Window Rock News.............

Happy 4th of July to everyone!! It is a pretty big thing here and we enjoyed watching all the people and happenings in the little valley............We are so grateful to live in this free land and to be able to worship, work and pray as we desire. We are enjoying the beautiful creations that surround us here in the Navajo Nation - beauty everywhere and in such a different way. We love the way the Navajo feel about everything of the earth - they feel they are related to everything - flowers, trees, animals, insects, Mother Earth, Father Sky.............and have such a wonderful reverence for everything that surrounds us...........We are so thankful to be here and to be learning so much from their culture......

I am still playing the piano quite a bit at church................There are really only two people in the ward here who play piano. And they have stake callings which requires them to travel often....so when they go, they ask me to help. One of them plays for Relief Society (women's organization) and the other for Sacrament Meeting and Primary (the children's organization)....so I get to see all aspects. They only play piano here, but there is an organ in the chapel - so the other evening we went over and I plugged that in and played for a while.............maybe one of these Sundays when I am asked to play I'll surprise everyone and play the organ...........the tone isn't the best - but it works..............

We had a picnic at the church last night - it was a fun BBQ...........with the traditional burgers and hot dogs (a few people brought their own steaks to cook) and then potluck for other things. Of course - they always make "fry bread"............there were several of the young women, one older sister and some smaller girls and the Elders in the kitchen making fry bread............one of the men brought the beans for Navajo Tacos................fun time............and so fun to visit and get to know all the people better.

There was a rodeo for 3 nights here, carnival rides, flea market was much bigger for Friday and Saturday.....and last night fireworks. We got in the car and took the Elders with us to go to a hill to look down on the fair grounds to enjoy the show!! It was not anything huge - but fun to end the day in a traditional way!

Just took a picture of Elder Hafen last week before church - the picture was taken about 8:55....church begins at 9:00...................so you can see by the parking lot that people DON'T arrive too early here...........ha ha!! This is a pretty laid back culture and the people really just enjoy the journey...............and believe it or not...........WE are learning to do that too.