Getting Ready for Christmas

It’s been a really fun week being a missionary in California at Christmas time. It’s been really fun to see all of the California Christmas trees and all of the materialistic personalities coming out. I love it!! I think a lot of other missionaries are really having a hard time for Christmas. There are a lot of emotions going around. There are only three missionaries in my zone who have been out for Christmas and so we are all new to this Christmas away from home idea. Some are taking it harder than others. I am doing okay. It comes in waves. Longing, then the next moment ecstatic joy. The best way to avoid it is to just not think about it. It’s easier said than done. I have some super cool stories to tell over Skype!! 

 Spiritual: We had a baptism this past week. It was so cool to have a "White Christmas." Oh it was awesome. Baptisms are so much fun to go to. I had a really strange week leading up to this baptism. There were so many days where all of our regular appointments fell through and we were left out to dry with no plans. Our backups to our backups fell through. It was a new experience to follow the Spirit and see where we went. It was a time of real stress. I kept feeling like I was falling short of what I should be doing. It was hard. The baptism was not even very fun. There were a lot of things that just kept going wrong. It fortunately was not my fault but it sure reflected poorly on us. It was hard to feel the Spirit during the baptism because of all of the other things that were going on and not going right. It was a long service but the ending song really changed the whole program. The closing song was I am Trying to Be like Jesus. It hit me that I had always thought about that song as the song of someone who was a "Super Mormon." Someone who was so good but might have had a bad thought once in his life and that’s why he was not being translated right on the spot. It’s not at all that way!! That song is the song of the sinner!! It’s about someone who feels he is trying but not even trying hard enough. It was so comforting to realize that Jesus does not expect us to be perfect, or even have perfect desires. It’s a tender mercy that He is always willing to help us and love us even when we are not trying our best. The important thing is not the speed, but the direction. That’s the beauty of this Christmas Gift that our Heavenly Father has given us. The gift is always there and He is always wanting to help us. It’s all about where your heart is. I have really felt the beauty of the Grace of our Heavenly Father this past week. It’s been an incredible experience having him so close and helping us through all of the strange things that have happened. 

 Funny: The picture. Can you name the Christmas song? 

"Oh come let us a door him!"

 Where I am at: Things are awesome here in Pleasanton. The Christmas blues are coming in but that is to be expected. There are so many kind members and fun things to do here; it’s amazing. Robert is so close to baptism!! It’s amazing. He is 4 days sober and is progressing well. He should be baptized on Saturday if everything goes well. He is making great leaps and bounds. We picked up a new investigator named Rena. Oh she is so golden. She will be baptized in January for sure. The work is really good right now. Unfortunately we have baptized all of our progressing investigators!! haha so looks like we need some more. Things are looking up. I love you all and am so grateful around this season to have such a strong loving family and friend support group. I can feel your love and prayers every day. I love you!!

Love you all!