There is always so much to tell you all about my week and never enough
time to do it!
Started off the week with an exchange with the Zone Leaders in
Gillette. I went to Gillette with Elder Hastings and Elder Delimata
came to Newcastle with Elder Bird. It was an awesome exchange. Elder
Bird and Elder Delimata were able to get quite a bit done here in
Newcastle as well. They taught Pete, Ashton, and had a Christmas
party. Elder Bird says that each lesson went very well.
Pete is struggling to make much progress, and normally we'd have to
drop him but after praying and pondering, we feel that we need to keep
going. Elder Bird says that when they went, his nurse was there and
she sat in on the lesson:) Maybe that is why! Pray for Pete. He is in
a lot of pain.
Ashton is in a tight spot. She has had pretty much all the lessons now
but she is facing some adversity from her sister and mother. They
tease her about listening to the crazy Mormon's and such. We all feel
that she needs a little more time before she is baptized, so she is
not being baptized on January 2nd. Instead she will pray about it,
read the Book of Mormon and ponder, then she will tell us what she
thinks her new baptismal date should be tomorrow night. Keep her in
your prayers as well.
Christmas was this week!! Christmas Eve was super cool. We had dinner
with the Checketts. The Checketts are this really cool family who live
out in the middle of nowhere. Their property is beautiful and HUGE!
They have the craziest little kids. They're obsessed with monkey in
the middle and they are always making us laugh. Brother Checketts has
tons of cattle on his ranch which is absolutely humongous. The
perimeter is 90 miles. We are very grateful for this because that
means we got to eat some of the best stakes I've ever tasted in my
life. After dinner we sang Christmas carols and went through the
Christmas story. I love seeing children being raised in such a good
atmosphere. It reminded me of Christmas when I was a kid. The spirit
was so strong and the children were alive with the light of Christ. It
was magical.
Christmas was amazing as well! We got to have lunch with the
Willadsons. The Willadsons are both converts and they have the coolest
conversion stories. Brother Willadson just this last year had a crash
on his Motorcycle and had to get double bypass surgery. As soon as he
was recovered and cleared to work again, Brother and Sister Willadson
resumed their usual services of cleaning the church throughout the
week. They provide such wonderful service to our ward. It was
wonderful to be with them.
After that I got to talk to MY FAMILY :O That was so much fun! What a
wonderful thing to hear their voices. What a gift it is that we may be
with our families for ETERNITY! That's a long time. :)
After talking with our families we spent the rest of the night with
the Pithan's, just talking, eating and shooting pool! It was so cool
to have a real fire, in a warm house with some stellar people. They
were so kind to us and even gave us each a tie. It was such a perfect
Christmas.
This next week is the last week of the transfer! (So don't send any
letters or anything after like... Thursday? Otherwise I might not get
them. I'll let you guys know if I'm staying or going next Monday!) I
can't believe how fast time is going. My mission is gonna be over
before I know it.
I know this gospel is true. I KNOW IT AND I CAN NOT DOUBT IT. I
challenge each of you to find out for yourself if you feel you can't
say the same. Read the Book of Mormon. Pray about it. Ponder it. Act
on it. You will find out for yourself.
I love you all so much.
Love,
Elder Thomas
Fire on a Christmas night.
The Pithan's!
Everything freezes here. This is our car window.
Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as whate as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."
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