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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