This week we had snow! I loved it. I want to make a snow angel and a snowman and snowballs. Elder Watson gets a kick out of watching how excited I am. He says he feels like he is watching a little kid. I feel like a little kid so that's fine. I'm so pumped. It might be my first white Christmas!
We spent a lot of time with other Elders around Leeds this week. It was so much fun. I learn so much from those guys. Everyone is excited for Christmas and we are all finding lots of success in sharing about the joy Christ brings us.
I met a guy this week that told me the Holy Spirit visited him and he was unconscious for 20 days. He also prays with his hands spread wide to the heavens and ends it in ancient Hebrew. He is hilarious. He mentioned to us that he has read the Book of Mormon, but he read it after smoking a joint, so he didn't get the full effect. He is going to try it again without the drugs this time. I hope it goes well.
We had stake conference and Katie came and so did two friends of President Whitehead (he is the leader of the group of congregations in this area). They were super cool and got to meet Elder Sabin (one of the leaders of the church as a whole). Anyways, as Christmas is coming there is no better time to turn more to our Saviour. I know that He gave his whole life and even his death for our benefit. He did everything to love and serve us. He lives again, He still reaches out to help and lift and encourage us all. Let's do what we can to learn and share more about our Saviour Jesus Christ this Christmas season.
The Lord looked after us this week. We tried our very best to work hard and be diligent and obedient and serve others. He provided miracles. President Turvey promised that each set of missionaries could find someone who would be ready to accept the message of peace and hope and we could see them change their lives and be baptized by Christmas. That is an amazing promise and we have all been working hard to find the people that are out there. I had the privilege to work with a lot of the missionaries this week as we searched for the people who are ready. As we went out, we prayed long and hard about where we needed to be. Each time we met someone who was prepared to hear this message and take steps to follow it.
My favorite was when I was with Elder Peck and we were visiting my old area, Leeds 2. We prayed about where to go and discussed where we thought. We repeated this pattern for 30 minutes of planning until we all agreed on a small community. I had been there before and no one was interested and only one was friendly. I was apprehensive. On the first street we knocked, the very first door that opened was a nice lady from Nigeria. She used to be Muslim, but felt unfulfilled and has been looking for something more, she has a young family and as she opened the door, her husband arrived home from work so we could go inside. She is a surgeon who studied at Oxford University! She was so excited to hear about the Book of Mormon and how it has brought answers and peace to our own lives. I can't wait to see how the Lord continues to work with her.
So many instances like this helped me see that the Lord has people ready and He will guide us to help his children to find their answers. I love it. I have so much fun out here, learn so much, and I am strengthened every day by God. As it says in the Book of Mormon, his tender mercies are over all who keep his commandments.
