Week 18 Christmas BABY!!

Merry Christmas!!! Hahah wow this week has been amazing! First Christmas in the mission field is one that I will not soon forget! We had an awesome week as I felt we truly focused on the savior. His birth, and what he has done for me and all of us! Of course skyping home was great and a HUGE highlight!

Comin at you live:

Monday 

Taught Faye again! We have seen her now 3 days in a row and it's awesome. I have truly seen the whole family change since I got here! When I first got to Fredonia they were just these names that we had tried with no success. They rarely answered our phone calls, never let us in the house, and basically we were going nowhere. Now they have quit smoking totally, always let us in, and have invited us over for dinner a few times! They have received so many blessings that it's amazing to see them from the outside in. Everything has happened so perfectly! I think one of the most beautiful things is to see the things that I have sung about and believed since I was in primary working in the lives of others. I've seen that on the mission so far and I love it!! The atonement is for everyone! I truly believe that.  

Tuesday

I was in Palmyra basically all day and it was amazing!!! Sometimes I look back on my mission so far and think how amazing it has been for me. I got to spend 6 weeks in Mexico, come to serve in western New York, and go to Palmyra twice so far.  Pretty sweet if you ask me.  I wanna take a minute to explain how amazing the sacred grove is. For those that have been there you know, but I want to explain it the best I can. So when you get there you walk down this little dirt path to a sign that says sacred grove in this direction. Along the beginning of this path there are little signs that explain what caused Joseph to ask of God along with the testimony of the 8 witnesses. Then you get to a fork in the path where you can choose to turn right or left and it takes you all around the sacred grove. I chose the right because why not, and began to walk pretty slowly and just take in where I was!!! I can honestly say that the Holy Ghost was there and is there to testify to all who walk through there. I felt it so strongly that the beginning of a marvelous work happened there. Basically indescribable but you just feel the warmest feeling Inside! As I continued to walk through the grove this sentence kept running through my head: "I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it." I love that thought. I hope we can all say the same of the spiritual experiences we've had. Do not deny them!! So grateful that I could go and see more of Palmyra. Such an amazing place!! 

Christmas Eve

Had probably one of my favorite days of the mission so far. We spent probably 3 hours just caroling and it was amazing!! We went to the soup kitchen, a few nursing homes, and a house of a lady who's husband just passed away a few months ago. Although it was just six of us elders and a guitar and we sounded pretty bad it was such an amazing experience!! I felt so good the whole time we were doing it and I was SO happy!! "The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear." -Buddy the Elf.  It's so true!! As I gave my all into singing songs about our savior I felt the spirit of Christmas not only in myself but in the people we sang to. They were so happy to see us and it made their day. A lot of them began to sing along with us and we were all just filled with joy. President Johnson promised me the day I got here that Christmas here in the mission would be amazing for me. At first I was skeptical, but now I know. What an amazing time to be here and to be a missionary. Although my vocal chords are fried and I'm an awful singer, I'm so happy to be able to spread a little CHRISTmas cheer. 

Christmas 

First of all we got to SLEEP IN!! Haha that was a gift in itself. We got started with our day at 10 by opening our presents and I made some pretty bomb French toast. Then we went to our group leaders house and spent a little time there before going to the Pisters house to SKYPE! Ahhh soooo good to see the family!! We had a super good time together!! Then we went to the Przybysz house for the rest of the evening! They had all the kids home for the holidays so it was super fun to be there! They got this awesome game thing with these little race cars on a track and you play with your smart phone as a controller! I don't know kinda hard to explain but it was super cool! All in all it turned out to be a good day! Christmas is different being away from home but I survived! Haha thanks again to all those who sent presents or anything! Loved it 

all!! 

Ro

                                      

Sunday

Church was awesome and Faye came again with her family to Fredonia! They came about an hour late, but you know what I always say: "Better late than never." After church we taught a quick lesson about the power of prayer and scripture reading and the blessings that come from that. We helped her to see how blessed she has been since she started to read and pray every day and she was amazed. They truly have been blessed a toooooon!! Way cool to see from the outside in!! Also the craziest thing happened after the lesson. Faye has always said I WANT my dad to baptize me and no one else. We are happy with that because if her dad baptizes her it will mean he's worthy and changing his life! Anyways I asked him if he had called the bishop to set up a meeting and he said: "No I haven't, I think we just want to have you do the baptism." Well a couple of things. One, that's an honor for me because that would be awesome!! Buuuuut, I know it would mean so much more to Faye if her dad baptizes her. Sooooo we're in a pickle. I think they might just be trying to rush the baptism so we'll have to talk to them so more! But we were talking about transfers with Faye and she told me you HAVE to stay to baptize me!! Haha so I guess I'll stick around! Which brings me to the big news! I'm staying in Fredonia but Elder Renteria is leaving! My new companion will be Elder Ekins. He's Spanish speaking too so I'm excited to work with him! He just trained my MTC companion Elder Herzog so the poor guy has to deal with us both! Looking forward to this transfer!! 

Well I wish you all a happy new year!! May this year be filled with happiness for all of you! Try hard to make goals that will help you become a better person! Someone the Lord can use in his work! That's what I will be doing at least!  Love you all and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! 
Elder Halls

Pictures: Rob Przybysz. One of my favorites here in Fredonia!; Yarber Family; My main man Charlie; Janey and Ted Sharon