Monday

In the morning we got a call from a lady named Sister Cleveland asking us to come and help her fix her cable television, so we went and miraculously we fixed it! After that, we spent a few hours exploring the ruins of Toyei, Arizona! It is neat to see abandoned buildings like an abandoned police academy and stuff like that. We found badges from the original police department in the ruins, which are pretty neat.

Tuesday

Me and Elder Asher bought a neat wooden doll from a man named Raymond this morning. We were pretty much swindled into buying them because Elder Cahoon said we would come back so I and Elder Asher could pick one out that they like. They are pretty neat, though! After buying the wooden dolls, we walked across the street to Sister Cleveland's house and we helped her weed her yard. By weeding, I mean we tore out every bit of grass that she had in her backyard until it was completely bare, and it took over 2 hours! Afterwards, we went home, got dressed in proselyting clothing and visited Irene and taught her the message of the Restoration. I had to talk most of the time because my companions were a little sleepy, but it turned out to be a good lesson. Later, we drove far out into the boonies of the reservation and tried to visit a couple of people at a hooghan in the middle of nowhere, but they were busy cooking dinner so we made our way back home.

Wednesday

It rained all day today, so there were a lot of flooded roads blocking many of the people that we wanted to visit. We were, however, able to visit the Namokies, a really nice family who haven't been to church in a good while. We had a great lesson with them and I really felt the Spirit working on them. When we got home for the night, there was some relief society thing that had just ended at the church about tie-dying shirts, so we went over there when it was done and Elder Asher and Elder Cahoon tie-dyed some shirts! They turned out looking pretty neat.

Thursday

This day in history, I left my family to go to the missionary training center! I was able to celebrate my year mark with Elder Asher and Elder Black, who entered the MTC at the same time as I did. After district meeting today we had a district lunch prepared by Elder and Sister Libbert! The food they prepared was the number one enemy to a white shirt. I won't say what it is because I want to leave you guessing! After district meeting we visited with Laura at the rez golf course and talked about reading the Book of Mormon and how important it is for us. After arriving back at the trailer, we drove out to visit an old man named Jackie, who is a very nice old man with a contagious smile. We returned to the church after attempting to visit a few other people and we hosted our weekly Book of Mormon class. After the class, we had some rolls cooked by Sister Wetzel that were super delicious! We played ping-pong afterwards and it was super fun!

Friday

We got dressed in service clothes early in the morning around 8am and drove out to Jackie's hooghan to help him chop some awkwardly shaped wood for a couple hours. Me and Elder Asher celebrated our year mark afterwards by burning one of our shirts at the abandoned police academy in Toyei! We found a crobar in while we were at Toyei, that was pretty fun. We drove home after visitng Toyei for a bit, and we spent most of the rest of today doing our weekly planning session. We visited a family in the evening and had dinner with them. They are Jeremy and Jewels, and they have sons named Chris and Jacob. After that, we drove home, set up tables and chairs for the harvest festival coming up, and turned in for the night.

Saturday

We played basketball with Chris this morning for our exercise time, and afterwards we got into our service clothes to help a different Raymond shovel dirt for a couple of hours. He fed us breakfast after we helped him out. When we drove back to the church, we helped Elder and Sister Wetzel set up for the harvest festival a bit more. The harvest festival started later in the evening, and we were there for about an hour before we had to go home and take a video call from the zone leaders. We went back to the harvest festival after the phone call to help clean up, and Sister Wetzel gave me some nice gloves and scissors for helping out.

Sunday

At sacrament meeting, I played the opening, sacrament, and closing hymn, gave the opening prayer, and passed the sacrament solo. We also cleaned up the sacrament afterwards and taught Sunday school. I think this is the most involved I have ever been in a sacrament meeting in my entire life! After church was over we ate lunch prepared by the Wetzels. After our personal studies we drove out to visit a couple people with the Wetzels then drove home because we didn't want to get trapped in the rain. Later in the evening we helped Raymond (The one across the street from the church) move a couch to his backyard for some reason. We turned in for the night after that.

 We burned shirts on our one-year mark, as per missionary tradition! 

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No weird foods lately. The weirdest I have had is probably fry bread, which isn't that weird.

