Hello family!! So the time here is totally speeding up. I thought yesterday was P-Day, but apparently it was a week ago. It all happens so fast here!
Oh ok, I was thinking that I wouldn't really want anything for Christmas, but I did figure something out that I would like from you, my family. I was thinking it would be nice to have one of those smaller diffusers and some wild orange! I don't think I have very many citrus oils. And one more thing which is the most important one is pictures!! Just a LOTS of pictures. And when I say lots I mean lots according to mom. Yeah I said it. I know it's a little risky, but I'm willing to deal with the consequences. I want pictures of the family, pictures of memories maybe, just whatever! And from everyone else, I want some pictures too! I'm trying to make a photo album so I can actually remember what everyone looks like.
I'm learning the importance of the scriptures here. After the first week or so I started looking forward to personal study time every day, which we have like 2 hours or more every day. It's so awesome! and the Book of Mormon is the most powerful! They told us that everyone should be reading in the BOM for at least a half hour every day, and then for the rest of your studies just study whatever. And no matter what, study time is always in the morning. And there's a reason for that. They don't give us an extra hour at night for personal study, they give it to us in the morning. We need the power from the scriptures throughout our day! I remember how hard it is to read in the morning at home, but I want to challenge ALL of you something. I challenge you guys all to read the scriptures in the mornings, not the nights, for an hour each day. Yeah I know, a whole hour!! Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven. We need to read the scriptures until we love to read them! I learned from my friend that we need to be as quick to pray and read the scriptures as we are to text, check scores or the latest technology, or write on somebody's facebook wall. We should want to study the scriptures as much, nay, more than we want to do these other things.
On Sunday we saw the BYU men's choir! They were so good. They sang Christmas songs and did really well. And I'm pretty sure that Mckay from Vocal point was in the choir. It was sweet. And I also saw one of my friends named Tyler in the choir! So that was cool. They sang The Little Drummer Boy and one of them gave a little message about that song. It says in that song "Baby Jesu, I am a poor boy too. I have no gift to bring that's fit to give a king. So I'll play for you. I'll play my best for you." We are all poor little drummer boys and girls. We have NOTHING that's fit to give a king, especially Jesus. There is nothing good enough that someone imperfect like us could give. But we can do our best. We can try our hardest. And miraculously, that's all He asks. And the simple beat of our drums pleases him, just as much as gifts of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. How awesome is His love!
So I heard about an iPad app called Life of Jesus Christ. It has all of the new movies that they made about Jesus' life, the ones they showed during the christmas devotional. So mom and dad you guys should get that app! Cause those videos are ballin. Mom I don't know how you did it, but I realized that my brothers and I all have amazing immune systems. We totally wreck all germs that dare threaten us. I can't even remember being sick enough that I had to stay home or in bed or something. But this week I got a glimpse of rejection. It wasn't related to the missionary work, but I related it in my head. Because my companion started getting sick, so I tried to help him with the doTERRA oils. I knew they could help him, and that he wouldn't need to be sick, but he didn't want to. He just wouldn't take them and use them. So he ended up being sick for like 5 or 6 days, and he's just now barely getting better. But it's totally like the gospel. I have something that will help everyone who uses it, the gospel, and I just want to share it with them. I know how much it can improve their lives and how they won't be unhappy anymore. But for whatever reason, they just don't want to partake. Whether because it's too much of a hastle for them, or whether it's out of pride, they just won't do it. And I saw what Elder Shields went through, being sick for so long, and I just thought how none of this would have happened to him if he had just used what I had. It makes me think of the story when moses held up the snake but no one looked because of the easiness of the way. I'm going to feel way bad for all the people who won't accept the gospel, because I know the blessings that they can receive from it.
We read a talk called tongue of angels!! There were actually two, and we read both of them. Those were the sweetest talks that I've read. It talks about how we need to not be so mean and rude and sarcastic, which was a perfect talk for a 19 year old like me! So you guys should all read them. There was also a scripture I read in Romans that says something to the effect of Not the hearers of the word will be saved, but the doers of the word. As Saints we are the hearers of the word. But are we the doers of the word? I promise you I could find plenty of people who are non members who are much better people than some members. In the words of Ursula, It's sad, but true. So don't be a bum member! Be an all star!
On Tuesday we had Elaine S Dalton come speak to us. She talked about the birth of Christ. I don't remember why, something to do with Christmas or something. But it was cool, she said that we were all probably at Christ's birth, and I totally believe her! Such a big thing in the history of the world, why would we miss it when we were angels and could've seen it if we wanted? How cool is it that we were the ones singing hallelujahs and such! that's cool.
I saw brother Oswald! But it was a little embarrassing because that was a couple nights before Elder Ramos left, and I was saying bye to him, so I was late for quiet time that night, and that's why I saw him. But that's ok, cause it was neat! He said he was gonna try to bring the Allen kids here sometime soon, so that would be cool if I saw them. Oh man and the craziest thing happened when we were going to teach!! So Ronny got baptized on Saturday, and he was so happy, so we went to see him again on Wednesday and we got there and were like oh hey Ronny! But then our teacher who pretends to be Ronny every time, was like who are you guys? And so we said we're missionaries and whatever and he's like oh yeah, I remember! My wife told you guys to come. So he told us his name is Luis. So instead of the lesson we had planned, we had to teach the first lesson! It was so nuts. So I don't know if we'll ever see Ronny again, or if Hermano Driggs is only going to be Luis from now on. So we have a new investigator now! Luis doesn't really believe in God because of all of the bad stuff in the world. But I'm sure we'll be baptizing him any day now ;) But yeah, when we knocked on the door we were so lost, and in the lesson we were a little lost, but Elder Shields and I are bosses so we pulled it off. :)
Anyways, Happy Christmas to everyone! Try to remember the true meaning of Christmas, and don't get crazy! I know you guys rock, so I'm not worried. I love you all!
Love, Elder "100% Juice" Harding
