Happy Holidays 2019

Elder K

playing with Ferret

Santa, I've been good !

Christmas Zone Conference

We got some snow

The beach

FHE with the Military Families

Elder Johnson's Birthday

Elder Johnson and Elder Knowlden

Fall River where my Uncle Jeremy Served his mission

Fun to see Elder Leite Again

Love the Ocean

Happy Holidays to Everyone

Week 61 Dec 16th 2019 
  Monday, nothing really happened just the usual, that night we did a couple stop byes with less active members. We saw a family was close to where we were working. We had never met them so we assumed they were less active. They let us right in and we were not expecting that at all, but we had a good time getting to know them. We even set up a time to come back for dinner and a message!
     Tuesday morning was an early one, we had Zone Conference today, and a few of the members of the District had to practice for a song they were doing together. We were the first ones there, and the other Elders who should have been there at 8:30 didn’t get there until 9:15ish. We eventually started our Christmas Zone Conference. It was pretty dang awesome and all focused on the Savior. Before lunch we had split into 3 groups and had a "Scavenger Hunt". We had 3 challenges and puzzles to find the prize. The prize was Christ because we should always be looking for Him. At lunch President and Sister Mavromaitis sat by us and it was fun to talk to them both. After lunch we had a special FHE activity, and we redid the words to the 12 days of Christmas and put it to a Christ’s Gospel version.  The last little bit President talked and then the District did their song of Silent Night. After Zone Conference we were still there for a little longer because Elder Johnson did 3 interviews for Baptisms for the Scituate Sisters. When we got back to our area we went straight to the Chapel for a lesson with Tionna. We are starting to talk about Preach my Gospel with her to help her prepare for a mission! To end the night we had a lesson with Mike, a man who lives in our complex. The lesson went really well and we watched the Christ Child. While at Zone Conference I got my package from home and it was cool to see what my parents sent me. My dad sent me his Book of Mormon he used on his mission, and as I am reading through his highlights, I can just fill a stronger connection to who he is.
     Wednesday morning we had our studies, and I read one of my favorite Chapters in the Book of Mormon. I read 3 Nephi 11. This is the Chapter when Christ comes down and talks to all of the Nephites in the Americas. After studies we wrapped up more presents and then had a lesson with James. We were able to watch a Book of Mormon Video and talk about it. After his lesson we did Facebook finding up until we left for dinner. We had dinner with the Roneys Family the new couple in the ward. They made Zupas Tucanos soup, and it was sooooo good! My mom and Sister made it all the time back home and I miss it so much! We then watched "The Christ Child" and had a really good discussion about it! For the rest of the night we did stop byes to visit less active members and drop off our presents to former people taught in the past.  During our last visit to a less active member, we talked to a night guard from the building. His name is Washington and he is from Paraguay! It was super cool to talk to him and found out his mother is a devout member back home, so we think he is a member as well! We will be going back soon to talk to him more.
     Thursday morning right after studies we made out way to a Nursing Home to drop off a Bible to a lady who wanted one. We also gave her a few more to hand out to co-workers and residents! After that we were right by the Newport Library so we did an hour of Facebook finding there. We got a text from the Narragansett Elders asking where we were. The reason being we started exchanges today. This was around 1:30, they told us they would be there closer to 5pm... so after we finished we came home then went to eat at Wendy's because Elder Johnson and I hadn’t had any food yet. We then officially started our exchanges. I was with Elder Stokes and Elder Johnson was with Elder Burrows. We had a stop bye to visit a lady in Middletown and we were able to meet her. Turns out she has a new number so that's why she hadn't  responded to us. We will be in touch and hopefully teach her again soon! We then went over into Tiverton and on the way we saw a "Hawaii" license plate, and at lunch we saw a "Alaska" license plate. It was pretty crazy to see those let alone on the same day! We didn't have much luck while in Tiverton, it wasn’t the best time either. With one guy we tried to visit, he was at the very top of our area and we evidently left the zone by like 100 ft. We entered into Fall River, which is an area my uncle Jeremy served in 20 years ago! Sadly, the man didn’t live there anymore. The Daniel's Family (they just love the missionaries, not members) invited all 4 of us over for dinner. We had a pumpkin Chili, and had a fun time getting to know them even more. We were there for the rest of the night then went home. With Zone Conference earlier this week we didn’t expect to have District Council tomorrow so we already made plans. We got a text from the Zone Leaders at 10:15 saying we would be having District Council tomorrow. It was pretty last minute but Elder Burrows volunteered to give the lesson, we then went to bed.