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Monday

We went to the church in Aztec and played lots of basketball with most of the zone of missionaries, plus a returned missionary and an investigator who wanted to come play basketball with us. Afterwards, we got some delicious ice cream slushies at Sonic! Me, Elder Daffer and Elder Bruning drove around town trying to find a few people after prerparation day hours, and then turned in at the trailer early so I could get packing to my new area.

Tuesday

We left at around 8 o'clock in thte morning to get ton the Apache building in Farmington where I met with a bunch of missionaries who were getting on the transfer van, including Elder Asher, my first new companion. Elder Bruning was with me in the transfer van until we got to Gallup, where me and Elder Asher got together with Elder Cahoon, my second new companion. I said goodbye to Elder Bruning, and then we drove all the way to Steamboat, Arizona! When we arrived at our trailer (which is really nice), we got a phone call from the president's assistants who asked us if we got the mattress in Farmington, which nobody told us about. Since we didn't get it, we ended up getting a cot from the senior couple next door, the Wetzels. We hung out with them to get to know them for a bit, and they gave us ice cream at the church and we played ping-pong until it was time to get back indoors.

Wednesday

We visited a woman named Rosie in the morning and we gardened her yard for about 2 hours, thenwe helped her lift a skinned/decapitated goat into a tree. That was pretty gross. Later, we went with the Wetzels in their car and drove to a bunch of appointments, and later went to a restuarant called Keam's Canyon, and we got some tasty food there! We drove home afterwards.

Thursday

This morning we witnessed a dog get hit by a truck going at least 50mph! That was the first time I'd ever seen that happen in my life. The truck never stopped, either. These are the things that happen on the reservation! We drove out to Ganado to have district meeting, and I played piano for that. On our way back to Steamboat, Elder Asher hit a bird with the truck. Today is just FULL of people hitting animals with vehicles! We had a lesson with a lady named Laura who is a returning member and she lives on a golf course, which is pretty neat. Apparently this golf course is free for anyone who has a golf ball and a golf club, so maybe we could go there on Mondays for preparation day. We went out tracting for a bit in the neighborhood across the street from the church and met an old lady named Irene who said she would come to church and we gave her a Book of Mormon. Later in the evening we had a Book of Mormon study class and we studied out of Mosiah.

Friday

We helped  Sister Hildreth, a returning member, fill in a trench on the sides of her house that was still being built, and after that we visited a man named Derron and we prayed for him and pulled out a bunch of poles that were in his yard for him. We returned home and did our weekly planning session, and later visited the Begay family. They have a son named Chris who is always ready to help with whatever is put to the task, and another son named Jacob, who is off-the-wall bonkers. We spent our last few minutes to visit somebody at Cody's home to wish him a happy birthday. He is a member.

Saturday

We went to the fire department in the morning for exercise time and we got together with Chris and played basketball at the Fire Department's driveway. After that, we got into our service clothes and helped Sister Cleveland, a returning member, weed her yard for a couple hours. We rerturned home and get dressed in our proselyting clothing and visited a few people towards Ganado, and afterwards came back and got dressed in our service clothes again to help a man named Tom weed his yard for a couple of hours. By the time we were done with that, I was exhausted! Later in the day at around 6 o'clock President Attson who I think is one of the counsellors gave us a call and asked me to give a talk tomorrow. The late notice stressed me out a bit, but I just decided to use a talk that I had already prepared.

Sunday

We prepared the sacrament in the morning at the church and Elder Cahoon and brother Begay blessed the sacrament while Elder Asher passed the sacrament. I gave my talk about what I have learned on the mission, and I spoke to about 20 people. After sacrament meeting was over, we went over to the other church building and we taught the young men. After church was over we had lunch at the church which the Wetzel's prepared for us, and Sister Wetzel made a fruit pizza for me because I told her I liked it. That was really kind of her! Later, we visited a man named Roy who gave us some food grown from his church garden! His cantaloupe was all yellow and it looked like a squash! It was really good, though. After that, we returned home and shot rubber bands at stuff.

Sorry about the previous blank emails, my Alpha-Smart keyboard was being wacky. 

