12/19- Finding at Christmas

Everything here is going well. The mission is such a learning experience. I feel like I learn so much a day, that a couple of days later, I can hardly remember what happened. A lot of great things and funny things happen each day. Every day is just an adventure. One that I wish I could do justice, but my mind is swirling with all of the stuff that goes on. One thing I have learned this week is the importance of having the spirit. Our Father in Heaven knows each of us so well, and knows exactly what we need to learn and how and when, so I am putting my trust in him that whatsoever happens will be for my good. Everything happens line upon line. That is why it may be so difficult to sense change sometimes. I read a great quote by Thomas Paine. "The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheaply, we esteem too lightly".

One of the difficult things at this time of the year, is that people become very busy. Many of our people are on vacation for two weeks. Our current list of people to teach got cut by 75%. So that means a lot of finding, which is also difficult around Christmas time. One thing I know that will happen is as we stick through the hard times, miracles will happen. We will find someone. I had a neat experience Monday night. Elder Young and I(we were on splits) went into the town centre to do some street contacting. Neither one of us was doing very well. I got fed up with myself and with the people around me. I decided that it was time to pray. I asked God to help me have the courage to talk to people, and also to find someone searching for the message. I just started to have good conversations with people, but none of them were interested. I stopped a kid around my age, named Timi, who looked like he was ready to give me a hard time, but I just went for it. I started to talk to him about the comfort that the gospel can bring, and how it is for everyone at everytime. He just agreed with me the whole time. I told him that we go around sharing this amazing message with people. I don't even remember everything that we talked about, but at the end he just grabbed my shoulders and sincerely thanked me. We have not been able to get in contact with him yet, but I feel like there is a good direction. It is amazing the people that the spirit touches everyday. I was reading through my journal the other day and was noticing a lot of people that we contacted at the beginning of my mission whom we have never heard from since. It is sad to see so many people lose interest, that is why it is important to get their number, but you do what you can.

I have been reading about the importance of having the spirit and carrying the message with power and authority. The gospel is for everyone and has so much to offer people. I have taken it for granted so much in my life, and it has taken seeing millions of people without it to wake me up. Even people who are good, loving, serving people are missing something.

We have been progressing two investigators, D***** and T****, towards baptism. They are building a firm foundation, but I know there will be some road bumps ahead. Their testimonies can be the only thing to get them through. We also have C******. I cannot remember if I have told you about him, but he is amazing. He remembers so much, but also has so much to learn. Despite this, he just knows that he should be baptized. He is back at home in Malaysia, but his baptism is in January. I hope I am still here for it. We have an investigator named S****. His dad, J******, is also a bit interested, but his Mom is a pastor at a church. She knows her Bible, but WOW, Satan can work in sneaky ways.

She saw that in the introduction to the Book of Mormon it said that Joseph Smith had the Melchezidek Priesthood, and said that only Jesus had been called after the order of Melchezidek and that we were claiming that Joseph Smith was on the same plane as Jesus. We have taught her that Joseph Smith is just a prophet. He got his authority from God, as did Melchesidek, as did Jesus Christ. She asked if we would put Joseph Smith of the same plane as Melchesidek, and we said we would. They were
both honorable priesthood holders. She claimed that Melchezidek was Jesus Christ not yet revealed, and we were like . . . "WHAT!!!! Do you realize what you are saying?" Her son and husband stepped in at this point and told her she was crazy. She says that Melchezidek never died and they have no idea where he came from. I was just astounded.

As people read the Book of Mormon, they are changed. We saw it in S****. It is true for everyone. Our only investigators who go anywhere are those who do their reading. A lot of people don't do their reading though. If I had a pound for everytime someone told me that their life was just too busy and they were just too tired to read, I would be rich! No joking!

X***'s baptism this Saturday was cancelled. She just doesn't have enough desire. We cannot force her to do anything. We really need her to feel the spirit strong, but she just isn't ready.

K*** got sick last weekend, but she is excited to meet with us this weekend. She knows what she wants to do eventually, but she is going to take her own time getting there.

I talked to a man named A*** at the library last Saturday. He used to be a member, but didn't have enough faith to understand the atonement and believe in things he cannot see. I wish he lived in our area, but we want to call the missionaries who serve in his area. He just needs some faith building experiences. I love the power of prayer. It does everything!

We are working hard to try to continually contact people who haven't been contacted for weeks. We are having some success once we get into their home. There is a continual cycle that must go on. As you teach people, they either progress towards being baptized, or they are dropped. To avoid having no one to teach, you have to find people while you are teaching. It really helps to have member and investigator referrals to feed this cycle, but most of it comes from personal efforts. We
have been doing this pretty well to the point where we always have people to teach, but Chirstmas time is presenting a problem. I am excited to focus on Chirstmas and it's meaning more when we have time to just sit and think and read. The mission just prepares us for everything that happens later in life, especially with families. The most important
missionary work is done within the home. Harold B. Lee said something about that. Anyway, I love you all! Have a great Christmas!

Elder Davies