. Basically I'm the only person who sings, because no one else knows the songs or even how to sing. But we were sitting next to a blind lady one day and at the end of the meeting she turns to Elder Hooton and says "you have a beautiful voice" he replied that it was actually me and that he was just mouthing the words. She then shook he head and said 'I heard his voice and trust me it wasn't good"...wow that was funny. Cyrus a 3 year old boy bore his testimony, let me start by telling you that he is a goofball and when he went up we didn't know what to expect. This is what he said in his deepest voice "hello everybody, this is me Cyrus and that's my mom. I just want to talk to you all today and say I'm grateful for the Elders and that my new name is Elder Dukepoo." he said lots of other stuff but it was great.

Well today I leave you all with this:

SEE MEET THE MORMONS!!!

We got to see this movie a couple of days before it came our and it is amazing the movie will change your life. It is awesome!!! Bring friends to see it as well, it is funny as well as heart touching and really lets people know that Mormons aren't as stereotypical at they think. Also see it in these first 2 weeks because the more it is seen in these first 2 weeks the more theaters it gets seen in around the world. It is a great tool to open people's hearts to talking about what you believe.

Also a side note this coming week is transfers and I won't know what's happening until Saturday night. Since mail takes 5-6 days to get here please don't send my anything until I can let you know if I'm going or staying. Just so that missionaries don't have to worry about forwarding things. Thanks.

Love you all,

Elder Warnick

180 Flip

October 6, 2014 

Polacca, AZ

Well this week was awesome until Thursday. This week I got to go on exchanges with my district leader Elder Riley. We had an awesome time and some really great spiritual encounters.

Elder Hooton and I have been working hard and we are teaching a lady, Madeline, who is loving the Book of Mormon. She's kind of embarrassed that she is reading so much, but it's awesome! We went to her house Sunday between sessions and she had BYUtv on. She was watching conference.

Now the 180 flip is where our entire area turned around in a couple of days. We were doing hot some really good investigators and a couple of baptism dates for this month. Now we don't have any dates. One of our investigators who had a date is in Phoenix in the hospital. The other one was absolutely wasted when we went to visit him. We dropped by again yesterday and he was on the couch with a pillow over his head. He looked at us when we knocked and then covered his head back up. Our other good investigator is in jail. Hopefully he just beat someone up and it wasn't drugs of alcohol, because those would get him another year minimum. It was a disheartening week, but thank goodness for the atonement.

Well other things are going well. I'm leaning more and more Hopi. And this week is Zone conference. Well learn more about i-Pads and get to watch Meet the Mormons.

Conference was amazing! We have lots to share with the investigators that we have left. And the treats were awesome, thanks mom. the Dukepoo kids liked them too. (They are about the only kids who attend our branch).

Fun fact... we have a full size gym in our church. But we only have 4 classrooms, and our chapel has only 5 rows in it.

I am feeling great but October is getting cold. Our RV doesn't hold heat very well and we don't have the heat functioning in the RV, this is because of the Carbon Monoxide Poisoning scare where a couple of Elders got really sick a few months before I came. Never fear we check our detectors each week. Well anyways we have 2 space heaters which we crank up to 80 and when we wake up it is somewhere between 60 and 65 in our RV.

The new senior couple is coming at the end of this month.They are currently serving in Canada but have to move while their home gets worked on. Some reason they are coming here but hopefully they'll be awesome!

Well that's it from me in Hopi this week.

Love,

Elder Warnick

Stormy Weather

September 29, 2014

Polacca, Arizona

This week has been great. Leroy came to church again and he is also working on his word of wisdom problems. I have no doubt that he will make his October 25 baptismal date. We went on exchanges with the Zone Leaders and we blitzed our area. Elder Hooton and Elder Nishimoto knocked all day in K-town and Elder Scoffield and I went to a couple of lessons and knocked in Polacca and Kemes. We had a lesson with Leroy and President Povatah (member of the stake presidency in our ward) came with us. They have a very similar background and he was able to share some personal insights. Another awesome part of that lesson was when I asked President how the Book of Mormon has blessed his life he started to talk, it went on for 15 minutes but the best part was that half of it was in Hopi! We couldn't understand it except for a few words I know but the spirit was there so strongly in the room. We also taught some other good lessons and found lots of potentials.

So there were some HUGE storms out here this week. Saturday was the biggest though, we easily got 2.5 inches of rain in 3 hours. The wind was so bad that it ripped a metal shutter on our trailer off after it was mangled in the storm. The lightning was so close that it lit up all of our windows at once and the thunder was shaking our trailer.

Now that wasn't the only stormy thing that happened out here. We got a call in the middle of the week saying that we can't move into the single wide because there is a new senior couple coming down for a few months from Canada while their house gets worked on. We were distraught, but after a talk on the phone with President Batt we cleared some stuff up, there is a possibility of them coming. They have a choice between Polacca, Tuba City and another area, and they may not even come down at all. So we have a glimpse of hope (and while no one is living there we have a shower that we can stand up in, water pressure too).

We have Zone Conference on the 8th of October and we get a special treat. We get to see Meet the Mormons before it is released. I am so excited for that. Even better news we also got an e-mail from President telling us that we will have our i-Pads before the end of the year, the specific date will be told to us soon. This is really nice because he is against it, if it was up to him I honestly don't think that he would let us have them at all and I would have to wait until June when we get a new Mission President. But luckily it seems that Salt Lake has Forced it upon him.

Well that's all for this week in Hopi, we'll see how the housing situation pans out.

Love,

Elder Warnick

A Desolate Land Blossoms

Here is a video about the Hopi and Navajo Gardens that Elder Warnick talks about. 

Polacca Pictures

Pictures from Polacca

Sent on September 22, 2014

Church Gardens that are right by the church and their home

The Mission Truck--a Toyota Tacoma. Church building in the background.

Elder Hooton and the Dukepoo kids all playing Sorry. It looks like Elder Warnick might be losing, if he's blue.

Our Current Home-which is right on the church property too.

 The next three pictures all appear to be taken from the exact same spot. You can spot Elder Warnick's knee in the bottom of the pictures.

They use the big white board for planning.

Elder Warnick gets the top bunk. They have to drink bottled water too. The Rez water could make them sick.

Not a gourmet kitchen! But at least there is a microwave, fridge and stove.

Soon to be home. The Elders will be moving over here in a couple weeks. Looks like a nice upgrade for them! It's just across from their current home.

The View!

First Mesa