MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
...friends and family
(P days are on Tuesdays starting next week)
How is everyone?!
Hopefully awesome! Because it's Christmas!!!
Now, I'll admit.... when it comes to lights, Christmas music, (excluding hymns), and commercialism, I am admittedly a little more "Ba Humbug!", but when it comes to Food, Drink, And Family, I'm all for it! This Christmas I'll have the opportunity to speak with my family over the interwebs (in case my mom hasn't already posted it on Facebook or shouted praises from the rooftops), which will be glorious and fantastic! I'm coming up on 4 months now I think? (but who's counting) and so this is the longest time I've gone without speaking to my family (unless we count Junior High and High school when I thought I was cool). Time surely does fly.
Gather round kiddos, because it's story-time. This last week we've started helping this old lady clean up her house. She's from New Jersey and has that sweet Joizey attitude, complete with an accent to boot. That's all well and good, but she is basically a hoarder. It's difficult moving around her place to help her clean. We've been moving boxes and just making room to....move. It's actually going to be quite the project. It'll probably take the rest of the transfer to fix up! There are boxes to the ceiling. My companion is a self-proclaimed perfectionist and he was sweating just from the stress alone. I was having fun. It's like going into a cave of wonders. Oh, and you know how there are cat ladies? She's a dog lady. Well, she only has two dogs, but she has a bookshelf of just dog books. Probably too many. Also, did you know there is a "dog Bible"? I didn't. She loves Michael Jackson and the Beegees a lot. There are also a ton of Michael Jackson books. We invited her to church, but she apparently didn't have any nice clothes because they are buried in one of the boxes....we'll see. This service project may require Divine Patience.
Yesterday at church, I had the opportunity to stand in at someones Ordination of the Priesthood. Not just anybody though. I don't know if any of you can recall, but Will? Yeah, he's a priest now. It was so cool! We're going to take him to the temple to do some Baptisms next month! It will be glorious! He's finally out of his work rut and is getting back to Church. We've had to teach "keep the Sabbath day holy" a few more times than is normal. (we've been hounding him. Elder Moore may have lovingly got in his face at one point).
We had a cool miracle happen. We were walking home from a long night of knocking doors and taking names, when we walked near our apartment complex. My companion likes to play this weird game where he tries to kick rocks between my feet as I'm walking ) there's a soccer term that he uses, but I don't much care for soccer, so don't ask me) This particular day I wasn't allowing it. So, I had been kicking these rocks back, or stopping walking to block them occasionally (while keeping semi-normal pace) when this particular time, I noticed someone directly behind my companion who was stopped and watching this nonsense unfold. I apologized and said hi and she was mainly just excited because she had been walking all day from the doctors or something, and was glad to see two people doing something at least somewhat interesting. When she found out we were missionaries, then the conversation shifted. Roughly a year prior, she had been meeting with the Sister missionaries in her old home before she moved out here. She went to church a few times, has read a good chunk of the Book of Mormon and was actually excited to meet some Elders. The Lord prepares people in some very interesting ways. The odds of us meeting were ludicrously slim, and that is a testament to me of God preparing those who are ready. We got a return appointment with her, and she was actually incredibly excited to meet with us again. Also, she wants to become a Chaplain, which is siiiiick.
About a month ago my companion and I decided to stop at a less-active house and see how they were doing. This less-active is, and has been, married to a non-member for some time. They were friendly and let us into their home. We talked with them for a while and eventually it was revealed that due to some deaths in the family, they were in a bad way, and especially around the holidays, were very grieved. They really appreciated us stopping by, and it helped that we could tell them that they will see their loved ones again. Well, we hadn't been by since and were busy working in other parts of town. Yesterday at one of our sacrament meetings, when the closing prayer ended, I remember seeing them stand up, and look directly at us. They walked straight over and handed us a bag of cookies. Then, they said they'd call us in a week or two after the holidays and set up an appointment. One simple prompting to visit this family is already making a difference for them. What glorious work. Now, imagine then, what impact each and every one of you has on those you are around all the time? If great things have small beginnings, then what do those big things produce? Love one another at all times. It DOES and always has made a difference.
Remember to honor your family name and do good. Always do good. Love your family. Love your friends. Love your Savior.
Merry Christmas
-Elder Moore
A message from the transcriber: We thoroughly enjoyed seeing and talking with Elder Moore on Christmas day. We're so grateful for modern technology in all its forms that made it possible for each member of our family to participate in the phone call via phone and Skype!
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