December 14, 2009

Dear Family,

Hey y'all. I hope you are doing well. Things in West Memphis are doing good. Things are definitely starting to improve which is good. Let me update you with a couple of things that are going on.

Krystal, one of our investigators, has a baptismal date. It was for the 26th of this month but she didn't show up for church so we have to move it back. She seems pretty interested you just have to ask a lot of questions to make sure that she understands. She understands about her baptism so that is good.

Out of nowhere, this Less-active family came out of the blue and came back to church on Sunday. They are the Taylor family. The Wife is the only member. The Husband and son are non-members and they want to be taught and baptized. We plan on setting a date with them, hopefully by the end of the year.

We have the Branch Christmas Dinner this week. It should be a lot of fun and a lot of food. Yum!

We have made mission history in our mission by setting the highest amount of baptisms in a year. I don't know the exact number and we won't know until the end of the year. But I know we are around 465 baptisms. That is awesome, especially for our mission in the south!

I love this Christmas season. Everyone is closer to Christ and are more receptive to the Message of the Restoration. I love it. I know it to be true. I love and miss y'all. I hope you are doing all well.

Love,

Kyle (Elder Parker)

December 7, 2009

Dear Family,

I am doing good. Things in West Memphis are going good. Let me tell you the highlights of my week.

This week was the Christmas Zone Conference. I got the letter that Dad wrote for me. You wrote it a long time ago in November but it still felt like you were right there talking to me. It really meant a lot. I liked the comment at the end of the letter when Dad said, “We will let them have you one more year and then next Christmas, your ours!” Ha ha. So true. I will miss all y’all this year for Christmas but I know what I am doing is right and I am supposed to be here. It was good. We listened to people talk for 3 hours about things that we talked about during the year. Then we had a Christmas dinner. Then we got to open our presents. I got to read the letter and it was fun! Then we did our Christmas skits. Our Zone did the huka, the Tongan war dance. Our zone leader, Elder Fa, is from Tonga. So that is what we did. We had a lot of fun and I recorded it so I can show you guys when I get home.

West Memphis had a Christmas Parade so we went with some Less-actives the Whites. They are a really neat young couple and they have adopted us into their family quickly. It was an interesting parade. Very cold too because it was at night. A ghetto parade! Haha.

We had a good Sunday too. We had Sister Justice come, an investigator, and we got to meet her and her son who is in a wheelchair and handicapped. They were both very nice. Then there was a “Break the Fast” potluck. It was yummy. I think that is one thing that the churches back west need to adopt. Monthly potlucks. They are so good! Maybe I will suggest that when I get home. Haha.

We are just currently trying to find solid investigators. The problem we seem to be having is when we have a good lesson with someone, and we try to reschedule an appointment, and then we go to the appointment and they aren’t there and then you have to try and find them home the rest of the week. It is frustrating but hey, missionary work wouldn’t be the same with out experiences like this! I enjoyed the Christmas Devotional by the First Presidency. For those that missed it, I suggest you watch on LDS.org. or something like that. I really liked the story President Monson gave about the soldier in the airport trying to get home. Strong spirit!

I have a testimony of this gospel. I love it with all of my heart and I KNOW it is true, without a doubt. I love and miss y’all and hope you have a good week.

Love,

Kyle

December 7, 2009

Dear Family,

I am doing good. Things in West Memphis are going good. Let me tell you the highlights of my week.

This week was the Christmas Zone Conference. I got the letter that Dad wrote for me. You wrote it a long time ago in November but it still felt like you were right there talking to me. It really meant a lot. I liked the comment at the end of the letter when Dad said, “We will let them have you one more year and then next Christmas, your ours!” Ha ha. So true. I will miss all y’all this year for Christmas but I know what I am doing is right and I am supposed to be here. It was good. We listened to people talk for 3 hours about things that we talked about during the year. Then we had a Christmas dinner. Then we got to open our presents. I got to read the letter and it was fun! Then we did our Christmas skits. Our Zone did the huka, the Tongan war dance. Our zone leader, Elder Fa, is from Tonga. So that is what we did. We had a lot of fun and I recorded it so I can show you guys when I get home.

West Memphis had a Christmas Parade so we went with some Less-actives the Whites. They are a really neat young couple and they have adopted us into their family quickly. It was an interesting parade. Very cold too because it was at night. A ghetto parade! Haha.

We had a good Sunday too. We had Sister Justice come, an investigator, and we got to meet her and her son who is in a wheelchair and handicapped. They were both very nice. Then there was a “Break the Fast” potluck. It was yummy. I think that is one thing that the churches back west need to adopt. Monthly potlucks. They are so good! Maybe I will suggest that when I get home. Haha.

We are just currently trying to find solid investigators. The problem we seem to be having is when we have a good lesson with someone, and we try to reschedule an appointment, and then we go to the appointment and they aren’t there and then you have to try and find them home the rest of the week. It is frustrating but hey, missionary work wouldn’t be the same with out experiences like this! I enjoyed the Christmas Devotional by the First Presidency. For those that missed it, I suggest you watch on LDS.org. or something like that. I really liked the story President Monson gave about the soldier in the airport trying to get home. Strong spirit!

I have a testimony of this gospel. I love it with all of my heart and I KNOW it is true, without a doubt. I love and miss y’all and hope you have a good week.

Love,

Kyle

December 7, 2009

Dear Family,

I am doing good. Things in West Memphis are going good. Let me tell you the highlights of my week.

This week was the Christmas Zone Conference. I got the letter that Dad wrote for me. You wrote it a long time ago in November but it still felt like you were right there talking to me. It really meant a lot. I liked the comment at the end of the letter when Dad said, “We will let them have you one more year and then next Christmas, your ours!” Ha ha. So true. I will miss all y’all this year for Christmas but I know what I am doing is right and I am supposed to be here. It was good. We listened to people talk for 3 hours about things that we talked about during the year. Then we had a Christmas dinner. Then we got to open our presents. I got to read the letter and it was fun! Then we did our Christmas skits. Our Zone did the huka, the Tongan war dance. Our zone leader, Elder Fa, is from Tonga. So that is what we did. We had a lot of fun and I recorded it so I can show you guys when I get home.

West Memphis had a Christmas Parade so we went with some Less-actives the Whites. They are a really neat young couple and they have adopted us into their family quickly. It was an interesting parade. Very cold too because it was at night. A ghetto parade! Haha.

We had a good Sunday too. We had Sister Justice come, an investigator, and we got to meet her and her son who is in a wheelchair and handicapped. They were both very nice. Then there was a “Break the Fast” potluck. It was yummy. I think that is one thing that the churches back west need to adopt. Monthly potlucks. They are so good! Maybe I will suggest that when I get home. Haha.

We are just currently trying to find solid investigators. The problem we seem to be having is when we have a good lesson with someone, and we try to reschedule an appointment, and then we go to the appointment and they aren’t there and then you have to try and find them home the rest of the week. It is frustrating but hey, missionary work wouldn’t be the same with out experiences like this! I enjoyed the Christmas Devotional by the First Presidency. For those that missed it, I suggest you watch on LDS.org. or something like that. I really liked the story President Monson gave about the soldier in the airport trying to get home. Strong spirit!

I have a testimony of this gospel. I love it with all of my heart and I KNOW it is true, without a doubt. I love and miss y’all and hope you have a good week.

Love,

Kyle