Drugs, Pugs, and Plugs

You know how earlier I mentioned that Akon filmed his music video to "Ghetto" in the neighborhood where I serve every day?
Abandoned homes, broken in buildings, attack dogs, the works.

Weed, vodka, and alcohol are an everyday sight, and families here are so torn apart.
It is so difficult to see the circumstances here.

Louella came back this week! She has been gone with her family since the Gilbert Arizona temple open house trip that we planned a month ago, and she has been following the word of wisdom ever since! Clean of everything!
She walked in with a shining countenance and a ton of energy, a huge smile radiating off her face. She held up a white handkerchief and exclaimed: "I am going to the temple dedication, and nothing can stop me!" She has been at home resisting temptation for a week, and this Sunday, she was interviewed and received her recommend!!! It has been so incredible to see Louella turn her life around. I love Louella, she is the strongest person I have met on my mission, and a lifelong friend I plan to continue to keep in touch with!

Elder Vicznesky is a stud! He's one of my best friends! We get along so well, and we can be ourselves in lessons, and everywhere we go. We crack everyone up and bring the spirit to the people we see. And he's teaching me to chill out and not stress too much when people don't follow their commitments. 

I've learned this week to teach people how to take care of themselves, and let them know I am here for them, but then to back up and let them take action. I can't do everything for them! I can give them the tools to come to God, but I can't force them there! I just have to have the faith that God will watch over them, and hope that they can make it. 

The sisters baptized a lady named Vera this week! Her testimony was so strong, her parents passed away when she was only a teenager, and she searched for a church ever since. She said the day the sisters knocked on her door changed her life! Tearfully, and with the spirit, she explained solemnly that her Heavenly Father takes care of her. She told us all that He loves us each, and His hand is in our lives. It's true too! How powerful!

We are all working at lucid dreaming at the trailer! We are doing dream checks and writing down our dreams to make them more vivid every night! I keep dreaming that I will be leaving Fort Defiance next transfer! Hopefully not!! The other two elders that Elder V and I live with are so awesome, we have a blast every day. Life is so good.

This week I thought a lot about my family and friends. I wish that I could talk with each of you for even a few minutes, and I regret that I am unable to write you all as much as I wish I could! But I love each of you so much, there is a part of each of you here with me in Arizona. I cherish you all, and pray for you each day. 

Shizhe’e doo shima, baa aheeh nisin. Ayoo inishne!
Aadoo Diyin nihil daholo dooleeł.

More Butchering, New Comps, and Horror Movie Settings!

What a week.

New companion, his name is Elder Vicznesky and he is awesome.
I was so relieved to be assigned to stay in Fort for another transfer, there is so much more to do here.
I am really enjoying serving with Elder V, he is a goofball and is always himself, but still spiritual and serious. He works super hard and we just get along really really well. It's so good to serve with someone who is fun to be around. Plus he is team Zooey Deschannel too. Most fun companion so far, we are going to get a lot done here.

This week has been full of laughter, hard work, and discouragement.
Lot's of rough things happening with people we care about, it is hard.
But lots of good stuff happening!
Like Lisa, who we met 3 weeks ago, is getting ready for her baptism in a week!
She is awesome! 17 years old, and loves church. Her mother speaks better in Navajo, so we have a translator during the lessons and she wants to be baptized too, eventually, when she understands it all. It is awesome to see people who are eager to follow Christ.

I am learning and growing more than ever. Trying to trust God more, and find my way closer to Him.
Learning a ton of Navajo, and having fun walking with the Lamanite people every day.
I love being surrounded by the Native Americans. When we go into town and are all around white people, it feels weird now!
I'm going to move into a hooghan and live off of sheep when I get off my mission.

Missed my friends and family very much this week, they are so important to me. 

Have an amazing week everyone. God bless. 

Good vibes your way.
-Elder Hilton

From 2/10/14:

The last few months of my life have been incredible. 

My companion has been so great, and I love the people I serve!
Over my time here in Arizona, we have reactivated over 10 less active members,
committed even more to working towards the temple,
and brought a few into the church through baptism.
We have 9 more people with a date set to get baptized.
I have seen numerous people change their lives and come closer to God and find Jesus Christ.

I have been happy!
I've been growing, surrounded by poverty and hardship.

I am serving the Navajo Nation!
I am learning a near-dead language!
I have a clan! "To ahani"
I have seen things that have changed me.
I love the Lord, and I love the life He gives me.
I love my family and miss them so much that it hurts.

This week I've seen some things that I never thought I would have to see. 

I have been so angry because of the injustice that exists here.
Two young children who were around something they should never have to deal with.
The drugs, sex, and poverty on the reservation are so prevalent here, but I never internalized it until I had to come face to face with it, and see how it was affecting a family that I really care about.
All you can do is pray when situations like this come up.

That's what I've found out this week.
Heavenly Father ALWAYS listens to us.
He might not always reply or grant your desires. Right away or at all.
But He listens to you.
He knows what is best for you. And He will DO what is best for you.
He knows what is best for me!
It's hard to be patient and wait for what He knows is best for us.
But I want to have faith that can't be shaken.

