One month in the Mission

Hi everyone,

It is unbelievable that I have been here a month. My companion, Sister Joan Turner, is a registed nurse. She teaches Certified Nurse Assistant classes. There are 10 students in the morning and 10 at night. We have the last regular test on Tue. and then the rest of the time will be spent studying for the final and for the practical tests. The students have to have 40 hours of lecture, 40 of lab, and 40 hours of clinical. I help by correcting tests and keeping up the paper work that she has to submitt at the end of the class so that the students can get certified. In Arizona someone wanting to be a RN must first take the CNA class, so she always has plenty of people who call and ask about the class and when the next one is going to start. They come from as far away as 1 1/2 hours travel time each way. The class is held on Tue. Wed. & Thur. Mon and Fri are prep days and catch up days. Sat is preparation day or we change it for M or F. Sun. is church and anything that we might need to help with. We already had to do all of Primary with just a pianist to help us. We have spoken at a baptism where the speakers didn't show up. We are in the choir. At first it was just the Sister Missionaries and the Elders with one Navajo Sister, but more have started to come.

The Navajo people are beautiful. They also have their own idea on the importance of time that is very different from ours. Those in the Church longer are getting the idea that starting on time is important. The country is very different in some ways, red earth and monoliths and the same, desert. We live by one of the tourist attractions on the Navajo Rez called Canyon de Chelly (pronounced Shay). There are Anasazi ruins in it. I have seen part of it but not all, it is huge.

I miss doing proselyting, but all we have time for is to help out in the ward when needed and support the Elders in their work.

I hope you have all had a HAPPY THANKSGIVING. I know that I am thankful for the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life and for His atonement. There are many more things I am thankful for, but that is the most important.

Best Wishes

Sister Casos, Grandma, Mom