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I have some news for you, mom... I can only check the mail once a week every Thursday! I am in such a deep reservation that they don't have a mailbox here. I will try to continue sending letters like normal.

I heard I already have a package from the Ganado missionaries, and I have no idea what it is. I am excited to see it!

Steamboat is pretty crazy. I have already handled a dead sheep and I have done many hours of service in people's yards. The houses here are super spread out across the reservation so it is hard to reach people. My trailer is super nice though! Apparently it has only been here for one year so it hasn't gone through very much missionary abuse. The plan for today is to go explore an abandoned town! I will take pictures for the fam back home.

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-Elder Asher Zen style

-a rain bug. A Navajo man once told me that when one squishes a rain bug it summons rain upon the earth. Missionaries call them squash bugs because they are so juicy.

From Grandpa Thomson:

 Blister beetles contain cantharidin, a poisonous chemical. Other species of blister beetles are common in alfalfa hay and can kill or cause other ill effects on livestock who feed on this hay. I don't know what this one feeds on, in particular, but others are parasites/predators of grasshopper eggs and their populations can fluctuate with grasshopper populations.

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Thoughts from Mom on hitting the one year mark:

One year!!!!! I have many thoughts about this day and the changes that have been happened over the course of the past year. My heart feels close to bursting with happiness and love for my Savior, Jesus Christ. I am so extremely proud of Elder Isaac Dittmer and the amount of progress he has shown, the testimony that is continually growing, and the example he is to me of never ending service. 

My testimony has also evolved in areas I didn't realize would happen. I feel closer to my Savior as I study the scriptures and conference talks, and especially when I see these amazing servants wearing black name tags!

I packed up this morining to head out to Aztec, where I became short-time companions with Elder Daffer and Elder Bruning. For preparation day we got haircuts and played card games together. It was lots of fun!

Tuesday

Me and Elder Bruning went out as a duo today because Elder Daffer had to stay home with Elder Sperry who caught the same sickness that I caught a little bit ago. We visited a lot of people and almost all of the people we visited tried to feed us somehow. We had a scheduled dinner at A&W with some members in Aztec 2nd ward. We had some delicious root beer! Later, we visited a Hindu lady and we taught her the Restoration. She fed us ice cream and kept offering it to us even after we were done. I had a lot of ice cream.

Wednesday

We were able to visit a lot of people today, and later in the day we gave a presentation about how to post inspirational messages on Facebook. We had a huge turnout, especially from Aztec 2nd ward. 

Thursday

We went to district meeting, and afterwards me and Elder Sperry went with the zone leaders to get back to Dulce. We cleaned up the Dulce place and said goodbye to the branch president, then made the 2 hour drive back to Aztec. We exchanged back to the normal companionships and visited some families and turned in for the night.

Friday

We did weekly planning in the morning and headed out to see people afterwards. We had a very spiritual lesson today with a member who recently moved in to the neighborhood.

Saturday

I got my transfer news today, and I am going to Steamboat, Arizona! This has to be one of the deepest reservations in the mission. I am going to serving with Elder Cahoon and maybe Elder Asher. My transfer news was a little confusing, so I don't know for sure if I'm serving in a triple companionship or not. Elder Daffer is staying in Aztec and Elder Bruning is going to Fort Wingate.

We saw a few investigators today who had questionable testimonies of what we teach, and at the end of the day we visited a family who fed us doughnuts and steak. 

Sunday

We went to church in the morning and I said my hellos and goodbyes to everyone there. Technically, I was officially a missionary serving in Aztec, but I only got to attend church here once. After church we visited an old couple who are members and we shared with them the Mormon message "Good Things to Come" and they said it was exactly what they needed. 

I am very excited to be serving in one of the deepest reservations in the mission, but it also makes me kind of nervous. There are a lot of crazy stories about steamboat, and not all of them are particularly appealing to hear about. Elder Bruning served next to steamboat and learned about the place a little bit. Also, my companion there, Elder Cahoon, went to high school with me and I sat next to him in art class! That's pretty neat.

Thanks for everything!

Mission home in Farmington, New Mexico.

