FELIZ NAVIDAD! PART 1

Hey Family!
Feliz Navidad to you! Thats CRAZY that its Christmas, I really cant believe it - the Charlie brown music has helped this year to make it feel more like the season though! We've been going crazy as usual, but we're having fun. Planning to go caroling to all the members and investigators over the next few days. We'll see if they still like us after that or not.
Sorry to hear there's so many people that arent feeling well... hope things start getting better, we'll definitely be praying - bummer that we wont be in the temple for another week or two, we always leave names for the prayer roll. Let us know what happens with everyone. I'm sure it'll turn out ok.
You got my mission card? Like, the poster of the mission? I ordered one for like 10 bucks, but maybe they sent a card to you all? The Elder in the wheelchair is Elder Wyatt. He has a severe handicap with his body, and has to be in that position. He is serving his mission in the office. When members call in with referrals, he sends them to our cell phones, and then follows up and tracks their progress. Neat guy. I have a lot of respect for people that accept calls from the Lord to serve in positions like that. Missions dont mean knocking doors and baptizing, it means serving the Lord where He puts you and doing it the best you can. Elder Wyatt is a good example.
The mountains are not a painting. Trust me. It doesnt take 3 hours to walk to the top of a painting, and it doesnt hurt afterwards either.
The chocolate calendars are in! Love em. came just after my decalartion to not eat any more sugar. Then the Magura's package of cookies. dont want cavaties..... still puzzled over the paper chain from the YW, but grateful that someone tried to staple an oreo to it. That made it worth putting on my wall. Thanks for all the packages and Christmas cards and all, you are all great! There isnt much, but I'm sending a package to you all too, it wont get there by Christmas, but be looking for it!
We've had an eventful week - one of my favorite experiences of my mission! Last Thursday our favorite member, Sister Torres, went to the temple for the first time. She's been a member for 6 years. She is single with 3 kids. She has literally been through hell in her life, and had one disappointment after another. I think I wrote about her conversion before, but 6 years ago in Houston, her life was falling apart, she had nothing, and 2 kids to feed and take care of. She told us once she was desperate, and even had some really dark thoughts about taking her life. She cried at night "God, where are you? I've always looked for you, but where are you now?" She left her kids alone in her apartment and ran to the grocery store, and on the way back, in the pouring rain, on a PDAY, 2 missionaries called out, and said "Would you like a happy family?" She stopped dead in her tracks, felt something, invited them to her house, and was baptized that saturday at her own insitence. This woman is basically our mom here, she calls to find out if we are bundled up, or if we're driving when its getting dangerous outside. She sacrifices to feed us even though she's battling to feed her own kids. Amazing. I love her like family. When she walked into the temple, she just cried. All her friends, the branch president, us, the branch - all were there like a family to welcome her there, embrace her (well, for us handshakes). It was the sweetest feeling to see her there overcome with love, and tell how she felt God's presence wrap around her. The missionaries that found her were there. She encouraged us to look forward to that day when we welcome home those we are teaching now. It made the temple crystal clear to me. The temple is about family. It is a visual foreshadowing of that Homecoming when we are welcomed through the veil by the Savior Himself, and then enter in to be greeted with joy by all our loved ones. Beautiful. I love the temple.
Taught a family that speaks Burmese yesterday to pray... using pictures of Jesus Christ and having their children translate... cool...
THE PHONECALL! Well, I'm not sure what time it will be - probably about 1 or 2, so 3-4 your time. I'll call our house first, and if you arent there, Grandma and Grandpas house. They told us we could use skype, but we'd have to go to a members house and all, and I think it would be easier to use the phone. Ha. But let me know if you think it is possible on your end and we'll do it! SWEET!!!!
Anyone else want to write the 100 letters I need to write?
LOVE YOU ALL, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!! and to ALL A GOOD NIGHT! -Elder THelin
dont forget the reason for the season.
Do something rad for me in the talent show.
pray we dont die from eating too much those 2 days... I'm so glad I'm not sick this year, last year was rough trying to stuff myself and not die...