Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!
I was showered and so blessed with many gifts and letters this season! I want to give a great big thank you to everyone who sent me something or wished me a Merry Christmas! From new watches and sweaters, to spam singles..I got it all. Thank y'all!
So it's finally snowing in Utah, huh? I'm glad to hear that. I's weird for me to now see pictures of snow haha it seems like such a weird thing to me. Texas has changed me a lot. I'm used to the heat and humidity now, I get cold if it's around 80 degrees....I don't know if i'm going to make it in Utah haha.
Exchange:
I went on an exchange with Elder Henderson and Elder Montgomery this week. (Elder Montgomery and I had lived together in my first apartment, so we have already been friends for a while). Elder Henderson is from Nevada and we also have known each other for a few months and get a long extremely well..
The first part of the day, we were doing service for a family that lived in their area. The family was trying to break up there rock patio in the backyard, so they could replace it with a wood patio. We spent some time trying to break up the rocks and toss them in a big pile haha it was a lot of fun! The man then took us to Jack In The Box for lunch (boo-yah!)
Dinner that night made us an endless supply of Texas shaped waffles, and had us eat as many as we could. I came in second place with 6 1/2, and somehow Elder Henderson ate 10 1/2 waffles!! It was very impressive.
When we didn't have rides places, we walked around because their car is in the shop. We had some great lessons, and were able to teach their investigator named Brian, who is getting baptized on Thursday (New Year's Day). Brian is so awesome! He found the missionaries because he wanted to get closer to God, and now he is getting baptized!
Christmas Day:
To start off Christmas day, our whole zone met together at the Church (with all of their presents) and we opened our presents together. We went around 1 at a time and did that until all the presents were opened. It was so much fun to be there with a group of missionaries, and celebrate Christmas together.
We ate a lot of food that day. We had huge meals at the Vaupel's, Henson's, and Woodward's homes.
On Christmas day, we spent as much time as we could finding and teaching. We were able to have a great lesson with an investigator family, the Ramos'. We also met many new people who invites us back another time. It was definitely a much more productive Christmas than last year.
Christmas on the mission is certainly much different than Christmas back home. I feel like this Christmas will be on the ones I remember the longest. It was the most spiritual one I had, and even though I wasn't home I still felt everyone's love from all the letters and packages I have received. I can say that this has been my favorite Christmas so far.
Hunter Henson:
Hunter Henson is 11 years old. His mother is a member of the Church, and his father is very much against the Church. The parents have just recently finalized a long divorce. Hunter has been wanting to be baptized for so long! Now that the divorce is finalized he can be baptized, and he will be baptized this Saturday, the 3rd.
Hunter is such a good, intelligent kid. He is one of the sweetest people and has such a pure heart. He is also really funny and witty, haha Hunter and I have become good friends. The whole ward is super excited for him to be baptized!
Please keep Hunter in your prayers this week.
News:
This is Elder Nichols last week. He is flying home to Utah on Saturday (the day of the baptism). He is such a fantastic missionary, and I learned a lot from him. He will continue to make an impact back home in Fruit Heights. Tell him "hi" for me at his homecoming.
That means that Elder Loveridge and I will be in just a regular companionship now (just the two of us). Elder Loveridge, is such a spiritual power-house, he's a great companion.
My testimony is that the Grand Creator of the universe loves us with an incomprehensible Fatherly love, because He is our Father. That love was best shown by Him sending His Son. His Son is the Christ. He is the Great I Am, Jehovah, The God Of Israel and the only way back to the Father.
The Atonement of Jesus Christ is infinite. There is nothing that it can not cover. The deepest root of a person can be completely changed by the Atonement. That is where Agency comes into action. Agency isn't having the ability to do whatever you want, it's how much you want the Atonement to affect you.
The gospel is undeniably true. It draws any honest thinker to their knees, and any competent thinker to consider. The Holy Ghost convinces all who sincerely ask.
I love y'all, have a Happy New Year!
Love, Elder Giles
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