Happy Christmas To Everyone!!

Hey all,

sorry for not sending a mass e-mail last week. I don't know what got into me!!! Anyways I guess I'll talk about what's happened the last 2 weeks.

We found a few new people to teach which is really great especially for the holiday season. We saw a member Julia who has been having a hard time and found an investigator through her at the house! It was so awesome. Basically we were reading some scriptures from Doctrine and Covenants and I just felt impressed to invite her non-member friend (who was just kind of sitting there) to read a verse out loud for us, and then she got really emotional and long story short, it was a really spirit-led discussion with her. So awesome. 

Anyways Christmas is going to be really fun, we have FOUR people to see and eat with! For some reason because me and Elder McCook kind of double-booked 2 people for visiting on christmas, so we just decided to see each of them on christmas haha! We're going to be so fat tomorrow!!!

We also had a really funny experience the other night with the Pelhams as we visited an older member of the ward in the carer's home. It was so funny. Basically she was sleeping and didn't want to be woken up, but the carer lady woke her up anyways and she was really mad. It was so funny.

We also had a great zone conference, we went to the Temple. It truly is the "lord's university" because every time I go there I learn, like, a billion new things. So nice to have had that experience. We also saw a complete non-member family for a dinner appointment! It was hecka weird. Haha!! But it was nice. Basically they've been friends with the last set of missionaries and so when we came we didn't know who they were at all and stuff, so it was pretty awkward. Haha!!!

Okay well I've got to get going, can't wait to talk to the family tomorrow for christmas, I hope everyone has a great holiday and remembers the true meaning of Christmas!

Moroni 7:16
(Notice that substituting "Spirit of Christ" with "Spirit of Christmas" gives it the same meaning. Because the Spirit of Christmas IS the spirit of Christ!!!)

-Elder Blumenthal

The Holidays Are Coming!!!

Christmas is in the air!!! Well not really. but it is really cold!!!

 

Actually, Christmas is quite big here in England. i suppose it should be, but yeah, they decorated the high street with lights and everything, its so awesome!!! But not many people have christmas lights on their houses.

 

Anyways, this week was pretty great. We've mostly been going around trying to catch people in, which is pretty tough, and the holidays are abysmal for knocking doors and such, but we still need to do it basically. Me and Elder McCook have resolved to, when in ANY situation of teaching or contacting, we ask "who do you know would be interested?" or something like that. Basically, do what the back page of PMG says and seek referrals from EVERYONE! Because most of our strong investigators now came from referrals from other investigators!!!

 

Sunday went well also, we had Fast&Testimony meeting. Andrew, one of our investigators, showed up at church and even he got up there! He did pretty well for not being very familiar with Testimony meetings. We also had a great lesson in Priesthood about Dallin H. Oak's talk, "Good, Better, Best" which talks about how we must forego some good things to make use of the better and best things in our life, namely strengthening our faith in Christ as well as our family relationships. Kind of made me think... There isn't anything more important than those 2 things. And best of all, IF we do all we can to come closer to Christ and His gospel, then naturally our family relationships will become stronger as well. The 2 are inseperably connected. Never forget that the Family is the basic social unit of society, and that God intended it to be that way.

 

Anyways, I have to get going, but thank you everyone for the e-mails, I'm sorry fi I didn't reply to some of you, i wouldn't remember if I did or not! love you all!

 

-Elder Blumenthal

 

P.S. just some photos from Zone Conference last week. I forgot to upload them!

Week 20? You Serious?

Is it really week 20? Holy cow. That's like, 1/5 of my mission! That went by pretty quick. HAHA!

 

Okay well where to begin this week. The Zone Conference went amazingly well! We had Elder Kearon, a member of the first quorum of the seventy(!!!) address us. He is is awesome!! He joined the church at 26 years old. it was really funny hearing how he joined the church. he said "I couldn't believe that some young boy had a vision of God... In New York no less!!" Haha. But yeah, the spirit he radiates is awesome. He really pumped me up to go out there and spread the gospel.

 

We also saw Elder Wright, a member of the third quorum of the seventy, at Stake conference a few days later. He is an awesome speaker. He seriously is so humbled and zealous, you just KNOW the church is true after listening to him speak. haha. He was talking about a lot of things, but something I really remembered is him telling us that when we're discouraged, don't compare ourselves to other people. Do a personal spiritual analysis of ourselves, and if we are committed and trying as hard as we can, that's all that matters really.

 

Well I have to get going, today is a pretty busy P-day. We're having a thanksgiving P-day even though most of the zone is from Europe or Britain. haha!

 

Love you all, thanks for the e-mails, be sure to read and pray often.

 

-Elder Blumenthal