So very exciting!

So this past week has been pretty swell.  We found a few new investigators.

I have this cool story, 6 months ago missionaries were teaching this family.  The mom was less active the daughters were not members and dad was not interested at all.  They taught lessons out on their front lawn because he didn’t like them being there.  Now the mom has a calling in primary and both daughters are being taught discussions when I got here.  Last week we went to teach them and found out one that daughter wasn’t home and one was sick so we thought we were just going to teach mom but were we wrong! The dad was like “hold on guys and I will join you” and sat in the lesson with us and told us to come back again!  I know the Lord prepares people and he does it in his own time and works with them!  He had some good questions and we definitely made him think when we asked him what he thought his purpose in life was.  He was funny though, he told us he didn’t want to commit to anything yet till he knows more and thinks because church always happens to be in the middle of football.

Another extremely cool story from this week is that last week we were told that a General Authority was coming to speak in this one ward so we should show up.  We were bummed because we had to teach a primary lesson at that time, but we made it happen, like always.  We showed up half way through sacrament meeting and lo and behold it was not a general authority... but an Apostle!  L. Tom Perry was in the ward! Wooo whoo! So we were excited.  Afterwards, we got to talk to him!  And then he taught Priesthood.  He was good.  One thing that really stuck with me that he said was that the reason we have so many people in the church who go less active and don’t become elders is because the Aaronic priesthood leaders don't teach the blessings of holding it well enough.  If they taught the blessings of it and taught the importance and power of it then people as young as 13 and 14 would be striving mightily to uphold their duties to be able to be worthy of it.  I thought that was bold and powerful. 

So this week it has been so cold, but we have been getting work done and have 2 new people we are teaching tonight, I am excited for that.  Christmas is in 6 days and I have mixed emotions about that. 

I love and miss you guys!

Love,

Elder Willis

Brian sent home some pictures of where he is living right now.  He and his companion have an apartment in the home of a member in their area.

Their little Christmas tree

The living room

 The office for studying

The bedroom.  I am curious if he cleaned his side and made his bed for the benefit of the picture.  :)

We are very excited to hear from him on Christmas Day.  We are especially thankful for our friends, the Walters.  Brian has received permission from his mission President to stop by and see them on Christmas Day.  It has been a emotional holiday season witout him here and knowing he will feel the love of good friends that day will make it that much better for our family. 

We hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season!  We also want those to know that have posted comments here and on Facebook, we include them in our weekly letters to Brian so he knows how much support he has from home.

We feel so blessed with the family and friends we have and especially for having the church and Savior in our lives each day.  We hope you and your family are feeling his blessings at this time of year and all the year through.

Love,

Brian and Becki and Zack