Sweater Weather

Look what we (mostly Elder Ritchie) made last week! It was a cutout from a box of Christmas cookies he bought hahaha it's super sick. We're more artsy and craftsy than most hermanas I think

Sweater Weather! If I calculated off Celsius right, it's been about 65 degrees (outside of mid afternoon). Really, REALLY cold! haha its great.

I didn't get any good pictures of us painting, but we went and painted for service. Everybody ended up with paint on them... Both from painting the walls and each other. My watch is now a cool, speckled, black and white (it was originally black).

One thing E. Ritchie is teaching me a lot about is swag

 BRRRRR. It has been COLD! I've worn my sweater out proselyting like 3 or 4 times this week I think. Also found a nice (red) big (soft) blanket (Sounds like I found my mission garm garm blanket) to use because I was just using a sheet before.

Apparently years ago (that sounds weird because it Spanish you say hace años which means makes years) San Ramon was this cold basically all summer. Word on the street is that it's even snowed here before, but that was like 35 years ago. I don't know if I buy that, but it sure has been cold. In fact, one day I was cold WITH my sweater on! I LOVE IT. It is seriously the best! I think that proselyting in a sweater is one of the best feelings I've ever had in my life. I'm all comfy and cozy and at the same time my soul's warmed by the words we're sharing :-)

I'm seriously in the best place in the world right now.

We are currently in the process of lining up dinners and free food to celebrate the event of Elder Ritchie and Johnson dying (going home). We've already got every Pday lined up except the last one (to pack and clean). Now we've just got to start organizing one like every day for the last week haha.

Elder Ritchie and I are doing awesome. We are so tight. We've always clicked and worked well, but even the tiny little things that we had at start have been worked out I feel like. We really edify and support each other, and keep a super open relationship. It's great :-) 

I have a nice sunburn from an activity we had on Saturday and a beautiful tan line from my watch. #missionaryproblems.

I think that Andrés said that tomorrow or Thanksgiving or something like that we're going to make egg nog. Yum!

Alright, I think that's all the ordinary day to day stuff.

Oh, and we got a ping pong table in the church (whaaaat).

Yup, that's all.

I want to talk today about A. She got baptized about a month ago now, and I had the opportunity to baptize her. She's really the bomb. I'm pretty sure I actually met her like my first week here in the mission, so it's pretty cool. But what I really want to talk about is her family.

We've been teaching her daughter and granddaughter and they might get baptized this month, but it's far from sure. But ever since A's gotten a testimony that this church is true, she's immediately turned outwards and wanted her family to know it too. Mosiah 28:3 says: 

Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble.

I love this scripture. As A's gained an understanding of to where she should look for her salvation, she's immediately begun to worry about her loved ones. She has truly turned outwards, as Christ would and did, in love to those she knows to help them have what she's already found. Every time we ask her what we can do for her she asks us to pray for her family. They're always on her mind. She leads by example, showing how much the church has brought her peace! She's already read through nearly all the Book of Mormon (she's in Moroni) while studying the Gospel Principles book and reading the bible as well. The thought of her family perishing in unbelief pricks her heart in such a way that she acts to fortify her own testimony and does what she can to help them as well. She's an example to me of how to do missionary work. As we strive for this same brotherly love, for this same concern over the welfare of souls, we'll feel the same joy that's described in Luke 15:10:

Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

I love you all! I hope you're all doing great. Have a great week, and keep in mind what's truly important!

-Elder Henry

We made a nice little surprise for Elder Johnson who is dying (going home) with Elder Ritchie this transfer, today (they had to leave early in the morning to go do fingerprints) I'll tell you the results of that next week if I remember haha. We're so craftsy.

Foggy and cold :-) I love it!!!