The True Meaning‏

I had an awesome week though we only got about 3 full days of going to work. Last Tuesday did not go will. After I left here I kept getting worse and worse. By about 2 I thought I was going to die my head was throbbing, I couldn't decide what sounded better throwing up or passing out. I decided to work through it but our ward mission leader told me to go home. I spent the next 6 hours incapacitated in my bed sweating up a storm. It was not a fun experience but around 8 I took some Tylenol and went out and taught for about a hour. On Wednesday I went and conducted an exchange in the area that split off from my last one. It was cool to see people who I had taught and be in that area for the day. The Elders who are there are working so hard and it brings me so much comfort seeing it blossom into what I totally thought it could be. We got drenched that night during a rain storm that seem to conveniently happen the only time of the day we were outside. Despite the sickness and the Holidays we still managed to squeak out about 10 investigator lessons.

This week does not look a whole lot better. Wow that sounds negative but it wasn't intended to be I promise! It's just we have a lot of things this week that are taken up by commitments. Like Friday for example we have Weekly Planning and then we have music practice for the concert that night at the Christmas Lights. We are the musical number for the closing ceremony at the lights. I just happen to be the chorister for the opening number(yay) so to say nothing more, it should be fun.

Our investigators are doing well, Thailicia continues to inspire me despite being on probation and not being able to be baptized I think that she's more active than many members of the church. It's cool just to see how much faith they really have. We had 3 investigators end up in the hospital this week which hurt us quite a bit. It makes me sad when we get that call because you feel so helpless. But luckily everything worked out just fine! Josefa is still amazing! Her family is still amazing! I love them so much and will help them out in anyway that I can! We taught her Christmas Eve.

Christmas day we woke up early and played volleyball where I did pretty well until I blocked a spike that ended spraining the other 2 fingers on my right hand. If I keep it up my already slim hopes of ever playing a musical instrument well will be dashed! We then went to a member's house and Breakfast Burritos. We ended getting a guitar and playing Feliz Navidad. we all sang(about 20 missionaries in our pajamas) then we went to various houses and rehearsed our new favorite song! Later I opened presents which was cool and then called home(yay!). That night we had the most amazing meal ever! We had lamb and variety of other foods but I my goodness it was soooooooo good! A lamb roast I might add.

The reason I titled the email the way I did is because of this. Early this week we talked to a guy named Miron. He lives in rather humble circumstances. We taught him about the message of the Restoration and how he could become closer to Heavenly Father. We ended up setting a baptism date. We went back on Christmas Eve and he asked us to read with him. He has very humble circumstances. His apartment would be very comparable to that of a hotel room. We read with him and he asked questions and we answered. It was really a nice way to spend a little part of our afternoon. As we knelt down to part ways in prayer, he asked if I would say it. I began to simply express my gratitude to Heavenly Father to have let Elder Tanner and I meet Miron and asked Him to answer Miron's prayers. My thoughts began to turn to Christmas. It was very apparent that Miron was not going to have a Christmas with his family. As I struggled for the words to say I thought of what Christmas meant to me. For most of my life it was solely about family, presents, snow, Christmas lights, and my mom making fudge and me lingering around the kitchen to lick the spoon. As I've come to develop a greater relationship with God I've added something to that list which has made the top of the list. The Birth of the Savior. I thought about how much that means to me and pleaded that Miron could find peace through the true reason for the season. As we finished and we left I felt the quiet reassurance that "there's no where else I'm supposed to be at this time". It's a great time of year.

Well Next week I'll be writing during 2011. Yikes I can't believe I only have 3 months left!

Love, Elder Caywood