Sunday, December 21, 2014

Mi Familia Eterna - December 15, 2014

Wow, what a busy weekend! 

That is awesome that you could help out a needy family this year and go shopping for them. I am sure you had fun with the task. 

That is right, I forgot about Kent´s gaming party. I missed it. We´ll see if I make it next year ;) 

Good progress on the Basement! 

Hope you could enjoy the Christmas Parties. Our ward Christmas party won’t be too extravagant... with only a budget of like 5 dollars, as the ward has no money, they will be giving a refreshment of hot chocolate and cookies, and there is hardly any program.... we´ll see if we can do anything to make it better. It is this Thursday night. Hopefully it goes well... 

We have really been trying to find new people to teach, and this week we were able to find 8! It is hard to tell if they will keep progressing though, as not a single one went to church, even though we left the house early to knock on their doors Sunday morning to bring them. They were all asleep, I believe. But we will keep on trying! 

On Tuesday we had a Zone Conference, where the Zone Leaders tried to refocus us on the most important thing.... the reason why we are out here serving a mission. It is about the people. And those people as God's children. We are here to teach people not lessons. And then they invited us to think personally about their reason for coming on a mission. find out their ´´why´´ of serving a mission. I really liked it, because I found out, or at least put into words, mine. I am serving a mission to complete my Eternal Family. Yes, that includes the family, and my future family, but I am trying to see the bigger picture. A very common doctrine that we teach is that God is our Loving Heavenly Father and that we are all His children. We are all brothers and sisters. We are all one big family. And the gospel was restored so that families could be Eternal. That is something that ShayLynn wrote to me in a letter one week. She encouraged me to keep on trying to complete our Eternal Family, and it made me feel so proud of her to think that even though I am serving a far off country and with people of a different culture, that she sees them as her family, our family. It also helped me to realize that that is why I am serving a mission. Now I am trying to see everyone as if they were a family member. A brother, a sister, an aunt, an uncle, a grandpa or grandma, or something like that. And it helps me to love the people more. 

Then on Thursday we had a mini Zone Conference and President Bird came to have us practice Listening and Asking Good Questions while teaching. We practiced by doing role-plays, and they were very intense, especially when President is watching over our shoulder :) I learned that I need to make an extra effort in asking questions, and as I have applied it this week, I have felt really good coming out of some of the lessons this week. Teaching people, not lessons.

A member gave us money to eat one day, so went to a Little Ceasers in the area with the other Elders in My district. I basically ate an entire Pizza myself. Is that a bad thing? I couldn’t do that before....  :)  

We are also playing a lot of Soccer. are getting up early to play before studies. I am still no good, but I get the exercise running around the field (well, more like court, as it doubles for soccer and basketball :) 

On Sunday it was hard to find people to teach. There was a soccer game where the local team went to finals. Ya. Basically no one in the street, and everyone partying in their houses. And then their team lost. It is so amazing to see how passionate these people are about soccer! We ended up visiting some less actives, and one gave us tamales to eat :)  

I am trying to brainstorm, thinking about what we should do this Christmas and Christmas Eve to make it meaningful, because normal proselyting isn’t very effective on those days. And I want to make it something special, as my last Christmas on my mission. 

On Tuesday we are going to have a Christmas Party as a mission, and we are supposed to bring a small gift. I will see what I can come up with. Also, that day will be my P day, so I won’t write until Tuesday!

And yes, we can Skype on Christmas! I am hoping to be able to call from a members house; maybe at around noon? I am really not sure, We still need to figure it out. 
Next Christmas I will be home! That is crazy! 

Well, I don’t feel like there is much more to report on, so will just wish everyone una Feliz Navidad, and talk to you next week! 

Love, 


Elder Hayden Redford

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