Happy New Year

Hey everyone, I hope you all had a merry Christmas! It was great to
talk to the family. This week was definitely slow, everyone was busy
but it was to be expected.

Tuesday, we went on exchanges, I was with Elder Brinkerhoff from
Tipton. We were able to set 3 appointments with people for past the
new year but people were all busy

Wednesday, we had district meeting. We had a discussion about the
importance of Christmas, the birth of the savior, and the Atonement,
it was a very power meeting, I love talking about the Atonement. After
that we went to District Lunch, then we went around trying to talk
with people but had no success. After that we went to dinner then went
and tried to contact a few more people.

Thursday was of course Christmas Eve and we went and visited with
V and J, then with the Ms. We tried to contact a few
more people before we went to the Bishops house for dinner and
Christmas Eve festivities. We watched the church's video on
Christmas.mormon.org, read Luke 2. We played some games and some
ping-pong, and the bishop gave us a present of some winter gloves.

Friday, we first went to the bishops house and played some ping pong,
after that we went and Elder Howell skyped for a little. Then we ate
dinner with the Ys, it was awesome. Then I skyped, which was
awesome, it's always good to see the family; and I only have one skype
left, crazy!! Then Elder Howell skyped again because his family had a
party where they were all together so he got to see them all.

Saturday, we visited with V and J, and ended up helping
them clean up a little. We went and tried to visit with a less active
but we were a little late to our appointment and he wasn't there; but,
blessing in disguise, because we were able to visit with a different
less active who we haven't met with in forever and it was perfect.
After that we went and visited with the Madrids about church. Then we
visited with another less active member.

Sunday, Elder Howell spoke on the importance of modern prophets. There
was nobody listening to the translation but we tried anyways haha,
definitely less stressful. Well, we were asked to teach Sunday school
that morning but when we went to class and somebody else was teaching,
it was good cause he had prepared and we hadn't. Well, we ended up
getting caught up helping someone prepare for the Elders quorum
lesson. Then during priesthood we got caught up in a conversation with
a kid who has been at college who is only here for break, Elder Conley
and I went out w th him a lot when we first got here. Well, after
church we had lunch at the Ys, then visited with the less active
we had tried visiting with on Saturday. Well, it's been cold here, and
he doesn't use heat in his house unless he feels it's, "necessary"
well, I could see my breath in his living room, so I definitely felt
it was "necessary" haha, an hour in those temperatures with missionary
attire, luckily I had a long shirt haha. Well after that we visited
with some more peeps, then we went to dinner. Our dinner was like 40
minutes away so the driving plus the dinner took the rest of the day.

Christmas was awesome! I hope everyone remembered the Savior at that
time of year and at all times. He's real, his atonement is real, and
it can and will aid us in life if we let it. I hope everyone has a
great week!

Elder Hinrichsen