I love all of you so much, and miss you dearly.
Have an incredible week, and may God be with you.
Diyin nihil daholoo dooleel.

-Elder Davis Hilton

 I get to wake up to this every day

 Josephs family hangs out here most of the time at the abandonded trading post since they live in a tiny run down hooghan

 Mold infested abandoned basement

 Horror movie staircase!  Dont go down there...

 Joseph eating a burrito with his sister in the moldy basement

This is Rodney. He is so awesome.

He has a lot of struggles, his mom and dad passed away last year, and he struggles with mental/physical health so a lot of people dislike him because he can seem different. 

But he has such a strong faith in God, and he is so funny! We bring him out for lessons a lot :)

 Average scenery in Ft. Defiance.  There's our chidi! (car)

Sunset

 Awesome to wake up every day and drive past this

 Basketball games are INSANE on the reservation

Surprise! We butchered again! 

Brian and Arlinda wanted to do it in honor of Elder Gwilliam leaving!

They spent over $200 on the butchering and Arlinda has made him an $800 rug! 

Haha she says I'm next!!

only on the rez.

 yum! Navajos never waste a single bite!

 The stomach fat has to be held up to the sun to dry (so you can later wrap the intestines around it and cook it to eat). It was traditionally given to the children as a chore to teach them discipline, because it takes almost an hour. So naturally, Arlinda made me do it. She says I need more discipline.

 So fun.

 So tasty.

 Elder Gwilliam's rug, almost completed. 

This thing is worth over $800! 

 Yum! This is ach'ii! It is literally stomach fat, wrapped by intestine. 

I also got to try: heart, liver, and lung. 

The lung tasted like sponge. I don't recommend the lung.

 Random cultural quirk:  The rez is hilarious because all the Navajos love hot cheetos. 

EVERY chip brand has 4 different flavors of HOT here.  hahahaha

 this is what a rez chidi looks like.

 Driving home

All the ward missionaries and our bishop!
Love these people!

Dementia'ed Shima Hunting

You can still write me at 

400 W. Apache Street
Farmington, New Mexico 87401

But the mission isn't forwarding mail to our areas anymore, so I will only get your letter/package at the end of the month.

If you want to get to me sooner (do it!), my temporary area is in St. Michaels, here is the address

P.O. Box 203

St. Michaels, Arizona 86511

An old shima with dementia got lost and we had to track her down! She was 90 years old, and her mother was freaking out!! We spent over an hour driving around in search for her! Everyone was really really worried! At one point, Gwilliam and I were out of ideas, so we pulled over and asked a dog if he knew where she was. He just ignored us.
Much later, the other elders found her!
She had simply ventured over to Denny's across the street and was chilling at a booth with a nice coffee in hand. 

Anyway. Joseph was baptized this week! He is such an amazing kid.
It was awesome to see his happiness and his whole humble family come together.
He wanted to see his mom again, and knew he had to be baptized. That is the reason he found us!
Last year, his mother passed away, and he said that he knew she was at the baptism.
It was so powerful!

It has been SO amazing to serve here in Arizona with the Navajo people.
Elder Gwilliam, my companion, goes home next week!!!!!
He is awesome, it's gonna stink!

Ty is also doing really well, he's been reading his scriptures and praying a lot. We went up for a lesson earlier in the week, and he wanted to have the lesson down the small path behind his house. He ended up taking us to an old Anasazi ruin! It was so cool!

Overall, I am happy, I love it here, and I don't ever want to leave!
I challenge everyone this week to trust God a little more.
It's easy to get discouraged or frustrated.
But when something happens, simply put it in God's hands, and trust Him to take care of you :)
It works, I promise!

Have an amazing week everyone!
Diyin nihil daholoo doo.

Elder Hilton.

 Our Temple Open House Group!

 Window Rock P-Day Hike

 Elder G and Elder H (me)

Hiking 4evr!

This is the rock we climbed, it looks easy from here but it was sketchy!

  Elder Lind got stuck for a good 5 minutes.

 Only on the Rez!

 Sunset

Anasazi ruins where we had our lesson with Ty this week!
He asked us if we could walk down the path from his house, and ended up showing this place to us!
We prayed together there, and it was so awesome to sit and see the whole canyon from here, while we had a lesson.

View from Anasazi ruins.

  Joseph was baptized Saturday!
He wanted to be baptized because his mom passed away last year after just being baptized.
He is 10 years old. He wants to be with her again.
For the closing hymn, he chose "Teach Me to Walk in the Light" because it was the song played at his mother's funeral.
The spirit was so strong at his baptism. He was grinning from ear to ear and said thank you over and over to us. Even though the font filled up with brown water because the pipes were flushed, he was as happy as could be. It was such an amazing day. 

Joseph is the smartest kid I have ever met, literally!
After going to the temple open house, he told me "I really liked the 12 golden oxen! Do they represent the 12 tribes of Israel?"
He has had the Book of Mormon for only a month and has already finished Alma.