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The sewer water wasn't so bad, it was pretty gross, though. It depended on how much water we were using, so we had to majorly limit the amount of water we used throughout the building. It's okay, though. I got transferred out of that mess.

No kidding, I am getting a MAJOR tour of the mission, especially because I'm going to steamboat, Arizona! I hear that there are some Hopi Native Americans there, but it is prominently Navajo. My goal is to have served in all four states in the mission and to serve with all of the different tribes of Native Americans. I already served with the Zuni, Jicarilla Apache, and Navajo. This is my chance to serve with Hopi people!

Hopefully I will get to go on some hikes in Steamboat. I couldn't go on any hikes in Dulce because we had to have an Apache person with us to go anywhere outside the main town. 

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Population in 2010 was 284 people.

97% Native American

2.4 square miles

Nicknamed by the Elders as "Dreamboat"

"The Navajo community named Steamboat “Hóyee,” which roughly translates to “State of Fright.” The meaning has been said to be attributed to a V shaped canyon, which converges with an overhanging cliff. At the convergence is a natural spring. Historically, the spring was a watering hole for passers-by. Local people feared being ambushed by enemies or mountain lions if they got water there. The name Steamboat refers to a large rock formation that resembles a steamship."

Looks like he needs to drive 20 miles to Ganado to get mail.

Facebook Posts:

Jesus Christ suffered everything and anything so we could live happily. Think of Christ whenever you are feeling discouraged, and He will bring you peace and happiness.

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As it says in the book of Alma in the Book of Mormon, "All things denote there is a God". Everything was made by God from the smallest insect to the entirety of the universe. Knowing this, I know that God loves us and cares for us, even though we amount to a speck of sand in the eternal scheme of things. The Atonement is real, and God's plan for us truly does bring us happiness!

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Look for the blessings in life instead of focusing on your misfortunes. This will surely bless you with greater joy and happiness, as well as give you a more positive outlook on life.

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This photo was taken in Mancos, Colorado. I am contemplating the greatness of God all around me while the sun sets behind me. It is amazing, this world that God gave to us, with all the wonder and beauty which can be found all over the world.

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A quote I love from Gérald Caussé;

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A great scripture from the book of Nephi;

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God gave us a body and sent us here on Earth to learn, grow, and to gain experience. As we pursue a righteous course, remember that God is the whole reason we even exist, therefore it is our duty to God to do as he has commanded. Glory be His name!

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Jesus Christ suffered everything in both the body and the spirit. That means he knows exactly what our struggles are, whether they are physical, emotional, or spiritual. He suffered like this because he loves each and every person on the Earth. This event is called the Atonement because He atoned for our sins. Now, we can repent and be made clean because of what Jesus Christ has done.

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Dieter F. Uchtdorf certainly knows what he is talking about. 

Jesus Christ truly is the light of the world!

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Service is a great way to show your love for the Lord. He sees your acts and knows your deeds. Therefore, do good, for it will bring peace and happiness into not only those you serve but it will bring peace into your life as well.

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I have always found great comfort in knowing about Heavenly Father's plan. I know that if I am good in His eyes in this life, then my future will be full of happiness. The same applies to everyone here on Earth. Live righteously, and you will be blessed beyond measure!

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Emergency Transfers!

I have been transferred to Aztec! My new companions for the week I'll be here are Elder Bruning and Elder Daffer. The reason: our plumbing was trash! We had floods in our place and the worst kinds of water were coming up out of the shower. To top it all off, a pipe broke on our water heater so we couldn't use hot water for a bit. Therefore, we got transferred a week in advance to escape the bad plumbing. I just recently found out from Elder Redford (zone leader) that the place we were living in in Dulce was called "The shack" and it has always had problems.

I have recovered from my sickness and am doing great. The most exciting thing that happened to me over the past week has to be that I learned how to bead from a member in Dulce. Now I can bead anything I want to in the Jicarilla Apache way! #keepingthetraditionsalive

Anyways, sorry for the short email, hopefully I will be able to send out a longer one next week!

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 Aerial view of Aztec, NM.

I have a feeling they don't live on the church grounds.

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Elder Dittmer's one word to describe the Book of Mormon: #delicious
#oneWORDtheWORD

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Elder Bruning and Elder Daffer