We get to go to the temple on Dec. 23.




DECEMBER 16, 2008 TUESDAY

Today began early because it was wash day. You gotta be quick and not waste a minute to get two loads done before district meeting at 9:30. You can’t start washing until 7:00 and each load takes about an hour. Diana was still organizing and wrapping gifts and I was reviewing the spiritual thought (more like a 10 minute talk) I was assigned to give. (Diana said she timed it at 20 minutes.) We got it all done and made it to our 9:30 pre-meeting get together with the AP’s and DL’s to work out our caroling strategy. After that came the district meeting. For my part, instead of reading Luke 2 we read and discussed the BM scriptures foretelling the birth of Christ and in 3rd Nephi describing the events of his birth. We talked of the gifts that Christ has given to us and then I asked us all to considered in this next year what gifts we would like to give Him. We should write these in our journal or somewhere and review them during the year. We had also all brought exchange gifts and Diana was in charge of how to distribute them. Of course she used the one we always use at Christmas with the Bingo cards only without the bingo cards. It all worked out very well and it was fun to see the strategies some companionships used to ensure they got the gifts they wanted. On the third time a gifts was taken, it was dead.

After the meeting I cut the hair of Elders Larsson, Eschweiler and Middleton. Then came the raclette adventure. Elders Larsson, Pine, Eschweiler and Middleton came over to our small apartment and had a raclette dinner. We had an appointment to go to Sister (we can officially call her sister now that she’s baptized which she loves to hear) Naeide’s with Elders Evans and Ehlend at 3:30 so we had to kind of shoo two of the Elders out. Elders Pine and Middleton stayed while we went because they were going to English class ans Institute later tonight and didn’t have time to go anywhere else. We had a great meeting with Naeide during which she brought out a bottle of Vodka that she had found in her house. Her son had brought it in and she didn’t like it. Diana suggested we take it with us and, if Marcello had a problem with that, to call me. So after she dumped the contents down the toilet, we ended up taking the bottle with us and I hope he doesn’t call me.

After that meeting we went to English class and Sister Wachter was there. She hadn’t come for a couple of months now and we hadn’t been able to get back to see her at her home. We called once and talked to her husband, and we went by and left a goody at their door because they weren’t home, but hadn’t talked to her. It was good to see her again. We were able to renew our friendship and we made an appointment to go see her next Friday at 10:00. After that we came home just to get away from the hubbub and get a few minutes quiet time.

Here is a neat little success story on how the Lord works miracles through people who are willing to listen and work. Elders Pine and Middleton contacted and are working with a young lady whose mother language is unique (can’t remember the language) so they are having a hard time communicating. Naeide invited her non-member friend to her baptism last Sunday and her friend met the girl Elders P & M are teaching. They discovered they have the same mother language and became friends. Naeide’s friend had agreed to meet with Elder P&M’s investigator when they teach her to translate for them and also come to church next Sunday to translate the sacrament meeting for her. So, we have a non-member helping missionaries teach an investigator and coming to church with her to translate. But, the story doesn’t end there. Elders Larsson and Eschweiler had contacted Naeide’s friend last week and she yelled at the to go away and don’t bother her. Since she came to Naeide’s baptism, the Elders thought they would try again. Tonight they went to her home and she immediately invited them in and told them since Naeide’s baptism, she has a desire to learn everything she can about the church and when can they teach her. They made an appointment with her every night this week. She also wants Naeide to come with the Elders to help teach her. So, to sum it up, we have an investigator who is being taught by a non-member who is being taught by a less-than-a-week baptized member. Kind of a neat story. In addition, Naeide will be singing in Sacrament meeting next Sunday.