Week 20 Merry Christmas

So I messed up on the weeks. Last week was suppose to be week 10, not week 9, but oh well. It's said and done. I'm going to do it a little differently today. So since it's a Thursday, and I didn't get to send an email on Monday, I'm going to send this email and talk about last week. Then this coming Monday, I'll talk about what happened this week. 

so last week

Monday, December 19th, 2016

So we had p-day and did some emailing and shopping, you know, the normal stuff. We also cleaned up the apartment and got it ready for inspections. Then we went and played wallyball with the Spanish elders and had a blast! After p-day, we had dinner and visited some people. We didn't see too many people, but we had a pretty good day.

Tuesday, December 20th, 2016

We went on an exchange with the Spanish elders, and it's crazy how many investigators they have. They have 9, and I thought I was doing good with my 5, but I guess I was wrong. The problem is they don't come at set times. They just go by and see if they can meet with them that day. It is crazy and unheard of, but that's ok. They are getting the work done. We visited a lot of people out there, went to the food bank, had mormon.org time, and then exchanged back. It was a fun exchange. I got pics from it, but I lost my SD card at the other library :( That's ok. I'll get a new one. 

Wednesday, December 21st, 2016

We were all over the place, like all over the place. We went from one person to the other trying to find people to teach. We met some people, taught some things, left Christmas messages with members, and then had a lesson with the Kurtzers and reviewed the baptismal questions which was good because it was able to help us help them to understand what we needed to teach them and what they still needed to learn. We learned they have a hard time with the word of wisdom with coffee, keeping the Sabbath day holy, tithing, and knowing if Joseph Smith is a true prophet...  That's a lot, but we were able to work a lot of it out to help them to become more converted to it, and they are on date for the 7th of January. We have 5 investigators and the the others, Kelly and Lydia, are on date for the 21st of January which will be good if it all works out. I have no doubts.

Thursday, December 22nd, 2016

We had the half mission conference, and that was so cool. President Wilding talked to us and many other missionaries as well. Several musical numbers were played, and I got to play the violin for one of them. It was a lot of fun. I used one of our member's violins, and it worked out great. I played O Little Town of Bethlehem, and everyone liked it. We also watched 17 Miracles. That was President's Christmas present to us. That was great to see again. I got your presents and the cards from the primary, and thank you so much, guys, for all those gifts and card! It made my day!! After, we went and visited some people and talked about Christmas with them. It was a good day.

Friday, December 23rd, 2016 Christmas Adam

See what I did there?... Eve, Adam, hahaha! Anyway, I got sick with the flu!! But I'm doing better now. I figured out that I'm actually having heart burn, but I'm taking some medication to get rid of it. We tried to have a lesson with the Kurtzers, but they canceled on us, and we had one with them this last Tuesday which I'll talk about it in my next email. That was it for that day. It also snowed that day.

Saturday, December 24th, 2016 Christmas Eve

we shared Chistmas messages with lots of members and then had to by in by 7 but as well we did some caraling with the other elders, it was way fun. then we weekly planned and played games for the rest of the day the snow was still on the ground

Sunday, Christmas Day

We had an hour of church, and then we went to the Simbecks home for the rest of the day. I got to call home and talk with you guys!! Then we did some acts of kindness and had tacos for dinner. We opened the presents at 6:30 in the morning and loved all of them. Later in the day, we had to be in by 7, and we played games and had fun. I got Justin and Eric's present. By the way, thank you. I love Snoopy so much!! 

Today, going to the temple put me really into a spiritual mood, and I'm feeling good for the rest of the day. I wanted to send a spiritual message to every one of you at home. If you haven't been to the temple in a long time, please GO!! If you say, "Oh, I don't have time to," that probably means it's been too long, and you need to go. The temple will open your eyes to some thing new you never knew before. I received revelation and comfort for my area and my family today as I sat in the celestial room today, which was the first time in a while I had felt really close to my Heavenly Father. The temple shows us more then life long questions and answers. It can answer questions of the soul. If you haven't gone in a while, please go. Our spirits need that regaining strength that the temple offers. Don't forget that. I know these things are true, and I say them in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

 Elder Hammond