Christmas Cookies and Sugar

Christmas came this week. We got lots of sugar. I already talked about Monday, so I'll skip that. 

For Christmas eve we went to Visalia and had a Zone Conference. It was pretty fun. We learned about faith, and then we played Bingo and stuff. It was fun to be with Elder Perkins and Elder Arebalo and Elder Peterson. I won a bag of cereal. We ate dinner at the Nelson's house, and played a little Where's Waldo with their kids. I know that Through Faith we can do all things, if our desire is righteous, and the Lord wills. 

On Christmas we still went and ran in the morning, then we had our studies, and our weekly planning session. After that we went to the Robison's house and I got to Skype my family. We never got around to watching a movie.

One of the highlights of my Christmas was giving a Christmas present to one of the Less active members that we've been working with. We were trying to get him a suit that fit him. We had given him Christmas presents already, some home made cookies and candy and other goodies like a larger print triple combination. We tried one suit but it was too small. Then we were able to get a large suit jacket from another one of our less active members and we put together another quit coffee care package. with hot chocolate and crystal light stuff. We gave him the second present shipment on Christmas day. He was really happy, his face was beaming. he gave us both a warm handshake, and I could tell he was really grateful. Both of these these members gave us a present, by coming to church.  

The Second highlight of my week was with our investigator named Kim. She says that she is going to marry her boyfriend, and that means that she will be able to be baptized!! She says she want to be baptized in February. She hasn't told her kids yet, but her boyfriend and her have ordered rings. 

I also went on an exchange with Elder Munzon. He is from Columbia, and is a recent convert. he was baptized when he was 15, and is the only member in his family. He is a good missionary I think.

Everything has been good. Thanks for all for all of the Love! Keep praring for me!

Happy New Year! 

Elder Keeley

Finding, Teaching Baptizing, Team up in the Rain, Plus Christmas parties

We had a super awesome and busy week this week. We were able to find a family that Elder Perkins and I had given a Book of Mormon too a long time ago, and start teaching them. They are pretty solid. They are named Demery, Jonathan, and Patrick. They also have a little boy named Nick. They are pretty prepared, and we would like to baptize them in December, but I don't know if they are married, or anything like that. We also were able to contact a referral from the bishop of a nearby city, and they are pretty solid as well.

In the ward that I'm serving in, the year's baptismal goal is 16, and we are at 8. Elder Oliver and I are working like crazy to try and reach our ward's goal. We were able to recontact about 4 golden former investigators this week, and we are working like crazy to be able to find people, and help them come to church on Sunday. 

I'll do a quick rundown of who we have so far.

We are still working to baptize the Zamora family, we just haven't been able to meet with them for a while, because they have been busy, but they are on the cusp of baptism. Same with Abel, but we are meeting with him today. 

We have a lady named Christina who is a golden investigator from the past that we are meeting with a again this week, we should be able to help her be baptized as well.

We found Angel, an ROTC kid, he set a solid baptismal date and wants to be baptized.

We have a lady named Chandra that was taught a lot, but couldn't get baptized before, but should be able to now.

We have a girl name Kat who just needs to come to church to get baptized, but she has track on the weekends. 

We have a man named Ranae who has come to church before and is married to a member. We have taught him in the past as well. 

We have a lady named Maria who really needs the gospel, we have taught her before, but she has been hard to get a hold of and has a drinking problem. 

Finally, we just need a some miracles to happen, we need to find families that God has prepared. 

Pray for Elder Oliver and I that we may be able to have the miracle of reaching the ward's baptismal goal, by having these people become converted, come to church, and reach baptism. 

We did a team up yesterday with a priest named Daniel. It rained and hailed, which is unusual for Selma. It was lots of fun to take Daniel through the rain to learn the "hard life." We were able to teach a couple of really good lessons, and were able to find some people that we will baptize.

We also went to two Christmas parties this week, the English one and the Spanish one. The Spanish people know how to party better than the English. I got a picture with Santa and had fun calling our Elder's Quorum President looking for Santa's beard, because a Mexican Santa needs a beard.

I had a great week.

Elder Keeley

This is us as the Spanish Christmas Party. This is my district.

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