Samuel's Mission e-mail December 24, 2007

Everyone:

I'm not sure when you'll be getting this e-mail. As for me, right now it is a nice, warm, sunny Christmas eve that feels a lot like mid-September to me. All the trees are still green, you can walk around outside in short sleeves and feel just fine, and it just overall feels nothing like the Christmas season.

Anyways, starting with Tuesday last week, we visited Karla again. She's doing all right. Her oldes son, Brandon, was asking some questions about baptism that we answered, and we've taught her everything she needs to know. We want to get the whole family there, though, and she's quite honestly not ready to be baptized yet, so we've still got some work to do. We also visited Anne and dropped by some less-actives named the Diaz family.

On Wednseday I was on splits with Elder Backenstoss, one of my zone leaders, down in his area in Hawthorn. It was a good day, and some good work was done back in my area, too.

On Thursday we visited Karla and did some service for her (we kind of tutor her kids some). We also visited some other people, but I don't remember who it was.

On Friday we had our district meeting, and we did our planning since we hadn't done it on Thursday. We called our referrals that we still hadn't been able to contact and were able to deliver one of the items one of them had requested.

On Saturday we had our normal correlation meetings, tracted a bit, and talked with Miguel's sister, who isn't a member.

On Sunday we had our normal church meetings, we visited Karla because she hadn't come to church (she had had to drive her husband to pick something up for his work). We also visited Santos, who is a recent convert in the Spanish 6th ward.

Well, that's it for now. I'd like to close with the words of one of the less-sung Christmas songs in our hymnbook:

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play
and wild and sweet the words repeat
of peace on earth good will to men

I thought how as the day had come
the belfries of all Christendom
had tolled along th'unbroken song
of peace on earth good will to men

And in despair I bowed my head
"There is no peace on earth," I said
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
of peace on earth good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep
"God is not dead nor doth he sleep!
The wrong shall fail the right prevail
with peace on earth good will to men."

Then ringing, singing on its way
the world revolved from night to day
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
of peace on earth good will to men.

--Hymn #214 (I think)

Elder Samuel Stephens
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6