This week's email

Hi Hi Hi Hi Hi!

This past Saturday a girl was baptized who lives in Alnwick, but she was baptized in Newcastle! It was really exciting. Last Saturday Elder Jaeger and I (because he is the district leader) had to travel up to Alnwick to interview her for baptism and that was an adventure. We took the Metro into Newcastle so the central station there and it was freezing cold that day and the train station is outside ( so stupid) and it was like -5 or -6 so it was pretty cold, and we had to wait for like an hour to catch this train up to Alnwick. The train we were on, the next station was Edinburgh Scotland. So if we had stayed on that train we would have just ended up in Scotland...    but we didn't haha. Anyways the countryside up there is beautiful and Sarah was super ready to be baptized her baptism was wonderful (1 dunk, first try). Elder Kiss baptized her.

 

Anyways also this week on Tuesday was the zone Christmas party! that was super fun we got there at around 10 and we played a bunch of games and then had a big lunch with all the missionaries and President and his wife, then we had a talent show! I played and sang with a guitar that I borrowed from Brother Phillipson ( a member of the bishopric in our ward ) and that was super fun lots of people told me I was really good. Then we watched this really funny movie called Nativity, you guys should watch it!

 

Also on Monday on p day we went into Newcastle city center, it's this huge shopping place it's really cool I'll take a picture to send to you next time I'm there. I bought new shoes - because I wore through the soles of my shoes that I've been wearing, so I bought some really thick ones. I'll send a picture of the soles too haha they're really destroyed.

 

Mama,

 

That video you sent worked great they sound really good! Our Christmas Sunday was pretty lame - the bishop was gone and the choir lady was in Idaho and so we just sang a bunch of Christmas hymns and had a normal sacrament, but next Sunday they asked me to sing Oh Holy Night in Sacrament so that'll be good.

 

And wait, did both Elders leave the area? Who are the new ones? What are their names, what are they like etc.

 

And ah man that makes me pretty sad to think about missing the Christmas party :(

But thinking about the Ockeys, is Hayden back yet? If not when does he come home?

 

We have four Elders in our ward so between the two pairs we get about 4 or 5 tea appointments a week, so about 2 or 3 each (we're not allowed to have 4 elders for tea somewhere) so that's pretty nice. The rest of the time we have pasta or pizza or sandwiches or rice and chicken and stuff. Elder Shrieve (the new guy in our flat) is a really good cook, so sometimes he makes us good meals.

 

Olivia and will are so funny I miss you guys! Elder Jaeger thinks the poop jokes are really funny. I told him about the time Olivia called me poop fire on that note and he laughed for days about it. I've told him lots of stories about you guys (we have a lot of time to talk) so he knows about all you guys.

 

Sammy! I love your hair! This week (probably today) I'm gonna go and cut my hair a lot shorter, just to see if i like it. So on Christmas my hair might look a lot different. And dude how was the play? What was it again? Who are you hanging out with now?  Also how's driving? Do you drive a lot? Is it different at home without me there? How's everything going? And school what's up with that? How is everything?

 

Hi dad,

I've been thinking a lot about the atonement of Jesus Christ and I'm amazed about how hard it is to understand it fully. I'm always learning more about it. I've been teaching a lot of people about Him, and when I have to explain what the Atonement is in simple terms for people so they can understand - it helps me know it better and understand it more. I love Jesus Christ and teaching about him.

 

And Alex, you suck for not emailing me. you don't have time? I only have an hour and a half of internet access! Email me more! haha its okay but seriously. also das cool about the music stuff. I played guitar at the missionaries Christmas party! And I sing at church all the time! I'll see you on Christmas love you bye