     Friday morning the Elders left so they could get ready for District Council. Later on we made our way up to Warwick for District Council. The Narragansett Elders were 40 minutes late, but Elder Burrows prepared his lesson in that time. We had a great lesson on building a spiritual Snowman aka teaching for understanding. It was a pretty fun lesson with a Christmas twist. After we finished, Elder Johnson and I dropped off the car at Firestone for an oil change and while we waited all of us ate lunch at Wendy’s. We were expecting a 2-hour wait but it was done with in an hour in half! It was basically finished when we got back to Firestone. We went home, changed and did our last Facebook findings for the 15-day pilot program. For the rest of the night we went to the Navy Base and had the last FHE for the year. FHE was put on by a member of the Narragansett Ward. He did it for his Eagle Scout Project. He had a lot of other youth help him out. It was a Christmas Devotional with singing and stories. It was actually pretty well done!
     Saturday morning while I waited for daily planning I listened to the Old Testament to try and catch up a little bit. When it came time for personal studies I came upon a scripture that really made me ponder upon. (It will be at the end of my letter). After studies we visited Rose Cole a member who is blind. We picked up a lasagna dish she made for the Christmas party later that night. While we were there we helped hang something on the wall and her cat scratched me, but that's okay it happens. We brought the dish to the Church and put it in the fridge. On the way to our next lesson, we did a lot of stop byes. Our lesson was with a less active member and we watched "The Christ Child " video and talked about it. I was able to hold one of their ferrets, oh boy was it active, he just wouldn't stay still. On the way home we did more stop byes. For most of the night we were at the Ward Christmas party. We had fun and ate good food. Every primary class went up on a little stage and sang a song. The Elders Quorum sang "Frosty the Snowman". The whole time I was in my "Christmas Story Pj’s. I even got pictures with Santa. The last thing we did that night was share a lesson with Lloyd and we watched "The Christ Child" video.
     Sunday morning we woke up to a text from Brother Grindstaff, he is in the Bishopric and asked if we could give talks today. Elder Johnson somehow got out of it, but I started to prepare a talk. I did it on Spiritual Gifts. I was the first talk up and I was glad so I could just get it done with. After the talk I had a couple members say I did a really good job, one of those was from Brother Wood, a former 70. Hearing that from him really made me feel better because I didn’t think it was the best talk. Brother Wood is the Sunday School teacher and it was so cool to hear a lot more about the Book of Revelations! It truly is an intriguing book of the Bible. After Church we had a special missionary coordination with President Everett, he is in the Mission Presidency. It was focused on how we can better make these meetings more successful. We made our way near the bottom of our area to meet a guy to give him a free Bible. We even got his contact info to hopefully start teaching soon! On the way home we stopped by the Ocean and got a few really good pictures! When we got home we did studies and I took a nap on the couch. When I woke up we made our way to the Hancock’s for dinner. After dinner we drove to the Raposa family. We had a lesson with Dylan and his Mom Gretchen, Brother Raposa’s Nephew and Sister in Law. Even Allison Raposa was there and she isn’t a member. We shared a powerful lesson on the Plan of Salvation. It wasn’t until after we left, we found out that before we came they lost a family member. I am truly grateful for the promptings of the spirit that led us to deciding to share that lesson that night! Nothing much happened that night besides stop byes and call ins.

                   3 Nephi 18:31
   "31 But if he repent not he shall not be numbered among my people, that he may not destroy my people, for behold I know my sheep, and they are numbered"

     This right here is the Lord speaking to the 12 disciples he called. I love this, though we are all children on God, very few of us claim to be so. As we repent and try to show the love we have for Christ and Follow his Teachings we will not be destroyed for we are "His people". As the world gets worse His sheep will continue to be numbered. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen