Hey Family!
We hope you had a very Merry Christmas and that you have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!
(almost) I hope we're all able to evaluate our lives, set goals, and then
actually accomplish them, for an unaccomplished goal is only a wish.. And wishes
only make things happen in Aladdin. :)
Twas the night before Christmas and in Lowville's apartment,
surrounding the Christmas tree were the gifts you all sent.
(I'm going to stop trying to rhyme now because that first line took way too long to do...)
(I'm going to stop trying to rhyme now because that first line took way too long to do...)
Pretty cool tree setup, huh? Also, we had tons of pictures of Christ.
We woke up at 6:29, managed to roll out of bed and say our prayers before I
really realized it was Christmas. SO...... We got the peanut butter hot cocoa
going and took some pictures to document how excited we were to be awake.... A
member here named Sister Call made us sweet knitted slippers! They're so cool!
We drank our hot cocoa and then opened gifts. It was simple, practical, and
a fun start to the day. After we were done, got ready, and then studied the
Nativity, we went to visit some people in the Nursing Home here in Lowville. We
had some good visits with Sister Collatz, Sister Shanks, and a few non-members
we talked with for a while. We gave them all a picture of Christ and shared what
Christmas was really about. It was great seeing them and it really seemed to
make their day.
After visiting them and grabbing a PB&J, we decided to play Santa Claus
for a little bit. We made the runs around our area and dropped off the pictures
of Christ that Heather had sent to me. (We had gotten frames and wrapped them
the Preparation Day before.) We were also able to stop by several members homes
and sing a Christmas Song with them. People really seemed to enjoy it and we got
a bunch of sweets.
The rest of the day was kinda a blur. We saw a lot of people, then headed
up to Jay's house. Elder Sedgwick Skyped while I talked with Jay, Sister Ryle,
and Garrett. We ate a delicious meal of turkey, ham, stuffing, potatoes, rolls,
etc. Then, I was blessed to have the opportunity to Skype with all of you! I
loved getting to see all of you and talk with you. Maylee sure was cute! Heather
sent me more cute Christmas photos of her. It really seemed like all of you were
doing well and the chance to talk with all of you was one of the greatest gifts
I could receive on Christmas. The time went by quick, but it was really fun
getting to talk with all of you.
Afterward, we talked with Jay and Sister Ryle for a while, took some
pictures, then headed back to Lowville.
What I really seemed to understand this Christmas was how important it is
to appreciate and love your loved ones. I feel so blessed to have you guys as my
family and I know how lucky I am to be a part of it. Because of that, I also
felt the Joy that came from visiting those who might no longer have family. We
can all look out for each other and love one another, because we're all
spiritual brothers and sisters! I love spending time with everyone. Family bonds
and strong friendships are really what life is all about. I really enjoyed
Christmas though and am grateful for the opportunity I have to serve as a
missionary during such a sacred holiday. It taught me a lot about Christ, his
birth, and his life. I loved Christmas and I hope you all loved it too! It
sounds like you all had a good day.
It is crazy to hear about people being home and reporting on their missions
already.. The 2 years goes by quickly! Jared also emailed me and sounded like he
was doing well. It does seem like it is a difficult thing to adjust to though!
Good thing I don't have to worry about that for a while. ;)
We also taught during combined 3rd hour yesterday. We focused on creating a
Branch Mission Plan and personal goals to share the Gospel. It was really good!
We just have to determine that we are going to act and make a conscious effort
to share the Gospel. Then, if we pray for opportunities and then look for them,
we'll be blessed with missionary experiences. It sounds like you guys are having
a lot more interaction with missionaries that we ever really did when I was
growing up. That's a good thing!
2014 should be good. I'm setting goals to strengthen myself spiritually,
mentally, and physically by taking simple steps. Going to bed on time, drinking
more water, and bearing my testimony more often. I'm going to try really hard to
not overwhelm myself with goals and make sure that I actually go through with
what I'd like to accomplish. I hope that the new year goes well for you and that
you're all doing good.
Love you guys!
-Elder Hussey
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