Strange Day for A PDay
So, I am writing on a Saturday, cause they moved preparation to Saturday this week. Actually, this is my 2nd p-day of the week. Firstly, Christmas was on a Monday, so we had one on Tuesday. Now, President switched our P-day from next week to today. Which doesn’t make much sense to me, because what are we going to get done on the 1st of the year?? Everyone will be hung over and sleeping in from the big celebration the night before. We really don’t have anything planned that day. But we already did have something planned for this P-day, before we knew it was a p-day. So, that already took up half of the day. And that event was…..A BAPTISM!!
So, the last few weeks have been super great. We have worked really hard, trying to find new people and especially trying to keep up with our investigators, which has been even tougher due to the holiday season. Recalling far back, I believe we had an excellent Christmas Eve. We had a Christmas program at church, and I sang in the choir…I believe I was the only bass part. And earlier in the week, I sang in the choir for Zone Conference, which was a great experience. I love singing in choirs, especially singing Christmas songs. I also translated most of the sacrament meeting, before joining the choir, but I did not teach a class…the first time in quite a while. Anyways, we visited our Hispanics on the Eve, cause that is their big holiday. First, we stopped by the Garcia (one’s who had a baptismal date…for today). Not much happened, we played with the kids football and basketball and also saw one of the them create electricity when they throw the football at the power lines…bad idea. We actually didn’t eat there, cause nothing was ready. So, we moved on to the next house…the Tomas family. We ate a few tortilla shaped scones with honey…they were super good, but I was already close to full, even before we made it to our dinner that night..The Resendiz Family. We had a grand time at their house…singing lots of Christmas songs and eating a lot more. I couldn’t finish what was given to me, I was really about to explode. But, like all good things, the night had to come to an end and we went home to rest.
Christmas day was delightful! It all started with the opening of the presents at 8 am. I saw Elder Ferons open up all of his cool presents, but I recieved the best of all…Jerkey!! Yeah…way to go Family!!! Anyways, we soon headed to the Jester home to have breakfast. I heard many raves that it was going to be way good…but I really wasn’t too impressed…in fact; I was thinking about those yummy swimmer pancakes that Mom always makes…haha. So, we watched them open up their presents…nothing too exciting…we also recieved something…scarfes…yeah! Then, we made the phone call home…it was good times. Later on in the night, through the little rain storm, we visited Billy and then we drove to Warrenton to have dinner with the Bentley family. It was a great time that family is awesome. They are young, and Bro. Bentley loves college football, so that is what we talk about alot. I also found out Sis. Bentley’s sister is looking for a hubby…and if she is anything like Sis. Bentley, she’d be a steal! I’m working on getting the information from her (not for me! but for another!). Anyways, that was our Christmas.
The week has been filled with little successes and little failures, but it just ended with a big splash! Literally….a huge splash!! The baptism was scheduled for 11 today. We arrived at the church house to make preparations at 8:30…and everything was finished and we were all dressed in our white baptismal clothes at 10:30. No one was there. All of the Americans had arrived by 11, but no hispanics. Finally, Fransisco and Teresa showed up at 11:10 and they got dressed and despite all the late people, we started the service. And what a service it was! First, Elder Ferons baptized Teresa, and then I baptized Fransisco. It was a very special moment for us and those two. They had been listening to the missionaries for over a year, and despite everyone in their family already being members, it took them some extra time and they finally wanted to be baptized the 1 or 2 time that I had met with them. This family is already part of my family.
Well, here we are almost to the end of 2006. I’m excited for what 2007 has to over. As a missionary for half of it, and then as a regular person the other half. Who knows what will happen, where I will be or what I will be doing in 1 year from now. All, I know is that I will want to still be firm in the gospel, with a deep faith in our Heavenly Father, who makes it all possible that we are alive, breathing, living day by day. May the Lord and his abundant mercies bless each and every one of us as we do his will and keep his commandments.
Con carino,
Elder Hardy