Merry Christmas!!

Dear wonderful friends and family!

wishing ya'll the happiest Christmas Season from Liberia :) sure, its hot and sweaty here, but it still is Christmas! This week has been terrific with zone conference as well as wonderful experiences with investigators and recent converts. I am happy to report all is well and both my companion and I are happy and healthy in New Kru Town!

We had an experience this week with our recent convert, A., who is 20 years old and just baptized last saturday, We invited him to come teach with us and were so incredibly impressed with his ability to bear testimony and add to our lessons. It was amazing! This was the first time he had ever worked with us, yet he was appropriately chiming into the discussion, adding his additional testimony or clarifying points that are difficult to understand coming from an american's tongue.  It was more than we could have ever asked for!

He was also constantly showing us his friends, inviting all of them to church and to come listen to our message. I was particularly impressed at the things he had caught onto in his own discussions; ie; promising blessings after committing them to live a principle, asking personal questions, bearing testimony to what "your companion" has said is true, etc... He has really picked up on how to teach. It was truly a joy to see this young man, who just 5 weeks ago was in the dark concerning the gospel, is now proclaiming it all throughout his community. He is planning to finish his High Schooling and then serve a mission. I cannot wait for that day! :)

Also, this week I am learning, or at least trying to learn, how to laugh when interruptions or unexpected problems arise in our day to day life. When we have planned all we can plan, prepared as much as we could, done our absolute best and something still frustrates us, just laugh it off. This especially applies to my interactions with others when it affects me. Too often I can get the mindset that "I'll just deal with it" whereas I should be more optimistic and positive. When my eggs get smashed or my socks get muddy, learn to laugh. When someone else's poor planning puts me behind schedule, don't hyperventilate. Life is a lot better when you take it with a smile. I'd encourage you all to try to implement this same advice in your own lives, especially in this busy holiday season :)

Anyways, as I said, this is simply something I am TRYING to learn. My companion can attest, too often I become silent and dont learn to take it with a spoon full of sugar. I am confident that this will be something I will ALWAYS be working on, but I've gotta start somewhere!

I bought some Christmas presents this week for my family- im pretty sure ya'll will simply love them to death. maybe ill send some pics... nahhh! ya'll can wait till i come home :) hehe i hope you like african souvineers!

The electricity has been off in our apartment this whole week which is getting quite frustrating... no lights in the evening and also, no water bc no pump. anyways... we're alive. just shower a bit less and dont always have the cleanest water to wash dishes with. good thing for bleach!

anyways, ill be talking to my family this week. im so stinkin excited! :) i cant waiiittt!!!! :)

well, thats gotta be enough for now. my mind cant think very clearly at the moment- lots happening in this internet cafe at the moment... ill save it for wednesday!

i love you all so much and hope you have a great Christmas day!