It brings a smile to my face and joy to my soul to hear that
everybody had a merry Christmas and that the holiday season is still
rolling without me! I was thinking that the holiday season would be a
dreadful time as a missionary... boy was I wrong!
Of course, I missed you all greatly, but I was treated really well
here and had a bright and jolly and merry and ring-ting-a ting-a-ling
Texas Christmas! Christmas eve was spent with the Fennegan's, who
invited all the coolest members of the ward over for
dinner. Then dinner at the house of one of the English Elders'
investigators, and then almost another dinner with the Alvarez family,
but we were so full we just had to say hi and get outta there.
Christmas day, we opened presents with the Romney family.
They gave us all nerf guns, which was a big mistake. We had breakfast
there, skyped there, and then had an amazing dinner with Jess and his
family. Jess and his wife are very high-end, and they sure know how to
put together a dinner and spoil their guests!
They cooked one of the best turkeys I have ever eaten in all my life,
and beef tenderloin, and monkey bread, and much much more. Christmas
was superbalific!
SKYPE. It was great to see the fam on Christmas! It was kind
of weird. I don't know how to explain, but I'm sure you know what I
mean. Skype just doesn't cut it for me. I just need hugs from y'all!
But it was better than nothing, right? I enjoyed
all the presents. Tom: did the scripture case come from Brazil? I
have wanted a case like that for my whole mission, but you just can't
find that kind of thing around here! So thank you! Em: the scarf will
be put to good use, and it will be nice to have
something other than just plain black socks to spice up my look! So
thank you! Dad: I have actually been meaning to ask for those books.
How did you know?! All the missionaries that have read "Jesus the
Christ" say it is an absolute must read before returning
home. So I plan on getting started on that one real soon here. The
book of family memories is exactly what I wanted and needed. Like I
said the other day, I didn't want it to end! I have an incredible
family. Mom, I love you. Dad, I love you. Em, I
love you. Tom, I love you. Toby and Sherman, I love you! It doesn't
get any better than the family that I have! I had to go pick up my
second Christmas package at the post office on Friday. The jacket is
super soft and will help out on those chilly days,
and ya did good on the ties, Ma! I like them so much, I'm scared to
wear them! I have a GRANDISIMO box of sweets and goodies that I don't
think I will ever see the end of. I am set in that department.
Christmas away from home was everything I hoped for
and more. Thank you to all those that took the time to send me cards
and gifts!
This week was a wild week. I can't remember all of what
happened. But I do want to share a lesson we had the other day. We
received a referral last week for an 18 year old kid that wants a Book
of Mormon. We have stopped by his house many times,
but he is never home. Saturday, his 16 year old brother was, so we
shared with him the message of the Restoration. We were watching the
brief Restoration movie, and all was going well, until the
highlight/most important part of the whole movie. Right when
Joseph Smith got to the grove, right before the vision that changed the
world, the kids grandparents walk in the door. They were from Cuba,
grandpa dressed like he was 17 years old with designer jeans and a Jesse
James t-shirt, and according to his bracelet,
he was "100% CATHOLIC". They did not like us in their house. Grandpa
blew up, and rambled on and on and on in Cuban Spanish, which I cannot
understand a lick of. But apparently he said that knocking doors in
Cuba would get you shot, and he wants it to be
that way in this country. It didn't bother me too much, but it just
amazes me how often that happens. I think I said this a while ago, but
so many times it seems that during the most important part of the
lesson, the most spiritual moment of the lesson,
whether it be in the middle of a prayer, during the First Vision, or
right when something clicks for the investigator.......the phone rings, a
crying baby, fighting children, or Catholic Cuban grandparents come
walking in the door and totally kill the moment!
I can't let it effect me, because there is nothing I can do about it,
but it makes it easy to see that Satan is hard at work, doing all he can
to prevent the truth from spreading. It is just more evidence to me
that I am working for the right cause. We truly
are building up the Lord's kingdom!
-I will send off thank you cards soon.
-No plans yet for new years, but from what I have heard, we will probably be asked to stay inside new years eve night.
That is exciting news about Ariel! I am happy for her. Funny that
you are fb friends with Elder Haskell's mom too. From what I have
heard, she sounds like a fun and cool mom! I briefly said hi to his
family on Skype Christmas day. Good people!
Well, we are about to hit a new year. The GOLDEN YEAR is what they
call it. The start of a new year is always refreshing. 2013 may have
been the fastest year of my life, and I am expecting 2014 to be even
faster! I am excited and motivated to make
this next year GOLDEN in every way possible!
HAPPY NEW YEAR! ! ! !
HAPPY NEW YEAR! ! ! !
Elder Williams
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