Happy New Year from Hendersonville--Life in the Mission Field Week #30

Our Christmas picture.

Hello!  

Hope you had a great Christmas – here is what we’ve been doing this past week:

Last Tuesday we went to serve at the Bishop’s storehouse, and so many youth also showed up to help the poor and needy. It was great to see people as far away as Murfreesboro (pronounced just like it's spelled) which is like an hour and a half away helping out--very busy indeed. Later that night we went over to visit a lady who is slowly dying of an illness. She lives alone so we stopped by and gave her a medium sized picture of Christ. She loved it and held onto it. She's not a member but was really grateful for us stopping by.

Wednesday we stopped by some other homes where members were sick. We blessed them and offered our service if they needed anything. Later that evening we had dinner at a member's home and made Christmas cookies for Santa with their little daughters. I tried to make a missionary, but then it turned out to be the incredible hulk (got carried away). And so to make up for that I decided to make a sun burnt Winnie the Pooh since there was no yellow sprinkles. We then read Luke 2 with the family and said goodnight. 

Here is the photo of the Christmas cookies! (the Incredible Hulk and an orange Winnie the Pooh)

Christmas Day we went over to Gallatin English-speaking and Gallatin Spanish-speaking missionaries’ apartments, which are about two doors away from each other. We spent the hour opening presents and having fun with each other. It was a lot of fun.

The Christmas Party (left to right: Elder Colver, Elder Hansen, Elder Peery, Elder Black, Elder Womack, and Elder Stutz)

Gallatin district (left to right back row: Elder Peery, Elder Cullum, Elder Colver, Elder Womack, Elder Hansen, Elder Owens, Elder Hohneke, Elder Nimmer. 
Front row: Sister Traughber and Sister Squire)

Gallatin Spanish District (left to right back row: Elder Cullum, Elder Hohneke, Elder Stutz, Elder Black. Front row left to right: Hermana Stokes, Hermana Dansie, Sister West, Sister Dixon, Sister Brown, and Sister Williams.)

Elder Womack who's a cowboy from Wyoming got a lasso toy and so he spent most of his time on that. I got loads of gift cards and letters, which I bound together. It was awesome reading so many letters. Thank you so much for thinking of me and praying for us.  It means so much.

Some of the letters and cards were from people who got the CD that Elder Leavitt and I made way back in Antioch. I am glad that members and non-members like it. One of my neighbors in Virginia who is not a member told my mom she has listened to it three times and loves it. That was pretty cool to hear. 

Skyping with my family on Christmas was fun. It was great to see everyone and fun talking with everyone. After I ended my call with my parents, I started trying to contact my dad in California. Because we started late they had stopped checking Skype. But maybe I'll get the chance some other time. 

Friday we went tracting and found a fun guy who was into theories and such. Other than that not much else happened.

Saturday night we played basketball with a bunch of youth from Gallatin and one from Hendersonville. It was pretty intense but we won a couple games. It was very entertaining to play against girls because it's always awkward defending them. Elder Hansen blocked one and everyone said "SHE'S A GIRL!!" And then later when she scored on him and everyone repeated "SHE'S A GIRL!!" You can't win in that situation. 

Sunday we had a family we are teaching come to church. That was so great!  The parents are members but the kids are not.  The kids are over 8 years old. The dad came up to us after church and said that he wants the kids baptized by February so we will be more than happy to help with that and look forward to teaching them.

Later on after church we went home teaching with a member named Brother Hammond. While we were in a lesson he talked about how his brother in law who just got out of prison had read the entire Book of Mormon while in prison, and after coming to church for the second week straight, said that he wanted to be baptized. IT'S INSANE!! We have THREE potential baptisms for next month so we are very excited. 

Hendersonville is booming, and I'm loving it. Hopefully this will continue!  Happy New Year, everyone!

Elder Peery

We are working hard and walking a lot!  On the left is a normal shoe.  On the right is a shoe after about 7 months of use.  Time for a new pair?